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Introduction to the work
"Cangadeva-Pasasti "
"Cangadeva-Pasasti" composed by Jnaneshvara or Janadeva, is an advaitic work of a very high order. Cangadeva was well-versed in many sciences
and was a great Yogin. It is said that he lived for fourteen hundred years by repeatedly avoiding death, every time as it came entering into the state of Samadhi. But he had neitherspiritual realisation nor
peace of mind. Having come to learn that Jnaneshvara, though a young boy, was recognised, along with his two (elder and younger) brothers and the youngest sister, as a saintly and miraculous person, decided to meet
them all. In order to inform them of his visit to at Alandi, near Pune in advance, Cangadeva wrote to them only a blank letter not knowing whether he should begin with namaskara to him (as an honoured saint) or with asirvada (as
a young boy). This only revealed his inner spiritual blankness, as sister Muktabai observed. Then Nivrttinatha asked Jnanadeva to reply to him. This letter of reply is known as "Cangadeva-Pasasti" as it
contains sixty five verses in the Marathi meter called "Ovi". The purport of this work is to help establish Cangadeva firmly in the advaitic spiritual realisation. Jnanadeva takes the highest axionoetic
stand of the absolutistic, non-dualistic reality of Atman greater than which nothing exists.
Jnanadeva begins with salutation to and the description of Cangadeva's Guru named Vatesvara who is himself identified with the One Reality of Atman or
Brahman or God. Then Cangadeva is regarded as no other than a bit of this highest reality. There is thus complete identity between the Guru and his disciple, or Brahman and Jiva. Then Jnanadeva extends this oneness
to the underlying principle of both Janadeva and Cangadeva. Their visit or dialogue takes place from this spiritual plane of Absolutism or nondualism, in which they are united.
The Nature of Atman
(The figures in brackets refer to the number of verses)
The first thirty-six verses contain the nature of Atman or God. God conceals himself and appears as the world, and when God is realised the world
disappears. (1) This manifestation and concealment does not affect God, Atman or Brahman. (2) God becomes all this world without affecting his oneness (3) Thus Jnanadeva draws attention to the original Vedic and
Upanisadic teaching. Purusa evedam servam (Purusasukta10-902) Sarvani hietad Brahma (Mandukya-2), Idam Sarvam Yadayam, atma (Brhadaranyaka 2-4-6) Sarvam khalu idam Brahma.
In the next four verses (4 to 7) Jnanadeva illustrates this identity between Brahman and the world. It is like that of gold and golden ornaments, water
and its waves, earth and its molecules, moon and its digits, fire and lump. These illustrations suggest that Brahman is the material cause (Upadana-Karana) of the world.
In the next verse that Brahman is also the efficient cause of the world is made clear.
Brahman behaves in the two forms of drasta and drsya as a subject and as an object, the seer and seen. This, some say, is due to avidya. But
Jnanadeva declares that 'I do not think so'. This existence of the Brahman in these two forms is natural or spontaneous to it. (8)
Then it is pointed out that the transcendent principle of knowledge itself appears in the dual forms of the knower and known, or the subject and the
object (10). The similes given are of the thread which is basically real and the cloths are its nominal forms, so also the earthen vessels are only earth (9). Such again is the relation between the whole and its
parts (11).
Then it is explained how from God Siva to all varieties of objects there shines uniformly one principle of consciousness or knowledge (12). The wall
remains wall even though any picture is drawn on it (13). The sweetness of molasses remains the same whether it is in the bound form or not (14). The cloth remains cloth even if it is folded (15). In the same way it
is suggested that it is one and the same consciousness or spirit that glitters as the world without being affected by pleasure and pain. Just as the thing appears as the subject in its relatedness to its image, so
does the one spirit throbs itself into the triad of the seer, the seen and the seeing, without affecting its oneness (16 to 18). As much as the bundle of thread is only thread inside and outside so is this triad
without actually being three (19). The face sees itself through the mirror, but this seeing is really not seeing. All these illustrations point out that one original consciousness appears threefold without getting
really divided (20, 21).
