Commentary on the Panchadasi: 18. Swami Krishnananda.

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Friday 24, Oct 2025, 21:00.
BOOKS
UPANISHAD 
Discourse - 4
Chapter 1: Tattva Viveka – Discrimination of Reality.
Mantras 28-43
Mantras 37- 40.
SWAMI KRISHNANANDA
Post-18.

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37.

Anvaya vyatirekā bhyāṁ pañcakośa vivekatah, svāt mānaṁ tata uddhṛtya paraṁ brahma prapa dyate (37). 

We have to carefully analyse this state of affairs in order to know that the Atman Consciousness is not any of these bodies. None of these five sheaths is to be identified with Pure Consciousness, which is universal. Consciousness is everywhere, as we have already studied. It cannot be located in one place. It has no divisions or fractions; it is infinite by itself. But each of the five bodies is limited, and is the opposite or the contrary of Consciousness, which is all-pervading. We have to lift this Atman out, free this Atman from involvement in the five sheaths, and attain to that infinity of ourselves which is the same as the attainment of Brahman. Brahman sakshatkara takes place.

We have to argue within ourselves: “How is it possible for me that I should be the body?” This analysis is called anvaya and vyatireka, positive and negative analysis of a particular situation. When something is there, something else is also there. When something is not there, something else is also not there. Here is an example of how such kind of positive and negative analysis can be carried on for the purpose of separating the consciousness from material involvements in the form of this body.

38.

Abhāne sthūla dehasya svapne yadbhāna mātmanaḥ, so'nvayo vyatirekas tad bhāne'nyā nava bhāsanam (38). 

Although the physical body is not there in dream, there is consciousness in dream. That means to say, consciousness exists even independently of the physical body. This is anvaya. Because the physical body is not necessary for being conscious, because we are conscious in dream even without the physical body being there, it is now clear that consciousness is not the physical body. This is one argument. This is called anvaya, or the positive statement that we make, the understanding that we arrive at to conclude that consciousness can exist even when the body does not exist.

Vyatirekas tad bhāne'nyā nava bhāsanam. Vyatireka is the negating of the physical body—the absence of it, when consciousness exists. The existence of consciousness when the body does not exist is anvaya. The non-existence of the body when consciousness exists is called vyatireka. These are two ways of arguing the same position. By both ways we conclude that consciousness is different from the body. There is another argument to prove that consciousness is not the body. It is here mentioned in the 39th verse.

39.

Liṅga bhāne suṣuptau syād ātmano bhāna manvayaḥ, vyati rekastu tadbhāne liṅgasyā bhāna mucyate (39). 

In the deep sleep state, consciousness exists, but the dream world does not exist. That is to say, just as the physical body was not necessary in dream, the subtle body is not necessary in sleep. So we can exist not only without the physical body, but we can also exist without the subtle body. This is seen in our sleep condition. The consciousness in the state of sleep has no consciousness of the subtle body or the physical body.

What do we prove by this? We prove that we can exist minus the physical body, and also minus the subtle body. Consciousness existing independently of the subtle body is the anvaya aspect, and the non-existence of the subtle body when consciousness exists in sleep is called vyatireka. These are two ways of arguing the same position. Now comes further argument.

40.

Tad vivekād viviktā syuḥ kośāḥ prāṇa mano dhiyah, te hi tatra guṇā vasthā bheda mātrāt pṛthak kṛtāḥ (40). 

When we have separated consciousness from the physical and the subtle bodies, we have automatically also separated consciousness from the pranamaya kosha, the manomaya kosha and the vijnanamaya kosha, because they are included in the subtle body. The elimination of the physical and subtle bodies is also automatically an elimination of the vital, mental and intellectual bodies, which differ only in their functioning, location and specific characteristics. So we now have proof that consciousness, which is our real nature, can exist minus the physical body and also minus the subtle body. Now there is something more.

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