Friday, June 21, 2019

अणोरणीयान् महतो महीयान

Krishna has "plagiaried" this verse from the Mahanarayanopanishad.


अणोरणीयान् महतो महीयानात्मा गुहायां निहितोSस्य जन्तो:।
तमक्रतुं पश्यति वीतशाको धातु: प्रसादान्महिमानमीशम्।

anor aniyan mahato mahiyan
atmasya jantor nihito guhayam
tam akratuh pasyati vita-soko
dhatuh prasadan mahimanam atmanah

In the Geeta, I feel it has been given a BHAKTI twist, without the need for the reader to do any tatwa vicharam.

Rough translation in GIta is


Smaller than the smallest
Larger than the largest
The soul breathes in
The secret heart of man.

Evidently, the Gita takes "anoraniyan" as the Jeevatma, and " mahato mahiyaan" as the Paramatma, and tries to put things in context. Fits in the Vishishtadwaities' explanation of the Jeevatma and Paramatma concept very well.

And if one were to look at this from a Gita perspective, what is called here as the soul, is all pervasive. Inside and Outside. The Jeevatma and Paramatma are residing on the same tree of the living being, and he, who is devoid of all attachment, is the one who can realize the greatness of the soul...  so says Krishna. Note : DO NOT confuse the use of the word SOUL here with Jeevatma ( as is the usual).

However, the context of the M Upanishad is that the Brahman is smaller than the smallest, and greater than the greatest, and that we all are part of that Brahman.  Here, the verse is used to attempt to describe the "boundaries" ( or lack of them) of the Brahman.

If you go by the ditkat of Shri Ramanar, மனதைக் கொன்றுவிடு. , the Brahmam is still there..   going inwards does not necessarily meaning searching in your heart or mind, or intellect...  the concept of Brahman goes much, much beyond.

This concept is rather abstract, and will not be understood by mere passing reading. Which is why in the Gita, Krishna has simplified it, tagging them with Jivatma and Paramatma, to make it easier for all to follow.

I used the word "plagiarism" in a lighter vein only.

The reason that the Gita is called the Veda, vedanta saaram, is because it has given the most intricate and complex philosophies, in a much more palatable manner, so that 99.9% of people can follow easily, without racking our brains too much

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