kathopanishad-1-2-20-aṇoraṇīyānmahato

Commentary by Swami Krishnananda of the great Divine Life Society

Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān, ātmāsya jantor nihito guhāyām: tam akratuḥ paśyati vīta-śoko dhātu-prasādān mahimānam ātmanaḥ (1.2.20). Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān: Smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest is this. Yogis become small and big according to their will. When Hanuman went to Lanka, to the abode of Ravana, he became small like a cat or a mosquito, and he perched upon the walls to observe everything that was taking place in the palace of Ravana. But he could also assume such a form which covered up the earth and the sky at the same time, which form he assumed when he jumped across the ocean, and which form he showed to Sita when she could not believe that this little monkey was in a position to carry her back to Rama.

Hanuman said to Sita, “If you want the trouble to cease just now, I shall see that it ceases just now. Sit on my back, and I shall take you to Rama. Then the problem is solved in one day.”

Sita replied, “After all, monkeys are monkeys only.”

When Hanuman had changed his size to the size of a human being, and he was equal to Sita, he said, “Sit on my back.”

Sita said, “I am a human being. I am heavier than you, and you want to carry me on your back? What kind of person are you? This is monkey-like talk.”

Immediately Hanuman thought, “This mother does not know who I am. Let her see my real form.” He assumed a shape which was not easy for Sita to even behold. He was towering to the skies.

Sita said, “I understand your greatness, but I cannot come with you for various reasons. Let Rama come and get me.”

Smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest is this Atman. Deeper than the deepest, in the recesses of your heart is this Atman. Wider than space is this Atman. Because it is you yourself, it is the subtlest, and deepest, and is incomprehensible. Because it is more than space, overstruck by the limits of space itself, it is the remotest, and very big. Very small and very big is this Atman.

Ātmāsya jantor nihito guhāyām: This Atman of the jivas, this Atman of me and of you and of everybody, very small it appears to be, but the biggest it is. It is in the deepest of our own self.

Tam akratuḥ paśyati vīta-śokaḥ: Only those people who are akratuh can behold this Atman. Akratuh is a peculiar word that is used in this Upanishad. This word is also used in the Brahma Sutra. Meanings attached to this word are several. One of the meanings of akratuh is ‘actionless, motionless and volitionless’. There is a verse in the Sixth Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita which is similar to the significance of this word. Na hyasannyastasaṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana (B.G. 6.2): No one can become a yogi unless he is free from creative willing, creative volition, creative determination and decision. If we are able to live a life where it is not necessary for us to create anything in our mind—neither the will to decide, nor to determine, nor to want anything at all—that is the state of sannyasa sankalpa, and that is the state of akratuh, free from any kind of creative will. Akratuḥ paśyati vīta-śokaḥ: Free from all griefs characteristic of the world, this person who is free from every kind of undertaking, willing and feeling realises this Atman.

How does one realise this Atman? Dhātu-prasādān mahimānam ātmanaḥ. Here is a word which has been interpreted in different ways by the acharyas. Dhātu-prasādā: one who realises the Atman through dhātu-prasāda. Now, what is dhātu-prasāda? Those who insist on a pure, universalised form of interpretation of the Atman, like Acharya Sankara, say dhātu-prasāda means the prasāda of dhātu. Dhātu are the humours of the body, the constituents of the mind, the structure of the personality. This is dhātu. Its cessation, its harmony, its alignment, its uniformity of action, calmness of the entire personality, is considered as dhātu-prasāda. The stability, harmony, equilibrium, alignment, calmness, etc., of the very constituents of our personality is the cause for the perception of the Atman. When we are calm and quiet, and our personality ceases completely, we behold the Atman from inside. This is what Acharya Sankara says.

But devotees such as Ramanuja, Madhva and others say this is not dhātu-prasāda. Dhātu means ‘of dātta‘. Tāsya dhātu, as we would say. Prasāda is ‘grace’. By the grace of the Supreme Creator alone can we behold the Atman. This is what devotees say. Dhātu-prasādān mahimānam ātmanaḥ. The Vaishnava devotees say that one cannot behold the ultimate Truth except by the grace of God. Individual effort is not sufficient here. They follow the doctrine of the bhaktas. The Vaishnavas, particularly the devotees, follow the doctrine of the cat which takes care of its kitten. It is called the kitten doctrine, marjara-nyaya. The kitten has no responsibility. It does not put forth any effort; it simply surrenders itself to its mother. It is the responsibility of its mother to take it from place to place and do whatever is necessary. God is responsible for everything in regard to us, but we must surrender ourselves to God. This is the factor of grace operating in the personality of the human being in spiritual living. That is one interpretation. The other interpretation I mentioned is the stability and the calmness of personality, causing the revelation of the Atman automatically from inside. This is the meaning of this very interesting mantra: aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān, ātmāsya jantor nihito guhāyām: tam akratuḥ paśyati vīta-śoko dhātu-prasādān mahimānam ātmanaḥ.