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Re: JIvAtma SAkshAtkAram as a pre-requisite to ParamAtma SAkshAtkAram

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mani2 • April 8, 2002 


--- In bhakti-list@y..., Anand K Karalapakkam  wrote:
> In SrImad RTS, SwAmi DESikan in the 9th Ch on different
> upAyas (upAya-vibhAga adhikAra), crisply highlights the important
> characteristics of Karma, Jn~Ana and Bhakti Yogas. In the
> concluding part of swAmi's note on Jn~Ana yoga, it is stated that
> jIvAtma-darSana is essential for starting bhakti yoga, with the
> analogy of a RatNa inside a cloth.

I would modify this statement slightly but significantly.
I am not certain what Sri Desika says specifically in 
Srimad Rahasya Traya Saara, but he is very clear on this
issue in his commentary on Sri Yamuna's Gitarthasangraha.

The position taken there is that while ultimately, 
the vision of the blissful individual self (jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAra) 
is definitely prefatory to success in bhakti-yoga and consequent
vision of the ParamAtman, such a vision of the individual self
is not a *necessary* condition to *beginning* the process of
bhakti-yoga.  jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAra may occur on the way, but
one need not have had total success in karma-yoga or jnAna-yoga
before practicing bhakti-yoga in its full form.

Sri Desika here draws a distinction between bhakti-yoga itself
and para-bhakti, the high state of the contemplative devotional
experience when one actually achieves a ceaseless mental
calling to mind of the ParamAtman's form.  When someone
starts bhakti-yoga, he or she may not have had any success
in the evenness of mind or the experience of the individual
self that constitutes the crown of karma-yoga and jnAna-yoga.
However, by the time the bhakti-yogi has arrived at the state
of para-bhakti (high bhakti), the vision of the self would have
been accomplished as a side effect of the practice of *this*
yoga, and not necessarily out of the practice of karma-yoga
or jnAna-yoga in their principal elements.

Sri Desika makes these comments on Gitarthasangraha (GAS) 25:

  *  Atma-dRSTes trayo 'py ete yoga-dvAreNa sAdhakAH //25//

  *  Any one of these three yogas (karma-yoga, jnAna-yoga,
  *  or bhakti-yoga) can achieve the vision of the individual
  *  self.

I do not have Sri Desika's GAS Raksha handy, but I recall
the essence of what he says.  He himself brings up the 
question of how bhakti-yoga can achieve the vision of the
individual self since it is generally thought that such a
vision is a preliminary for the commencement of bhakti-yoga.
Sri Desika says that quite clearly, one can engage in forms
of bhakti-yoga without having a vision of the self, and that
the vision of the self is only propaedeutic to para-bhakti,
a very advanced stage of bhakti-yoga.  One can engage in
common devotional practices with sincere dedication, perform
one's daily and occasional religious rites as worship of 
God, and attempt to contemplate on God directly, and be 
called a bhakti-yogi.  He cites a sentence from Vedarthasangraha
in support of this view.

For the distinction between the bhakti-yogi and one who 
is engaged in para-bhakti, well, the Gita itself makes
such a distinction when Krishna teaches in chapter 18
that "such a yogi attains para-bhakti to Me" (mad-bhaktim
labhate parAm).

Drawing further on the various aspirants described in 
Chapter 12 of the Gita and Sri Ramanuja's bhAshya, Sri Desika
points out that such a bhakti-yogi very will achieve the
vision of the self as an outgrowth of this yoga, since
bhakti-yoga contains jnAna-yoga and karma-yoga as elements
(vide GAS 24 "trayAnAm api yogAnAM tribhir anyonya-saMgamaH"
-- the three yogas are interdependent). 

I was quite pleasantly surprised when I first read about
this take on bhakti-yoga.  To be sure I had understood
this correctly, I brought up the issue with Dr. N.S. Anantha 
Rangacharya. He said while many people are not aware of this 
aspect of bhakti-yoga, Desika's comments here are absolutely 
clear and that this "was not a matter of dispute within the
tradition".

What this means is that:

  (a) When beginning their spiritual quest, some people
      engage in karma-yoga, which is selfless action
      performed as worship of God, with an understanding
      of the true nature of the individual self. This
      action takes the form of active compassion, charity, 
      austerity, visiting holy places, scriptural study, 
      yajna, etc.  

