Twelve is considered to be a sublime number by the mathematicians.
In
mathematics, a sublime number is a positive integer which has a
perfect
number of positive divisors (including itself), and whose positive
divisors add up to another perfect number. 12 for example is sublime
number, because it has a perfect number of positive divisors (6): 1,
2,
3, 4, 6, and 12, and the sum of these is again perfect number: 28.
There are only two known sublime numbers, 12 and
608655567023837898967037173424316962265783077335188597052832486051279
16
91264. Just two sublime numbers among the countless and infinite
groups
of integers.Mind boggling isn't it!
All the names of Vishnu in the thousand are by themselves extra
ordinary. When Vishnu Himself is far far beyond the ken of even
Brahma
the progenitor his names cannot but be supraliminal to us mere
sentient
beings. If we were to ask Parasara Bhattar which of the thousand is
the
very best name, he would say all and countless more in his patented
style.
It comes as no surprise that corresponding to the mathematical
sublimity of the number, the twelth name Muktaanaam paramaa gatih is
sublime. It forced the peerless Bhattar to extend himself when he
set
about elucidating the esoteric meanings hidden in that name,in his
magnum opus Bhagavad guna darpana. In "Vishnu Sahasranama with
Bashya
of Sri Parasara Bhattar, English translation by Prof. A. Srinivasa
Raghavan " published in 1983 by Visishtadvaita Pracharani Sabha
fourteen pages, 118 to 131, the maximum among thousand, were needed
to
explain the import of Muktaanaam paramaa gatih.
A sublime explanation on a sublime name of a sublime number by a
sublime preceptor in a sublime language translated to a decidedly
non
sublime tounge:
12. The next name says that He, who is thus the Supreme Seshi;
(Master)
of all, is the highest goal.
Muktaanaam paramaa gatih:? He who is the Supreme goal for all the
Released Souls (Muktas).
They are called the Released Souls who once for all and completely
are
free from the enshrouding coverings which are
the results of the bondage of the Primordial Matter, nescience,
latent
impressions of actions and their fruitions.
Here are some passages from the scriptures :?
"(The upasaka) casts off his merits and sins (Punya and papa)."
"Ever as a horse shakes its hair (to get rid of the dust) he casts
off
his sins."
"Shaking off the merits and sins".
"Then the learned upasaka becomes freed from name and
form"
"When he realises God, he is released from all bonds."
"The knot binding the heart is cut."
"They cross this Maya (i.e.Samsara)-(Gita).
SriNarayanaiya (Mahabharata) teaches :?"Those, who are bereft of the
seventeen qualities and actions, give up the
fifteen 'Kalas' (or lores.) and become Released Souls. This is
certain."
Note : Seventeen qualities?Five Elements, five Gnanendriyas, five
Karmendriyas, mind and time. The sixteen parts (Kalas) are mentioned
in
the Prasnopanishad.
It has been established in the Scriptures that those, who have been
freed from all the shackles of Samsara attain equality
with Paramatma, the Supreme Soul, in regard to the essential nature
which is full of unlimited knowledge and Bliss, in regard
to the eight qualities beginning with ''being devoid of all sins"
and
ending with "unfailing will" and also in regard to the
enjoyment of Beatitude.
"Witnessing the desired objects through his celestial eye and mind,
he
is happy."
"Becoming devoid of all sins. he attains utmost equality with the
Lord."
"They attain a state of equality with me (like Myself in regard to
the
possession of auspicious qualities)."
"Badarayana affirms that there is no contradiction between the two
statements that the Mukta's essential nature is
knowledge only and that they are endowed with many qualities.This is
because of earlier statements according to which the pure soul is
bereft of all blemishes, and full of auspicious qualities."
It is further established that the Released Souls attain a
similarity
with Paramatma even in regard to their bodies which
are composed of unmixed and supreme Sattva-guna. (Suddha-Sattva).
"He becomes one, (he becomes twofold)."
"He eats,plays and enjoys."
"He enjoys whatever he desires, assumes whatever form he wants and
follows (The Lord)."
"The fragrance of Brahman enters into him"
"The taste of Brahman enters Into him."
"The celestial damsels adorn him with the decorations of the
Brahman
Itself."
"Badarayana holds the view that the Released Souls are
in two forms (i.e. with a body or without a body as they like).
It is like the Soma Sacrifice, 'Dvadasaaha' by name, which is to be
done for twelve days and which is of two kinds (either with one
master
or many masters) or (either for prosperity or for
progeny.)
Here the word 'muktaanaam' used in the plural number
shows clearly that the Released souls are many and are
different from one another. So do the Scriptures declare.
"All become free by the grace of the Paramapurusha."
"The worshippers of Paramapurusha become great and
attain the Transcendent world of Bliss (Paramapada)."
"They attain a state of equality with Me in regard to the
possession of auspicious qualities like Myself."