The seership of the subject is only in relation to the seen object. In the absence of the object the seer ceases to be the subject. Thus the triad of
the knower, knowledge and the known is illusory, the oneness alone is real (22 to 25). The face remains the face before and after the mediation of the mirror. The mirror makes no difference to the face while it
produces the deception as the seer face and the seen face. In the same way the real remains the self seeing itself while it appears as the seer and the seen (26 to 28).
The universal nature of sound is independent of the instruments of music. Fire is independent of the kinds of wood. So reality remains itself reality
devouring the differentiations (29).
That which cannot be described or known by any means exists in itself as being (30). The eyeball though competent to see is incapable of seeing itself.
Similarly the Atman though of the nature of knowledge, is incompetent to know itself (31). This reflects the Upanisadic thought vijnataram are kena vijaniyat, by what means can the knower be known? In
the total absence of not-knowing, that which is knowledge itself cannot be known as knowledge. (e.g. Sun knows no darkness, and therefore knows not that it is light) (32). Therefore, He can be expressed through
silence. He becomes all without undergoing anymodifications. Yet not being nothing Brahman could be realised (33). Just as for all waves the basis is water, so, all knowledges are true because of the basic truth
(34). He remains the seer without seeing. For Him He is himself (35). His being, knowledge and enjoyment are within Himself independently of any other (36).
Identity of God and the Individual self
After the above elaboration of the nature of Brahman or God, Jnanadeva describes the nature of the individual self or jiva by telling Cangadeva that, "you are son of that Vatesvara (who is at once God and Guru) like a bit of camphor." This shows identity of God and the soul. Both Jnanadeva and Cangadeva are identical basically. Addressing to Cangadeva Jnanadeva says "We will enter into conversation though we both are one" (37), when each one gives other the status of listener and assumes to oneself the status of speaker. This event becomes a feigned duality. They however, understand that behind this apparent duality, they are basically identical. This truth of advaitism will be revealed in the Ovis that
follow.
Jnanadeva's description of dialogue and meeting with Cangadeva.
Our dialogue, Jnanadeva says to Cangadeva, is as good as handpalm shaking hand with itself (38). It is like the speech hearing itself or taste tasting
itself light enlightening itself (39) or gold testing its goldness by itself or face becoming mirror to see itself (40). Cangadeva is addressed by his other name Cakrapani. Will sweetness enjoying itself not fill
the mouth? Like that is our liking for each other, says Jnanadeva to Cangadeva (41).
"Dear friend Cangadeva," My soul is enthusiastic about meeting you, at the same time I am afraid that our already established meeting in a
unity will be disturbed" (42).
While desiring to see you, my mind returns to its original state of the self (or mind reaches the nature of your true self), thus, as I feel, causing a
hindrance to my seeing you (43).
From the point of view of your real nature of the self it is neither possible for me to do, to speak or to imagine about you, nor not to do, not to
speak, not to imagine about you (44). For both these are meaningless from the point of the Absolute nature of the self (either of Jnanadeva or of Cangadeva). Cangaya: There is nothing special in saying that, with
respect to you, to do or not to do is impossible, because in my case too it is impossible for me to hold my sense of 'I'ness (45). Jnanadeva thus illustrates: the salt trying to gauge the depth of water, melts into
nothingness, how can then it measure the water (46)? In the same manner Jnanadeva says to Cangadeva, 'As I attempt to see yourself, I myself vanish into nothingness, then you too do not remain any object for my
imagination about you (47). One who attempts to know the sleep while keeping awake, misses altogether one's knowing it. And so you too do not become the objet of my knowledge. I remain in my original nature not
attaining to the state of subjecthood (48). In darkness there is no sunlight but the consciousness that I am (of my existence) is not lost (49). Similarly says Jnanadeva, 'in my attempt to find you, both the senses
of 'thou' and 'me' get swallowed, and the basic oneness of our meeting remains‘ (50). (When the eye is pressed by the side) the eye sees its own pictures, without any hesitation (51). In the same way, without
splitting ourselves into 'I' and 'You', or the subject and the object we meet in oneness (52). I enjoyed again and again this meeting of the nature of oneness in which there are no limiting adjuncts of 'I' and 'You'
(53).
