ईशोपनिषदि - मन्त्रषट्कम् (९) अन्धं तमः + …+... + (१४) संभूतिं च विनाशं च

 ॐ 

नमो नम: 

ईशोपनिषदि  - मन्त्रषट्कम् (९) अन्धं तमः + …+... + (१४) संभूतिं च विनाशं च       

 Study by S. L. Abhyankar 

==========

The logic in taking up study of as many as six मन्त्राः together is that in these six मन्त्राः there are two triplets which are fairly similar. One will be convinced by putting the two triplets side by side. 

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते । ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः ॥ ९॥ अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्ययाऽन्यदाहुरविद्यया । इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥ १०॥ विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह । अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते ॥ ११॥

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासते । ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्यां रताः ॥ १२॥ अन्यदेवाहुः सम्भवादन्यदाहुरसम्भवात् । इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥ १३॥ सम्भूतिं च विनाशं च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह । विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्याऽमृतमश्नुते ॥ १४॥

पदच्छेदैः 

अन्धम् तमः प्रविशन्ति ये अविद्याम् उपासते । तत: भूय: इव ते तम: ये उ विद्यायाम् रताः ॥ ९॥ अन्यत् एव आहु: विद्यया अन्यत् आहु: अविद्यया । इति शुश्रुम धीराणाम् ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे ॥ १०॥ विद्याम् च अविद्याम् च य: तत् वेद उभयम् सह । अविद्यया मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा विद्यया अमृतम् अश्नुते ॥ ११॥

अन्धम् तमः प्रविशन्ति ये असम्भूतिम् उपासते । तत: भूय: इव ते तम: ये उ सम्भूत्याम् रताः ॥ १२॥ अन्यत् एव आहु: सम्भवात् अन्यत् आहु: असम्भवात् । इति शुश्रुम धीराणाम् ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे ॥ १३॥ सम्भूतिम् च विनाशम् च य: तत् वेद उभयं सह । विनाशेन मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्या अमृतम् अश्नुते ॥ १४॥

The sentences are fairly straightforward. Hence I may skip वाक्यांशशः विश्लेषणम् 

For पदाभ्यासाः also there are only a few words, which merit word-by-word study. But maybe it would not be wrong to go straightaway to syntaxes and meanings अन्वयार्थाः  

ये अविद्याम् उपासते (ते) अन्धम् तमः प्रविशन्ति । Those who pursue unwise knowledge, meet blinding darkness.   ये विद्यायाम् रताः ते उ तत: भूय: इव तम: (प्रविशन्ति)Those who pursue (only) knowledge and stay engrossed in it, they meet even more blinding darkness. ॥९॥ (केचन) विद्यया अन्यत् एव आहु: Those with knowledge said one thing. (केचन) अविद्यया अन्यत् (एव) आहु: । Those with unwise knowledge said something else. इति (वयम्) धीराणाम् शुश्रुम ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे ॥ १०॥ That is what we learnt from the sages, who explained it (all) to us य: तत् उभयम् सह विद्याम् च अविद्याम् च वेद । He who knows both knowledge and unwise knowledge  (सः) अविद्यया मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा विद्यया अमृतम् अश्नुते ॥ ११॥he by unwise knowledge transcends death and attains immortality by wise knowledge.

अन्धम् तमः प्रविशन्ति ये असम्भूतिम् उपासते । Those who pursue the unmanifest meet blinding darkness. तत: भूय: इव ते तम: ये उ सम्भूत्याम् रताःThose who pursue and stay engrossed in idolatry, they meet even more blinding darkness. ॥ १२॥   (केचन) सम्भवात् अन्यत् एव आहु: Those apropos idolatry said one thing. (केचन) असम्भवात् अन्यत् (एव) आहु: । Those apropos improbability said something else. इति (वयम्) धीराणाम् शुश्रुम ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे ॥ १३॥ That is what we learnt from the sages, who explained it (all) to us. य: तत् उभयम् सह सम्भूतिम् च विनाशम् च वेद । He who knows both manifestation and non-manifestation (सः) विनाशेन मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्या अमृतम् अश्नुते ॥ १४॥ he by (knowledge of) destruction, non-manifestation transcends death and attains immortality by (knowledge of) manifestation

Note, the key words in मन्त्राः 9 to 11 are विद्या  and अविद्या. I have translated them as knowledge and unwise knowledge respectively. 

