Greetings All,

Chapter 2, Anuvakaha # 4, Shloka # 2:

Different from that made up of mind (manas) is another inner soul made up of intelligence (Vignana) and by that this (manomaya-self) is filled. It also has the shape of man. According to the human shape of the previous, is the human shape of this one. Faith (sraddha) is its head, righteousness (Rtam) its right side, Truth (satyam) its left side, Yoga is the trunk and total intellect (mahah) is the tail and support. There is this following Vaidika verse about it.

We are now in anuvakaha # 4 of Brahmanadavalli. The Upanishad has entered Vignanamaya kosha. Initially it (manomaya) is still looked as atma, later as anatma. Once we accept vignanamaya as atma manomaya then becomes its container or deha while Vignanamaya is the dehi.

Knowledge (vignanamaya) does not have a shape. It assumes shape of manomaya or assumes manushya akara.

Once we accept manushya akara then the five factors come into play and they are the head, the right side, the left side, the central part and the support.

The knower principle Vignanamaya is the cause of deliberate action. A man first knows something’s, then he chooses one of them and he works towards accomplishing it. One cannot take an unknown thing as a goal. This is a process we perform lifelong. Pramatha, the knower becomes Karta. Shradha, faith in Vedas, guides him to spiritual knowledge. Spiritual knowledge requires shastra pramanam.  If you spend a lot of time and effort on the spiritual it requires knowledge of religion. This religion or spirituality requires shastra pramanam. This comes only from shradha in religion/spirituality.

Heaven or hell has no scientific proof. There is no proof of Pitr puja reaching ancestors. Concepts of punyam, papam, and moksha are all only coming from shastra pramanam.

Mind, different from brain, is not accepted by science. End of brain is not end of mind. Mind is sukshmam, while brain is sthulam, per shastras. However, there is no proof of this.

Therefore, one who does not have an appropriate attitude towards religion cannot accept all these facts. Thus spiritual life requires gyanam and faith in validity of scriptures.

Science too believes in blind faith. They feel sense organs are the only valid way to know sense objects. We, however, believe in non-worldly knowledge of shastras.

Science believes in sense organs because it works. For supra worldly wisdom, belief in shastra works.

We are not insisting you have shradha. Without faith in the eye, you cannot walk even a single step. This faith helps me.

Shradha is head. Ritum is right hand. Sensory perceptions must be understood correctly. As an example: Senses report earth is stationary while the reality is that earth is rotating at a high speed. It is not terra firma. The eyes show stars as small while the reality is that they are several times larger than earth. So, illusion is possible. So, interpretation is required. Scriptural illusion too must be corrected. Mananam after sravanam is performed to correct this illusion. Ritu is right side.

Satyam is uttara paksha. Knowledge is not enough. As per Karma kanda knowledge is useful only when implemented.

Therefore, knowledge is incomplete without practice. Practice of Vedic teaching is Satyam.

Atma is the central part is known as Yogaha.  Yoga means leading a focused life style. The focus should be on life’s end goal or moksha. First get gyana yogyata then get gyanam.  Don’t lose track of goal. Once in a while perform a check on your course to see if it needs correction.  Most people get lost in the complexity of samsara. That is why 41 samskaras are prescribed to be performed by the Vedas. From birth, marriage, deaths etc. are all rituals that remind you of your goal. This constant awareness is Yogaha.

Support is mahaha or samashti Vignanamaya or Hiranyagarbha. Every action has to be supported by God. Sri Krishna says, every organ functions only when supported by the Devata of the organ. Hiranyagarbha is the overarching Devata.

Five factors are now mentioned for Vignanamaya. There is now the Rig mantra glorifying Vignanamaya.

Ch 2, Anuvakhaha  5, shloka # 1 and part of Shloka # 2:

Knowledge performs the sacrifices and it is the real agent of all the physical activities. All the “gods” worship Knowledge as Brahman, the eldest. If a man knows Brahman as knowledge and if he does not swerve from it, he attains all desires and comes to abandon all the sins of the body.

We are entering anuvakaha # 5 with the Rig mantra.

This Vignanamaya atma is the karta. This knowing, judging, fixing capacity called “I” becomes aware of a program. Then Viveka chooses and directs me to the program. Hence Vignanamaya is important. Animals don’t have this capacity. It makes humans different from all beings. Vignanamaya atma, the karta atma, alone performs all vaidic upsanas (karmas). Once scriptures go out adrisha pradhana karmas go religion also goes. This happens in inter-caste marriages, when religion and tradition are thrown out of the door. No gothra is required for such a marriage. When marriage is dharma moksha pradhana, couple has a different approach to marriage.

Vignanamaya karma also performs all non-scriptural activities like working for earning etc.  Therefore, Vignanamaya is laukika  Vaidika (common religion). So, meditate upon this vignanamaya atma. Even Gods meditate on this atma. This knowledgeable one performs the actions. How do they meditate? They meditate on Samashti Hiranyagarbha, the first-born Vignanamaya.

Hiranyagarbha is responsible for rest of creation. Hiranyagarbha is Brahman and he comes out of the navel of Ishwara. Vyashti-Samashti Upsana is to be performed.

The benefits of this upasana are:

• Sakama: Suppose a person performs meditation on Vignanamaya Samashti aikyam through out his life then he will drop all papams born out of individuality, even as he drops his body.  Gita, in chapter # 8, says whatever you constantly think of at time of death, you reach that after death.  This upasana drops all papa karmas. He gets only punyam. He gets Brahma Loka. He. However, cannot get moksha, as he still needs gyanam for that.

• Nishkama karma: Chitta shudhi, expansion of mind and focus of mind all improve. Individuality is dropped in meditation. It dilutes the ego by visualizing totality. If I prepare long enough I will be prepared for anandamaya atma, the next step.

What is advantage of Brahma Loka? This loka has all possible material pleasures one can think of. The environment, objects and instruments are all ideal. The Rig mantra is complete with this.

The Yajur mantra takes over now.

Here person values knowledge. People who were involved in India’s freedom struggles, their Vignanamaya atma was strong. This is Vignanamaya abhimana topic. Now we are entering next sheath of ananda maya or Karana shariram.

Ch 2, Anuvakhaha  5, Shloka # 2:

Of that, of the former, this one is verily is the embodied self. Different from this self made up of intellect (vignanamaya) is another self within., formed of bliss (anandamaya). By this, that is filled (by anandamaya the vignanamaya is full). It also  has the shape of man. According to the human form  of  that, is the human form of this. Of it, joy (priya) is the right side, rejoicing (moda) is the left side, and bliss (pramoda) is the trunk. Brahman is the tail support. There is this vaidika verse about it.

We are entering the subtler layer. Really speaking Vignanamaya is not the atma. Atma is different. Atma is now anandamaya.  It is the real atma. Where is it located?

It is within vignanamaya.  With this vignanamaya becomes anatma or a kosha. Every thing including anatma is born out of atma. Vignanamaya is Karyam or it has nama and roopa. Thus, it is not a substantial entity. It only has a borrowed existence. It is Mithya. As such, it is as good as non-existent. This understanding in us is known as Pravilapanam or dissolution. Mithya is dissolved in satyam. Vignanamaya is dissolved in anandamaya. Microcosm is dissolved in macro cosm. Macrocosm also gets resolved.

Take away

1. Gita, in chapter # 8, says whatever you constantly think of at time of death, you reach that after death.
2. Practice of Vedic teaching is Satyam.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy