Chapter 4: The state of the liberated soul

सम्पद्याविर्भावः स्वेनशब्दात्

sampadyāvirbhāvaḥ svenaśabdāt

Having reached the Supreme Light, the soul manifests its own true nature, because of the word 'own' in scripture. Nothing new is produced; what was always its nature shines forth.

मुक्तः प्रतिज्ञानात्

muktaḥ pratijñānāt

That soul is released, freed from all bondage, as scripture promises. The Chandogya's teaching aims at a self free from sin, death and sorrow, and this state fulfils that promise.

आत्मा प्रकरणात्

ātmā prakaraṇāt

The light reached is the Self, the Supreme, as the context shows. It is not the physical light of the sun, for the section speaks of the Atman throughout.

अविभागेन दृष्टत्वात्

avibhāgena dṛṣṭatvāt

The freed soul abides in non-separation from Brahman, for so it is seen in scripture. Advaita reads this as identity; Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita read it as inseparable union with the soul's distinctness kept.

ब्राह्मेण जैमिनिरुपन्यासादिभ्यः

brāhmeṇa jaiminirupanyāsādibhyaḥ

Jaimini says the freed soul abides with the qualities of Brahman, such as freedom from sin, true desire and true will, because scripture mentions them and for other reasons.

चिति तन्मात्रेण तदात्मकत्वादित्यौडुलोमिः

citi tanmātreṇa tadātmakatvādityauḍulomiḥ

Audulomi says it abides as pure consciousness alone, since that is its very nature. The listed qualities only deny their opposites, in his view.

एवमप्युपन्यासात्पूर्वभावादविरोधं बादरायणः

evamapyupanyāsātpūrvabhāvādavirodhaṃ bādarāyaṇaḥ

Badarayana says that even so there is no contradiction, since scripture mentions both and the earlier state stands. Both views hold together; acharyas explain this reconciliation in their own ways.

संकल्पादेव तु तच्छ्रुतेः

saṃkalpādeva tu tacchruteḥ

By mere will the freed soul's wishes are fulfilled, for scripture says so. The Chandogya says that if he desires the world of the fathers, by his will alone the fathers come to him.

अत एव चानन्याधिपतिः

ata eva cānanyādhipatiḥ

For that very reason he has no other lord over him. Being free and true of will, he is not ruled by any other master in the way the bound soul is.

अभावं बादरिराह ह्येवम्

abhāvaṃ bādarirāha hyevam

Badari says the freed soul has no body or senses, for scripture says so: he rejoices with the mind alone in the world of Brahman.

भावं जैमिनिर्विकल्पामननात्

bhāvaṃ jaiminirvikalpāmananāt

Jaimini says he has a body, because scripture speaks of options: he becomes one, three, five or many. Such multiplication implies bodies.

द्वादशाहवदुभयविधं बादरायणोऽतः

dvādaśāhavadubhayavidhaṃ bādarāyaṇo'taḥ

Badarayana holds that it is both ways, like the twelve-day sacrifice, which is counted both as a sattra and as an ahina rite. As he wills, the freed soul is with or without a body.

तन्वभावे संध्यवदुपपत्तेः

tanvabhāve saṃdhyavadupapatteḥ

When there is no body, enjoyment happens as in a dream, which is reasonable. Experiences arise from the mind alone, as they do in sleep.

भावे जाग्रद्वत्

bhāve jāgradvat

When there is a body, enjoyment happens as in waking. With bodies taken by will, the freed soul experiences as one does when awake.

प्रदीपवदावेशस्तथा हि दर्शयति

pradīpavadāveśastathā hi darśayati

Like a lamp, the soul enters many bodies at once, for scripture shows this. As one flame lights many wicks, one soul can animate several bodies.

स्वाप्ययसम्पत्त्योरन्यतरापेक्षमाविष्कृतं हि

svāpyayasampattyoranyatarāpekṣamāviṣkṛtaṃ hi

Scripture's statement that there is no particular knowledge refers to either deep sleep or final union, as is made clear there. It does not contradict the powers of the freed soul.

जगद्व्यापारवर्जं प्रकरणादसंनिहितत्वाच्च

jagadvyāpāravarjaṃ prakaraṇādasaṃnihitatvācca

The freed soul has all powers except the work of the universe, creation, sustenance and dissolution, because of the context and because they are not connected with it. That belongs to the Lord alone.

प्रत्यक्षोपदेशादिति चेन्नाधिकारिकमण्डलस्थोक्तेः

pratyakṣopadeśāditi cennādhikārikamaṇḍalasthokteḥ

If it is said that scripture directly teaches his sovereignty, no: that speaks of attaining what lies in the spheres of the appointed rulers. His lordship is within the worlds governed by the Lord's officers.

विकारावर्ति च तथा हि स्थितिमाह

vikārāvarti ca tathā hi sthitimāha

And there is a form of the Supreme beyond all change, for scripture declares its abiding. The freed soul experiences that unchanging Brahman too, not only the created worlds.

दर्शयतश्चैवं प्रत्यक्षानुमाने

darśayataścaivaṃ pratyakṣānumāne

And so both show, Shruti and Smriti. The Upanishads and the Gita describe the Supreme as beyond sun, moon and fire, untouched by change.

भोगमात्रसाम्यलिङ्गाच्च

bhogamātrasāmyaliṅgācca

And because of the indication that equality with the Lord is in enjoyment alone. The freed soul shares the bliss of Brahman, not the governance of the world.

अनावृत्तिः शब्दादनावृत्तिः शब्दात्

anāvṛttiḥ śabdādanāvṛttiḥ śabdāt

There is no return, on the authority of scripture; no return, on the authority of scripture. The one who reaches Brahman does not come back to samsara. The repetition marks the close of the work.