Also the key words in मन्त्राः 12 to 14 are असम्भूति: (असम्भव: विनाश:) सम्भूति: (सम्भव:). I have translated them as 

• असम्भूति: unmanifest (असम्भव: improbability) विनाश: (destruction, non-manifestation) 

• सम्भूति: (सम्भव:) manifestation, idolatry

All the statements in these six मन्त्राः sound to be very definitive and emphatic. They also seem to encompass a much wider spectrum than the literal meanings of the words, especially of the key words. This prompts me to straightaway jot down → 

स्वाध्यायाः Notes of self-study 

(१) ये अविद्याम् उपासते (ते) अन्धम् तमः प्रविशन्ति । Those who pursue unwise knowledge, meet blinding darkness. This is understandable, because those who pursue unwise knowledge have chosen a wrong path.  

I think the thought is better clarified by य: तत् उभयम् सह विद्याम् च अविद्याम् च वेद “He who knows both knowledge and unwise knowledge.” Being ignorant of अविद्या unwise knowledge is not advisable. What is not advisable is its उपासना. 

Being knowledgeable of अविद्या unwise knowledge is helpful that अविद्यया मृत्युम् तरति by unwise knowledge one can transcend death. Killing anybody is उपासना of अविद्या. But knowing that killing would invite death-penalty is essential. Not knowing of death-penalty is dangerous. One cannot say, “I killed him, because I didn’t know that by killing I would suffer death penalty.” Ignorance may be a bliss, not always. Upon knowing that killing would invite death-penalty, one would save oneself from indulging in inappropriate acts, अविद्यया मृत्युम् तरति. Note, inappropriate act brings disgrace, which is no less than मृत्यु:. Knowledge of what is inappropriate is knowledge of अविद्या. That knowledge is essential. 

Not knowing अविद्या and staying engrossed in विद्या is tantamount to half knowledge. The proverbial wisdom is “Half knowledge is dangerous.” 

In Ayurveda the prescription contains both ‘do’s विद्या and don’ts अविद्या. By following both मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा अमृतम् अश्नुते. 

(२) Meaning of अमृतम् अश्नुते as ‘attains immortality’ or ‘gets the elixir’ is too much of a literal translation. It does not mean that one’s life, this life would not end. जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युः (गीता २-२७). Everyone born will die. Meaning of अमृतम् अश्नुते is that one would not have to be reborn and die again. So अमृतम् अश्नुते means मोक्षः emancipation, liberation from the cycles of births and deaths. In गीता there are various (about 70) phrases for this same meaning. See → 

अनुत्तमां गतिम् आस्थितः (भवति) (7’18) अपुनरावृत्तिं गच्छति (5’17) अमृतत्त्वाय कल्पते (2’15) अमृतम् अश्नुते (14’20) अविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते (10’7) अव्ययं पदं गच्छन्ति (15’5) अहम् इष्टः स्याम् (18’70) अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि (18’66) कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि (2’39) कर्मभिः न बध्यते (4’14) कृतकृत्यः स्यात् (15’20) निर्वाणपरमां शान्तिम् अधिगच्छति (6’15) निर्वेदं गन्तासि (2’52) परं पुरुषम् उपैति (8’10) परं पुरुषं याति (8’8) परं यान्ति (13’35) परं स्थानम् उपैति (8’28) परमां गतिं याति (8’13) परमां सिद्धिम् अधिगच्छति (18’49) परमाप्नोति (3’19) परां गतिं याति (6’45, 13’29) परां गतिं यान्ति (9’32) परां शान्तिम् अधिगच्छति (4’39) परां सिद्धिं गताः (14’1) पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते (8’16) बन्धात् प्रमुच्यते (5’3) ब्रह्म अधिगच्छति (5’6) ब्रह्मभूतं सुखम् उपैति (6’27) ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते (14’26, 18’53) ब्रह्म संपद्यते (13’31) ब्रह्मणि स्थितः (भवति) (5’20) ब्रह्मणि स्थिताः (भवन्ति) (5’19) ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् अधिगच्छति (5’24) ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति (2’72) ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं लभन्ते (5’25) ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते (5’26) ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा अक्षयं सुखम् अश्नुते (5’21) ब्रह्मैव गन्तव्यम् (4’24) भूयः न अभिजायते (13’24) भूयः न निवर्तन्ति (15’4) मद्भावमागताः (4’10) मद्भावं याति (8’5) मद्भावाय उपपद्यते (13’19) मयि निवसिष्यसि (12’8) मयि वर्तते (6’31) मामुपयान्ति (10’10) मामुपैष्यसि (9’28) मामेति (11’55) मामेव एष्यति (18’68) मामेव एष्यसि (8’7, 9’34, 18’65) मां प्रपद्यते (7’19) मां प्रपद्यन्ते (7’14) मां प्राप्नुवन्ति (12’4) मां यान्ति (7’23, 9’25) मां विशते (18’55) मृत्युम् अतितरन्ति (13’26) न प्रणश्यति (6’30) मे युक्ततमः (6’47) मे युक्ततमाः (12’2) शान्तिम् ऋच्छति (5’29) शाश्वतं पदम् आप्नोति (18’56) शाश्वतं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि (18’62) सदा मुक्तः (5’28) सिद्धिम् अवाप्स्यसि (12’10) सिद्धिं विन्दति (18’46)

(३) अविद्या also means unlearning. अविद्यया मृत्युम् तरति can be interpreted to mean “by unlearning wrong concepts if any learnt, one will be saved of the erroneous behaviour due to the wrong concepts.” Erroneous behaviour is मृत्यु:.

