Ishwara, Hiranyagarbha and Virat and Prajna, Taijasa and Viswa

3. Defnitions of Ishwara, Hiranyagarbha and Virat and Prajna, Taijasa and Viswa

The Upanishads make it crystal clear that before creation there was only Brahman or existence (nothing else). This Brahman “thought” or “imagined” and creation started. Of course, here Upanishads statement that “it thought” means that “it desired to become many” (eko aham bahusyaam). This is illogical and impossible for PERFECT Brahman and hence we have to understand that this “thought” is due to the illusory power of Maya alone. This is substantiated by Gita where Sri Krishna says that “I create things with the help of my MAYA”.

This MAYA is only an illusory power and composed of the three qualities of SATTVA, RAJAS and TAMAS.

Brahman when has the power of Maya is called Ishwara or Saguna Brahman (more analysis on the same while dealing as to how different systems of Advaita deal with Ishwara and Jeeva). Different sub-schools differ as to whether this power is a upadhi or the Ishwara itself is an illusion etc. These intrinsic details are not essential currently. We just have to remember that Ishwara is Brahman endowed with the power of Maya. Whether Brahman can be associated with a power is answered by adding the clause “illusory” (adjective) to the power of Maya.

This Ishwara endowed with Maya is the cause for creation. When creation starts, first it has to be developed into a subtle plane with the pancha tanmaatras of Shabdha (hearing), sparsh (touching), roopa (sight), rasa (taste) and gandha (smell) – this is not the primal elements that we perceive but these are the essence of the pancha bhootas. Before pancha bhootas have to be born, they have to be in a subtle state which is the tanmaatras. The Ishwara who creates the subtle entities along with the antah karanaas of mind, intellect, ego and chitta is called Hiranyagarbha also termed as Mahat tattva as per Sankhyan theory of creation which Vedanta almost accepts. Thus Ishwara who creates subtle things is called Hiranyagarbha or golden orb (that orb from which all things primarily come). This Hiranyagarbha or Mahat tattva is the first creation from the ISHWARA who then creates subtle things.

Subtle things cannot be really enjoyed and cannot exist as such unless they become gross. Thus the subtle elements become gross as the pancha bhootaas that we perceive. The Ishwara or that part of Ishwara who creates/identifies himself with the entire gross world is called Virat meaning BIG.

There is Virat as well as Hiranyagarbha upasana mentioned in the Upanishads. For eg: Isha calls Hiranyagarbha Upasana as Sambhooti upasana.

These are at the cosmic level and not at the individual level. Ishwara (who is at the causal state as he is endowed with Maya), Hiranyagarbha and Virat identify themselves with the cosmic or totality (as is the state – for eg: hiranyagarbha identifies with all subtle bodies and the subtle world itself).

We need to have the three mentioned Ishwaras or forms of Ishwara (not exactly form, due to lack of word am putting that word) – at the individual level too. This is what Vedanta calls as Vyasthi (individual) and Samasthi (cosmic) which is termed in Saaktha as well as Vedanta system as Pinda andam and Brahma andam (andam means body, panda means small or individual, brahma means total or cosmic).

Thus, the three states of Iswara are
Iswara – the Causal form
Hiranyagarbha – the Subtle form
Virat – the Gross form

To summarise, Iswara is the unmanifested form of Brahman. The unmanisfested or avayktam is manifested in the form of Hiranyagarbha or the subtle body. The world is created by Iswara and the creation happens in Hiranyagarbha. This creation is manifested externally through the gross body or Virat.

We need to have the three mentioned Ishwaras or forms of Ishwara (not exactly form, due to lack of word am putting that word) – at the individual level too. This is what Vedanta calls as Vyasthi (individual) and Samasthi (cosmic) which is termed in Saaktha as well as Vedanta system as Pinda andam and Brahma andam (andam means body, panda means small or individual, brahma means total or cosmic).

