Yadhaa nadyah syandamaanaah samudre, stam gacchanti naamaroope vihaaya |
Tadhaa vidyaannamarpppaadvimuktah, paraatparam purushamupaiti divyam ||
---Mundakopanishad 3.2.8
(Gushing and over flowing rivers lose their names and forms as they merge with ocean. In the same manner, knower of the Truth, freeing himself from his name and form, is imbued with the Supreme, Illuminating Consciousness)
Indian Vedanta exponents had propounded way back that 'I' is not at all the gross body, it is the Atma - Soul that resides in the body; the 'I' consciousness is there only with the Atma's presence, the moment Atma is liberated, the body is just like a firewood stick consumed by the fire. Though the the consciousness that is Atma may appear to be in different forms, it is but a part of the Supreme consciousness, Paramatma. Before merging away into the latter, it undergoes many many illusions on account of the play of Trigunas (Satva, Rajo, Tamo - Attributes), Six vices namely, Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Matsarya) and bound by the Five powerful sense organs, causing to indulge in all sorts of sins and pious acts as well with an admixture of elations and dejections. This is the sum up of Jivatma's earthly sojourn.
'Beings' on earth, who are conscious about good and bad, the illusory material world are compared to supreme swan which is capable of segregating the cream of milk from the whey. Other beings are compared to parrot that, being ignorant of what is good and bad lives in whiling away in tasting sweet as well as sour fruits.
A detailed description of the allegorical two bird Illusion is in the Mundakopanishad:--
'Dva suvarna sayuja sakhaya samanam vriksham parishasvajayate |
Tayoranyah pippalam svadvatti anasnan anyo abhichaka seeti ||' (3.1.1)
(Two birds of same kind and never being separated are sitting on the same tree. Of them one is tasting fruits and the other sitting calm)
'Samane vrikshe purusho nimagno nisaya sochati muhyamanah |
Jushtam yada pasyatyanyam Isamasya mahimanamiti vitasokah ||' (3.1.2)
(Jiva and Atma are in the same body. Jiva, that is man, being in ignorance, suffering in illusion. He is coming out of this woeful situation only when he is becoming aware of his nature of Atma and its magnificence)
In all simplicity for the common man, the keertana ' Jivatumai Vundu Chiluka' Annamacharya has described the Individual Soul's bound life being ignorant of it's identity with the Supreme consciousness , Universal Soul - Paramatma.
' O parrot! You are the Jivatma (Individual Soul); Looked from the other side you are verily Paramatma (Supreme Soul). But because of ignorance, you are not able to realise this fact.
'O Parrot! You are bound in the cage called Atma. You are brought up by none other than Myself. Do you know how you got this bondage? It is on account of Karmas ( Actions of previous and present births). Your limbs are shackled.
'O Parrot! Making me studious day and night you learnt various studies. You feel cosy under the wide feathers but you cannot tolerate the vagaries of cold and heat. That is, you cannot tolerate the difficult and dire conditions.
'O Parrot! You are befriending with Five aimless vagabonds. They by threatening, make you obey them. How long will you be scared by them?
Six kind less foes (Arishadvaarga - Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Matsarya) are trying to keep you under their subjugation constantly. Your life is under the risk of down fall due to them. O Parrot! you have in addition a 'weakness'. You cannot survive without food. To fetch it you make un necessary, un warranted chatterings. O Parrot! You enter into attachments with all and lose your virtues. Strange thing is, you don't learn a lesson and become wise even after losing.
'O Parrot! Ponder over with wisdom. Who are 'You'? Who am 'I'? I am yourself and you are myself.(All souls are one, though looking as many due to illusion). The Almighty residing in as 'Antaratma' is all pervading Paramatma (Supreme Soul). Be bold being aware of thisTruth.
'O Parrot! Things happening to you are some by human acts, some of which may be rectifiable and others not. Some are divine (by Jivatma) which are Prarabda karmas. Knowing that these are all part of divine illusion please don't forsake me. Be vigilant and follow the Almighty. I owe to you for awakening me from vanity of all these worldly matters.'
One more 'Tatvic' lyric on the allegorical Parrot that is Jivatma, we have from melody par excellence, Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna (in YT) - "Gudu China Boyera". You can have a glimpse of this from the 'Arenar Songs' blog under the category "Kadamba Mala" (other than Annamayya).
As of the sincere seekers' quest, such illuminating knowledge about non dual nature of the birds is helpful in daily spiritual sadhana.
Om Shanti!
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