Kurmavatara

 

Essence Of
Kurma Purana

 

15    I S H V A R A G I T A Delineation of Atma Tatwa Swarupa (Guhya Jnaana)

Suta Maha Muni quoted Veda Vyasa to the Rishis at Naimisha Forest that ‘Brahmavaadis’or those who cogitated about ‘Brahma Gyana’or the Knowledge of Brahma like Sanat Kumara,Sanaka, Sanandana, Angira, Bhrigu, Kanaada, Kapila, Vaama Deva, Shukra and Vasishtha prayed to Narayana Maharshi at Badarikaashrama and the latter appeared along with Nara Maharshi. The Brahmavaadis requested Narayana Maharshi to answer certain queries which had not been replied satisfactorily in their comprehension such as to what was the ‘raison d’tre’or the cause of Creation; which was the Shakti that scripted, sustained and decimated it; what precisely that Atma or Soul  meant and what indeed was the ‘Paramartha’ or the Final Goal all about! On hearing this, Maharshi Narayana discarded the Form of a Tapaswi and assumed the distinct Swarupa of Vishnu with Four Hands and Ornamentation of Shankha-Chakra-Gadaa-Saaranga besides Srivatsa accompanied by Devi Lakshmi. Simultaneously, Maha Deva too appeared at the behest of Vishnu as both of them were seated comfortably and when Vaasudeva posed the same questions that the Maharshis gave, Maheswara provided replies while cautioning confidentialty of the explanations:

Atmaa yah Kevalah Swasthaha Shaantah Sukshmah Sanaatanah,

Asti Sarvaantaraha Saakshaa-  cchinmaatrastamasah Parah/

Sontaryaami sa Purushaha sa Praanah sa Maheswaraha,

Sa Kaalogni-stadavyaktam sa Ye Vedamiti Shrutih/

Asmaad Vijaayatey Vishwamaschaiva pravileeyatey,

Sa maayi Maayaya baddhah karoti Vividhaastanuh/

(Vedas affirmed that ‘Atma’or The Soul which was Unique or Singular, Vigorous, Wholesome, Tranquil, Tiny, Ancient, Intrinsic and beyond Tamo Guna was the Purusha, the Praana or Life and Maheshwara himself as also Agni, Kaala and the Unknown! This Samasara or the Universe was created by Parameshwara who also absorbed it into him; the Maha Maya which surrounded lesser layers of Maya created various Beings; indeed, the Pure Atma was not subject to changes nor features; it neither allowed transformation  nor was prone to motivation).

Na chaapyam samsarati na cha Samsaarayet Prabhuh,

Naayam Prithi na Salilam na Tejah Pavano Nabhah/

Na Praano na Mano –Vyaktam Na shabdah sparsha yevacha,

Na Rupa rasaghandhaascha naaham Kartaa  na Vaagapi/

Na Paani paadow no paayurna chopastham Dwijottamaah,

Na Kartaacha na Bhoktaa vaa nacha Prakritin Purushou,

Na Maayaa naiva cha Praanashchaitanyam Paramaarthathah/

(The Supreme Atma was neither Earth,  nor Water, Tejas / Radiance, Wind nor  Sky. It was neither Life, nor Mind, nor the Unknown, nor Shabda /Sound-Rasa/ Taste-Gandha /Smell; it was not the feeling of the Self nor of the Voice. One coud not identify the Soul as hands, feet, nor the Marmaavayaas; neither the  Kartaa the Performer nor Bhokta- the one who experienced the performance; The Atma was not  Prakriti and Purusha; not the Maya /Illusion and Life; in fact the Universe and Paramatma are clearly separated entities!

Yathaa Prakaasha tamasoh sambandho nopapadyatey,

Tadvaikyam na sambanthah Prapancha Paramaatmanoh/

Chaayaa tapou yathaa lokey Paraspara vilakshanou,

Tadah tasya Bhaven muktirjanmaantara shatairapi/

Pashyanti Mumanayo yuktaah swaatmaanam Paramaardhatah,

Vikaara heenam Nirduhkha maanaanda -atmaanavyayam/

Aham Kartaa Sukhi Duhkhi Krusha Sthuleti yaa matih,

Saa chaahankaara krutwaadaatmanya ropyatey Janaih/

( Just as darkness and light were clearly distinctive, Samsara and Paramatma had no relevance of each other. Purusha and Prapancha too were quite different like sunshine and shadow. If Atma were unclean, diseased and full of malices by nature, then it could never have been purified even after thousands of lives and Yogis or Sages could never have visioned a spotless, blissful, indestructible and eternal Soul otherwise!) Paramatma therefore emphasised thus:

Aham Kartaa Sukhi Duhkhi Krushah Sthuleti yaa matih,

Saa chaahankaara kartutwaa daatma -atmanyaa ropyatey janaih/

Vadanti Veda Vidwaamsaha saakshinaam Prakruteyh Param,

Bhoktaara -maksharam Shuddham Sarvatra Samavasthitam/

Tasmaadajnaana mulo hi Samsaarah Sarva dehinaam,

Ajnaanaadyanyathaa Jnaanam taccha Prakriti sangatam/

( Human Beings tend to attribute their feelings as per their own mind-set and Ahamkaara/self- pride as though they were the Kartas or the responsible persons for their happiness, unhappiness, thinness or stoutness and  so on; accordingly they reflect their emotions and sentiments to their inner consciousness and Atma (Soul). But those who were enlightened and learned with the knowledge of Vedas and Scriptures would indeed  realise that there was a force beyond them and their nature and that indeed was the Eternal and All-Pervasive Para Tatwa; ignorance of that Reality which was far different from the illusion was the High Divider.)

Nityoditah Swayam Jyotih Sarvagah Purushah Parah,

Ahamkaaravivekena Kartaahamiti manyatey/

Pashyanti Rishayovyaktam Nityam Sadasaad –makam,

Pradhaanam Prakritim buddhwaa kaaranam Brahma vaadinah/

Tenaayam samgatohyatmaa Kutasthopi Niranjanah,

Swaatmaanamaksharam Brahma naavabudhyet Tatwath/

Anaatmanyaatma vijnaanam tasmaad duhkham tathetaram,

Raagadweshaadayo doshaah Sarvey bhraanti nibandha –naah/

Karmanyasya bhaved dosah Punyaapunyamiti stitih,

Tadhshaa Deva Sarveshaam Sarva Deva samudbhavah/ (Due to one’s own ego and ignorance, human beings tended to confuse themselves as Parama Purusha -the Self-Illuminated one- and declared that whatever was achieved or not was due to their own effort or lack of it. Brahmavaadi Rishiswould clearly distinguish the Supreme, the Prakriti, and the Cause as also the Truth and Fallacy and thus seek ‘Saakshaatkaara’or Ready Realisation. The dormant, invisible and  unfelt Truth would indeed co-exist with the illusions of life vis-à-vis the Eternal which got camouflaged! In the ‘Anaatma’ Tatwa or of the Non-Soul, even Atma Vijnana too woud get polluted due to ‘bhranti’ or illusions as likings and dislikings were produced  leading to Depravities or Moralities. This was the reason why Paapa-Punyaas got generated and different kinds of human beings came into existence.)

Nityah Sarvatragohyaatmaa Kutastho Dosha Varhitah,

Eka sa bhidyatey Shaktyaa Maayaya na swabhavatah/

Tasmaadadvaitamevaahur Munayah Paramaartaah,

Bhedo Vykaswabhaavena saa cha Maayaatmasamshrayaa/

Yathaa hi dhumasamparkaannaakaasho maliney bhavet,

Antahkaarana jairbhaavairaatmaa tadatra lipyatey/

Yathaa swaprabhayaa bhaati Kevalah Spatikomalah,

Upaadhiheeno Vimalaastathaivaatmaa Prakaashatey/

Jnaana swarupameyvaahur jagatetad Vichakshanaah,

Artha swarupamevaajnaah pashyantanye kudrushtayah/  

( That was also the reason why the Unique Partamatma was displayed in variegated types of Beings due to Maya Shakti or the Power of Illusion. Munis therefore believed firmly that Atma by itself was ‘Advaita’ or Singular but due to interaction with Maya looked as several entities, just as hot sunshine would pollute the Sky and hence the Purity of Atma was affected) .

Yadaa Sarvani Bhutaani Swaatmanyevabhi pashyati,

Sarva Bhuteshu chaatmaanaam Brahmaa sampadyatey tadaa/

Yadaa Sarvaani Bhutaani samaadhistho na pashyati,

Ekibhutah parenaasou tyadaa bhavanti kevalah/

Yadaa Sarvey pramuchyatey Kaamaa yesya hrudi sthitaah,

Tadaasaavamrutibhutah kshemam gacchati Panditah/

Yadaa Bhuta prudhakbhaavamekastha manupashyati,

Tata eva cha vistaaram Brahmaa sampadyatey tadaa/

Yadaa pashyati chaatmaanam kevalam Paramaarthatah,

Mayaa maatram Jagat krutstnam tadaa Bhavai Nivrutah/

(When Yogis could view all the Beings as existed in their own selves, that would become the achievement of Brahma Bhava. When Yogis reached a Samadhi Position or an Elevated Status of Enlightenment perceiving that all Beings in the World were just the same then they would have reached Atma Darshana or the Vision of the Soul and Brahma Bhava or the feeling of Oneness. Yogis woud then have no further desires and reach a stage of Fulfillment; then they feel equality of  all Beings and sincerely reach a sensation of Oneness or Brahma Prapti. When Yogis vision ‘Paramaartha’ and the Uniqueness of the Supreme then Maya or Illusion would have been destroyed and the entire Universe would look as a Single Entity.)

