SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
sUthram 12
எப்போதுமுண்டாகில், ஜந்மமரணங்களுண்டாகிறபடியென்? என்னில்; ஜந்மமாவது – தே3ஹஸம்ப3ந்த4ம்; மரணமாவது – தே3ஹவியோக3ம்
(eppOdhum uNdAgil, janma maraNangaL uNdAgiRapadiyen? ennil; janmamAvadhu – dhEha sambandham; maraNamAvadhu – dhEha viyOgam)
Meaning: If the self exists at all times, how can there be birth and death? Birth is the soul’s association with a body, and death is its separation from that body.
Explanation
In the previous sUthram, it was established that the self is eternal (nithya), existing at all times.
A doubt may arise:
“If the self always exists, why do the scriptures speak of birth and death?”
Scriptural passages such as:
प्रजापतिः प्रजाः असृजत् [yajur vEdham]
(prajApathi: prajA: asrujath)
“Prajāpati created the beings,”
सन्मूलाः सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः [thaiththirIya upanishadh, bhruguvallee]
(sanmUlA: saumya imA: sarvA: prajA:)
“Dear one, all these beings have their origin in sath”
यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते [thaiththirIya upanishadh, bhruguvallee]
(yatho vA imAni bhUthAni jAyanthE)
“From whom all these beings are born”
यतः प्रसूता जगतः प्रसूती तोयेन जीवान् व्यससर्ज भूम्याम् [thaiththirIya upanishadh]
(yatha: prasUthA jagatha: prasUthI thOyEna jIvAn vyasasarja bhUmyAm)
“From whom the universe came forth, and who brought forth living beings upon the earth”
appear to speak of the coming into existence of living beings.
To remove this doubt, the commentator explains:
ஜந்மமாவது – தேஹஸம்பந்தம்
(janmamAvadhu – dhEha-sambandham)
Birth is the self becoming connected with a particular body.
மரணமாவது – தேஹவியோகம்
(maraNamAvadhu – dhEha viyOgam)
Death is the self becoming separated from that body.
Thus, birth and death do not belong to the self itself. They refer only to its connection with, and separation from, a body.
Why do we understand the self to be eternal?
If the self were not eternal, serious difficulties would arise.
During dissolution (samhAra-dhaSA), the self would cease to exist. In that case, the continuity of karma could not be explained.
Further, the defects of:
अकृताभ्यागम
(akruthAbhyAgama)
“experiencing results of actions never performed”
and
कृतविप्रणाश
(krutha vipraNASa)
“loss of the results of actions already performed”
would arise.
Therefore, the self must be accepted as eternal.
Scriptural support
Many passages of Sruthi and smruthi teach the eternality of the self.
न जायते म्रियते वा विपश्चित् [katavallee]
(na jAyathE mriyathE vA vipaSchith)
“The conscious self is neither born nor does it die”.
ज्ञाज्ञौ द्वावजावीशनीशौ [SvEthASvathara upanishadh]
(gyAgyau dhvAvajAvISa-anISau)
“The knowing and the unknowing selves are both unborn”.
नित्यो नित्यानाम् [SvEthASvathara upanishadh]
(nithyO nithyAnAm)
“The eternal among the eternal beings.”
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि
(prakruthim purusham chaiva vidhdhi anAdhI ubhAvapi) [SrI bhagavath gIthA 13.20]
“Know both prakṛti and the individual self to be beginningless.”
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचित् । नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥
(na jAyathE mriyathE vA kadhAchith | nAyam bhUthvA bhavithA vA na bhUya: | ajO nithya: SASvathO ‘yam purANO na hanyathE hanyamAnE SarIrE ||) [SrI bhagavath gIthA 2.20]
“The self is never born and never dies. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient, and is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.”
These passages clearly establish that the self itself is eternal and free from birth and death.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
archived in https://granthams.koyil.org
pramEyam (goal) – https://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – https://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – https://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – https://pillai.koyil.org