Post by Amritha Varshini on Feb 11, 2014 18:22:26 GMT 5.5
TATWA BODHAM of Sri Adi Shankaracharya
3. SAREEERA THRAYAM - (Three Bodies)
In the previous chapter, it was stated that Aatma is not the three bodies, Pancha Kosams, but the witness in the three Avasthaas. It is being elaborated here.
3.1. STHOOLA SAREERAM:
Pancheekrutha Panchamahaa Bhoothai: Krutham Sathkarmajanyam
Sukha Dhukhaadhi Bhogaayathanam sareeram, Asthi Jaayathe Vardhathe
ViparinNamathe apaskheeyathe vinasyatheethi Shadvikaaravadhe Thath Sthoola Sareeram
This physical body (Sthoola Sareeram), which is made out of the five elements (Earth, Water, Heat, Air, Space), and is born out of the good deeds in the past, which is also the storehouse of happiness and sorrow, is subjected to six types of changes such as birth, living, growing, changing, decaying and dying. This body is existing in space, breathing is going on with the help of air, heat is maintaining the body, the flesh and nerves are made out of earth and water. The Physical body comes to exist due to the good deeds done in the earlier births. It is also called Sareeram as it gets tired in due course. It is also called Dheham, as it is burnt after death. This fleshy body contains the eye, ear, nose, mouth, hands, legs etc. and is either hard or soft, longer or shorter, fatty or lean. Thus it has come to be known as Sthoola Sareeram - that which is seen and felt outside.
3.2 SOOKSHMA SAREERAM:
Apancheekrutha Pancha Mahaa Bhoothai:
Krutham Sath Karmajanyam
Sukha Dhukhaadhi Bhoga Saadhanam
Pancha GnaanendriyaaNi Pancha KarmendriyaaNi
Pancha PraaNaadhaya: Manaschaikam Budhischaikaa
Yevam Saptha Dhasaa Kalaabhi: Saha yatthishtathi
Thath Sookshma Sareeram
This is the inner body made out of five elements, born out of good deeds, the measuring instrument of happiness, sorrow etc, five Gnaanendriyas, five Karmendriyaas, five praanaas, mind, intellect (totally 17 parts). This helps the outer body to live and engage in actions like directing the ten indriyaas. When the outer body is extinct, this inner body also perishes. This is also known as LINGA SAREERAM, because this remembers and finds out the origin of any happenings. This is the place where Vaasanaas (rudimentary unfulfilled desires in the past created by actions) reside, which creates the thoughts and makes the Jeeva act accordingly. This Sareeram is equivalent to Dream state - a state where the mind functions and sees things within itself out of the memories of past actions & experiences. The seen, the seer and the seeing all are only the mind here. The knowledge arising out of the stimuli brought by the Gnaanendriyas from outside and the order to Karmendriyaas to act accordingly coming from within are happening in the Sookshma Sareera.
3.2.1. Gnaanendriyas:
Srothram Thwak Chakshu: Rasanaa GraaNam Ithi Pancha GnaanedriyaaNi
Ear, Skin, Eye, Tong, Nose are the five Gnaanendriyas functioning in the sphere of hearing, touch, seeing figures, taste, smell and give us the knowledge of the sense objects from outside. Hence they are called Gnanendriyaas. These have their own Devataas (semi gods). (a) Srothrasya Digdevata - For Ear it is Dhisa (Sides), (b) Twaccho Vaayu: - For skin it is Air (c) Chakshusha: Surya: - For eyes, it is Surya (d) Rasanaayaa VaruNa: - For tongue it is Water (e) For Nose it is Aswini Devataas.
Srothasya Vishaya: Shabdha Grahanam - Twachcho Vishaya: Sparsa Grahanam
Chakshusho Vishaya: Roopa Grahanam - Rasanaaya Vishaya: Rasa Grahanam -
GraaNasya Vishaya: Gandha GrahaNam
The functions of these indriyaas are : Ear is receiving sound, Skin is feeling the touch, Eye receives forms and colours, Tongue receives the taste and Nose receives the smell. All these instruments are related to Pancha Bhootaas and have their respective qualities. Ear, being part of space where sound is produced, hears various sounds. Skin, being part of Air, understands different touches like cold, heat, soft, hard etc. Eye, being part of Sun, according to Sun's qualities, it understands the figures like colours (white, black, red, green blue, mixed colours) - length, short, fat, thin (sizes). Tongue, being part of Water, it has Water's qualities and receives the tastes like salty, sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, sour (thuvarppu) etc. Nose, being part of earth, it gets the qualities of smell. Thus, as these organs bring the above knowledge, they are called Gnaanendriyas.
