SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
The AchArya now answers the doubt raised in the previous sUthram. Although knowledge is eternal, statements such as “knowledge has arisen” and “knowledge has perished” are not incorrect. They refer only to the manifestation and withdrawal of knowledge through the senses, not to the origination or destruction of knowledge itself.
sUthram 67
இந்தரியத்வாரா ப்ரஸரித்து விஷயங்களை க்3ரஹிப்பது மீள்வதாகையாலே, அப்படிச் சொல்லக் குறையில்லை.
indhriyadhvArA prasariththu vishayangaLai grahippadhu meeLvadhAgaiyAlE, appadich chollak kuRaiyillai.
Meaning
Since knowledge extends through the senses to apprehend objects and then withdraws again, there is nothing improper in speaking of it as though it has arisen or perished.
Explanation
Knowledge is naturally capable of knowing everything
The scriptures declare:
“सर्वं ह पश्यः पश्यति“[chAndhOgya upanishadh]
(sarvam ha paSya: paSyathi)
“The seer sees everything indeed.”
and
“स चानन्त्याय कल्पते” [SvEthASvathara upanishadh]
(sa chAnanthyAya kalpathE)
“And he becomes fit for infinity.”
Thus, in the liberated state, knowledge is capable of directly apprehending all objects.
Contraction of knowledge in the bound state
However, in the bound state, knowledge becomes contracted because of karma.
As stated in the vishNu purANam
“या क्षेत्रज्ञशक्तिः सा वेष्टिता नृप सर्वगा।“
(yA kshEthragya Sakthi: sA vEshtithA nrupa sarvagA)
“That power of the knower of the field — Oh king — is enveloping and all‑pervading.”
Again:
“तया तिरोधितत्वाच्च शक्तिः क्षेत्रज्ञसंज्ञिता।
सर्वभूतेषु भूपाल तारतम्येन वर्तते।
अप्राणिमत्सु स्वल्पा सा स्थावरेष्वधिकाऽधिका॥“
(thayA thirOdhithathvAchcha Sakthi: kshEthragya samgyithA |
sarva bhUthEshu bhUpAla thArathamyEna varthathE |
aprANimathsu svalpA sA sthAvarEshv adhikAdhikA ||)
“Because of that concealment, the power called the knower‑of‑the‑field operates in all beings in graded degrees, being small in non‑living things and increasingly greater in stationary beings.”
Accordingly, knowledge exists in varying degrees according to karma.
Manifestation through the senses
Knowledge manifests externally through the senses to apprehend objects and then withdraws.
As stated in manu smruthi
“इन्द्रियाणां हि सर्वेषां यद्येकं क्षरतीन्द्रियम् ।
तेनास्य क्षरति प्रज्ञा दृतेः पादादिवोदकम् ॥“
(indhriyANAm hi sarvEshAm yadhyEkam ksharathIndhriyam |
thEnAsya ksharathi pragyA dhruthE: pAdhAdhivOdhakam ||)
“If even one sense becomes uncontrolled, the person’s wisdom drains away, just as water drains from a pot with a hole.”
Therefore, what is called the “arising” and “destruction” of knowledge is merely the manifestation and non-manifestation caused by its expansion and contraction, as it functions through the senses. Knowledge itself is neither produced nor destroyed.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
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