Samayasara

Author(s): A Chakravarti
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 61

INTRODUCTION
creatures are really the Real, but He is their Real. Thus accordingi to Ajātaśatru the self in the movement of sleep is not only the custodian of the senses of the individual but is also indentical with the soul of the world. All breathing things are real but He is their Real. Continuing the discourse Ajātagatru speaks of the two forms of Brahman-Murta and Amurta-the formed and the formless-the mortal and the immortal, the actual and the beyond. This doctrine of duality of Brahman is interesting in this way. The ultimate reality includes both the actual concrete experience and the transcendental principle which expresses itself in this. The transcendental is described by negatives. The actual and the normal portions of reality are recognised to be real and are described by the positive designation. This section lends support to that particular school of Vedanta-Visiṣṭadvaita. The organic world consisting of breathing things is real and not Maya. It represents the Murta form of Brahman but this does not exhaust the complete Brahman because there is the Amurta, the formless aspect of that on account of which he is called the real of the real.
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Next we find ourselves in Yajnavalkya's household. The scene is laid in his home. Yajnavalkya proposes to take leave of his wife and retire from the householder's status. Yajnavalkya wants to make a final settlement of his property but Maitreyi asked Yajnavalkya whether by possession of wealth one would obtain immortality. This interrogation perturbed the philosopher a bit and he had to answer the question in the negative. Maitreyi would not be satisfied with anything else than that which lead to the highest bliss, "What you know, Sir, that indeed tell ine." Then we have Yajnavalkya's teachings as imparted to his wife Maitreyi. The only thing in the universe which has intrinsic value is Atman or Self. It is this that is dearest to us. Everything that we desire to have obtains a derivative value from this Atman. This is the end in itself. This is associated with the unconditioned and absolute value. Domestic life, worldly possessions, social status and even religious ceremonials and national traditions have their value only so long as they serve us as means to the realization of the Atman. A Brahmin who prides on his birth without knowing this ceases to be a Brahmin and the same is the case with the Ksatriya, One may possess riches. One may carry out every commandment of his religion and all this would be of no avail if the knowledge of the self is not the guiding star of life. Conventional notions of value of social status and rank are all things that dwindle into insignificance by the side of this-One truth, the Great Purușa. Communion with this is the only safety for and the only guarantee of true life. Even the much prized Vedas and the other sciences own their origin and importance to this one. It is this one inspiring principle the unitary Puruşa that lends lustre to anything that is shining. From Him comes the elements, into them also they vanish.