Summary:

Atma Bodha, Verse 10: The verse explains how the limitless Self (Ātmā) appears limited through upādhi (limiting adjunct) using the space analogy: just as space appears divided by containers while remaining undivided, Awareness appears confined by body-mind while remaining unlimited. This teaching unfolds through several key points: (1) Space analogy shows how something limitless appears limited – space existed before bottle, remains unaffected during bottle's existence, and isn't “freed” when bottle breaks; (2) Similarly, Awareness exists before body-mind appears, remains unaffected by body-mind experiences, and doesn't “die” with body; (3) Understanding upādhi/upahita relationship – upādhi (limiting adjunct) lends its attributes, while upahita (limited appearance) seems to take on those attributes, like crystal appearing red due to red cloth; (4) Forms are upādhis to Brahman – they lend their appearances making us see only forms, not the underlying Brahman; (5) When a form is taken as absolute reality rather than mithyā, it becomes an upādhi hiding one's true nature.

Atma Bodha, Verse 11: Social identities like caste, color, and life-stages (āśramas) are superimposed on the Self through upādhis, just as water appears to take on different colors and tastes. The four āśramas happen in the upādhi level, not in Ātmā. These divisions exist at the empirical level but aren't intrinsic to one's true nature.

Atma Bodha, Verse 12: The physical body is composed of the five elements (pañcīkṛta mahābhūta) and manifests due to accumulated past actions (sañcita-karma). It serves as the instrument for experiencing pleasure and pain (sukha-duḥkha). Sañcita-karma determines one's circumstances, creating both immediate (dṛṣṭa) and future (adṛṣṭa) results. Liberation occurs when identity shifts from the individual with karma to the actionless Ātmā.

The Upādhis (Conditioners): Verse 10-15

That which as though lends it’s attributes (upādhi), and That which as though takes on attributes (upahita)

Verse 10: Atma appears divided due to upadhis  ^{[avaccheda-vada prakriya]}

यथा आकाशः हृषीकेशः नानोपाधिगतः विभुः ।
तद्भेदात् भिन्नवत् भाति तन्नाशे केवलः भवेत् ॥
yathā ākāśaḥ hṛṣīkeśaḥ nāna upādhi gataḥ vibhuḥ |
tat bhedāt bhinnavat bhāti tannāśe kevalaḥ bhavet ||

As space (cannot be divided by objects or walls), so is the all-pervading Lord [cit] of the senses, associated with various upādhis; due to difference in upādhis, it appears to be divided. But when upādhi is destroyed (understood as mithyā), It becomes one, free from any division or limitation.

To understand upadhi, let’s take example of space, then we’ll apply to sat-cit:

• Step 1: Release the seemingly confined Space from standpoint of the bottle (upadhi).
  • Seems as-though divided. EG: Room-space, bottle-space. In reality, One space. As-though gives visual effect that space is captured/confined by bottle.
  • Before bottle, space was there. After bottle born, space untouched. When bottle destroyed, is the inside space suddenly free? No. It was never separated/bound.
• Step 2: Understand the as-though confined space is all-pervasive.
  • Space is Undivided. In one undivided space, all objects exist.
  • Space is Unaffected by what it accommodates. EG: Sewage water vs. clean water in the bottle, gives an impression that it’s contaminated the space inside. Cognitively I understand space is not contaminated.

Applying to sat-cit:

• Sat-cit seems as if it become all forms. Also seems fragmented due to association with different body-mind upadhis.
• Process how I get fooled by the upadhi: Before this body-mind manifested, Awareness was. When body-mind manifests in Awareness, seems Awareness is confined to that body-mind. When body is destroyed, it seems Awareness will go away. In other words: From sat-cit’s potential > one body comes into manifestation >  Sat-cit is not confined to that body (bottle), nor contaminated by the mind (water).
• Mistake & Correction:
  1. Error: We give reality to bottle (body), and secondly, whatever is inside the bottle (mind), seems to be affecting the space.
  2. Correction:
     • Before body, Awareness is. While body is changing, Awareness is. While mind is going through 60K thoughts per day, Awareness is. Therefore, I am not the body, nor the mind – but the Awareness which enables me to see what’s going on in the mind and notice sensations of body.
     • Awareness is all pervasive (everywhere). Because it is truth of Ishvara (which is everywhere).
     • Meaning in spite of forms, they don’t change reality. EG: Before ornaments, during, after they go – gold remains gold.

Now let’s bring in Upadhi / Upahita (from verse):

• Definition:
  1. Upadhi: That which as-though lends it’s attributes to something else.
  2. Upahita: That which as-though takes on attributes of something else.
• EG:
  • Crystal-cloth.
  • When put red cloth behind crystal, crystal seems red. Redness (belonging to cloth), as-though lends appearance to Crystal (upahita; seems it took on Redness, without actually taking it on).
• Apply to Reality:
  1. Brahman: Existence-Awareness. Without changing, it as-though takes attributes of forms.
  2. Forms:
     • Forms lend their appearances to Brahman, thus we only see forms, not Brahman. Brahman remains free of all forms.
     • Why is form called upadhi? Because it covers nature of Brahman, thus only see form. When don’t give form an absolute reality (meaning recognize it's mithya), then form is no longer an upadhi for you. EG: If I take “Andre” as Brahman, then Andre is an upadhi, because it’s hiding My true nature.

