SECTION 8 – INQUIRY INTO THE FORMS OF SUPREME BLISS

bhisha.asmadvatah pavate . bhishodeti suryah .
bhisha.asmadagnishchendrashcha . mrityurdhavati pa~nchama iti .
saisha.a.anandasya mima{\m+}sa bhavati .
yuva syatsadhuyuva.adhyayakah .
ashishtho dridhishtho balishthah .
tasyeyam prithivi sarva vittasya purna syat.h .
sa eko manusha anandah . te ye shatam manusha anandah .. 1..

sa eko manushyagandharvanamanandah . shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .
te ye shatam manushyagandharvanamanandah .
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sa eko devagandharvanamanandah . shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .
te ye shatam devagandharvanamanandah .
sa ekah pitrinam chiralokalokanamanandah .
shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .
te ye shatam pitrinam chiralokalokanamanandah .
sa eka ajanajanam devanamanandah .. 2..

shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .
te ye shatam ajanajanam devanamanandah .
sa ekah karmadevanam devanamanandah .
ye karmana devanapiyanti . shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .
te ye shatam karmadevanam devanamanandah .
sa eko devanamanandah . shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .
te ye shatam devanamanandah . sa eka indrasya.a.anandah .. 3..

shrotriyasya chakamahatasya . te ye shatamindrasya.a.anandah .
sa eko brihaspateranandah . shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .
te ye shatam brihaspateranandah . sa ekah prajapateranandah .
shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .
te ye shatam prajapateranandah .
sa eko brahmana anandah . shrotriyasya chakamahatasya .. 4..

sa yashchayam purushe . yashchasavaditye . sa ekah .
sa ya eva.nvit.h . asmallokatpretya .
etamannamayamatmanamupasa~nkramati .
etam pranamayamatmanamupasa~nkramati .
etam manomayamatmanamupasa~nkramati .
etam vij~nanamayamatmanamupasa~nkramati .
etamanandamayamatmanamupasa~nkramati .
tadapyesha shloko bhavati .. 5..

“From fear of It the wind blows; from fear of It the sun rises; from fear of It Agni and Indra and Death, the fifth, run.”

Now this is an inquiry regarding the Bliss.

Suppose there is a young man—a noble young man—versed, the best of rulers, firm in body and strong and possesses the whole world, full of wealth, is his: that is one measure of human bliss.

This human bliss, multiplied on hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the human gandharvas, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

This bliss of the human gandharvas, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the celestial gandharvas, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

This bliss of the celestial gandharvas, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the Manes, who dwell in the long—enduring world, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

This bliss of the Manes who dwell in the long—enduring world, multiplied on hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the gods born in the Ajana heaven, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of the gods born in the Ajana heaven, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the sacrificial gods who have attained to divinity by means of sacrifices, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of the sacrificial gods, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the gods, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of the gods, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of Indra, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of Indra, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of Brihaspati, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of Brihaspati, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of Prajapati, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of Prajapati, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of Brahma, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

He who is here in man and he who is in yonder sun—both are one. He who knows this, after dying to this world, attains the self which consists of food, attains the self which consist of the vital breath, attains the self which consists of the mind, attains the self which consists of intellect, attains the self which consists of bliss.

The sloka hinted in the previous mantra is given here. According to this mantra, it is for the fear of the Lord that the wind blows as per law, the sun rises and sets at the appointed time, fire, Indra and death (referred to as the fifth) perform their functions properly. Had there been no coordinating agency there would have been chaos in the universe. This proves that there is one organizer, inspirer, and controller who manages all these phenomena whom we call Brahman and who is attainable by the human beings.

Having realized that Brahman we have seen that the seeker attains infinite bliss. Such bliss is described and measured poetically in the form of a mathematical formula given in the mantra above by comparing several categories of joy and concludes that whatever joy acceptable in this world or other worlds, howsoever great they may be, they are all insignificant in comparison to Brahmananda i.e. bliss attained on realizing Paramatman. That Paramatman, the indweller of all, is the pivot of all joys. The seeker who knows this is deemed to have crossed over all the five sheaths viz. annamaya etc. explained earlier and attained the Supreme.

ityashtamo.anuvakah ..

End of Section 8 - Chapter 2

SECTION 9 – MERGING OF GOOD AND EVIL IN BRAHMAN

yato vacho nivartante . aprapya manasa saha .
anandam brahmano vidvan.h .
na bibheti kutashchaneti .

eta{\m+} ha vava na tapati .
kimaha{\m+} sadhu nakaravam.h . kimaham papamakaravamiti .
sa ya evam vidvanete atmana{\m+} sprinute .
ubhe hyevaisha ete atmana{\m+} sprinute . ya evam veda .
ityupanishat.h .. 1..

He who knows the Bliss of Brahman, whence words together with the mind turn away, unable to reach It—he is not afraid of anything whatsoever.” He does not distress himself with the thought: Why did I not do what is good? Why did I do what is evil? Whosoever knows this regards both these as Atman; indeed he cherishes both these as Atman. Such, indeed, is the Upanishad, the secret knowledge of Brahman.

This mantra tells about the fruit of knowing Supreme Brahman, the bliss itself. It says that the mind and all senses do not get Him (grasp Him) and come back empty-handed. To know Brahmananda, the mind and senses do not have power or capability. He who knows such Paramatma and the joy of Him, never fears from anybody and is always fearless.

Such an exalted person does not worry about his doing or not doing any good or evil deed. He feels no sorrow of any kind. He transcends the cravings and anxieties of committing good or evil deeds because he knows that both these are a form of torture resulting in birth and death. By thus renouncing attraction and repulsion, he is absorbed in the meditation of Paramatma and thereby he protects his individual self.

The Peace Chant

Om. May Brahman protect us both! May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of Knowledge! May we both obtain the energy to acquire Knowledge! May what we both study reveal the Truth! May we cherish no ill—feeling toward each other!

Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!

iti navamo.anuvakah ..

End of Section 9 - Chapter 2

iti brahmanandavalli samapta ..

HERE ENDS THE SECOND CHAPTER ENTITLED ‘BRAHMANANDAVALLI’.

We shall take up the Third Chapter “Bhriguvalli” next time.

HARIH OM