Madhuvidya

Author(s): S D Laddu, T N Dharmadhikari, Madhvi Kolhatkar, Pratibha Pingle
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 51

(Chand. 8.4); brahmaprāptaḥ (Katha 6.18); sa tat padam āpnoti yasmād bhuyo na jayate (Katha 3.8); atra brahma samaśnute (Katha 6.14.Br.4.4.7); amrtam aśnute (Isa 11, 14; Praśna 3.11). About the use of jayati itself we may cite the following passages. In the Chand. 2.10.56 while explaining the mystical significance of a sdman it is said that with the twenty-one syllables the knower obtains the sun and with the twentysecond he wins (jayati) what is beyond the sun, viz., the sorrowless heaven (ie. the brahma world). Cf. ekavimsatya adityam āpnoti..dvāvimsena param ādityāj jayati tan nākam tad visokam. Thus here jayati is used for obtaining what is beyond the sun. Sometimes the sun itself is identified with the final goal and to describe the attainment of this the verb Vji is used. Cf. Praśna 1.10: athottarena tapasă brahmacaryena śraddhaya vidyaya atmanam anvisya adityam abhijayante / etad vai präṇānāmāyatanam etad amṛtam abhayam etat parāyaṇam etasmán na punar avartanta iti. Since in this statement coming from an Uoanisad of the Atharva Veda we have a mention of the means for seeking atman which is followed by the expression adityam abhijayante, it would be instructive to read here Mundaka3.1.
15 Cf., Mundaka 1.2.11 where the ascetics are said to reach the immortal Puruşa through the gate of the sun (süryadvāreņa te virajaḥ prayanti yatramṛtaḥ, sa puruso by avayaydima) Aslo.cf.. hiranmayena patrena satyasydpihitam mukham, cited above, and sa tejasi sdrye sampannah...sa samabhir unniyate brahmalokam .... Praśna 5.5.
5-6 where we also find mentioned almost the same means like tapas, etc., for the obtaining of ätman which is immediately followed by satyam eva jayate. This comparison between adityam abhijayante and satyam jayate should not leave any doubt about the correctness of taking satyam as the object of jayate.16
One thing should be made clear in the end. It has not been assumed in the above discussion that satyam eva jayate cannot at all mean at any place 'truth alone conquers.' If the sentence is used in some different context where this sense in intended it can certainly fulfill that purpose. What has been demonstrated above is the fact that this meaning is unsuitable in the context where it occurs in the Mundaka Upanisad. There we are told about the means for ralizing the self and about the reaching the abode of the ultimate Reality by devayana. In this context the expression should be taken to mean (The sage) wins only the Real, (and) not the unreal."
It may also be pointed out that in the Kausi.Up.we find a dialogue between Brahma and the knower of brahman. At the end of this dialogue (1.7) we read sd yd brahmano jitir ya vyaṣṭis tām jitim jayati, tam vyaştirh vyaśnute. It is true that the expression brahmano jitiḥ can mean both 'the conqest made by brahman' or :the winning of brahman.'For the former we may compare tasya ha brahmano vijaye (conquest made by brahman) devä amahiyanta, Kena 3.1, also 4.1. For the latter we may compare apnoti ha adityasya jayam paro hasya adityajayd(winning of aditya) jayo bhavari, Chând.2.10.
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