  (b) Some others engage in jnAna-yoga, which is contemplative
      analysis of the nature of the individual self in relation
      to the world and God. JnAna-yoga is essentially attempts 
      at meditation on the nature of the self consequent to
      conquering the senses and bodily impulses.

  (c) For both of these, an introductory understanding of
      the nature of God are required.  God is seen as the supreme
      benefactor and the Supreme Self, and is worshipped for
      success in yoga, but is not necessarily viewed as the 
      supreme goal.  All this depends on the mindset of the 
      aspirant.

  (d) Success in karma-yoga and jnAna-yoga leads to the vision
      of the individual self (jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAra).  Karma-yoga
      can be a gateway to jnAna-yoga, and then subsequently
      to jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAra, or it can lead directly to 
      jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAra because of the element of knowledge
      that is fundamental to its practice.

  (e) Between karma-yoga and jnAna-yoga the Gita counsels 
      aspirants to pursue karma-yoga because of its relative 
      ease and greater likelihood of failure.

  (f) Once the vision of the self is secured, the aspirant
      has obviously achieved some measure of success in yoga,
      and has perceived the self in its proper place -- i.e.,
      that it is truly different from the body, and that it
      is 'Sesha' to God.  The aspirant then naturally moves
      on to loving contemplation of God directly. This contemplation
      takes on different colors depending on the ultimate goal
      of the aspirant.

  (g) Some people may already have an abiding love for God
      and may not be interested in engaging themselves principally
      in karma-yoga or jnAna-yoga (see Gita chapter 12). These
      people engage in a form of bhakti-yoga that does not
      already have the vision of the self as its basis. Consequently
      their meditation may not be as firm; yet, with time, they
      too experience the proper nature of the self as an outgrowth
      of their bhakti-yoga and are able to ceaselessly envision
      the Lord.

  (h) It is to be noted that for all of the above aspirants
      the daily and occasional religious rites (nitya-naimittika
      karma) are obligatory and are performed to the best of one's 
      ability as God's worship.

  (i) One may worship God through bhakti-yoga for three goals:
      (a) The securing of bodily or material prosperity
          (aiSvaryArthi, in the Gita 'Arta' and 'arthArthi')
      (b) To attain a permanent vision of the nature of the
          individual self
          (kaivalyArthi or jijnAsu)
      (c) out of love of the ParamAtman alone (jnAni)
      Chapters 7 and 8 of the Gita detail these different aspirants
      and naturally give the highest place of honor to the jnAni,
      who views success and failure purely in relation to union
      with God.

Incidentally, the so-called 'akshara-upAsaka' of the Gita, 
mentioned in the 7th, 8th, and 12th chapters, is understood to
refer to someone who seeks to permanently experience the
bliss of the individual self.  This person engages in bhakti-yoga
for the sake this experience (the jijnAsu of the 7th chapter).
He meditates on God as the akshara for the sake of attaining
the jIva as akshara (see Desika's comments on Ramanuja-bhAshya
for chapter 8).  For this reason he is known as an akshara-upAsaka
in Chapter 12.

The meditation of the akshara-upAsaka and the jnAni is different
in the following manner.  Both of them have an understanding of
the nature of the individual self vis-a-vis the ParamAtman, but
the jnAni's is more advanced.  While the akshara-upAsaka meditates
principally on the jIva having God as its innermost self, the 
jnAni meditates principally on God having the jIva as His
attribute. (The first is brahma-SarIraka-jIvAtma upAsana,
the second is svAtma-viSishTa-brahma upAsana). 

As Martin has pointed out, Sri Ramanuja mentions that the
distinction between these two aspirants is only in the initial
stage ("mukha-bhedena" -- see Vedanta Saara).  Both are
meditating on God, only in different modes. The jnAnis 
meditation is the more enlightened since he only cares
about God, the jIvAtma being incidental.

For this reason, the akshara-upAsaka is also sometimes known
as a jIvAtma-upAsaka; but the latter term is to be very
loosely taken and should be understood in the manner described
previously.

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan
Mani

      


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