(४) The word शुश्रुम in इति शुश्रुम धीराणाम् ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे seems to hint to such advice in the Vedas, because Vedas are called as श्रुति-s. Accordingly धीरा: refers to Vedic Rishis. 

This word धीर: has an interesting etymology. See in शब्दकल्पद्रुमः - धीरः (धियं ईरयतीति । ईर + अण् । यद्बा, धियं रातीति । रा + कः ।) धैर्य्यान्वितः । स्वेरः । पण्डितः । 

धीर: is one who धियं ईरयति excites the intellect or धियं राति pleases the intellect. 

I translated the word विचचक्षिरे as “explained”. By grammar विचचक्षिरे is लिट् प्र.पु. बहु. of विचक्ष् Note चक्ष् चक्षिङ् व्यक्तायां वाचि (to articulate, to speak clearly) अदादिः, ०२.०००७ आत्मनेपदी, सकर्मकः, सेट् 

In Apte’s dictionary विचक्षण - a. [Uṇ.2.120 com.] 1 Clear-sighted, far-seeing, circumspect; -2 Wise, clever, learned -3 Expert, skilful, able 

(५) There are these two statements “(केचन) विद्यया अन्यत् एव आहु: Those with knowledge said one thing. (केचन) अविद्यया अन्यत् (एव) आहु: । Those with unwise knowledge said something else”. These statements can be taken to be referring to different schools of thought. 

One needs to settle which thought is प्रमाणम् conforms to the norm. 

There are three norms प्रमाणानि recognized and accepted (1) प्रत्यक्ष eye-witness, what can be demonstrated (2) अनुमान what stands to logical deduction (3) आगम stated in Vedas. इति शुश्रुम धीराणाम् ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे is as good as वेदवाक्यं प्रमाणम् 

So “य: तत् उभयम् सह विद्याम् च अविद्याम् च वेद He who knows both knowledge and unwise knowledge” seems to be the वेदवाक्यं प्रमाणम् also because “अविद्यया मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा विद्यया अमृतम् अश्नुते he by unwise knowledge transcends death and attains immortality by wise knowledge.” is a thought endorsed in the Vedas.   

(६) All the स्वाध्याय-notes from (१) to (५) would apply to मन्त्राः (१२) to (१४) by substituting संभूतिः संभवः in place of विद्या and असंभूतिः असंभवः and विनाशः in place of अविद्या.  

(७) I have translated 

• असम्भूति: unmanifest (असम्भव: improbability) विनाश: (destruction, non-manifestation) 

• सम्भूति: (सम्भव:) manifestation, idolatry

How good are these translations ? Rather how good are the statements → 

1. अन्धम् तमः प्रविशन्ति ये असम्भूतिम् उपासते । Those who pursue the unmanifest meet blinding darkness.

2. तत: भूय: इव ते तम: ये उ सम्भूत्याम् रताःThose who pursue and stay engrossed in idolatry, they meet even more blinding darkness. ॥ १२॥  

3. (केचन) सम्भवात् अन्यत् एव आहु: Those apropos idolatry said one thing.

4. (केचन) असम्भवात् अन्यत् (एव) आहु: । Those apropos improbability said something else.

5. इति (वयम्) धीराणाम् शुश्रुम ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे ॥१३॥ That is what we learnt from the sages, who explained it (all) to us.

6. य: तत् उभयम् सह सम्भूतिम् च विनाशम् च वेद । He who knows both manifestation and non-manifestation

7. (सः) विनाशेन मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्या अमृतम् अश्नुते ॥१४॥ he by (knowledge of) destruction, non-manifestation transcends death and attains immortality by (knowledge of) manifestation 

(८) The statement “ये असम्भूतिम् उपासते । Those who pursue the unmanifest” brings to mind the Muslim practice. Even the Christians criticise Idol-worship of Hinduism, though there is no church without a statue of Christ or Mother Mary. Buddhism is also said not to be recognizing Godhood. Ironically Buddhists made बुद्धः as भगवान् बुद्धः and by passage of time Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is in no way less than भगवान् for the Neo-Buddhists. In Jain temples there are idols of the तीर्थंकराः. In गुरुद्वाराः of Sikhs they worship the sacred book ग्रंथसाहिब as the गुरु: which is basically a Sanskrit word meaning the precept. There are no idols. But ग्रंथसाहिब itself recognizes the Hindu Gods रामः and कृष्णः. 

