Panchadasi-Chapter 1-Verses 42 and 43

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 42:

yathaa mu~njaad ishhiikaivam aatmaa yuktyaa samuddhR^itaH .
shariira tritayaad dhiiraiH paraM brahmaiva jaayate .. 42..

As the slender, the internal pith of munja grass can be detached from its coarse external covering, so the Self can be distinguished through reasoning from the three bodies (or the five sheaths). Then the Self is recognized as the supreme Consciousness

SLOKA 43:

paraaparaatmanor eva.n yuktyaa sambhaavitaikataa .
tat tvam asi aadi vaakyaiH saa bhaaga tyaagena lakshyate .. 43..

In this way the identity of Brahman and Jiva is demonstrated through reasoning. This identity is taught in the sacred texts in sentences as such as “That Thou Art”. Their method of explaining the truth is through the elimination of incongruous attributes.

The Ultimate Reality of Brahman is of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss and this Brahman is nothing but ones own nature of Self. But Jiva because of ignorance doesn’t know ones own nature of Self and gets identified with five sheaths. These five sheaths are not really present but are only illusion in the Reality which is caused by the ignorance. Because of the identification of the five sheaths, he experiences pleasure and pain, but the Self which is always the nature of Bliss is different from the five sheaths. The logic of Anvaya and Vyathireka can help to distinguish the Self from the five sheaths. The Self is present whatever sheath is present and also the Self is present even in the absence of any of the Self. Thus it is only the Self which is of the nature of Consciousness alone exists but the others are only illusion in the Reality because of the ignorance of ones own nature.

The identity of the Self with the Brahman is taught through the mahavakya of Tat Twam asi. So when the seeker controls his mind and differentiates himself from the five sheaths, the Guru instructs the seeker by the Mahavakya of Tat Twam Asi through which the seeker realizes ones own nature as the Ultimate Reality of Brahman. The Guru explains each word of the Mahavakya and by his teaching helps the seeker to realize ones own nature of the Self.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh