AVG 2.10

Chapter 2 (The Seekers Joy at Self-Cognizance): Verse 10
मत्तो विनिर्गतं विश्वं मय्येव लयमेष्यति ।
मृदि कुम्भोजले वीचिः  कनके कटकं यथा ॥ २-१०॥

PURPORT:
Just as a clay pot renders into earth, as
waves restore to water and a bracelet to gold;
so too the universe, which materialized
from me, will coalesce into me.

TRANSLITERATION:
मत्तः विनिर्गतम् विश्वम् मयि एव लयम् एष्यति ।
mattaḥ vinirgatam viśvam mayi eva layam eṣyati ।
मृदि कुम्भः जले वीचिः  कनके कटकम् यथा ॥ २-१०॥
mṛdi kumbhaḥ jale vīciḥ kanake kaṭakam yathā ॥ 2-10॥

MEANING:
mattaḥ (मत्तः) = from me
vinirgatam (विनिर्गतम्) = come forth/issued out/emanate
viśvam (विश्वम्) = universe
mayi (मयि) = in me
eva (एव) = surely
layam (लयम्) = dissolution/fuse/coalesce/merge
eṣyati (एष्यति) = will go into [as in ‘will coalesce into me’] ।
mṛdi (मृदि) = in[to] clay/mud
kumbhaḥ (कुम्भः) = pot/jar/pitcher
jale (जले) = in[to] water/aqua
vīciḥ (वीचिः) = wave/crest
kanake (कनके) = in[to] gold/gilt
kaṭakam (कटकम्) = bracelet/ornament
yathā (यथा) = as/just as ॥ 2-10॥

COMMENT:
The names-and-form denoted by the words 'clay', 'water' and 'ornaments' in the verses refer to conventional designations assigned by our culture based on commonly agreed upon linguistic precepts. One realizes that these words form an aspect of language that does not refer to actual entities and things, but instead is a self-referential framework of customs, habits, usage patterns and syntax that strives to create a common and convenient basis for communication. That is all there is - there is no 'clay-spirit' or 'water-essence' or 'ornament-nature' hidden behind these words - there is nothing enduring nor permanent about these concepts. All of our thinking, reasoning, logic and ideations within our respective linguistic frameworks presupposes two fundamental categories that lead us into confusedly assigning an inherent basis to the words themselves - firstly, the imputed category of 'identity' denoting 'of the entity' to the word and the duality=based-category of 'difference' denoting 'not of that entity'. On deeper analysis, these categories are irrational and lack any underlying antecedent foundational substrate. In this sense 'clay', 'water' and 'ornaments' are ideations developed by us and of use only to us. They lack any inherent essential substratum. Just as clay, water and ornaments referred to in the verse subsume into their elemental formulations of earth, water and gold respectively, Janaka joyously proclaims that the universe itself that has materialized for him in terms of names and forms of a similar nature subsumes within himself.

It helps me to visualize the non-dual nature conveyed by this verse in terms of the following examples: the verse states (“so too the universe, ...will coalesce into me”) - firstly, from an elemental perspective, we are all structurally created out of elements created in the original creation of the Big Bang - we are that - every portion of our bodies was forged in the furnace like crucibles within the hearts of stars and supernovae - we are that!. Secondly, from a perspective of pure awareness, it is said that the distance and the perspective between our material bodies and the universe always tends to a minimal value (some say zero even!) on deeper introspection; while that statement itself might sound 'new-agey' to some, it is said that certain peak-flow* experiences lead the individual to a station within their self-being where the perception of time, the understanding of space, form and size occupied by our material bodies, their internal locational tracking systems, our sense that we sense itself - all of this tends to fall away and one transcends into a seamless union with the larger reality. I have not had the fortune to experience this, but I have understood from first-hand accounts of seers and seekers who seem to have reached these states - albeit briefly - but, ever so life-changing..

*From Bowers, J. Flow and peak experiences (G. R. Elkins (Ed.), Handbook of medical and psychological hypnosis: Foundations, applications, and professional issues (pp. 559-563). New York, NY, US: Springer Publishing Company): "Flow is an experience that occurs when a person is performing at his or her most effective in regards to mental energy. People who have entered a flow state are intrinsically motivated and enjoy the experience. This peak experience involves a state of absorption where one experiences a balance between his expected challenge in the task and his ability level. There are currently nine identified components of flow: challenge-skill balance, clear goals, unambiguous feedback, action-awareness merging, concentration on the task at hand, sense of control, loss of self-consciousness, transformation of time, and the autotelic experience. Entering a flow state can be of benefit to people in many fields and many stages of life. Research suggests that older adults can benefit from flow as well as many students and performers from pianists, to golfers, to video-gamers. Currently, hypnosis has been used to help create triggers for flow in athletes so that they may be able to pair previous flow states and recall them using the trigger. Using hypnosis can be a productive way to help patients enter a flow state and experience peak performance in many areas of their lives, improving motivation and enjoyment".