3.2.3. Karmendriyaas:
Vaak PaaNi Paadha Paayuthi Pancha KarmendriyaaNi
Mouth, Hands, Legs, Excretory organ, Reproductive Organ are the five Karmendriyaas, functioning in the spheres of Speech, holding, walking, excreting (Visarjanam) and Enjoying & producing, enable us to work and are known as Karmendriyaas. These have their own Devataas (semi gods). (a) Agni for Mouth, (b) Indra for Hands, (c) Vishnu for Legs, (d) Yamah for Excretory organ and (e) Brahma for Reproductive organ. The functions of these Indriyaas are: Mouth helps to speak, Hands leads us to hold things, Legs allow us to walk (move), Excretory organ enables us to discharge our fasces and Reproductive organ helps us to enjoy & procreate.
3.3.KAARANA SAREERAM:
Anirvaachya Anaadhi Avidhyaa Roopam Sareera Dwayasya KaaraNa Maathram
Satswaroopa Agnaanam Nirvikalpaka Roopam Yathasthi Thath KaaraNa Sareeram
KaaraNa Sareeram is that which cannot be defined clearly, which is beginingless, untrue, is the cause of Sthoola Sookshma Sareeraas, not knowing the Truth and indifferent. Jeeva is enjoying happiness in deep sleep. The reason for this is that it does not get connected with Body and Mind. Jeeva does not know anything in deep sleep.
He is associated with KaaraNa Sareera in deep sleep, but is free from the actions or experiences of Sthoola Sookshma Sareeraas. This state is called Nirvikalpam (a state where all the organs are at rest - a state without Upaadhis). Giving a shape to the all pervading Aatma is called Upaadhi. Just as the bulb is an Upaadhi to Electricity and A.C. is an Upaadhi to Electricity. We cannot clearly explain the nature of this state (Anirvachaneeyam), which is an impermanent state - a state where Sat and Asat are not present.
KaaraNa Sareeram is the mixture of Satwa, Raja, Thamo Gunaas in their dormant stage. The experiences gained in Waking and Swapna stages get deposited in the Deep Sleep as Vaasanaas in the form of Beejam (Seed). When they bloom and come to the realm of Sthoola Sareera and Sookshma Sareera, they are known as Waking and Swapna states respectively. In Deep Sleep, there is no Indriyaas, Mind and Intellect in action. They get rest, when it has no knowledge of Aatma or Sense Objects (world outside) and this is called Avyaktham (Unclear). "I am not aware of anything" is the stage of Jeeva. It is the state of Ignorance. This state is KaaraNa Sareeram.
Commentary By Sri P.K. Venkatachalam (achalam38@gmail.com)
3. SAREEERA THRAYAM - (Three Bodies)
In the previous chapter, it was stated that Aatma is not the three bodies, Pancha Kosams, but the witness in the three Avasthaas. It is being elaborated here.
3.1. STHOOLA SAREERAM:
Pancheekrutha Panchamahaa Bhoothai: Krutham Sathkarmajanyam
Sukha Dhukhaadhi Bhogaayathanam sareeram, Asthi Jaayathe Vardhathe
ViparinNamathe apaskheeyathe vinasyatheethi Shadvikaaravadhe Thath Sthoola Sareeram
This physical body (Sthoola Sareeram), which is made out of the five elements (Earth, Water, Heat, Air, Space), and is born out of the good deeds in the past, which is also the storehouse of happiness and sorrow, is subjected to six types of changes such as birth, living, growing, changing, decaying and dying. This body is existing in space, breathing is going on with the help of air, heat is maintaining the body, the flesh and nerves are made out of earth and water. The Physical body comes to exist due to the good deeds done in the earlier births. It is also called Sareeram as it gets tired in due course. It is also called Dheham, as it is burnt after death. This fleshy body contains the eye, ear, nose, mouth, hands, legs etc. and is either hard or soft, longer or shorter, fatty or lean. Thus it has come to be known as Sthoola Sareeram - that which is seen and felt outside.
3.2 SOOKSHMA SAREERAM:
Apancheekrutha Pancha Mahaa Bhoothai:
Krutham Sath Karmajanyam
Sukha Dhukhaadhi Bhoga Saadhanam
Pancha GnaanendriyaaNi Pancha KarmendriyaaNi
Pancha PraaNaadhaya: Manaschaikam Budhischaikaa
Yevam Saptha Dhasaa Kalaabhi: Saha yatthishtathi
Thath Sookshma Sareeram
This is the inner body made out of five elements, born out of good deeds, the measuring instrument of happiness, sorrow etc, five Gnaanendriyas, five Karmendriyaas, five praanaas, mind, intellect (totally 17 parts). This helps the outer body to live and engage in actions like directing the ten indriyaas. When the outer body is extinct, this inner body also perishes. This is also known as LINGA SAREERAM, because this remembers and finds out the origin of any happenings. This is the place where Vaasanaas (rudimentary unfulfilled desires in the past created by actions) reside, which creates the thoughts and makes the Jeeva act accordingly. This Sareeram is equivalent to Dream state - a state where the mind functions and sees things within itself out of the memories of past actions & experiences. The seen, the seer and the seeing all are only the mind here. The knowledge arising out of the stimuli brought by the Gnaanendriyas from outside and the order to Karmendriyaas to act accordingly coming from within are happening in the Sookshma Sareera.
