Atma - 40-Rūpavarṇādikaṃ sarvaṃ

Atmabodha Commentary by Swami Paramarthananda

Jñāna Phalaṁ
(Verse 40)
rūpavarṇādikaṁ sarvaṁ vihāya paramārthavit | paripūrṇacidānanda – svarūpēṇāva tiṣṭhatē ||

Now from ślōkā 40 onwards we are told about the Phalaṁ, that is, śravaṇa manana nidhidhyāsana Phalaṁ or jñāna Phalaṁ. And what is the Phalaṁ? Ātmani niṣṭā, Brahmaṇi niṣṭā. We can even call it sthitha prajña as in 2nd chapter of the Gītā, or parā bhakti as in 12th chapter, or guṇātītā as in 14th chapter or jīvan muktāḥ. This word is not used in Gītā. So from ślōkā 40 onwards till the end of Ātma bōdha we are told about jīvana mukti mainly, and here and there vidēha mukti is also talked about.
Jivan mukta or Brahma vit
What does this jīvan muktāḥ do?

He says rūpa varṇādikaṁ sarvaṁ vihāya paramārthavit. So the subject of the ślōkā is paramārthavit which means Brahma vit. Paramārthaḥ means paramaḥ arthaḥ – here arthaḥ means vastu, reality. (In some places paramārthaḥ would refer to parama purushārthaḥ – because arthaḥ can also denote purushārthaḥ). And paramaḥ arthaḥ means the absolute reality. Vit means vētti iti vit – Brahma vit ityarthaḥ.

So paramārthavit, Brahma vit, jñānī sarvaṁ rūpa varṇādikaṁ vihāya (vihāya means tyaktvā). Giving up the mithyātva buddhi is the sacrifice (Mithyātvat buddhyā tyaktvā). Otherwise we cannot give up the body. If we give up the body, it will mean death. And not only that we cannot give up anything. Because once we know ahaṁ Brahma – everything exists in Brahman only. Therefore ‘I’ the Brahman cannot give up anything. Sannyāsā is impossible. In fact the one who takes up sannyāsā is an ajñānī really speaking. This is a secret. Just think about it. What can one really give up? Everything is in Brahman. Then what is giving up? tatra mithyātva buddhiḥ ēva sannyāsaḥ. Brahma vyatiriktatayā yat kiñcit vastu nāsti iti dṛṣṭiḥ ēva yathārtha sannyāsaḥ. Therefore, a true sanyāsī, a vidvat sanyāsī can never try to escape from the problems.

And therefore, sarvaṁ vihāya – sarvaṁ means rūpa varṇādikaṁ. So form, colour or varnaṁ can be taken or varṇāśramaṁs like brahmaṇā, kṣatriya etc. also can be taken, because it is very difficult to give up the abhimānaṁ. Even among sanyāsīs, people ask whether you are brahmaṇā sanyāsī!!! The very purpose to taking up sanyāsā is to get rid of these problems and then where is the question of special treatment for a brahmaṇā sanyāsī, a kṣatriya sanyāsī etc. It is not at all according to śāstrā. So, varṇaṁ, and then jāti kulaṁ etc., vihāya.

Then what does he do? Paripūrṇa cidānanda svarūpēṇa – paripūrṇa cit and paripūrṇa ānandaḥ– avatiṣṭhatē means abides. This should not be understood as sitting in one corner in nirvikalpaka samādhi abiding in Brahman. There is no question of that because everybody is always abiding in Brahman only. And Brahman is not confined to a corner!! So abiding (niṣṭā) in Brahman means not forgetting the knowledge that ‘I am Brahman’ –jñāna avismṛtiḥ ēva niṣṭā. We should not forget, especially, when there are problems – any kind of problem. We get the word niṣṭā from the word avatiṣṭhatē.

Lord Kṛṣṇā expounds this in the 2nd chapter – ēṣā brāhmī sthitaḥ pārtha naināṁ prāpya vimuhyati. He says to Arjuna, such is the state of the God-realized soul, that is, a person who has given up all desires, and moves free from attachment, egoism and thirst for enjoyment; having reached this state, he overcomes delusion. This na vimuhyati is what connotes jñāna avismṛti–he never forgets Vēdāntā.