"They attain me."
As it is stated here itself that''He is a witness (Saak-
shee? names 15 and 517) and that He is the object of attain-
ment by the Muktas (Released Souls), it is clear that there is
difference between Bhagavan and Released Souls. So do the
Scriptures declare.
"When the upasaka sees the Lord as being pleased with
him and also realises His greatness, he becomes bereft of all
sorrow."
"When he understands that the Atma (Individual Soul)
(which is driven about) and He Paramatma, (who drives him)
are different."
"The Released Soul attains the Paramapurusha."
"The Released Soul enjoys all bliss along with the omni-
scient Brahman."
"He attains ths Lord of Supreme Effulgence."
"It is stated that Paramatma is attained by the Released
Soul."
It is also clearly stated in Mokshadharma (Mahabharata):
"He is Lord Narayana and He must be known as the
Supreme Purusha and the Inner Soul of all beings. Just as
the lotus leaf is not tainted by water, He is not tainted by any
dirt
(i.e. blemish). He, who is the other, is known as Karmatma and is
the
victim of bondage and release. He becomes associated with all the
seventeen (qualities).
Note:?The seventeen qualities are: Five Karmendriyas,
five gnanendriyas, five bhutas, mind and time.
>From all these, this theory is dispelled by the Sastras themselves,
theory viz, that Brahman Itself, circumscribed by a real or unreal
upadhi (i. e. a limiting adjunct) becomes a prey to the worldly
miseries like the ether circumscribed in a vessel and that there is
absolutely no difference in the State of Release between the Supreme
Brahman and the released souls. Because of this absolute similarity
between the Paramatma and the Jivatmas, statements like, "He who
knows
Brahman becomes Brahman Itself" which speak of non-difference
between
the two are reconciled with the other view that those two are
different. This is in analogy with the statement "This is a cow" in
regard to those which have broken horns or without horns. All the
cows
under the genus of cows are, called as such though there is an
external
difference- some
having broken horns and some not so.In the case of those who say
that
there is non-difference, statements which affirm
non-difference and which affirm similarity between Brahman and Jivas
in
the state of Release will contradict each other.
Aupaadhika-bheda-vaadins (I.e. those who hold the view
that non-difference is the truth and difference is caused by
limiting adjuncts) accept that there is an end to the entity of the
Mukta or Released Souls. In that case the state of Release will
cease
to be an object to be desired or longed for; again it will be
against
the statements that declare the existence of difference in the state
of
Release. The supreme similarity (between the Paramatma and the
Mukta)
which we have delineated has been described as non-difference. So
(Abheda) the non-difference delineated in the Upanishads refers only
to
the similarity of the qualities and not to the non-existence of the
entity of Mukta as such.)
The Vishnupurana explains this as follows :
"Tad-bhaava-bhaavam aapannah tadaa asau Paramaatmanaa
Bhavati abhedee ..."
tasya- pertaining to Paramatma; bhaavah? qualities like
knowledge, strength etc, teshaam bhaavah - their manifestation;
i.e,similarity of qualities. In the interpretation given by others,
the
second word 'Bhaava' would be purposeless. "This Mukta (Released
soul)
attains a nature which is similar to that of Paramatma. Then he
becomes
non-different from Paramatma."
The prohibition of difference in the state of Release has
been indicated to be with reference to the adventitious conditions
as
gods and the like (by the same Vishnu Purana as follows)?
There is no longer the difference in the form of gods
and the like; that shroud (i. e. Karma, which has been concealing
the
similarity between the Jiva and the Paramatma) has been dispelled.
This word 'gati' (in the name "Muktaanaam paramaa
gatih") has at its end the suffix 'Ktin' in the sense of-the
passive. 'Gatih means attainment. A word in the Accu-
sative case (i.e. objective case) refers to an object which is most
desired; and that is the goal of attainment. By this it is shown
that
the relationship between the Released Soul and Paramatma, the object
of
attainment, is that of servant and master
The Vedic Mantras say:
"Having attained the Supreme Soul (Paramatma) full of bliss."
"(The Mukta) follows Him"
"By that path by which Paramatama moves, by the same
path the Mukta goes with Him. This is similar to a young cow
going after its calf or a calf following its mother-cow."
"Like the shadow of an object that goes with the object
wherever it goes,"
In the same manner (does the Mukta follow the
Paramatma).
It is from the Scriptures that we know about the existence
of JiVatma and Paramatma. The same scriptures reveal that
theJivatmais'sesha' or subordinate to Paramatma and that
tills subjection is natural to him like knowledge and other
qualities of his; and in the state of Release this attribute of
subjection is not negatived. On the other hand because of the
removal of obstruction, it becomes manifest.
He becomes endowed with the form natural to him
(which was concealed till now)" says (the Chandogya Upa
nishad).