3.2.1. Gnaanendriyas:
Srothram Thwak Chakshu: Rasanaa GraaNam Ithi Pancha GnaanedriyaaNi
Ear, Skin, Eye, Tong, Nose are the five Gnaanendriyas functioning in the sphere of hearing, touch, seeing figures, taste, smell and give us the knowledge of the sense objects from outside. Hence they are called Gnanendriyaas. These have their own Devataas (semi gods). (a) Srothrasya Digdevata - For Ear it is Dhisa (Sides), (b) Twaccho Vaayu: - For skin it is Air (c) Chakshusha: Surya: - For eyes, it is Surya (d) Rasanaayaa VaruNa: - For tongue it is Water (e) For Nose it is Aswini Devataas.
Srothasya Vishaya: Shabdha Grahanam - Twachcho Vishaya: Sparsa Grahanam
Chakshusho Vishaya: Roopa Grahanam - Rasanaaya Vishaya: Rasa Grahanam -
GraaNasya Vishaya: Gandha GrahaNam
The functions of these indriyaas are : Ear is receiving sound, Skin is feeling the touch, Eye receives forms and colours, Tongue receives the taste and Nose receives the smell. All these instruments are related to Pancha Bhootaas and have their respective qualities. Ear, being part of space where sound is produced, hears various sounds. Skin, being part of Air, understands different touches like cold, heat, soft, hard etc. Eye, being part of Sun, according to Sun's qualities, it understands the figures like colours (white, black, red, green blue, mixed colours) - length, short, fat, thin (sizes). Tongue, being part of Water, it has Water's qualities and receives the tastes like salty, sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, sour (thuvarppu) etc. Nose, being part of earth, it gets the qualities of smell. Thus, as these organs bring the above knowledge, they are called Gnaanendriyas.
3.2.3. Karmendriyaas:
Vaak PaaNi Paadha Paayuthi Pancha KarmendriyaaNi
Mouth, Hands, Legs, Excretory organ, Reproductive Organ are the five Karmendriyaas, functioning in the spheres of Speech, holding, walking, excreting (Visarjanam) and Enjoying & producing, enable us to work and are known as Karmendriyaas. These have their own Devataas (semi gods). (a) Agni for Mouth, (b) Indra for Hands, (c) Vishnu for Legs, (d) Yamah for Excretory organ and (e) Brahma for Reproductive organ. The functions of these Indriyaas are: Mouth helps to speak, Hands leads us to hold things, Legs allow us to walk (move), Excretory organ enables us to discharge our fasces and Reproductive organ helps us to enjoy & procreate.
3.3.KAARANA SAREERAM:
Anirvaachya Anaadhi Avidhyaa Roopam Sareera Dwayasya KaaraNa Maathram
Satswaroopa Agnaanam Nirvikalpaka Roopam Yathasthi Thath KaaraNa Sareeram
KaaraNa Sareeram is that which cannot be defined clearly, which is beginingless, untrue, is the cause of Sthoola Sookshma Sareeraas, not knowing the Truth and indifferent. Jeeva is enjoying happiness in deep sleep. The reason for this is that it does not get connected with Body and Mind. Jeeva does not know anything in deep sleep.
He is associated with KaaraNa Sareera in deep sleep, but is free from the actions or experiences of Sthoola Sookshma Sareeraas. This state is called Nirvikalpam (a state where all the organs are at rest - a state without Upaadhis). Giving a shape to the all pervading Aatma is called Upaadhi. Just as the bulb is an Upaadhi to Electricity and A.C. is an Upaadhi to Electricity. We cannot clearly explain the nature of this state (Anirvachaneeyam), which is an impermanent state - a state where Sat and Asat are not present.
KaaraNa Sareeram is the mixture of Satwa, Raja, Thamo Gunaas in their dormant stage. The experiences gained in Waking and Swapna stages get deposited in the Deep Sleep as Vaasanaas in the form of Beejam (Seed). When they bloom and come to the realm of Sthoola Sareera and Sookshma Sareera, they are known as Waking and Swapna states respectively. In Deep Sleep, there is no Indriyaas, Mind and Intellect in action. They get rest, when it has no knowledge of Aatma or Sense Objects (world outside) and this is called Avyaktham (Unclear). "I am not aware of anything" is the stage of Jeeva. It is the state of Ignorance. This state is KaaraNa Sareeram.
Commentary By Sri P.K. Venkatachalam (achalam38@gmail.com)
