The Mandukya Upanishad 3.10 : Swami Krishnananda

Monday, June 15, 2020.

Section - 3. The Universal Vaisvanara-10.

#So, this waking consciousness, Jagaritasthana, which is externally conscious, Bahihprajna, is cosmically Saptanga, seven-limbed, and individually Eka Vimsati Mukha, nineteen-mouthed, and it is Sthula bhug in both ways, individually and cosmically. While in the case of the Virat it is only an awareness of the physical cosmos, in the case of the Jiva it is a desire for the physical objects of the cosmos. 

##This is one distinction. While in the case of the Virat the whole universe is comprehended in its consciousness, the Jiva cannot comprehend the whole universe in its consciousness. It is related only to certain things of the world. While there are no likes and dislikes for the Virat, inasmuch as everything is comprehended within its consciousness, there are likes and dislikes for the Jiva because the consciousness of the Jiva is particularised. 

###We have no universal desire in us. There is no desire in us that can include within itself everything that is in the cosmos. Whenever we want something, it is only something in some place, differentiated from some other thing at some other place. We always create a bifurcation of things. 

#We cannot take all things into consideration in our dealings of day-to-day life; even our judgments are affected by our partiality due to desires. 

#We cannot be easily impartial, which means to say that we cannot take all sides of the matter when we judge things. Certain aspects always escape our notice, which vitiates our judgment. 

##So, the Jiva's judgment is erroneous, and, therefore, the world binds the Jiva.

2.

As you do not understand the world, and deal with it with this wrong understanding of it, the world will recoil upon you, and this recoiling is what is known as the effect of Karma. While your dealings with the world may be called Karma, the recoil of the world upon you is the effect of Karma. The world will not redound upon you if you deal with it with an understanding of its real nature. 

#But you deal with it with a prejudiced notion in regard to it, and with a subtle desire to utilise it as an instrument in the satisfactions of your desires. 

##We should not use the world as an instrument for our satisfaction. If we try to use it in this manner, the world will try to use us, also, as an instrument. It will give us tit for tat. As we behave with the world, so the world will behave with us. 

##We should not regard ourselves as the centre of the world, who should be served by the world. 

##We cannot regard ourselves as masters and treat the world as a servant. If we put on this attitude of superiority regarding the world, the world will behave towards us in a similar manner, and treat us as servants, kick us now and then, and make us suffer, not merely in this life, but through a series of lives. 

###This is the Samsara in which we are entangled. 

###This is Jiva's Bahihprajnata, and its consequences.

To be continued ....