Vishnu dharma also states :
"Just as the radiance of a gem is not newly created
(but only made manifest) when the dirt on the gem is removed
by polishing, so too knowledge and other qualities of the soul
become
bereft of Karma. For knowledge and other such
qualities are indeed quite natural to him (and are always
there though latent at some times (i.e. in Samsara)."
"Oh! the Ruler of Men! Knowledge and non-attachment
riches and virtue all these fourqualities are eternally present in
the
Jivatma who is like Brahman Itself because of his
similarity."
The Brahma Sutra also confirms this; "When the Mukta
attains the Brahman, there is the manifestation of his essential
nature
which is his own. This is revealed by the use of the word 'svena'
(his
own) as an adjective qualifying the noun 'roopena' (his essential
nature or form)"
Here an objection is raised: "He attains independence";
"He becomes a sovereign", After quoting these texts, the
independent status of a Mukta is established by the following Brahma
Sutra; "For that very reason he has none as (his) lord." Against all
this how can it be said that he exists for the benefit of another
and
how can the undesirable state of a dependent be predicated about
him ?
Dunce! Don't become an object of ridicule. Here the
import of the word 'ananya-adhipatitvam' (he, being without
another master) is that He is under the control of Bhagavan
only, who is His own Master. The domination of other things
like distress and karma over the Mukta has been removed.
This does not mean that he is an 'anaatha' (i. e. one without a
master
to save him). If that were the case, the word'anadhipathi' (which
means
'without a master") would have been used,and not 'ananya-adhipatih
(which means 'without another master'). In the case of a wife, being
subiect to a greatlyloving husband is not loathsome to her; for we
see
that even kings and others are eagerly served and subserved by their
sweet hearts and others when they do what is most pleasing to them.
Again and again it has been indicated that it is the qualities that
occupy a place of importance (and not any thing else). It has been
established in the Brahma Sutras that the equality between the
Paramatma and the Jivatma is only with reference to the enjoyment of
Bliss and excludes the state of being the ruler on the one hand and
the
ruled on the other.
"The Jivatma is like the Paramatma Himself except with
reference to the activities regarding the Universe, viz. its
creation, destruction etc"
"There are clear indications to show that the equality of
the Jivatma and Paramatma is only in the enjoyment of
Supreme Bliss."
Here are the other texts in support of this view:-
Sri Vishnu Tattva:?1. "The Mukta attains complete subjection to
Paramapurusha. He gets rid of all bondage
and attains unparalleled freedom. He enjoys all Bliss along
with the Paramapurusha."
"With the Jivatma the state of being a property (that is
possessed) rests and the state of being the owner or possessor
rests with Paramatma. This is the relationship between the
two. Nothing else appeals to me."
Sri Narayaniya (Mahabharata)
"At the end of the observance of our vow, we saw men
with highly auspicious qualities, white, bright like the moon and
endowed with all lovely features. Their hands were
joined in prayer at all times, and they were meditating upon
the Brahman with their faces turned towards north east."
"With their hands joined in prayer thay are always happy
and are always repeating the word 'namah' (which means
salutations unto Thee)".
"They have Controlled the sense-organs, and remain
without food. They do not perspire and are always sweet-
smelling."
These and other such texts describe the residents of
Sveta-dvipa (the Holy White Island) and say that they are
endowed with divine features and the like, and they derive
great pleasure in being the Servants of the Lord and in doing
unceasing
service to Him. The same is said to be the state and occupation of
the
Muktas or Released Souls.
This is reiterated by the following text:
"The best among the Bharatas! Those men who are
released from here have the same characteristics as those who are
the
residents of Sveta-dvipa (The Holy White Island).
By the use of the word 'paramaa' (highest) as an adjective
qualifying 'gatih' (goal) (in the phrase 'paramaa gatih) it
should be understood that there are some for whom the goal is of a
lower order. Such a goal, which goes by the name of
Kaivalya, is resorted to by those souls who are free from old age,
death etc. (Sri Krishna says in the Gita)- ''They resort to me and
make
efforts to be devoid of old age and death,"
It is stated that such a place of theirs (Kaivalya by name)
is somewhere between samsara (material world) and Parama-
pada (Transcendental word)-
"That is the eternal world of those yogins who are satis-
fied with enjoyment of the Bliss of their own individual
soul." ; .
Such is the Supreme Goal of the Muktas. "He is the
Highest means; He is the Supreme Goal."
"He who is the inner Soul of the universe and the highest
goal".
"(They attain) Me, the unsurpassed Goal."
"He reaches the end of the road (i.e. Paramatma)."
"There is nothing greater than the attainment of the(Supreme) Atman".
Texts like these can be easily got.
This exposition on the sublime 12th name nearly covers the whole
gamut
of Visishtaadvaiata.
-Dr. S.Sundar Rajan, Trichy , 24-06-07.
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