NEXT VERSE: Next verse shows real-life scenarios where Self identifies with upadhis…

Verse 11: Body: a place of experience

नाना उपाधि वशाद् एव जाति वर्ण आश्रम आदयः ।
आत्मनि आरोपिताः तोये रस वर्ण आदि भेदवत्  ॥
nānā upādhi vaśāt eva jāti varṇa āśrama ādayaḥ |
ātmani āropitāḥ toye rasa varṇa ādi bhedavat  ||

The idea of caste, colour, position etc. are superimposed upon the atman, because of its association with different upadhis. Just as in water (which is colorless and tasteless are superimposed), differences like color, taste, etc.

Water example in this verse supports prior verse:

Color/taste of water is Colorless/tasteless. Yet appears to take on colors when seen through coloful bottles, or tastes when mixed with juice. Similarly, Self appears differentiated in various casts, skin color, social status due to association with different upadhis.

Ashrama (Duties/Responsibilities of life):

Human-group goes through different duties and responsibilities depending on age. The 4 stages of life are…

1. Brahmacharya: learn, study.
2. Grhasta: What will you contribute, how will you earn, will you have a family, how will you participate.
3. Vanaprastha: Grhasta gives you lot of experiences, and wisen up. With this wisdom, you recognize, in spite of getting all I wanted, there is still something missing. Thus this is time to reflect on your past experience, and what they tell you about purpose of life.
   • Mahabharata story: After war over, Pandavas were rulers. Slowly Vidur, Kunti, etc – retired to forest (smaller house in modern world).
4. Sannyasa: Recognizing the only thing that can solve my problem is knowing my true nature, and dedicating time for recognize it. You’re not leaving the world because you’re disenchanted with it, but recognize the real truth is my own true nature, and I need commitment to figure it out.

Conclusion:

Where does the 4-fold progression happen? Not in Atma, but upadhi. Can’t say these groups don’t exist, nor can you impute them on Atma. Thus Vedanta is about putting things that already are, in the right place.

NEXT VERSE: What shapes your particular body-mind upadhi?

Verse 12: Gross Body:  born of past actions

पञ्चीकृत महाभूत सम्भवम् कर्म सञ्चितम् ।
शरीरम् सुख दुःखानाम् भोग आयतनम् उच्यते ॥
pañcīkṛta mahābhūta sambhavam karma sañcitam |
śarīram sukha duḥkhānām bhoga āyatanam ucyate ||

From the 5 elements, after grossification, is born this (physical) body assembled by ones own past actions, It is said to be the place where pleasure and pain are experienced.

How physical forms come about?

1. Quantum physics:
   • Things are made of permutations-combinations of periodic table of elements.
2. Vedic model:
   • Permutations-combinations of 5 elements creates differences in forms.
   • How 5 elements are found in body:
     • Space: lungs, body exists in space, every organ has own position (else pain).
     • Air: When enters, it converts to prana (energy for mitochondria).
     • Fire: Temperature, stomach acid to brake down food so nutrients can be extracted.
     • Water: 2/3rd’s.
     • Earth: Flesh, bones.
   • Conclusion: Ishvara arranges 5 elements.
3. Purpose of creation models: Doesn’t matter what model you use. Purpose is to show you whatever is created, is result of things coming together, which ultimately resolve into Intelligence.

Why is this body created?

Due to sancita-karma.

Each person comes with different past causes that gave you this body. Thus gets certain parents, culture, certain strengths/weaknesses, certain eyesight, extra susceptible to some diseases. Past cases produces corresponding overall life experiences.

Logic: Every action has 2 fold consequences:

1. 1. Drsta-phala (seen results / immediate feedback. EG: anonymous charity makes you feel good, feel connected, noble) and,
   2. Adrsta-phala (unseen results / in future). Whole account is called sanchita-karma. Means well-collected karma (meaning everything is tracked).

Sancita means “well-collected”:

• • Metaphor: Just as DNA carries genetic information (well-collected) across generations, samskāras carry psychological and spiritual tendencies across lifetimes.
  • Privilege: 3 people give $100 donation. All done same. One is millionaire, another middle class, another lower-class. Their adrsta-phala will be related to what they have.
  • Intentions: 3 people give a donation, and all have same finances. One gives anonymously and out of duty, another out desire for recognition, another out of expectation to get something in return. Adrsta-phala will be different due to different intentions.

Thus why are you carrying this particular body now?

Body is given to experience results of actions performed in past which haven’t fructified yet. To experience the dualities of pleasure and pain.

How are unseen results fructified?

Situations arise in your life. EG: How come you live in UK and I live in AU? We both get different experiences because of countries, city, suburb, parents, religion. Therefore, “sukha duḥkhānām”, experiences give you varying degrees of pleasure/pain.

What is the relationship between sancita and moksha?

Long as you think you’re an individual (due to avidya > which gives reality to adhyasa [body-mind is taken as I]), you will be performing actions, subject to unseen results, which gives different bodies. This ends when shift identity from individual who has sanchita-karma to that which is free of karma since Atma is not a doer (doesn’t have arms, mouth, brain to think and act).

NEXT VERSE: Physical form can’t give experience on it’s own. Needs subtle body (that which makes body capable of responding/transacting.)

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Recorded 10 Jan, 2025