Isvara is the Teacher

Photo: Elena Ray

Sa Purvesam Api Guruh Kalenanavac Chedat

स एष पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् ॥२६॥

“Unconditioned by time, Isvara is the teacher of even the most ancient teachers.”

Swami Satchidananda says that each person contains all the knowledge they need.  A teacher simply helps a student unlock and understand that knowledge.  This is the primary message of sutra 1.26.  God, or our connection to God (Isvara), is the teacher who can bring to light what we already hold.

Sa  is “that,” in reference to Isvara.  The remainder of the sutra describes Isvara’s  characteristics as a teacher.  Purvesham comes from purva, or “former” and is translated as “of the ancients.”  Api is “even” and Guruis “teacher,” from gur (to invoke, praise, raise, or lift up).  An alternate translation of guru, and one which I prefer, sees the roots gu as “darkness” and ru  as “remover.”  A teacher is therefore one who “removes the darkness” that obscures a student’s understanding.  Kalena is “by time” and anavachedat is “unconditioned/not limited.”  So God/Isvarais the original teacher of even the most ancient of teachers, and is not limited by time.

Both traditional and modern commentators have tried to apply logic to this sutra to show the “proof” than only God could bring knowledge to the first humans.  It seems to me that they attempt a hollow demonstration of an unchanging truth using a suspect chain of logic, when what would be more enlightening would be a search for the Truth that we can individually gain from this wisdom.  The Truth is not an orthodox history or incontrovertible fact, but instead points towards a relationship between God and ourselves.  We often think of a teacher as someone who “brings” knowledge to a student.  Translating guru as “darkness remover” shows us a teacher who helps a student remove obstacles to what they already know.  The former, more traditional view sets the student as a dependent, and maintains the gap between teacher and student.  The latter empowers the individual and moves us towards unity.  The former maintains the “I-Thou” relationship, while the latter sets the conditions for discovery of “I-as-We.”  It is also a very optimistic point of view.  We do not need someone to “fix” us.  We only need to fix the lens through which we view ourselves.

The second theme of sutra 1.26 speaks of the relationship between God and time, and therefore mirrors our own conception of time.  In the Old Testament, we are asked, “Since times are not hidden from the Almighty, why do those who know Him see not His days? (Job 24:1).”  The difference between God and ourselves is emphasized, but hidden behind that emphasis is a subtle suggestion that this separation of understanding need be neither so marked nor permanent.  

In explaining the sutra, the traditional commentator Vyasa says that time can act as a “limiting object.”  Vacaspati writes that for Isvara, time is not a limiting object, because it is not a “limiting motive.”  To understand what these writers may have meant, we can try to gain clearer knowledge of our own relationships with time.  Viewing time as an “object” delineates a distinct past, present, and future.  We relate to each in different ways, but in general, we find false ties between past and present, or false restrictive relationships between present and future.  Our “motives” lie in the wrong temporal sphere, because we mistakenly see past and present as concrete objects, rather than simply as accumulations of present moments.  

One of the main goals of yoga practice is to live in the present.  Asana, pranayama, and other tools of the craft whittle away what binds us to past and future so that we can clearly experience now.  Now is the only place that we can find our connection to God.  If we can learn to be less “conditioned by time,” we can live more authentic lives, and if we do that, we will uncover the deep-seated knowledge that will make the world become a little bit better place.    

www.tymihowardyoga.com

in gratitude and love, 

Tymi