Just as the tastefulness itself becomes the occasion for enjoying the taste, just as in the name of the mirror one sees oneself (54), so that which is
unknowable came to know itself through filling the letters of silence and constructing the story of our meeting in the absolute oneness (55). One speaking to oneself is as good as silence or mauna.
Jnanadeva's teaching to Cangadeva
After this delineation of the meeting in oneness, Jnanadeva gives Cangadeva the teaching that he too like Jnanadeva should attain the state of
absoluteness going beyond the sense of dualism. the following five 'Ovis' comprise this teaching as follows:
O Cangadeva: Taking recourse to my above description of our meeting in unity, you know yourself as the lamp sees its own lampness. In the same manner,
through dialogue you open you insight and meet yourself in your own self. That is, realize yourself. Just as at the end of the creation water gets so spread everywhere that it swallows its own source, so you get
absorbed in yourself. Jnanadeva says, your true self is devoid of any name and form. In that life of beatitude, be happy. It is a life of pure joy, where no triad of the enjoyer, the enjoyed and the enjoyment
exists. Through repeated study of this truth, you will be enriched with such absolute knowledge that the dualism of the knower and the known will be transcended in that state. Axionoetically that is the realization
of the highest status where the maximum value of beatification becomes one's own (56 to 60).
Jnanadeva's modesty and the fruit of this work
Jnanadeva expresses his modesty by telling Cangadeva that Cangadeva was made an occasion by Nivrttinatha who with his maternal love gave to Jnanadeva
fondly this sweet in the form of his spiritual experience of the self (61). By this he suggests that inspiration to this composition of the pasasti Jnanadeva owes to his Guru Nivrttinatha.
Jnanadeva and Cangadeva or Cakrapani are like two consciously observing mirrors who while perceiving each other, lost their difference of dualism (62).
Like this whosoever will make these ovis his mirror, will obtain happiness of the measure of the absolute self (63).
In the next ovi Jnanadeva expresses the mysterious undescribable nature of the ultimate reality. I do not know what that is which is not, nor do I know how it becomes known, nor what that is in itself (64).
Jnanadeva says that this composition is made by me in the manner of going to sleep beyond sleep, or by coming to wakingness swallowing the waking state
(65). This suggests the mystic experience of self-realization which cannot adequately be described.
Evaluation
Cangadeva-pasasti is thus a unique work presenting the non-dualistic absolutistic ontology in its unmatched purest form. Jnanadeva already is an
accomplished person who has attained selfrealization. He becomes the teacher in this case of Cangadeva who too is a person of high order. He needed only the last drop of a dose of the Advaitic teaching to
enter into the final state of self-realization. This dialogue is that last dose from one master to another, who two ultimately write in that meeting of absolute oneness. This basic oneness of Reality, Absolute or
God is the theme of this work.
Jnanadeva holds that the whole world of plurality is an apparent expression of the Brahman, without its undergoing any change within itself. Without
affecting the basic unity it appears as the duality of the subject and the object, or the triad of the knower, known and knowledge. Jnanadeva says that such manifestation of Brahman is natural to it. He does not
subscribe to any element of avidya, or maya as an explanation of this dualism or triadism or pluralism. Jnanadeva's insistence is on the unbroken, continuous nature of Atmaneven when there is
the manifestation of two or more.
