Ashtottaram 18

 

18) OṀ TATTVAMASI BHŨMYAINAMAH:

 

            OṀ (AUM) - TAT- VA- MA- SI - BHOO- MYAI- NA--MA- HA

 

 

           (Tattvamasi: means 'you are that,' 'equating the Self with Brahman')

 

 

 

 

 'You happened to be the one you are looking for all along' is the meaning of tattvamasi. Tattvamasi was described in Chāndogyopaniṣhad and Sāmavedasaṃhitam. Even though it sounds so simple, sometimes lifelong learning from Vedas and Upaniṣhads may not be enough time to understand the deeper spiritual meaning of this statement of instruction. It is a mahāvākyam (great declaration). Just like looking for your eye glasses everywhere not realizing that they have been there on your fore-head all along. Same way, the God you are looking for everywhere in temples, etc happened to be yourself. This is also the teachings of the ṛishis, seers and gurus (spiritual teachers).

 

In 'Tattvamasi' mahāvākyam, 'tat' means- 'that' (that Parabrahman you are looking for) and 'tvam' means-'you' and 'asi' means-'are' (happened to be). This is Self knowledge (knowledge about Ātman-Parabrahman). We all know that Nobel prize recipient and physicist Albert Einstein's famous equation E=mc2 has changed the world for good in terms of human scientific progress and it's just three alphabets and one number. Similarly the mahāvākyam 'tattvamasi' carries life changing spiritual meaning in terms of Self knowledge that leads to liberation from saṃsāra (cycle of birth and death). This statement reveals that the eternal soul (ātma) which is self manifested, self-effulgent, which is Brahman happens to be none other than your-self and it is the root cause of everything. It is smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest and is everywhere and in every Being.

 

Separate from the three bodies (gross, subtle and causal), apart from the five sheaths of the body (panchakośās) and the witness of the three states alert, sleep and dream states; Ātma (Self) is Satchidānanda (existence, awareness and bliss) which is Brahman. It is present in all three spheres of the time - past, present and future. Vedas, Upanishads unequivocally declare 'you are that' (tattvamasi)!

 

The ancient ṛishis of the land which declared 'you are that' is -"ṫaṫṫvamasi bhūmi" !