The Brāhmic Vision

सम्पूर्णं जगदेव नन्दनवनं सर्वेऽपि कल्पद्रुमाः
गाङ्गं वारि समस्तवारि निवहाः पुण्याः समस्ताः क्रियाः ।
वाचः प्राकृतसंस्कृताः श्रुतिशिरो वाराणसी मेदिनी
सर्वावस्थितिरस्य वस्तुविषया दृष्टे परब्रह्मणि ।।
– धन्याष्टकम्

sampūrṇaṁ jagad-eva nandana-vanaṁ sarve’pi kalpa-drumāḥ
gāṅgaṁ vāri samasta-vāri-nivahāḥ puṇyāḥ samastāḥ kriyāḥ |
vācaḥ prākṛta-saṁskṛtāḥ śruti-śiro vārāṇasī medinī
sarvāvasthitir-asya vastu-viṣayā dṛṣṭe para-brahmaṇi ||
– Dhanyāṣṭakam

Translation:

To one who has realized Brahman in all aspects, the whole world becomes a Divine garden; all objects the kalpavṛkṣās (the wish-yielding trees); every water-flow the holy Ganges; all actions auspicious; the elevated as well as the foolish talks (words) the Vedānta-vākyas; the entire earth, the Vārāṇasī. Every thought or awareness of his reveals to him only Brahman.

Points for Introspection:

In the world we perceive each object as different from the other. We like certain things and dislike some others. Because of this differentiation alone we suffer misery, lack of peace and contentment.

This śloka describes that supreme state of being when one has realized the universal Self, the Brahman. Wherever we turn to, the objects are revealed as an expression of the same source, the Brahman. There is no duality, no division or differential notion. Everything is full of bliss because that is the nature of the supreme Self, the Brahman. In everything one sees divinity and auspiciousness. Nothing seems unpleasant or repulsive.

When the realization of Brahman is had, then the world which seemed to be good and delightful at one time and bad and sorrowful at another, becomes verily the heavenly garden with joy filled everywhere. All the trees become the wish-fulfilling trees of heaven. Every water-flow appears as holy as Gaṅgā, even the thought of which generates holiness in oneself.

All work that we do – some we like, some we dislike, some are significant and others insignificant – create only one impression in the mind that all work is noble, virtuous and divine arising from the same source, the Oneness. All talks that we engage in, whether refined or foolish, seem verily the scriptural messages, which are enriching and elevating.

Normally, on the earth one does not find holiness in all places, but considers only certain places as holy and auspicious. While visiting these specific places alone, divinity and sacredness is experienced. But, for one who has realized Brahman, all places on earth are holy like the holy land of Vārāṇasī. No necessity arises then to go to places which are considered holy otherwise.

In short, for a person who is one with Brahman, whatever state he is in – in all his thoughts, words, actions – it reveals to him only Brahman, and Brahman alone.

The most wonderful state has been described in this śloka. Who will not yearn to live in this divine state? Now, the question is: How do we proceed towards experiencing this state where the whole world seems like a heavenly garden? With our whole mind and heart, we should sincerely crave to experience that supremely delightful state to the exclusion of everything else. Every moment, one must have a sincere, one-pointed yearning to experience that state. Looking at this vast Nature, interacting with every object with the sense organs, facing all kinds of thoughts, emotions and sentiments in the mind, applying one’s intelligence one must introspect, understand, feel, experience and hammer into oneself this truth — that every state one is in, is nothing but revelation of Brahman and Brahman alone.

Chanting this śloka again and again contemplating on the meaning and focusing on the highly elevated state that it describes, one can verily be immersed in the ocean of Supreme Bliss

Word Meaning:

सम्पूर्णम् (sampūrṇaṁ) = whole, complete, full; जगत् (jagat) = world; एव (eva) = indeed, truly; नन्दनवनम् (nandana-vanaṁ) = divine grove, heavenly garden; सर्वे (sarve) = all; अपि (api) = also; कल्पद्रुमाः (kalpa-drumāḥ) = wish yielding trees; गाङ्गम् (gāṅgaṁ) = of or relating to the Ganges; वारि (vāri) = water; समस्तवारि (samasta-vāri) = all waters; निवहाः (nivahāḥ) = multitudes, collection; पुण्याः (puṇyāḥ) = pure, holy, sacred; समस्ताः (samastāḥ) = all, whole; क्रियाः (kriyāḥ) = actions; वाचः (vācaḥ) = speech; प्राकृतसंस्कृताः (prākṛta-saṁskṛtāḥ) = unrefined and refined; श्रुतिशिरः (śrutiśiraḥ) = leading text in the Vedas; वाराणसी (vārāṇasī) = Varanasi; मेदिनी (medinī) = earth; सर्व (sarva) = everywhere; अवस्थितिः (āvasthitiḥ) = residence; अस्य (asya)= his; वस्तुविषया (vastu-viṣayā) = Supreme Truth; दृष्टे (dṛṣṭe) परब्रह्मणि (parabrahmaṇi) = Having seen or realised the Supreme Reality;

अन्वयः

परब्रह्मणि दृष्टे (सति) सम्पूर्णं जगत् नन्दनवनं एव (भवति); सर्वे (वृक्षा:)अपि कल्पद्रुमाः (भवन्ति); समस्तवारि निवहाः गाङ्गं वारि (भवन्ति); समस्ताः क्रियाः पुण्याः (भवन्ति); प्राकृतसंस्कृताः वाचः श्रुतिशिरः (भवन्ति); मेदिनी वाराणसी (भवति); अस्य सर्वावस्थितिः वस्तुविषया: (भवति) ।

para-brahmaṇi dṛṣṭe (sati) sampūrṇaṁ jagat nandana-vanam eva (bhavati); sarve (vṛkṣāḥ) api kalpa-drumāḥ (bhavanti); samasta-vāri-nivahāḥ gāṅgaṁ vāri (bhavanti); samastāḥ kriyāḥ puṇyāḥ (bhavanti); prākṛta-saṁskṛtāḥ vācaḥ śrutiśiraḥ (bhavanti); medinī vārāṇasī (bhavati); asya sarvāvasthitiḥ vastu-viṣayā(bhavati).