Jnanadeva's presentation of illustrations
Jnanadeva does not give the traditional illustrations of rope-serpent or mirage which suggest obviously mayavada. The very many illustrations
that he has given show complete identity between the basic reality and its nominal variations of forms. While some of the illustrations have been common among the mayavadin and non-mayavadin Advaitins as for
example earth and earthen vessels, gold and golden ornaments, water and its waves, and the like, these as distinguished from the other specifically illusionistic examples, really favour realistic Brahmavada rather
than illusionistic Brahmavada. It should be remembered that even Sankaracarya, an avowed mayavadin, has given similar non-mayavadin illustrations, especially in Vivekacudamani. These illustrations, show
qualitative non-difference between Brahman and the world. Jnanadeva is a master of apt illustrations, which make the point better than any piece of logic. Even when the illustrations are already given by some other
thinkers his presentation has its own beauty. It is common to speak of the thread and the cloths. But as Jnanadeva points out, again the cloth unfolded or folded has a difference without any modification in the
nature of the cloth. Actually the folding or otherwise of the cloth is as good as unfolding manifestation of the cloth. The presentation of the illustrations is poetic. For example, the water-waves are a sort of
clothing of water. But without its unclothing, water remains naked as it were. The ontological suggestion is that with all the presentation of the worldly plurality Brahman alone gets presented or manifested. It is
not necessary to consider that the world of names and forms covers the Brahman. Brahman manifests itself through the worldly forms without losing its identity and without undergoing any real change. This is both
exclusive and exhaustive Cidvada.The term Cidvilasavada, as often applied to Jnanadeva's philosophy is bit of a misnomer. Jnanadeva himself has not used this term anywhere for his philosophy. If Vilasa suggests
any addition to cit then it means that cit is to that extent defective. This is not acceptable.
The bundle of thread is thread only inside and outside. So is God everywhere, molasses remains the same whether in the bound or louse form. So is
camphor and its bit. These suggests complete identity without differences.
In the other illustrations are the moon and its digits, fire and lamp, whole and its parts, earth and molecules. The suggestion is that God could be
known through the world, without eliminating the world, because God himself is this world.
Jnanadeva has used the example of mirror in different ways. It is through mirror that the falsity of dualism of the seer and the seen, or the subject
and the object is produced, without making any real changes in the face which holds the mirror. He also refers to two mirrors perceiving each other.
To illustrate that Atman, though of the nature of knowledge or the knower, is incapable of knowing itself, the reference is made to eye which
though seeing everything is incapable of seeing itself. Again eyeball, when pressed, makes eye see its own pictures on its own background or curtain as it were.
Jnanadeva also makes use of the illustration of light seeing itself, or lamp seeing itself to show the absolute identity of Atman.
Relativity and Absoluteness
Jnanadeva takes recourse to the concept of relativity by means of which alone the dualism becomes meaningful, between the subject and the object, the
seer and the seen, the knower and the known. The Absolute shows itself in such apparent dualism which having its origin in the Absolute is not other than the Absolute, that is real, and yet the Absolute remains
completely unaffected. In the same manner Janandeva says that the description of Atman as sat-cit-ananda also could not be regarded as final, as these terms become meaningful in relation to their opposites asat-jada-duhkha. Thus
the Absolutness is beyond any meaningful description. It could be understood by being it, that is going through its experience, and enjoying it in silence or by keeping mum. This experience Jnanadeva has through the
grace of his Guru Sir Nivrttinatha.
Jnanadeva says that in this Absoluteness of unity, he has already met Cangadeva, and wishes that Cangadeva too should experience this unitary meeting,
which is basic and more real than their meeting as two different persons. Through this letter Jnanadeva teaches this non-dualistic meeting and wants Cangadeva to go through this experience of self-realization. In
that state alone there is highest peace and happiness, Axionoetically this experience is worthy of realization.
In no other absolutistic work within such short space such profound teaching in the ontology of Atmanis given. The work also has its poetic
beauty par excellence, and the situation of imagined dialogue and meeting is very dramatic. It is no wonder that Janandeva and this unique work from his pen are held in high esteem.
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