May I summarize that idol worship is helpful especially in the initial stages of spiritual pursuit. There is no need to criticize one practice against another. 

The statement  “इति (वयम्) धीराणाम् शुश्रुम ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे ॥१३॥ That is what we learnt from the sages, who explained it (all) to us” is interesting on the count that it seems to advocate conciliation and not contest or controversy between  

• (केचन) सम्भवात् अन्यत् एव आहु: Those apropos idolatry said one thing. 

• (केचन) असम्भवात् अन्यत् (एव) आहु: - Those apropos improbability said something else. 

(९) The statement in मन्त्रः (१२) “ये सम्भूत्याम् रताः ते उ तत: भूय: इव अन्धम् तमः प्रविशन्ति” suggests that to stay engrossed in idol worship would lead to even more blinding darkness. 

By spiritual pursuit one should rise, one should evolve to realize the one and only Almighty, the Supreme, the तत् in ये न: तत् विचचक्षिरे in मन्त्रः (१३). It is that तत् which धीरा: the sages the Vedic Rishis विचचक्षिरे explained. 

As is well known अग्निदेवता is one major deity in Vedas. Is it an idol ? No, yet it is a देवता a deity. 

(१०) In India there have been and there are a number of cult figures. And there are large number of followers of the cult figures raising ‘cults’ संप्रदायाः. For example, in Ramkrishna Mission the cult figure is स्वामी रामकृष्ण परमहंस, in Hare Krishna movement स्वामी श्रील प्रभुपाद is the cult figure, in Aurobindo institutes ओरोबिन्दो and the Mother are the cult figures, in Osho habitats Osho is the cult figure, who changed his titles from आचार्य रजनीश to भगवान् रजनीश to Osho. 

One may not criticise that it is wrong to become a member of a cult. What the मन्त्रः (१२) “ये सम्भूत्याम् रताः” cautions is “ते उ तत: भूय: इव अन्धम् तमः प्रविशन्ति”. Unintelligent, blind following will lead to blinding darkness, right ?

(११) In मन्त्रः (१४) there is the word विनाश: (destruction, non-manifestation) in place of (1) असम्भूति: unmanifest in मन्त्रः (१२) and (2) असम्भव: improbability in मन्त्रः (१३). 

Are these words विनाश: (destruction, non-manifestation) असम्भूति: unmanifest and (असम्भव: improbability) synonymous ? Are they appropriate substitutes ? Are my respective translations also correct ? 

The words असम्भूति: and असम्भव: are antonyms of सम्भूति: and सम्भव:. 

These words सम्भूति: and सम्भव: are from 

संभू 1 P. 1 To arise, to be born or produced, spring up; धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे Bg.4.8 -2 To be, become, exist. -3 To happen, occur, take place. -4 To be possible. -5 To be adequate for, be competent for (with inf.); -6 To meet, be united or joined with -7 To be consistent. -9 To be capable of existing in, be contained in. -10 To attain to. -11 To partake of. 

So, my translations of असम्भूति: unmanifest असम्भव: improbability सम्भूति: सम्भव: manifestation, idolatry are justifiable and hence okay. विनाश: (destruction, non-manifestation) is also okay. 

The point is to understand the substitutions. 

The best justification is 

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।

अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥ २-२८॥

Becoming अव्यक्त merging into the non-manifest is निधनम् death विनाश: (destruction, non-manifestation). विनाशेन मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा endorses that, right ? Or does विनाश: really lead to transcending death ? Actually does विनाश: mean destruction of the body ? 

Or does विनाश: really advocate विनाश: of the ego अहङ्कारः ? 

I am very much inclined to the sublime thought that transcending death, the state मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा is possible by विनाश: of the ego. Yes मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा is a state, not any physical transcending of death.  

(१२) Let us acknowledge and accept that our most anxious anguish, our worst fear is the fear of death. Being relieved of the fear of death is acquiring the state मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा. That is how and that is why मृत्युम् तीर्त्वा is a state, not any physical transcending of death. One must always bear in mind that the scriptures, especially the मन्त्राः are cryptic. 

(१३) By corollary in “सम्भूत्या अमृतम् अश्नुते” सम्भूत्या is to be interpreted as “by Self-realization”. 

सम्भूति: सम्भव: manifestation is inclusive of Self-realization, right ? 

शुभमस्तु !

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