The mahavakya �That thou art�

  In the sentence �tat tvam asi� the primary meaning of the word �tat� is Brahman as qualified by the functions of creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe, that is, Isvara. The primary meaning of the word �tvam� is the jiva as qualified by the states of waking, dream and deep sleep. The qualities of Isvara and jiva are totally contradictory, like those of the sun and the glow-worm, or the king and a servant, or the ocean and a well, or the earth and an atom. Isvara is omniscient and omnipotent while the jiva�s knowledge and power are limited. The identity affirmed by the mahavakya cannot obviously be between Isvara and jiva which are the primary meanings of the words. Therefore the implied meanings of the two words have to be taken. The contradiction between the primary meanings of the two words is due to the limiting adjuncts which are not real. Maya is the limiting adjunct (upadhi) of Isvara, while the upadhi of the jiva is the five sheaths. When these limiting adjuncts are negated, there is neither Isvara nor jiva. The kingdom is the symbol of the king and the shield is the symbol of the warrior. When these are removed there is neither king nor warrior. The sruti negates the duality imagined in Brahman. The negation of the limiting adjuncts is to be effected by reasoning supported by sruti. Everything in the universe is a superimposition on Brahman by ignorance and has no reality, like the snake superimposed on a rope. The entire universe must therefore be rejected as unreal. Then what remains is only Brahman . Thus both Isvara and jiva are found to be only Brahman when the unreal upadhis are rejected.

   Thus only the implied meanings of the terms �tat� and �tvam are to be taken for affirming their identity. The implied meanings of words are of three kinds�jahallakshanaa, ajahal- lakshanaa and jahadajahallakshanaa. 

 jahallakshanaa- (exclusive secondary signification)-- The literal meaning is to be rejected and some other meaning consistent with it is to be adopted. An example is�gangaayaam ghoshah, the literal meaning of which is�a hamlet on the river Ganga. Since there cannot be a hamlet on the river itself, it is the bank of the river that is meant. Here the literal meaning of the word �Ganga� has to be given up completely and the implied meaning �bank� has to be adopted.   

ajahallakshanaa- (non-exclusive secondary signification)-- Without giving up the literal meaning of the word, what is implied by it is also adopted to get the meaning intended to be conveyed. An example is��The red is running�, which is intended to convey that the red horse is running. Here the literal meaning of the word �red� is retained and the implied word �horse� is added to get the correct sense of the sentence.

jahadajahallakshanaa- (exclusive�non-exclusive secondary signification)-- Here a part of the literal meaning is retained and the other part discarded. The sentence �This is that Devadatta� is interpreted by using this lakshanaa. The meaning intended to be conveyed by this sentence is that Devadatta who is seen at the present time in this place is the same as the person who was seen earlier in another place. The literal meaning of the word �this� is Devadatta associated with the present time and place. The literal meaning of the word �that� is Devadatta associated with the past time and some other place. Since this sentence purports to convey the identity of the person seen in different places at different times, we get this meaning by discarding the reference to the place and time conveyed by the words �this� and �that� and retaining the reference to Devadatta. This is also known as bhaagatyaaga-lakshanaa. The meaning of the sentence tat tvam asi is obtained by using this method. Just as in the sentence �This is that Devadatta� the identity is stated by rejecting the contradictory qualities, so also in the sentence �That thou art� the contradictory qualities (namely, the limiting adjuncts)  are rejected. Thus it follows that the jiva and Brahman are in essence one when the limiting adjuncts, namely Maya and the five sheaths, are rejected.  

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