tmā nityo 'vyayaḥ śuddha

janmādyāḥ ṣaḍ ime bhāvā

dṛṣṭā dehasya nātmanaḥ

phalānām iva vṛkṣasya

kāleneśvara-mūrtinā

Just as fruits of a tree undergo six changes by the influence of time, which is a form of the Lord, while the tree does not change, so the body undergoes six states, but the soul does not undergo these changes.

 

Some devotees desiring liberation require some knowledge. That is given now in ten verses. The six changes are birth, maintenance, growth, transformation, decline and death. Every year the fruits change on the tree, but the tree remains. Similarly one sees six states of the body but not of the soul, which remains at all times. From time arise the universal form and the individual bodies. Thus it is called a form of the Lord.

 

|| 7.7.19-20 ||

ātmā nityo 'vyayaḥ śuddha

ekaḥ kṣetra-jña āśrayaḥ

avikriyaḥ sva-dṛg hetur

vyāpako 'saṅgy anāvṛtaḥ

etair dvādaśabhir vidvān

ātmano lakṣaṇaiḥ paraiḥ

ahaṁ mamety asad-bhāvaṁ

dehādau mohajaṁ tyajet

Paramātmā is without destruction, without decay, pure, the one entity, the knower of the field, the shelter of all things, without change, self-illuminating, the cause of all things, all-pervading, not influenced by matter, and not covered by anything. By contemplating these twelve features which distinguish the Lord from the jīva, one should give up the false identity of me and mine related to the body, arising from ignorance.

 

Thinking of the absence of six changes in the jīva brings purification of one’s concept of tvam, the jiva. Purification of the concept of tat, the Lord, will take place by meditation of the Paramātmā with devotion. Thus the svarūpa of Paramātmā is now discussed in two verses. This Paramātmā (ātmā) is without destruction (nityaḥ). Śruti says are ‘yam ātmā: this is the ātmā, without inside or outside. (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.5.13) He is without decay (avyayaḥ). Śruti says ṛc akṣare parame vyoman yasmin devā adhi viśve niṣeduḥ: he is the supreme immutable Vedas in which the devatās take refuge. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.8) Paramātmā is pure (śuddhaḥ).  Śruti says vijñātāram are kena vijānīyāt: how should one know the knower? (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.14) Paramātmā is the shelter.  Śruti says yasmin dyauḥ pṛthivī cāntarīkṣam: in him reside the heavens, earth and the middle region. (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2.2.5) He is without change (avikriyaḥ).  Śruti says niṣkalaṁ niṣkriyam śāntam: he is without parts, without material action and peaceful. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.19) He is self-revealing (sva-dṛk). Śruti says ātmā-jyotiḥ samrāḍ ihovāca:  the self-revealing, independent Lord spoke. (Bṛhad-ārṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.8) He is the cause (hetuḥ). Śruti says sa imān lokān asṛjata: he created the worlds. (Aitareya Upaniṣad) He is all-pervading. Śruti says satyaṁ jñānam anantam: the Lord is unlimited knowledge and existence. He is without material association. (Taitirīya Upanisād 12.2) Śruti says asaṅga hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ: the Lord has no association with matter. (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad.4.3.15) He is not covered by anything. Śruti says pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate: when the manifested forms merge with the unmanifest brahman the unmanifest brahman remains. (Iśopaniṣad innvocation) By these twelve characteristics which distinguish him (paraiḥ) from the jīva, which one should constantly meditate upon, one will give up the false state (asad-bhāvam) concerning the body, arising from illusion. This means that without contemplation of Paramātmā, the illusion, similar to losing one’s sense of direction, will not be destroyed, even if one has discrimination.

|| 7.7.21 ||