Tat Tvam Asi as Cosmotheandric Experience

Among the four ‘great verses’ of Scriptures, ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ is one and is found in the sixth chapter of Chāndogya Upanis̟ad. It has been explained and commented by various Ācāryas of different traditions in different ways to suit the philosophy of the commenting Ācāryas. For example, śaṅkara sees from the kevala Advaitic tradition as,  ‘That Thou Art’ and says, ‘you are That’ and ‘That’ is explained as ‘Brahman’ and therefore, ‘You are none but Brahman himself.’ For Madhva who follows Dvaita Vedanta, takes grammatical nuance and says, ‘You are not That’ and therefore, ‘You are different from Brahman.’ However, almost all the commentators agree that this mahāvākya refers to the Supreme Reality and its relation with the other realities.

The ‘other reality’ here refers to the beings in the world. It can be human being or any other animate or inanimate beings. In other words it refers to the whole of cosmos. Thus the word ‘tvam’ would refer to the world of beings in the cosmos apart from the Supreme Being, Brahman.

The relationship existing between ‘Tat’ (Brahman) and ‘tvam’ (world of beings) is denoted by the word ‘asi.’ For Viśis̟t̟ādvains like Rāmānuja this relation may be expressed in terms of ‘collocation’ or ‘Samānādhikaran̟yam’ or like ‘body-soul’ relation (śarīra-śarīri relation).

This is the reason, I find, some advaitins speak of the entire Gītā in terms of ‘Tat-Tvam-Asi’ i.e.,  the relation between Lord Krishna who represents the Supreme Reality and the World Reality in terms of Kaurava and Pandava and their relationship with Krishna.

What I would see here is, a basic Cosmotheandric unity in the form of Tat-tvam-asi. Cosmotheandric would mean the unity between, Cosmos, Theos and Andros (World-God-Man). Basically there is a unity in the whole of cosmos which one cannot negate. Human beings cannot exist without relating with other human beings and other beings. The very fact that human being is existing on the earth, affirms that he is related to the earth. Further, for the survival of human being, one has to depend on the vegetation on the earth, air the atmosphere and so on. This is the relationship one has with other world of beings. Deep down again, there is a power or mysterious energy or mystery one is part of. This mystery is expressed in the word ‘Tat’ in the Upanis̟ad.

According to Madhva, the world of beings are not independent, they are dependent on the Supreme Being, though there is a visible dualism (dvaita) between them. It is only for the western philosophy, the dualism is independent of each other. For Dvaita, this dualism is dependent and independent of each other. The whole of world of reality is dependent on God for its sustenance. Thus, there is a basic unity and uniformity in the whole of ‘tat-tvam-asi’ concept.

Human beings, who are the crown of God’s creation, must experience this cosmotheandric reality to make the world a better place to dwell in. The whole reality of Tat-tvam-asi must be experienced in one’s life here on earth. The word used for experience in Sanskrit is ‘anubhava’ which comes from the root ‘Bhava’ which means ‘to become.’ One becomes or experiences the divine one-ness through knowledge, good works, devotion, good conduct and good virtues,  “Once you know that, you become that.”

In the  Upanis̟ad Ārun̟i tells  śvetaketu ‘You are That’ and therefore, it follows, you have to ‘become that.’  The background here is, śvetaketu has just returned from the Gurukul after 12 years of study. But has become proud, and thinks that he has learnt everything what one has to learn, but did not practice what he has learnt. Therefore, śvetaketu must forgo his selfishness, pride and live a practical life. He has lot of things to learn from the nature. This is expressed in the nine analogies given to him by his father. For example, father tells him to bring a fruit of the nyagrodha (fig) tree. Son goes and brings. Again the father asks him to cut open seeds and the son does. Then the father again asks him to cut the seeds which again the son does. What is being underlined here is, the ‘worldly experience.’

Every day we see miracles in the nature. Flower blooms, insects pollinate them and within a few days we see fruit. The seeds fall in the ground. ‘Lo and Behold,’ within a few days, there is a tiny plant coming up. We have no answer for the question, “How it came?” It is the divine plan. One has to see this miracle and has to admire at this. However, not just admiring, but be one with it and become eventually ‘That.’  This makes us to see everything as divine, God oriented and spiritual.

If one realizes, this, no doubt, one will make this earth, a loving home accommodating all the cultures, civilizations, faith, living and non-living beings, ecology and environment.

  

Raju Felix Crasta