by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 46
December : 2004

THE DEBATE- FORM OR FORMLESS?

Part 3

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

We may now also recall what we discussed in the earlier part of our discussion:

Brahman is never "this and this alone", but always "this and beyond this".

If Roopa or form is dependent on the mind and therefore can not define Brahman, then the concept of aroopa or formlessness which is also dependent on the limited mind, can not also define Brahman. Brahman is to be realized when form and formlessness, both are transcended. That is the state of the ultimate enlightenment - ghanachaitanya.

Brahman lies where all descriptions and all concepts of mind are exhausted.

Yato vaco nivartante aprApya manasA saha.

At the highest level of Brahman consciousness, Brahman is neither of form nor formless. Because form is a concept and formlessness is also a concept. Brahman is not and can not be outlined by any concept. He is anirvacaniya the undefinable. He is simply Brahman.

Since ages, manvantaras, kalpas, millions have approached to know and define Brahman. This includes even the greatest of our sages, seers and philosophers. But none has succeeded. None will ever succeed. Some may have achieved near enough approximation. But no one existed, exists or will exist in future to tell "this is it".

It is said Brahmavid Brahmeiva bhavati. To know Brahman you become Brahman. And when you become Brahman who is there to tell whom and what?

As the Mundaka Upanishad tries to explain, the river keeps on rushing to the ocean . When it meets the ocean and realises what the ocean is, it has lost all its existence. There remains no river, only the ocean.

YathA nadyah syandamAnAh samudre astam gacchanti nAmarupe vihAya

TathA vidwAn nAmarupAt vimuktah parAtparam purusam upeiti divyam

Like this river, the wise also lose their very existence- astam gacchanti and then meet the divine being, the purusam divyam .

That is how beyond all comprehension Brahman is.

So now we enter into a critical area of our contemplation. Graduating from the concept of forms into formlessness was understandable. But could there be a concept which transcends even the concept of formlessness?

This seems to be the ultimate challenge to the relentless effort of the human mind in exploring the absolute truth and nothing but the truth. One can not help but bow one’s head in reverence to these ancient seers of sanatan philosophy, who dared to venture beyond the extremes of mental horizon.

Acitnya and Anirvacaniya, are two words often used in our scriptures. Two simple words, yet they are so pregnant in thought. Beyond thoughts and beyond _expression, whatever lies there I must know that, because thoughts and expressions are mine, and I am so limited. How can I reach that which has no limits of any kind?

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