[Advaita-l] मृद्घट (mRRidghaTa) (Clay-pot) and रज्जुसर्प (rajjusarpa) (Rope-serpent) illustrations in Chandogya Upanishad -Part 1

[H S Chandramouli]

Namaste.
There have been a number of threads recently discussing aspects of the
above topic. Such discussions have taken place earlier also on several
occasions in which I had also participated. In most of those discussions,
there was no agreement on several aspects. I am prsenting below my
understanding of the topic in a conolidated manner. I have confined myself
to cite references only from the Bhashya. It may be useful for new
participants who may like to join the discussions. I am aware that there
may not be agreement on many of the issues.
I have split it into two parts in view of size limitation.

Regards

मृद्घट (mRRidghaTa) (Clay-pot) and रज्जुसर्प (rajjusarpa) (Rope-serpent)
illustrations in Chandogya  Upanishad.

In CU chapter 6-1, Sage Udhalaka asks his son the following question

 //  श्वेतकेतो यन्नु सोम्येदं महामना अनूचानमानी स्तब्धोऽस्युत
तमादेशमप्राक्ष्यः येनाश्रुतꣳ श्रुतं भवत्यमतं मतमविज्ञातं विज्ञातमिति कथं नु
भगवः स आदेशो भवतीति ॥ ३ ॥  //  CU 6-1-3.

//   shvetaketo yannu somyedaM mahAmanA anUchAnamAnI stabdho.asyuta
tamAdeshamaprAkShyaH yenAshrutaꣳ shrutaM bhavatyamataM matamavij~nAtaM
vij~nAtamiti kathaM nu bhagavaH sa Adesho bhavatIti || 3 | //  CU 6-1-3

Translation  // "Through which the unheard of becomes heard, the unthought
of becomes the thought of, the unknown becomes the known?". (Svetaketu
asked), "O venerable sir, in what way is that instruction imparted?" //.

This has practically the same purport as the question raised by one of  the
disciples in Mu Up, but worded differently

//  कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवतीति ॥ ३ ॥ // Mu Up 1-1-3

//  kasminnu bhagavo vij~nAte sarvamidaM vij~nAtaM bhavatIti || 3 || //  Mu
Up 1-1-3

 Svetaketu did not know the answer, so he reqests his father to clarify. In
this context Sage Udhalaka presents the  सृष्टि (sRRiShTi,  Creation)
 process in a unique way starting all the way from the state of praLaya.
Sage Udhalaka addresses Svetaketu in the following manner.

//  सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम् । //  CU 6-2-2

//  sadeva somyedamagra AsIdekamevAdvitIyam |  //  CU 6-2-2

Translation  // O good looking one, in the beginning all this was
Existence, One only, without a second //.

//  तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति //  CU  6-2-3

//  tadaikShata bahu syAM prajAyeyeti  //  CU  6-2-3

Translation  // That (Existence) saw, ' I shall become many.  I shall be
born'  //.

The सत् (sat)  willed to diversify or modify itself into a multitudinous
variety leading to सृष्टि (sRRiShTi), Jagat
or Creation. The word सत् (sat) here represents the combination of Brahman
 and avyAkruta. Individually, neither Brahman (Chaitanya SvarUpa) nor
avyAkruta (inert or jada) can Create. Brahman  though Chaitanya svarUpa is
कूटस्थ (kUtastha), changeless and cannot undergo any vikAra or
modification. AvyAkruta, though endowed with unthinkable powers to modify
itself  in any number of ways  is jada or inert and cannot activate its
power on its own. Its association with Brahman (Chaitanya)  however enables
activation of this power. This association is अनादि (anAdi) beginningless
as per Advaita SidhAnta. It is thus this combination which undergoes the
required modification.  In what manner does this combination, addressed as
सत् (sat) here, perform this diversification?  Ch Up elaborates this
process with the use of two illustrations ; मृद्घट (mRRidghaTa)  and
 रज्जुसर्प (rajjusarpa)  दृष्टांत (dRRiShTAMta).The Clay-pot and
Rope-serpent illustrations.

Principally it is avyAkruta which undergoes परिणाम (pariNAma),
transformation, without changing its svarUpa (nature) resulting in Creation
or Jagat . This is illustrated by the मृद्घट दृष्टांत (mRRidghaTa
dRRiShTAMta), the  Clay-pot illustration. While the association between
Brahman (Chaitanya) and avyAkruta is one of विवर्त (vivarta),
transfiguration, illustrated by the रज्जुसर्प  दृष्टांत (rajjusarpa
dRRiShTAMta), the Rope-serpent illustration.

