What is a Mahavakya?
Mahavakya is a compound of words mahat, meaning “great”, and vakya, the form of the root vac, “to speak”. Mahavakya compound means “that which is great and which is a sentence”, a major sentence that is great because of its important subject content.
Any sentence that reveals the identity between jiva, the individual and Isvara, the Lord, is considered a mahavakya.
Mahavakya “Tat Tvam Asi”
In the mahavakya “tat tvam asi”, the immediate meaning of the word tvam is “you”, the jiva ,I take myself to be. The meaning of the word tat is “that”, Isvara. That I, the jiva, am separate from Isvara is experientially true. As a created being, I find myself bound and limited, and Isvara is the creator of the whole cosmos. To say that this limited jiva is that omniscient Isvara leads to confusion. The immediate meaning of mahavakya tattvamasi “that thou art” appears to be contradictory, implying that it is not an ordinary sentence.
Through an understanding of the implied meaning, contradiction is negated and commonality is proved. Creating the proper context, the rishis and gurus wield the words with grace to reveal the common factor between tvam and tat, jiva and Isvara, which is Brahman. Brahman viewed as total creation is Isvara; viewed as individual, Brahman is jiva. In the implied meaning of tvam and tat, there is no difference-Brahman is the truth of both. The verb of being reveals this identity: That Isvara thou art.
A mahavakya is a great equation. If one can see that all that is created-in spite of differences-is ONE Brahman, then all the differences are resolved.
Mahavakya “ Ayam Atma Brahma”
Ayam Atma word refers to this “I” the Awareness. A simple word like “speaker” means the one who speaks and also the thinker is one who thinks. Similarly “Awarer” reveals an “I”, an individual with reference to a function. What is the function here? I am aware of something, hence I am called an “Awarer”. The awarer is aware of all objects around him or her. If the objects are removed, the content of “awarer” will remain. When objects come, I become an awarer. When objects are gone, I am the the content of the awarer “Awareness”. In awareness all objects and thought exist. Even when thoughts are gone, awareness remains.
The space is in awareness. The space is, awareness is. Space is not-as we are not aware of space in our sleep, where there is no space-awareness is. Similarly time is, awareness is, time is not, awareness is. Does awareness have form? The awareness has no form. All forms are objects of awareness. Awareness itself has no form. Awareness is formless, it is spatially limitless. Space is, awareness is. Therefore star is, awareness is. The limitless awareness is, space is. Space is, the limitless awareness is. Now between limitless awareness and the space, what is the distance? And also, between space and stars what is the distance? There is no distance. Between space and the moon, what is the distance? There is no distance. The moon is in awareness because I am aware of the moon. Between awareness, you and the moon in awareness, what is the distance? There is no distance. Between I the awareness and the moon in awareness, if there is any distance what should it be? Space. And where is the space? In awareness. Between awareness and space there is no distance. Therefore, in awareness is the space, in the space is the moon, in space is the sun, in space are the stars, in space are all the planets. The whole physical universe is in the awareness. Therefore between awareness and any object in the world, what is the distance? There is no distance between awareness and this physical world.
The Limitless Brahman
This physical body is in space. In the awareness is space, in space is this body, in space all bodies exist. All the bodies exist in space and space itself is in awareness. And therefore, between awareness and this body or any other body that exist, there is no distance. Therefore where am I? There is no location for I. Awareness is not located. The body is located in space and space itself is located in awareness. And where is awareness located? The question does not arise. The awareness is not located any where. In awareness is located space. With reference to space we say ‘here’ and ‘there’, and so on. And therefore in awareness is space, in space is this body and everything else. So where is awareness? Where the Akasa ( space) is. Where Akasa shines, there the awareness is. Awareness is not located in space. In awareness is space. Therefore awareness is called all pervasive.
There is only one limitless awareness. There is no second limitless awareness. Therefore awareness is rightly called Brahman. Aham Atma Brahma. Atma, the self is Brahman.
Nature of Awareness
Awareness is not subject to time, nor does it have a beginning or an end. It exists at all time and is referred to as Sat in Vedanta; and the same awareness is also called the Cit, consciousness.
Note: This article is based on Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s ( Arsha Vidya Pitham, Saylorsburg, PA) book “Who am I?”
Happiness can't be gained by any experience physical or mental (meditation) because it is your very nature (svabhava). It is also called Sat, Chit and ananda (सत्
ReplyDeleteचित्, आनन्द) , the very intrinsic core of us. It can only be known through gyanam ( ज्ञानं ).