bR^ihadAraNyakopanishhad 6.3.33; Heirarchy of Ananda

Courtesy: Sri.Bryan Hill

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स यो ह वै मनुष्याणां राद्धः समृद्धो भवत्येषामधिपतिः सर्वैः मानुष्यकैः भोगैः सम्पन्नतमः स मनुष्याणां परम आनन्दः । " A liberated manushhyachakravartin who has completed his efforts for liberation and therefore is superior to the other manushhyas, will enjoy the fruits of his deeds performed after attaining divine knowledge. He will enjoy his innate bliss revealed to him as soon as he is liberated. His innate bliss is the lower limit of the bliss to be enjoyed by the liberated as per their heirarchical position. " अथ ये शतं मनुष्याणामानन्दः स एकः पितॄणां जित लोकानामानन्दः । " A hundred times of this bliss of manushhyachakravartin is one bliss of the Manes(pitR^is) who are liberated. " अथ ये शतं पितॄणां जितलोकानामानन्दः स एको गन्धर्वलोक आनन्दः । " A hundred times the bliss of the liberated manes is one bliss of liberated gandharvas. " अथ ये शतं गन्धर्वलोक आनन्दा स एकः कर्मदेवानामानन्दो ये कर्मना देवत्वमभिसम्पद्यन्ते । " A hundred times the bliss of liberated gandharvas is one bliss of the karmadevas. The karmadevas are those who have attained godhood by their deeds. " अथ ये शतं कर्मदेवानामानन्दाः स एक आजानदेवानामानन्दो यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । " A hundred times the bliss of the karmadevas is one blisss of the AjAnadevas. They are learned, sorrow free and not afflicted with material desires. " अथ ये शतमाजानदेवानामानन्दाः स एकः प्रजापतिलोक आनन्दो यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । " A hundred times the bliss of the AjAnadevas is one bliss of the prajApatis i.e., that is rudra and sheshha. These are learned, sorrow free and are not affected by mundane desires. " अथ ये शतं प्रजापतिलोक आनन्दाः स एको ब्रह्मलोक आनन्दो यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । " A hundred times the bliss of the prajApatis is one bliss of chaturmukha - brahmA. He is learned, sorrow free and not affected by material desires  " अथैव एव परम आनन्दः एष ब्रह्मलोकः सम्राडिति " This is the highest limit of the bliss of the liberated. The bliss of the Supreme God is infinite. " होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः । सोऽहं भगवते सहस्रं ददाम्यत ऊर्ध्वं विमोक्षायैव ब्रूहीत्यत्र " On receiving these instructions, janaka said O yAjJNavalkya! I shall offer a thousand elephants and bulls. Instruct me further the way to liberation. " ह याज्ञवल्क्यो विभयांचकार मेधावी राजा सर्वेभ्यः मां तेभ्यः उदरौत्सीदिति ॥६.३.३३॥ " At this yAjJNavalkya hesitated a little. He thought King janaka is very clever. He has chosen me from among the debators. Now, I have to instruct him about the highest secret if he asks me about it. " ......................   You may want to compare the Ananda - tAratamya with the Celestial Heirarchy of  Dionysius. knr

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