Chandogya Bhashyam (Chp 6)

 We are presently in the 6th chapter of Chandogya called Sad-vidya. The chapter is a dialogue between the father Uddalaka and his son Shvetaketu. The main content of this chapter is- "To know that One thing, such that everything else, is as well known!" (eka vignyaanena sarva vignyaanam) That's why Uddalaka asks Shvetaketu, whether he learnt this, in his gurukulam. When Shvetaketu says "No", the teaching begins with "Sad eva somya idam agra aaseet" etc.

We have already seen the maha-vakya in section 8- "tat tvam asi". But Shvetaketu has doubts and asks his father again, "Teach me again- bhu eva maa bhagavaan vignyaapayatu". He does not explicitly convey what the doubt is. But, based on the answer given by the father, we infer the question! Each answer has an example.

Example 1: Honey example

In section 8, there was a discussion on deep-sleep state. In this state, it was said, a jiva experiences Brahman- "sataa somya tadaa sampanno bhavati" (he experiences sat, brahman, in deep-sleep). Then, the question is, if we experience brahman everyday, when we sleep, why do we not remember.  This is the doubt (not expressed!) The answer for that question is given by the honey example.

Honey is collected by the bees from various flowers- some bitter, some sweet. But ultimately, in the honey conglomeration, we find no trace of any individual flower. 

So too, with deep-sleep. In deep-sleep, there is no individuality retained. That's because the mind is asleep, and hence, chidabhasa is also resolved, for the time-being. Only Chit remains. But because, the mind is absent, there is no one to claim, I am in Brahman, though Brahman is present and experienced. 

Example 1a: Tiger-lion-wolf example

But Uddalaka wants to point out that this lack of individuality is only temporary. Upon waking up, we pick up the earlier thread. If the tiger wakes up, it wakes up as a tiger! This is the verse which goes as follows- "vyaaghro vaa simho vaa etc."

With this, Uddalaka goes back to the shravanam statement- "aitad aatmyam idam sarvam, tat satyam, sa atma, tat twam asi shvetaketo"

The important message is- after mananam, one must again go back to shravanam. We do not want scholarship by studying more and more mananam texts!

But Shvetaku has the next doubt, for which the second example is given:

Example 2: River-ocean example

The doubt is this- ok. In deep sleep, I do not remember I was in Brahman. But, why can I not remember that, once I wake up? After all, we get back the individuality upon waking up!

The answer is this- We can "recollect" only what we "collect". In deep-sleep, there was no mind, there was no individuality, there was "no collection". When we wake up, the previous mind is back. But then, how can it recollect now, in waking, when it didn't collect in deep sleep!? 

For this, the river example is given. The river arises from the ocean. The river merges into the ocean eventually. Having merged, when the river comes back once more (as river), it does not recall that it had its origin in the ocean! The individuality was gone (in previous merge into the ocean). Hence, the fresh start of the river, does not recall this point (that it has its origin in the ocean) at all!

Example 3: Dead branch of a tree

In the river example, there is a slight problem. The same water (which was previously Ganga, and now merged in the ocean) may not evaporate and come back again as Ganga (once more). Is that the case with the jiva? Does he lose his individuality? This is the doubt.

Through the simho va, vyaaghro va example, this has actually been negated. But, it is reinforced once more. The same jiva does survive, and come back once more! This happens after deep-sleep, after death and after pralaya also. For that, an example is given, using a tree, to convey the point, that the jiva survives. (Note: The jiva is "lost" only during videha mukti, in which case also, there is really no loss. The body-mind part of the mukta purusha merges into Ishvara, and the consciousness of the mukta purusha is anyway, the same consciousness everywhere)

The example here is...of a tree. Every part of the tree throbs with life. The sap (rasa) oozes out if you strike the root, the middle, the top of the tree. It is a "live" tree, it is a jiva. Sometimes, the jiva chooses to stay-away (because of injury to the branch etc.) such that the branch goes dead. But the tree, the jiva continues. Many branches drop dead, but the jiva (of the tree) continues. We can extend the same logic to say, the jiva of a tree, continues even when the entire tree (in its visible form) is dead. This is called "sanghaata paraarthan nyaaya" which says "any assemblage owes is existence to some principle outside the assemblage). 

This is Shvetaketu's doubt and the answer given by his father. The jiva, in its essence, is deathless. This is our true nature. 

Dead-branch-tree example borrowed in Upadesha Saahasri

The jiva survives despite losing body parts! The teeth is gone, the hair is gone, body-parts may be gone, but the jiva continues. That means the body is not the jiva (by extension).

In Upadesha Saahasri, this Chandogya example is borrowed in Chapter 6, verse 1.

"Chhitvaa tyaktena hastena....swayam naatmaa vishishyatey....Tathaa shishtena sarvena...yena yena vishishyatey" (by whichever attributes, I am qualified, even if I lose them all, I will still survive!) It's like saying, all our accomplishments, body-mind included, are like the feather in the cap. They may embellish us temporarily, but we are bigger than them all. We will be just as fine, without the feather, without the cap, and (as per this quote), without the head too!!! This is a very practical point to keep in mind, whenever anything in life, ageing, loss etc. bothers us!! We are essentially bigger and better than them all!!!