Gitartha Samgraha (critical Study)
by Partha Sarathi Sil | 2020 | 34,788 words
This page relates 鈥楽hivadvayavada in the Gitarthasangraha鈥� of the study on Abhinavagupta鈥檚 Gitartha Samgraha commentary on the Bhagavad Gita: one of the core texts of Indian Philosophy. The Gitartha Sangraha is written in the light of Kashmir Shaivism and brings to Shaiva metaphysics and Yoga integrated in the Bhagavadgita. This study deals with Abhinava鈥檚 vision about the purpose of human existence and the accomplishment of salvation (i.e., self-realisation).
Go directly to: Footnotes.
8. 艢iv膩dvayav膩da in the 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补
In the 蝉补峁単谤补丑补-艣濒辞办补蝉 contained in the last chapter, the context of the liberation of spiritual monad has been discussed where Abhinavagupta鈥檚 uniqueness is revealed in the concept of attainment of the ultimate feet of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 by the spiritual monad in one hand and the entire universe pervaded by 艢补峁卥补谤补 on the other. At this the oneness of 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补, 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 and 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补 becomes more and more evident[1]. As Abhinavagupta was the renowned scholar of the 笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻 诲补谤艣补苍补, a synonym with the Advaita 艢补颈惫补 school of Kashmir, his brief discussion about the theoretical aspects of this philosophy and his views in this light is reflected in the 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补 commentary, where the sameness or non-difference of the nature of 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补 is revealed. The Kashimir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 is also known by the names Trika艣腻蝉迟谤补, Trika艣膩sana and only Trika. Somewhere it is also mentioned as Rahasyasamprod膩ya. Primarily it is a 艢补颈惫腻驳补尘补 艣腻蝉迟谤补. According to the traditional history of the Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, before manifestation of all 艣腻蝉迟谤补s as words or sentences in this world, existed as the thought of the Supreme Lord. Likewise this universe is only an expression of this divine glory. He has also expressed about the grace of 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 as 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 to be sought[2]. Thus it is noticeable that God 笔补谤补尘腻迟尘补苍, Vasudeva are all the same entity. 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补鈥檚 true nature cannot be conditioned by time[3]. Sometime the divine grace is synonymous with descent of the divine 艢补办迟颈. In the 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 is the performer and the 尘腻测腻 is His divine sport[4]. The Advaita 艢补颈惫补 writers of Kashmir have mentioned Lord 艢颈惫补 as an expert in divine sport in their different texts[5] also.
According to Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, all the thirty six tattvas belong to the nature of 艢补办迟颈, divine power. They all radiate from 艣akti during creation, remain unmoved during the time of preservation and the time of dissolution they get absorbed in 艢补办迟颈 240. The root of every tattva is a particular small part of 艢补办迟颈. In fact, everything is produced from one 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补. The Kashmir 艢补颈惫补 philosophers believe in this non-dual 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. In the 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补 of Abhinavagupta we find in his explanation the discussion of non-dualism. Moreover, we find in this book the mention of the doctrine of divine freedom and mysterious 艣腻蝉迟谤补s. The definition of sthira-辫谤补箩帽补, steadfast, as available in the 叠丑补驳补惫补诲驳墨迟腻[6], has been stated by Abhinavagupta that the person in whom both objects and sense organs reside as smeared with 腻迟尘补苍, and the person who perceives everything as non-separated from 腻迟尘补苍, he is sthira辫谤补箩帽补. In the 骋墨迟腻 腻迟尘补苍 has been considered equal with god and a special meaning has been suggested[7]. In this 艣濒辞办补 a common substratum between 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 and 腻迟尘补苍 has been settled. Truly the undivided entity of 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 is revealed there[8].
The doctrine of Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 has been expressed by Abhinavagupta beautifully by citing example of porter and his action. As the stick of the porter and his activity of moving the wheel are not different from the porter, likewise there is neither any action beyond the own self of 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 nor any consequence related to action[9]. The entity of Brahman is not destroyed in the three stages of waking, dreaming and sleeping. Brahman is always settled in equality[10]. Differences are seen in this mundane existence. But the yogin by knowing the truth, can perceive the undivided entity of Brahman stationed in equality[11]. So the yogin is always careful to see that one 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 in souls of all creatures. In the stotras like 叠丑别诲补惫腻诲补-惫颈诲腻谤补峁嘺 etc. Abhinavagupta has refuted the ism of difference and exposed non-dualism[12]. Eight varieties of 笔谤补办峁泃颈 tattva and 笔耻谤耻峁 tattva are not different from that of 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补[13]. In this way non-dual 笔谤补办峁泃颈 also gives recognition to the non-dualism. The 笔谤补办峁泃颈, and the fourteen types of creation produced from it, 笔耻谤耻峁, all these things are eternal and have no beginning[14]. Being pervaded by Brahma-tattva, Parabrahman is not different from tattva. 笔谤补办峁泃颈 and 笔耻谤耻峁 appear as divided to the ignorant only[15]. The prudent only realises the transparent 腻迟尘补-迟补迟迟惫补. The fruit of deeds is not favourite to the prudent. To him god is only to be prayed. His mind becomes pure and firm by the knowledge that 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 does all works, I am only the instrumental[16].