We have to start analysis of the individual jeeva from the same place we started for Ishwara. Thus Kutastha when associated with the power of Avidya or ignorance (ignorance of his own nature which causes identification or adhyaasa between not-Self and Self) is called Praajna. This jeeva is present in the deep sleep state where there is only ignorance and nothing else. This is called Kaarana Shareera of Jeeva which is the cause for other two states and jeevas. As Rajesh mentioned, Jeeva who identifies himself with the Kaarana Shareera is called Praajna. Now from this causal ignorance, there is desire arising. This happens at the subtle level with the dream world…….. The jeeva who identifies himself with the subtle body is called Taijasaa. The word means “illumining” representing or indicating that the jeeva illumines himself as self-luminous in dream (not requiring any other light in that state). Now, the subtle desires are made gross and gross body is formed. The jeeva who identifies himself with the gross body in waking state is called Vishwa (one who perceives the world).

Thus three states of Iswara are mapped to the three states of Jiva
Prajna – the causal form
Taijasa – the subtle form
Viswa - the gross form

Iswara creates the world using the power of Maya, Jiva experiences the world because of the Avidya. Avidya is the ignorance at the individual level and Maya is the totality of avidya.

During the waking state, Jiva experiences the world through the body, mind and the senses. The mind or the subtle body is the effect of the ignorance or Avidya. So during the waking state, desire comes in the mind because of avidya and this desire is put into action through the body, so the body acts as the instrument for the interaction with the world. The identification of Self with the gross body is called Viswas.
The identification of Self with the subtle body is called Taijasa. The experience of that one has during the waking state is projected during the sleep as dream. During the dream state there is no gross body, there is subtle body and causal body.
The identification of Self with the Causal body is called Prajna. The causal body is non-dual and this state of non-duality is experienced during the deep sleep. Since there is no duality during deep sleep one experiences only bliss during deep sleep. But still there is ignorance in that state.

Thus giving in simple form

State Ishwara Jeeva
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Deep sleep Ishwara Praajna (one who is full of consciousness and knows himself)
Dream Hiranyagarbha Taijasa
Waking Virat Vishwa

The waking state is associated with the word ‘A’ of AUMKAARA (waking state means virat as well as vishwa and the gross elements too are meant).
The dream state is associated with the word ‘U’ of AUMKAARA.
The deep sleep state is associated with the word ‘M’ of AUMKAARA.

That which is beyond these three states is called Tureeya or ardha maatra of AUMKAARA – this is Brahman or Kutastha which is never affected at all and one without a second.

IT is the seeker’s practice or sadhana to merge ‘A’ to ‘U’, ‘U’ to ‘M’ and ‘M’ to ardha maatra (the analysis as to how this is done can be found in depth in Panchikarana of Sankara and the Panchikarana Vartika of Sureshwaracharya – if somebody requires this, we can discuss – else it requires some explanation and not dealt here).

Thus the seemingly appearing JEEVA or seeker or “I” who thinks himself as the praajna, taijasaa and Vishwa finding himself different from the respective Ishwaraas is liberated by realizing his own very nature of Brahman thereby realizing the reality that there is nothing here but Brahman alone, EKAM EVA ADVITEEYAM.

There are diverse opinions on whether IShwara is affected by Maya or not—as per Sankara, Ishwara is not affected but there are different schools who differ on the same. The seeker just needs to remember that “there is no difference from Ishwara and me – there is no Ishwara apart from me – then why should I really bother as to whether Ishwara is affected or not? Let me not come to any conclusions but have open-mind and if following the path of Bhakthi, accept Ishwara as Brahman without being affected by Maya…. If following the path of Jnaana, the world itself is merged into the seeker and hence Ishwara doesn’t have much workJ (Please take it in the real sense) --- let me decide on the same”.

As Chinmaya says “Vedanta is a subjective science” – most interpretations and concepts depend on the seeker alone. But this doesn’t mean the seeker can deviate a lot from the scriptures and acharyas but only that when controversial things come into picture and when the seeker seems to be kind of deviating from the acharyas, he can consult the Guru for the same or take that which seems probable or logical”.