Chapter 2 (The Seekers Joy at Self-Cognizance): Verse 1
जनक उवाच ॥
अहो निरञ्जनः शान्तो बोधोऽहं प्रकृतेः परः ।
एतावन्तमहं कालं मोहेनैव विडंबितः ॥ २-१॥
जनक उवाच ॥
अहो निरञ्जनः शान्तो बोधोऽहं प्रकृतेः परः ।
एतावन्तमहं कालं मोहेनैव विडंबितः ॥ २-१॥
PURPORT:
Janaka said:
Ahhh, I am now free of attributes and beyond change,
I am of awareness and beyond nature.
Up until this time, I seem to have been befuddled
as a result of my distorted understanding.
Janaka said:
Ahhh, I am now free of attributes and beyond change,
I am of awareness and beyond nature.
Up until this time, I seem to have been befuddled
as a result of my distorted understanding.
TRANSLITERATION:
जनक उवाच ॥
janaka uvāca ॥
अहो निरञ्जनः शान्तः बोधः अहम् प्रकृतेः परः ।
aho nirañjanaḥ śāntaḥ bodhaḥ aham prakṛteḥ paraḥ ।
एतावन्तम् अहम् कालम् मोहेन एव विडंबितः ॥ २-१॥
etāvantam aham kālam mohena eva viḍaṃbitaḥ ॥ 2-1॥
जनक उवाच ॥
janaka uvāca ॥
अहो निरञ्जनः शान्तः बोधः अहम् प्रकृतेः परः ।
aho nirañjanaḥ śāntaḥ bodhaḥ aham prakṛteḥ paraḥ ।
एतावन्तम् अहम् कालम् मोहेन एव विडंबितः ॥ २-१॥
etāvantam aham kālam mohena eva viḍaṃbitaḥ ॥ 2-1॥
MEANING:
janaka (जनक) = Janaka the seeker
uvāca (उवाच) = said/speaks ॥
aho (अहो) = Ahhh! (as in a happy exclamation)
nirañjanaḥ (निरञ्जनः) = spotless/blemish-less/pure [as in free of attribution and characterization]
śāntaḥ (शान्तः) = peaceful/serene/calm/tranquil [as in attaining a realm where one is beyond fickle change]
bodhaḥ (बोधः) = awakening/awareness
aham (अहम्) = I
prakṛteḥ (प्रकृतेः) = of nature
paraḥ (परः) = beyond [the beyond here refers to ‘beyond nature’ (as in beyond common state of understanding that most of us are used to)]।
etāvantam (एतावन्तम्) = this much/up until this
aham (अहम्) = I
kālam (कालम्) = time
mohena (मोहेन) = by means of delusion (illusion) and perplexity
eva (एव) = only/just/doubtless
viḍaṃbitaḥ (विडंबितः) = deceived or duped [as a result of distorted understanding, not as in cheated] ॥ 2-1॥
janaka (जनक) = Janaka the seeker
uvāca (उवाच) = said/speaks ॥
aho (अहो) = Ahhh! (as in a happy exclamation)
nirañjanaḥ (निरञ्जनः) = spotless/blemish-less/pure [as in free of attribution and characterization]
śāntaḥ (शान्तः) = peaceful/serene/calm/tranquil [as in attaining a realm where one is beyond fickle change]
bodhaḥ (बोधः) = awakening/awareness
aham (अहम्) = I
prakṛteḥ (प्रकृतेः) = of nature
paraḥ (परः) = beyond [the beyond here refers to ‘beyond nature’ (as in beyond common state of understanding that most of us are used to)]।
etāvantam (एतावन्तम्) = this much/up until this
aham (अहम्) = I
kālam (कालम्) = time
mohena (मोहेन) = by means of delusion (illusion) and perplexity
eva (एव) = only/just/doubtless
viḍaṃbitaḥ (विडंबितः) = deceived or duped [as a result of distorted understanding, not as in cheated] ॥ 2-1॥
COMMENTS:
This chapter is mostly devoted to Janaka’s joyous assertions drawing attention to his state of pure understanding not only of his own self-image but his understanding of the dependent aspects of reality. His jubilation stems from his sense of being finally clear of the confusion in his befuddled mind. It is often said that awareness comes upon a seeker quite suddenly (I still await patiently). While the seeker spends time and effort chasing after the truth and gaining a measure of experience in understanding the various shades and layers that compose the truth, it is said that clarity, when it comes, comes with a suddenness that is difficult to describe. This is somewhat akin to erstwhile Zen teachers making use of linguistic devices that involve stark contrasts and deliberate tension inside of their teachings to jolt the seeker into understanding. The setting in this chapter is similar to such a situation – the dawning of a sudden state of awareness after Ashtavakra’s clarity in the previous chapter.
