AVG 5.2

Chapter 5 (Pathways to dissolving the self) Verse 2
उदेति भवतो विश्वं वारिधेरिव बुद्बुदः ।
इति ज्ञात्वैकमात्मानं एवमेव लयं व्रज ॥ ५-२॥

PURPORT:
The universe emanates from you,
like bubbles arising out of the seas;
having known this, understand that
your self-awareness and your very being
is unanimous with matter in the universe.
Clarified thus, realize the path to dissolution.

TRANSLITERATION:
उदेति भवतः विश्वम् वारिधेः इव बुद्बुदः ।
udeti bhavataḥ viśvam vāridheḥ iva budbudaḥ ।
इति ज्ञात्वा एकम् आत्मानम् एवम् एव लयम् व्रज ॥ ५-२॥
iti jñātvā ekam ātmānam evam eva layam vraja ॥ 5-2॥

MEANING:
udeti (उदेति) = rises/emanate
bhavataḥ (भवतः) = from you
viśvam (विश्वम्) = universe
vāridheḥ (वारिधेः) = from the sea
iva (इव) = like
budbudaḥ (बुद्बुदः) = bubbles (nice example of an onomatopoeia) ।
iti (इति) = thus
jñātvā (ज्ञात्वा) = having known
ekam (एकम्) = one
ātmānam (आत्मानम्) = self-awareness (literally ‘self’)
evam (evam) = thus
eva (एव) = surely
layam (लयम्) = dissolution/disintegration (awareness results from such a state of dissolution)
vraja (व्रज) = attain ॥ 5-2॥

COMMENT:
This fascinating verse is a beautiful way for Ashtavakra to remind us that each one of us is the universe experiencing itself for the short period of time – that short period of time that we abide in a sentient manner on this earth. The fact that the atoms that we are made of have lasted for billions of years and will last for billions of year after our short span of sentience on earth itself clarifies that all of the physical matter that we are constituted of emerged from (and of) this universe. In this sense, it is self-evident that we are the universe expressing itself in the constituted forms we respectively assume (from animals to plants to any of the other single celled organisms that teem the universe).

Given the fact that the sub-atomic particles that comprise atoms created after the big bang are not only implausibly permanent, but also overwhelmingly abundant throughout the universe, it can be said that you and I are comprised of recycled atoms that probably once belonged to famous historical figures. In that sense, we are variously composed of the recycled atoms that once constituted the Buddha, the recycled atoms that composed Mohammad and atoms that had once established the corporeal Jesus (amongst some famous historical figures who were spiritually self-aware). It is said that scientists can ascertain using probabilistic tools that each of us contains within us at least a billion atoms that once comprised each of the three examples of humans mentioned above. In addition, it can also be said that each one of us are recycled and re-constituted from seawater, the anemones within the sea, the great fishes, animals, dinosaurs, plants of the carboniferous era, the rain, the dew drops and a billion other interacting aspects of this universe too numerous to recount. In this particular sense, each one of us are involved within a trans-migratory movement of atoms that are reincarnated as ‘you’ and ‘me’ for now. Stardust. When we pass on and the atoms disperse, the same atoms we are composed of will reconstitute to create new forms - sentient or otherwise - but, the simple fact remains that we remain intricately merged and connected with the universe every second of our being. This is main import that Ashtavakra wants to convey within this beautifully concise rendering of verse.