Apoorvata

This is the third among the "Shadvidha Lingas". Apoorvata means that which is unprecedented; that which is new; that which is extraordinary.

If, in a book, among other things, if there is something that is extraordinary or unforeseen, it is called "Apoorva Vishaya"(new topic). We also realise that such a unique topic is the Tatparya of that treatise.

For instance, in the Upanishads, Atma has been described as something which is of the nature of unfragmented bliss and that it is not conceivable through Pratyaksha and other Pramanas (evidences). If Akhanda Ananda were to be the true nature of Atma, how is it that we are not experiencing it? After all, it is only when we can experience it that we can say whether it is of the form of bliss or not. If it becomes amenable to experience, it means that it was conceived through direct perception. But the Upanishads declare that the nature of Atma is bliss alone and that it is not amenable to the different kinds of Pramanas. This appears paradoxical and therefore this statement attracts our attention immediately. This is the Apoorvata as far as the topic of Atma is concerned.


Human beings gain knowledge by either direct perception or indirect perception or a combination of the two or more Pramanas. For example, to perceive the tree before us, the eyes are used. This is direct perception. When we see smoke in a distant mountain, we imagine that there is fire. This is "Anumana" (inference). The knowledge that one goes to heaven by performing Yajnas comes from "Shabda Pramana" (verbal authority). In our present discussion, from which of the above types of testimonies do we gain Brahma Jnana? In the Vedas, there are sentences that narrate Parabrahma. By studying them, one gets indirect perception of Parabrahma. This is called Shabda Pramana. After obtaining knowledge about Parabrahma by means of indirect perception, if one does Manana (contemplation) and Nidhidhyasa (profound and repeated meditation), one will acquire complete Brahma Jnana. This means that with the help of the mind, the Shabda Pramana causes Brahma Jnana in us. This is the Apoorvata in Brahma material.

There is one more uniqueness. Some objects in the manifest world are regarded as self-luminous. Sun is an example. Even though such objects are generally regarded as self-luminous, they are not self-luminous in the absolute sense. Even their luminosity depends on the Parabrahma. The luminosity of Parabrahma alone is absolute. This is also an Apoorvata of Parabrahma. This is referred to as "Aloukikata roopa Apoorvata" (extra-mundane uniqueness). Chandogya Upanishad explains this concept with the help of a story. Uddalaka, the father of Shwetaketu starts explaining to his son about Parabrahma Tattva and says, "It is not amenable to any kind of testimony. It can not be perceived through sense organs. Even the mind can not reach it". Shwetaketu finds it difficult to believe his father's words. "If Brahma were to pervade the entire creation, why is it that it can not be perceived by the sense organs?" he argues.

While the conversation was going on it was getting dark. Continuing to instruct his son about Parabrahma, Uddalaka asked him to bring a big pot of water and asked him to place two big pieces of rock salt into it. Shwetaketu did exactly as his father told him. He could now see in the light of the stars and the moon, the two lumps of salt in the water. Uddalaka asked his son to cover the pot with a plate. He said that he would continue the following morning and told his son to go to bed.

The next day, after the morning rituals, the father asked his son to take out the lumps of salt. Shwetaketu removed the lid of the pot and found that the pieces of salt were not there! He put his hand inside and searched thoroughly. He could find nothing. He father smiled and said, "put a few drops of that water into your mouth". Shwetaketu allowed a few drops of that water to drop on his tongue and said "Gee! It is salty". Now Uddalaka asked his son to taste the water from different parts of that pot. Irrespective of from where it was taken, the water was equally salty.

"What did you learn from this?" asked the father. Shwetaketu said, "I understand that the lumps of salt which I put in to this water pot has dissolved and has equally spread in this water".

Uddalaka said, "See! The salt is present everywhere in this pot of water. Still your eyes or your fingers could not perceive it! Only your tongue was able to perceive. Similarly, the Atma pervades the body, the Indriyas etc. Still, no sense organ can perceive It! We can perceive It only with the help of scriptural pronouncements.

This is the extra-mundane uniqueness of Parabrahma. Because the Upanishads say that such uniqueness is present in the Atma, it can be understood with the help of this Apoorvata that to point out that the ultra-sensory principle is the Absolute Truth is the Tatparya of the Upanishads.

4. Phala

A particular book extensively deals with many topics and at the end it is said that by knowing all of what is written in the book, one can earn great riches. Now, we can easily deduce that the Tatparya of that book is riches. How? Because it has been clearly said that the fruit of reading the book is acquisition of wealth. Such clear mention of the fruit is called "Phala Linga".

In Chandogya Upanishad, while discussing about Atma, it is said "one who has acquired the knowledge of the Parabrahma will attain Videha Kaivalya as soon as his Prarabdha Karma ends". (Videha Kaivalya is a process by which a being - as soon as it leaves the body - merges with the Paramatma. One who has attained this state will realise "I am neither the doer nor the enjoyer in any of the three states (past, present and future). It means, I was neither a doer nor enjoyer in the past, nor I am in the present, and nor I will be in the future. I was pure in the past, I am pure now and I shall remain pure in the future also." Such realisation itself is Moksha.

Chandogya Upanishad explains Moksha as the fruit. Therefore, it can be understood with the help of "Phala Linga" that the Tatparya of this Upanishad is the unfragmented Parabrahma itself.

5. Artha Vaada

Establishing a concept with the help of an example and with the help of an event is called as Artha Vaada.

Let us consider another example from the Chandogya Upanishad. Shwetaketu's father asks his son, who has come back from his Guru after learning for twelve years, "did you ask your teacher to impart such an instruction by which the unheard of becomes heard, the unthought of becomes thought of, the unknown becomes known?"

Shwetaketu doubts if such a thing exists and asks his father, "O! Father, in what way is such instruction imparted?" Then, Uddalaka, his father gives some examples.
A person who, in the forenoon had seen a lump of earth spread by the potter, finds in the same place, while returning in the afternoon, different products like pot, plate, pitcher etc., would say, "these pots, plates etc, were but earth in the forenoon." Therefore, it would be improper to think that the concept "by knowing one thing, another becomes automatically known" is wrong. Thus, Uddalaka was able to make his son understand with the help of the mud-pot analogy that by knowing the fundamental thing (karana – primordial cause), all its offshoots (karyas – effects, modifications) become known.

This method of explaining something with the help of stories and events is called as Artha vaada.

Vedantists classify Artha Vaada into seven types. They are 1)Srishti, 2) Sthiti, 3)Laya, 4) Pravesha, 5)Niyamana, 6)Tattvam Padartha Shodhana and 7) Phala Pratipaadana.

(to be continued)