This chapter is mostly devoted to Janaka’s joyous assertions drawing attention to his state of pure understanding not only of his own self-image but his understanding of the dependent aspects of reality. His jubilation stems from his sense of being finally clear of the confusion in his befuddled mind. It is often said that awareness comes upon a seeker quite suddenly (I still await patiently). While the seeker spends time and effort chasing after the truth and gaining a measure of experience in understanding the various shades and layers that compose the truth, it is said that clarity, when it comes, comes with a suddenness that is difficult to describe. This is somewhat akin to erstwhile Zen teachers making use of linguistic devices that involve stark contrasts and deliberate tension inside of their teachings to jolt the seeker into understanding. The setting in this chapter is similar to such a situation – the dawning of a sudden state of awareness after Ashtavakra’s clarity in the previous chapter.
Brief notes on specific usages of terms within the verses:
1. 'Spotless’ and ‘free of attributes’ connotes a state of mind where one does not impose biases or a mindset of prejudice towards ones actions, thoughts and anticipated outcomes.
2. ‘Beyond nature’ connotes reaching a deeper understanding for awareness beyond our common everyday experiences.
3. The reference to ‘delusion’ [mohena (मोहेन)] here refers to the conventional nature of reality that we experience. The conventional truth that you and I encounter everyday are really what we ordinarily take as commonsensical truths. A conventional truth is reality made so by virtue of being fabricated by the mind, apprehended by means of a dualistic consciousness whose meaning and designations are commonly detailed by linguistic signifiers. All conventional truths and phenomena in the universe arise inter-dependently based upon causal conditions that are themselves dependent upon underlying causes and conditions. This truth masks the underlying state of reality that is far more complex and nuanced (and frankly of no use for us evolutionarily) - a complex and nuanced world of quantum interactions that in turn masks further fundamental principles that we may never uncover. It is this sense of conventional truth that is being talked about in reference to the word delusion. The delusion that there is a certain foundational permanency to entities around us - when all we can say for sure is the constant flux and latent impermanency of all existent entities.
1. 'Spotless’ and ‘free of attributes’ connotes a state of mind where one does not impose biases or a mindset of prejudice towards ones actions, thoughts and anticipated outcomes.
2. ‘Beyond nature’ connotes reaching a deeper understanding for awareness beyond our common everyday experiences.
3. The reference to ‘delusion’ [mohena (मोहेन)] here refers to the conventional nature of reality that we experience. The conventional truth that you and I encounter everyday are really what we ordinarily take as commonsensical truths. A conventional truth is reality made so by virtue of being fabricated by the mind, apprehended by means of a dualistic consciousness whose meaning and designations are commonly detailed by linguistic signifiers. All conventional truths and phenomena in the universe arise inter-dependently based upon causal conditions that are themselves dependent upon underlying causes and conditions. This truth masks the underlying state of reality that is far more complex and nuanced (and frankly of no use for us evolutionarily) - a complex and nuanced world of quantum interactions that in turn masks further fundamental principles that we may never uncover. It is this sense of conventional truth that is being talked about in reference to the word delusion. The delusion that there is a certain foundational permanency to entities around us - when all we can say for sure is the constant flux and latent impermanency of all existent entities.
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