Prājña and Īśvara oneness

Introduction to mantra 5–10.

In the preceding two mantra, śruti pointed out that consciousness, which illumines three periods of time yet is not affected by them, is the innermost self (my reality). Now, mantra 5–10 explain that the same consciousness that manifests through an individual body also manifests into the entire universe. The original consciousness is one and undivided; its manifestation appears as many because it reflected in various material mediums. This reflection is known as reflected consciousness. Just as one sun appears as many when reflected in different water pots, one consciousness appears as many individual beings and every single thing in the universe. And the qualities of the reflected consciousness depend on the medium, not on consciousness itself.

The entire manifestation can be divided into three pairs of divisions: three belonging to the individual level and three belonging to the total level. At the individual level, I have three bodies: physical, mental, and causal. When consciousness expresses fully through the physical body, it is called the waker-consciousness - viśva. When expressing through the mind, it is called the dreamer-consciousness - taijasa. The very same consciousness when expressing through the dormant causal body in deep sleep (while the physical body and mind are not there) is called prājñah. Only one consciousness manifests through all these three. At the totality level, the very same consciousness manifests as three levels also. When it manifests through the gross universe, it is called virāt. Through the subtle universe, it is called hiranyagarbhaḥ and when the time of resolution comes and the whole universe resolves back (cosmic sleep), it is called Īśvaraḥ or antaryāmī.

Śruti points out that there is only one consciousness expresses as all six reflected consciousness. This vision of seeing everything as myself, expressed in mantra 5 through 10 is called sarvātma bhāvaḥ. Mantra 5 points out that ātmā expresses in the form of prājña and Īśvara. In mantra 6, 7 and 9, ātmā manifests as taijasa and hiranyagarbhaḥ. In mantra 8, the same ātmā is in the form of viśva and virāt. Mantra 10 is the conclusion, where one consciousness alone manifests in the form of micro as well as macro, just as water alone manifests as a small wave as well as the vast ocean. The truth of the wave as well as the ocean is only water. Similarly, the truth of the micro individual and macro universe is the same consciousness. I am that consciousness manifests as everything.

ya imam madhvadam veda ātmānam jīvamantikāt |

īśānam bhūtabhavyasya na tato vijugupsate |

etad vai tat ||2.1.5||

One who knows this jīvātmā, the experiencer of the results of the action, to be

identical with the Lord of the past and the future does not seek security thereafter.

This is indeed that.

ya imam madhvadam veda ātmānam jīvamantikāt īśānam bhūtabhavyasya - this qualified one (who understands he is the witness of all three periods of time (mantra 3 and 4)) knows that jīvātma - the individual who dwells in the life of samsāra is identical to Īśvara - the lord of the past, present, and future (paramātmā).

How can this limited individual be equated to the supreme ruler or cosmic Lord who governs the universe? The distinction between them is just the medium. Just like the sun, which manifests through a solar-powered torchlight that can only light up a small area, but when it manifests through a solar-powered plant, it can light up the whole city.

Because of the limitation of the reflecting medium, jīva becomes a limited entity.

Thus, he becomes a doer, striving to become fulfilled (pūrṇaḥ) and then become an experiencer of the result of his karma - madhvadam. madhvadam literally means the eater of honey; just like one gets attached to the taste of honey, similarly, one gets attached to experiences and trapped in the life of the kāma-karma-phala-cycle of samsāra.

When one understands that the limited attributes of the individual and the limitless attributes of the Lord are only mithyā upādi alone, which depend on satyam consciousness to exist, then na tato vijugupsate - he no longer seeks protection/security, because he has attained fearlessness. As long as one considers oneself to be subject to death, harm, hurt, etc. (surrounded by threat), so long he would desire to protect himself. But when one understands he is permanent non-dual, from whom should he protect himself? To whom would he find protection? Only this knowledge removes insecurity. This is mokṣa - freedom from sense of insecurity. This pair (prājña and Īśvara) is none other than the ātmā that naciketa asked for - etad vai tat.