The Philosophy of the Panchadasi: 3-4 & Chapter 4: Discrimination of Duality-2. Swami Krishnananda.

 

Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF) and Chinmaya Swayambhu Ayyappa Temple

Hari Om.

Navaratri heralds the sacred worship of Bhagavati and celebrates the eternal triumph of Dharma over adharma. Every day, Devi is adored and worshipped as Sarasvati, Mahalakshmi, Durga, and Lalita Tripurasundari, reminding us of Her infinite expressions.

On this first day, Devi is worshipped as Shailaputri, the radiant daughter of the Himalayas. May She, the mountain-born Mother, grant steadfastness, fulfilment of noble desires and a life of auspiciousness.

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Monday 22, Sep 2025, 05:30. 18:09.
Books
Upanishads
The Philosophy of the Panchadasi: 3.4.
Chapter 4: Discrimination of Duality-1.2
1.Creation by Isvara and Jiva:2.
Swami Krishnananda.

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In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad we are told of the creation of the seven kinds of food or objects which constitute the support of Jivahood, both on earth and in heaven. Food such as rice and wheat are considered as the general food. Oblations offered in the new moon and full-moon sacrifices are regarded as foods of the celestials by which they sustain themselves as individuals in a higher plane. Milk is supposed to be the food of animals, which supports the animal nature in others also. The mind, speech and Prana are the internal foods of the Jiva, by which it retains the network of relations in the world, and without which it cannot exist. Though, in essence, all these are the creations of Isvara, they are converted by the Jiva into its foods, for sustaining itself, through its psychological and sensory functions. The psychic activity of the Jiva referred to here is the Vishayachintana or the idea of objects and its sensory activity is the effort it exercises towards reaching the objects either with the idea of possessing them or avoiding them. 

So far as pure relationship is concerned, it is immaterial whether it is in the form of likes or dislikes, because both are after all, relations by which the Jiva gets bound in the process of Samsara. As one and the same person may be looked at from different points of view due to purely private relations – a woman, for instance, is daughter to her father and wife to her husband – the world is considered by the Jiva in different ways according to its own predilections and idea of things. Maya acts as the means in the creation of the universe by Isvara, and the mind becomes the means in the experience of the world by the Jiva. Though the mind of the Jiva does not create the world in itself, it can create its own world and reduce the former to instruments of personal satisfaction; and it is only with this latter that it is concerned – not with the world of Isvara, in its practical dealings.

The objects created in the world of Isvara have differing values to the Jivas. Take, for example, a precious stone. It creates pleasure in the mind of one who desired it and has possessed it. It generates displeasure and anger in another who desired it but who could not possess it. It creates an attitude of indifference in a third who is dispassionate and is neither happy nor grieved on its perception. The three types of values, pleasure, unhappiness and impersonal non-attachment are not intrinsic values of the precious stone, which is a creation in the world of Isvara, and which, in itself, has a uniform value at all times, i.e., the value of being an integral part of Isvara's creation. 

It exists as any other object does, and this is really its ultimate value. But that it means something to someone is not its essential nature. Objects set up emotions in the Jiva by acting as correlatives of its own internal feelings of a kind of incompleteness within itself. This is the reason why all do not desire the same thing, and even the same person does not desire one thing alone, at all times. Values differ when ideas differ, though objects do not change their nature even when they are looked at by various observers. They are capable of evoking different thoughts and feelings in the Jivas.

In perception, there is a twofold process. The mind, which is inert, and is very subtle, projects itself as a force towards an object, envelops the form of that object, as light would cover a substance which it illumines, and takes the shape of that object. Simultaneously with this enveloping process, which is called Vrittivyapti, there is a lighting up of this process by the Chidabhasa within, which is called Phalavyapti, and by which knowledge the form of the object is given to the observing Jiva. When this knowledge is received by the Buddhi, it gives orders, immediately, to the whole system of the Jiva, in accordance with the meaning that it reads in the object perceived. 

The activity of the Jiva in relation to the object is dependent on the meaning that it finds in the object and is not caused by merely the existence of the object, as such. The bondage of the Jiva, therefore, lies in this, that the world means something to it, merely because it considers the world to be outside it, and sets up a series of reactions in regard to it, throughout its life. The liberation of the Jiva consists, therefore, in the withdrawal of this process of reading meaning in things and acting; accordingly, in regarding all things as parts of Isvara's creation and seeing no other meaning than that their existence is Isvara's existence.

In the perception of an object, such as an earthen pot, there is a twofold activity of the mind going on: (1) The perception of the object, and (2) the conception of it. Perception is brought about by a projection of the mind towards the objects outside, while a concept can arise in the mind even without there being a physical object, really. There is, thus, a physical earthen vessel, and also a mental one, by which the manner in which the vessel is related to the seer is determined. By Anvaya and Vyatireka it can be known that the cause of bondage is Jiva's creation. When there is Jivasrishti, there is bondage. This is Anvaya. When there is no Jivasrishti, there is no bondage. This is Vyatireka. 

And this is a matter of experience by everyone. When we are not concerned with anything , we have a peculiar kind of freedom, and a feeling of happiness, which we do not experience when our thoughts get entangled in what we term the business of life. We concern ourselves with things, and hence it is we that have a variety of feelings. The mind of the Jiva acts only in regard to external objects. When no objects are presented before it, it cannot have any definite psychological reaction. Now, these internal reactions can be possible, even if there is no real physical perception; for example, in dream we have various experiences even when there is no actual contact with objects: and on the other hand, in Samadhi, sleep and swoon there is no perception of objects even when they are really present. A person may be grieved on receiving the news of the death of a dear relative, though the news may be false, but he remains happy, even if the dear one is really dead, if only the news would not reach him. The bondage of the Jiva is caused by its own mentation.

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