According to the Trika doctrine, the yogin attains 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 by taking refuge to any god having no greed in mind. That mean, non-dualism prevails in all gods[17]. When tamas quality of the yogin is destroyed, he illuminates by the power of god and the attains the knowledge of Brahman[18]. In the recapitulating 艣濒辞办补 of the eigth chapter, Abhinavagupta has said that, after knowing 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 completely, the distinctive characteristics of a yogin disappear[19]. By way of the nature of self, the 蝉腻诲丑补办补鈥檚 self-accomplishment happens. The root of all the 测补箩帽补蝉 is the one Brahman. So Abhinavagupta has placed the context from Spandak膩rik膩 with a view to strengthen his argument[20]. Lord 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 has discussed about the sun and its heat to cause to understand the context of non-dualism, Abhinavagupta has also said that 笔补谤腻艣补办迟颈 is settled on non-dual Brahman[21]. All the 笔谤补尘腻迟峁泂 are one god. The highest devotee attains that non-dual entity by obtaining 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补[22]. 艢颈惫补 resides in all the variegated things of the world. Lord 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 has unfolded in the 叠丑补驳补惫补诲驳墨迟腻 a non-dual truth to Arjuna refuting all the differences of the world[23]. This Parabrahman is beginning-less; he resides in everyone鈥檚 heart. In all the views it is expressed that the undivided nature of god and Brahman appears by 箩帽腻苍补 and vi箩帽腻苍补[24]. In the thirteenth chapter there is discussion on 碍峁迟谤补-办峁迟谤补箩帽补. How one 笔补谤补尘腻迟尘补苍 pervades all the 办峁迟谤补蝉 there? In reply to this question it is stated through a simile that as a single sun pervades the entire world, likewise one 笔补谤补尘腻迟尘补苍 pervades everything[25]. By obtaining 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 蝉腻诲丑补办补 attains the non-dual Supreme 艢颈惫补[26]. In this world 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 has created beings by his power of self awareness in consciousness out of grace[27]. So everything is the result of his 膩tma尘腻测腻, self universal manifestation[28]. Lord 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 has said in the 叠丑补驳补惫补诲驳墨迟腻 that the creatures are the parts of god. Abhinavagupta has said in his commentary that this 骋墨迟腻 艣腻蝉迟谤补 is a mysterious 艣腻蝉迟谤补[29], it is primarily a 艣腻蝉迟谤补 to represent non-dualism. In the recapitulating 艣濒辞办补 of the fifteenth chapter description of the destruction of great dual infatuation and attainment of non-dual Brahman are available[30]. In the recapitulating 艣濒辞办补 of the last chapter, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 and 艢补峁卥补谤补 have appeared being united as it were and thus the non-dual tattva has been reflected. In this way non-dualism everywhere in the 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补 has been expressed.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid.
[2]:
骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 12/9.
[3]:
骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 8/21.
[4]:
骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/24.
[5]:
罢补苍迟谤腻濒辞办补, 4/10.
[6]:
[7]:
[8]:
腻迟尘补苍a mayi matsvar奴pat膩峁� pr膩pte 腻迟尘补苍i iti s膩m膩n膩dhikara峁噛am | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 4/35.
[9]:
迟补蝉尘腻肠肠别迟补苍补岣� 蝉惫补迟补苍迟谤补岣� 辫补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补岣� eva 迟补迟丑腻 产丑腻迟颈, iti na tadvyatirikta峁� kriy膩tatphal膩dikamiti 蝉颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补岣� | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 5/14.
[10]:
te峁Ｄ佱箖 sarvata岣� sarv膩svavasthasu brahmasatt膩 p膩ram膩rthik墨 na nirodhak膩lamapek峁te | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 5/16.
[12]:
[13]:
s膩 caikaiva 蝉补迟墨 prak膩r膩峁ａ弓akena bhidyate iti prak峁泃yarabd丑补迟惫腻dekameva vi艣vamiti prak峁泃iv膩de'pyadvaita峁� pradar艣itam | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/5.
[14]:
[15]:
骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Sa峁単raha艣濒辞办补-13.
[16]:
ataeva v膩sudeva eva sarvam ityeva峁� d峁涐笉hapratipattipavitr墨k峁泃ah峁沝aya岣� | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/16-19.
[17]:
kintu siddh膩nto'yamatra ya岣� k膩man膩parih膩re峁嘺 yatki峁僣iddevat膩r奴pam膩lambate tasya 艣uddhamuktabh膩vena paryavasati | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/24.
[18]:
ya tu.... sarvameva bhagavadra艣mikhacita峁� jar膩mara峁嘺mayatamisrasruta峁� brahma vidanti | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/29.
[19]:
骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Sa峁単raha艣濒辞办补-4.
[20]:
upakrame yaiva buddhirbh膩v膩bh膩v膩nuy膩yin墨 |
upasa峁僪峁泃ik膩le s膩 bh膩v膩bh膩v膩nuy膩yin墨 || iti tatra tatra vitatya vic膩ritacarametat it墨hoparamyate | tap膩myahamityadi advaitakath膩prasa峁単enoktam | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 9/20.
[21]:
骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Sa峁単raha艣濒辞办补-10
[22]:
[23]:
upasa峁僪膩re bhed膩bhedav膩da峁� 鈥榶adyadvibh奴timatsattvam鈥� ityanen膩bhidh膩ya pa艣c膩dabhedamevopasa峁僪arati | sarva eva hi 辫谤补尘腻迟腻谤补 eka 墨艣惫补谤补 iti | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 10/42.
[24]:
an膩dimatpara峁� brahma ityadibhirvi艣e峁峁嘺irbrahmasvar奴p膩k峁p膩nugr膩haka峁� sarvaprav膩d膩bhihitavij帽膩n膩p峁泃hagbh膩va峁� kathayati | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 13/18
[25]:
[26]:
[27]:
mama t膩vadavyapade艣yaparam膩nandar奴pasya... anugrah膩rtha峁� sa峁僺膩ray膩mi | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补,14/3.
[29]:
guhyatama峁� satv膩dvayapratip膩dakatv膩t | 骋墨迟腻rtha蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 15/20.