परिणाम (pariNAma), Transforamation, is of  two types as exemplified by the
मृद्घट दृष्टांत (mRRidghaTa dRRiShTAMta), Clay-pot illustration and
दधिक्षीर दृष्टांत (dadhikShIra dRRiShTAMta), milk-curd illustration. In the
former case, the substance  does not undergo any transformation or change
 in its svarUpa (nature) but only certain attributes like form undergo
change. While in the latter, there is a transformation or change in the
very svarUpa (nature) itself  of the substance.

 The मृद्घट दृष्टांत  (mRRidghaTa dRRiShTAMta), Clay-pot illustration, in
the current context is explained by the  CU mantra

//  वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम् //  CU 6-1-4.

//  vAchArambhaNaM vikAro nAmadheyaM mRRittiketyeva satyam  //  CU 6-1-4

Translation  // All transformation has speech as its basis, and it is name
only. Clay as such is the reality //.

The pot-clay illustrartion has been utilized in a variety of contexts in
advaitic texts. Here, in Ch Up, the context is assumption of  different
forms by a subsatnace without changing its svarUpa (nature). The different
forms (rUpa) are considered as different visheshaNas of the substance. Clay
is the substance while the form (rUpa) *pot*  is its visheshaNa. The object
or product, having clay as substance  endowed with this pot form as
visheshaNa, acquaires a unique name (nAma)  *Pot*. Clay can have any number
of forms (rUpa) as visheshaNa, and with each such form (visheshaNa)  the
substance clay acquaires a different name (nAma). Since there is no change
in the svarUpa (nature)  of the substance in any of these objects, they can
be  addressed by either of the two names, one associated with the substance
without visheshaNa and the other the substance as associated with its
unique visheshaNa.

Another illustration  for the same type of pariNAma (transformation)  cited
in CU is  सुवर्णकुण्डल (suvarNakuNDala), gold-ring. Gold is the substance
while the form * ring * is its visheshaNa. Gold can take on any number of
forms (visheshaNAs), each one of which acquaires a unique नाम (nAma), name,
without changing its basic svarUpa (nature) of substance gold. The object
or product can addressed by either of the two names, one associated with
the substance without visheshaNa and the other the substance as associated
with its unique visheshaNa. Either as simply * gold * or as
ring,chain,bracelet etc as the case may be.

The other type of  परिणाम (pariNAma), Transforamation, is best illustrated
by the दधिक्षीर दृष्टांत (dadhikShIra dRRiShTAMta), Milk-curd illustration.
In this case, the transformation of milk into curd is not only in its रूप
(rUpa),form, but is also associated with a change in the very svarUpa
(nature) itself of the substance milk  undergoing the transformation.

The transformation of avyAkruta  into Creation or Jagat is of the मृद्घट
दृष्टांत (mRRidghaTa dRRiShTAMta), Clay-pot illustration, type. Mantra CU
6-2-3  states

//  तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति.....  //  CU 6-2-3

//  tadaikShata bahu syAM prajAyeyeti.....   //  CU 6-2-3

Translation  // That (Existence) saw, ' I shall become many.  I shall be
born'  //.

The Bhashya thereon CUB 6-2-3 states, inter alia, as below

//  बहु प्रभूतं स्यां भवेयं प्रजायेय प्रकर्षेणोत्पद्येय, यथा
मृद्घटाद्याकारेण........ //  CUB 6-2-3

//   bahu prabhUtaM syAM bhaveyaM prajAyeya prakarSheNotpadyeya, yathA
mRRidghaTAdyAkAreNa........ //. CUB  6-2-3

Translation  //  I shall be born excellently. Like clay taking the shape of
pots etc ..... //

CU mantra  6-3-2 states

//  सेयं देवतैक्षत हन्ताहमिमास्तिस्रो देवता अनेन जीवेनात्मनानुप्रविश्य
नामरूपे व्याकरवाणीति ॥ तासां त्रिवृतं त्रिवृतमेकैकां करवाणीति सेयं
देवतेमास्तिस्रो देवता अनेनैव जीवेनात्मनानुप्रविश्य नामरूपे व्याकरोत् ॥  //
 CU 6-3-2 and 6-3-3.

// seyaM devataikShata hantAhamimAstisro devatA anena
jIvenAtmanAnupravishya nAmarUpe vyAkaravANIti || tAsAM trivRRitaM
trivRRitamekaikAM karavANIti seyaM devatemAstisro devatA anenaiva
jIvenAtmanAnupravishya nAmarUpe vyAkarot ||  //  CU 6-3-2 and 6-3-3.

Translation  // That Deity which is such saw : Let it be that now, by
entering into these three gods, in the form of the soul of each individual
being, I shall clearly manifest name and form.  With the idea, " I shall
make each one of these three-fold and three-fold, that Deity who was such
entered into these three gods, as this individual soul, and manifested name
and form  //.

Continued in part 2.