Yadaa Janma jaraa duhkhavyaadheenaa meka bheshajam,

Kevalam Brahma Vijnaanam Jaayatosow tadaa Shivah/

Yathaa Nadee nadaa lokey Saarenaikataam yayuh,

Tadaatmaakharenaasou nishkalenai -kataam vrajet/

( When Yogis realise that birth, old-age, misery and disease would  happen due to ‘Karma’ or previous actions and of  the awareness of that Brahma Gyan, then Shiva Rupa would have been realised. Just as Rivers and Rivulets would reach the Ocean finally, the individual ‘Jeevatmaas’ would get submerged into Paramatma.)

Tasmad Vigjnanamevaasti na Prapancho na Samsrutih,

Agjnaanenaavrutam Loko Vigjnaanam tena muhyati/

Tad jnaanam Nirmalam Sukshmam Nirvikalpam yadavyayam,

Agjnaana mitarat Sarvam Vgjnaanamiti mey matam/

Etad vah Paramam Sankhyam bhaashitam Jnaana –muttamam,

Sarva Vedaanta saaram hi yogatastraikachittataa/

Yogaat sanjyayatey Jnaanam Jnaanaad yogah pravartatey,

Yogi Jnaanaabhi yuktasya naavaapyam Vidyatey kwachit/

Yadeva Yogino yaanti Saankhyaistadadhigamyatey,

Evam Saankhyam cha yoga cha pashyati sa tatwavit/

(Hence, Vigjnaanaa was ever-existent and not Samsara; Vigjnaana / Knowledge was surrounded by Agjnaana/ignorance. In other words, what ever was Nirmala, Sukshma and Avyaya was Jnaana and the rest was worthy of discarding. Sankhya Yoga was that Jnaana only and was the Essence of Vedas. That was what worth concentrating about.)

Having explained the above, Parameswara told the Brahmavadi Maharshis further as follows:

Esha Atmaahamavyakto Maayaavi Parameshwarah,

Keertitah Sarva Vedeshu Sarvaatmaa Sarvato –mukhah/

Sarva Kaamah Sarva rasah Sarvagandhojaraamarah,

Sarvatah paanipaadohamantaryaami Sanaatanah/

Apaani paado javano graheetaa hridi samsthitah,

Achakshurapi pasyaami tathaa karnah shrunomyaham/

Vedaaham Sarvamevedam na maam janaati kaschana,

Praahumarhaantam Purusham  maamekam Tatwa darshanah/

Pashyanti Rishayo hetumaatopanah Sukshma darshanah,

Nirgunaamala rupasya attaddaishwaryamuttamam/

Yatra Devaa vijaananti mohiyaa mama Maayayaa,

Vakshye samaahitaa yuyam Shrunudhwam Brahma vaadinah/

Naaham prashastaa Sarvasya Maayaatitah swabhavatah,

Preranaami yathaapeedam kaaranam Sooraye Viduh/

Yasmey guhyatamam deham sarvagam Tatwadarshanah,

Pravishtaa mama Saayujyam labhantey Yoginovyayam/

Teshaam hi vashamaapannaa Maayaa mey Vishwarupini,

Labhantey Paramaam Shuddhim Nirvaanam tey mayaa saha/

Na teshaam punaraavrittih Kalpakoti shatairapi,

Prasaadaan –mama Yogeendraa etad Vedaanushaasanam/

Naaputra sishya yogibhyo daatavyam Brahma -vaadibhih,  

Maduktametad Vigjnaanam Samkhyayoga samaashrayam/

( I am Antaryami, Avyakta, Maayavi , Parameshwara, Sarva Veda Swarupa, Sarvatma, Sarva Kaama, Sarva Rasa, Sarva Gandha, Ajara, Amara, Sanaatana and full bodied with hands and feet, although I can move without hands and feet. I am fully aware of the ins-and-outs of the Prapancha but none knows about me. Some call me Adviteeya and some ‘hetuvaadaas’ claim that they are aware of the Cause of their existence, but for sure even Devas are not aware of my Reality as they are all steeply immersed in Maya. Now, listen to me carefully: Even being fully independent of and distinct from Maya, I provoke Maya to create situations due to reasons of such situations and accordingly Maya generates the specific situations. My all-pervasive ‘deha’or Physique [which certainly not the outcome of Pancha Buthas or Gunas or Tatwas which were my branded products] is perhaps partly visioned  by Tatva darshis and Maha Yogis and some selected few are even absorbed into me which is called Sayujya! Such handpicked ones would not have ‘Punarjanma’ for even crores of Kalpas; indeed that would be my Directive and Discretion. The Atma Tatwa or ‘the Saankhya Yoga Samanvita Vijnaana’ that I am now indicating in a hazy form may be taught to Brahma Vaadis to their sons, dicsiples or trusted  Yogis only and to none else!)



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