World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 740

(6) in the Upanisad is about the states of the jīva entangled in desire (kamayamano), going up and returning to this earth, and the other sort of jīva unentangled in unworthy desires (akamayamāno), finding his consummation in God, resurrected in his fullness, enters the plenitude of Parabrahma. The whole context affirms the significance of the Upanisadic utterance. It is indeed about jīvātmā who attains the fulness appropriate to himself, and enters the beatitude of Paramātmā squarely on the basis of what karma he has performed. At the same time, the splendid description of Parabrahma which precedes the role of the jīva, should undoubtedly impress on us the inalienable relation between the Jivātmā and Paramātmā who shapes his fulfilment. This phenomenon again, inevitably reminds us of the bimba-pratibimba relationship which persists in the state of earthly existence, the process of karmic evolution and ascent, as also the final attainment of mokṣa. It is the Paramātmā who works from within to sculpt the soul according to its svarupa (the innate self-hood), the jiva translating itself into action, God helping the worthy soul perfect itself through good action, the ugly soul degrade itself progressively towards total ruin. The worthy or the ugly soul becomes what it does. Here, the simultaneous dynamism of paramātmā and the jīvatma is portrayed. God does not operate on the inert mass of a passive jīva. Nor is the jivātmā left alone to toil in vain. There is a mutuality of response which is a lovely mystery. Why God, who is so lofty, descends into the human soul is as mysterious as why the human agent who is so low, aspires to ascend.10
The next sūtra reinforces the jiva's agency by drawing our attention to his agency in the state of liberation. His bliss is so real that he sports in joy: Viharopadeśāt (the Upaniṣad says that he moves in joy [with ladies, vehicles, with his relatives, ... eating, sporting, enjoying, etc.] (II.3.34). Jayatirth rightly notes that the agency of the jīva is not imaginary but absolutely real since devoid of all illusions, he is said to sport himself [as an active agent]." What in the first sutra is stated with reference to the Brihadaranyaka Upaniṣad is complemented by the utterance in Chandogya Upanisad (8.12.3) here. One who works towards bliss, enjoys his bliss in the state of liberation. If you look closely into the two passages, you cannot but conclude that, initiated by the supreme spirit, the jīva works towards beatitude, and then, on the state of liberation, beatified by the Supreme Spirit, he harvests joy which is entirely his own (swena rūpeṇa nispadyate).
If one argues that you may concede agency to the jiva in the state of mokṣa, it is illusory in the state of samsara, life on this earth, the third sūtra clarifies the position further. Upādānāt (II.3.35) clarifies the picture by a simple act of logic, sādhanādyupādāna pratiṣedhāt ca. That is, the ways of the cultivation of the soul are evidently known, the jīva
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