AITAREYA UPANISHAD - 26. Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya.
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Tuesday, May 02, 2023. 07:20.
PART 2 : The “THREE BIRTHS
Chapter 4 -
Mantram - 4.6: The Jivanmukti and Videhamukti of Vamadeva
Post-26.
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Mantram - 4.6: The Jivanmukti and Videhamukti of Vamadeva -
20.
sah evam vidvaan; = Having gained knowledge of the Atman,
asmaat shareera-bhedaat; = and separated himself from body consciousness,
oordhwah utkraamya; = he (Vamadeva) betook on his upward path;
21.
amushmin swarge loke = He attained the heavenly worlds of Bliss
sarvaan kaamaan aaptvaa; = and all his desires.
22.
amritah samabhavat, = He became immortal –
samabhavat. = yes, he became immortal.
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20 .
The Sage Vamadeva’s awakening while in the womb itself is an extreme case of
Vairagya. Why does Rishi Maheedasa choose such an extreme example? It heightens the
contrast between the illusory joys of family life and the misery of being ‘enwombed’ birth
after birth. Vamadev realized this and at once ‘flew’ his way out of bondage.
Note that ‘freedom from body’ can mean two things: i) to a mortal, it means death;
ii) to a sage, it means freedom from body-consciousness, which marks the “upward path” or
increasing abidance in the Self until the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi is firmly established.
21.
Once the highest state of spiritual realisation is reached, the attainment “of the
heavenly worlds of Bliss” accompanies it without saying. While still in his body, the realized
sage experiences all the heavenly regions of Supreme Bliss.
He enjoys all desires simultaneously. The sage has no desire for such attainments;
their mention here is perhaps to interest those who still aim for them, so that they may also
relate to the sage’s attainment.
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22.
Immortality covers all attainments in one sweep. It is the supreme fruit of
realisation. Mortality is the realm of the finite; Immortality is the realm of the Infinite.
The repetition of the line is to say that we have come to the end of Part 2 of the
Upanishad.
An Announcement :
23.
Yathaa sthaanam garbhinyah. Pregnant women, please resume your seats.
23.
At the end of this section, the announcement is made to call back the women
who had to leave the class earlier, due to the sensitive subject matter.
Conclusion of this Chapter:
This chapter, besides clarifying the three births, the three dwelling places and the
three states that the Self is witness to, has also taken us deeper into Vedantic Sadhana. The
importance of Vairagya is brought out in a graphical manner.
The Place of the Guru in this Text :
Acharyaji clarified that although the Guru has not been mentioned in this text for the
attainment of realization, the Guru principle is not being challenged. Vamdev’s is an
exceptional case of a sage who realized in the womb itself. There is no question of a Guru as
we understand it, in such a case of realisation.
The purpose of the Guru is really to enable us to make our own inner instrument into
a Guru to guide us. In the higher stages of meditation, the Guru is within us. The
Brahmakara Vritti (thought) used during meditation itself becomes the Guru within. There is
no contradiction involved in this regard.
*****
Next
PART 3: Chapter 5, 4 Mantras
“CONSCIOUSNESS IS BRAHMAN”
Here begins the First Chapter (No.5) of Part 3.
To be continued
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