24 Apr 2012
The Veda says that one alone cannot enjoy (Ekaki na ramate…). This statement is quite logical also. Enjoyment is a verbal noun, which indicates the verb or work done. Unless there is an interaction between two different items, work can never be done. Enjoyment is work. Therefore, the work or enjoyment cannot exist with the existence of only one item. The eating work cannot take place without the existence of the eater and eatable food. Therefore, the Veda says that in the absence of second item, there cannot be the existence of work (enjoyment) with one item only. Before the creation, God alone existed. He could not enjoy because He was one only. Hence, the second item, the creation, was manifested by Him, so that the enjoyment (work) can take place in the interaction of God and creation.
People say that you can enjoy provided you are established in yourself. This is absurd because you are always one and the process of enjoyment cannot be generated with one only. If you say that you are in the state of enjoyment by withdrawing yourself from the entire world and confining yourself to yourself only, it is meaningless because it contradicts not only the logic but also the above said Veda. Are you greater than God since you are in the state of enjoyment by establishing yourself in yourself and the mighty God could not do so? The immediate doubt that arises is that the Gita told that the great person is always confined to the self (Ya atmaratirevasyat…). The Gita says that you are enjoying by confining to the self. Therefore, the Gita contradicts the Veda. This contradiction can be resolved by taking the alternative meaning for the word self (Atman). The word self here means the human incarnation in which the unimaginable God exists to uplift the humanity. The word Atman means human body according to Sanskrit dictionary (Amarakosha). Now, this verse in the Gita means that a great person always confines to the human incarnation and gets enjoyment by serving the human incarnation of God. The word Atman or self means human form as well as yourself.
There are two meanings for this word Atman. People confused by not taking the proper meaning of the word Atman in the proper context. Here, the enjoyment becomes meaningful work because there are two items. One item is yourself, the enjoyer (Bhokta) and the other item is the human form of God, the enjoyable (Bhogya). Ramanuja says that God is the enjoyable item for the devotee, the enjoyer. If you take the meaning of Atman as yourself in this context, the process of enjoyment is impossible as per logic and as per the Veda. You have taken the improper meaning in this context and make wrong conclusion contradicting the Veda and logic. If you take the improper meaning in this context and confine yourself to yourself, the enjoyment cannot be generated. It contradicts the practical experience. When the Veda, logic and practical experience contradict, your concept is a forced super imposition of impossible meaning.
Actually, the word Atman is the basic inert energy, which is qualitatively the same as the infinite cosmic energy. The basic inert energy in the form of limited body is called as Atman and the infinite inert cosmic energy is called as Bramhan. The qualitative similarity between Atman and Bramhan is the monism of Shankara. The awareness, which is the work form of inert energy generated from the functioning nervous system, is the Jeeva. In the deep sleep, the Jeeva disappears and Atman alone remains (Sushuptyekasiddhah…). If you confine yourself to Atman only, which is the inert energy, where is the process of enjoyment, which is the characteristic of awareness? The Gita clearly says that Atman is inert energy (Sthanurachaloyam…). In the deep sleep, the awareness disappears, but it remains in the basic form of inert energy. Hence, Atman is permanent in all the three states of awakening, dream and deep sleep. The Gita says that Jeeva or awareness daily borns and daily disappears (Atha chainam…). The awareness disappears as the deep sleep starts and appears as the deep sleep ends. In this way also, you cannot enjoy if you are confined to the basic inert energy or Atman.
The neutrality towards happiness and misery in this world can be the natural consequence of your state of enjoyment in God. Here, you are neutral to the world but it does not mean that you are totally neutral. You are neutral to the world since you are in the state of Divine joy in God. Therefore, the neutrality to the world does not indicate the total neutrality of the self. It is only consequential and partial neutrality to the world due to the state of total enjoyment in God. Here, the neutrality to the world is one side of the coin only. Such neutrality to the world is mentioned as Shanti or Shama by the Gita and such neutrality is the result of the state of yogarudha, which is the state of reaching the total association with God in human form (yogarudhasya tasyaiva…). Without seeing the other side of coin, foolish people confine to one side of coin only and become totally neutral to the world. If you analyze carefully, the total enjoyment in God is also based on the total enjoyment of His creation. You cannot please a poet by becoming neutral to his poem. If you enjoy his poem and remember him by appreciation, the poet is pleased with you to the greatest extent. Similarly, if you enjoy the creation of God, appreciating the creator, God is totally pleased with you. During the enjoyment of the poem, you should enjoy the total poem and should not be neutral or reluctant to a part of the poem. Similarly, you should enjoy the total creation including happiness and misery. If you are neutral or reluctant to the misery, you are partially hurting God. Hence, there is no meaning of neutrality or reluctance to the creation. Atheists also enjoy the creation but do not remember God. Such enjoyment is the worst type of sin and hence, the neutrality or reluctance towards such enjoyment is appreciated.
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