SAUNDARANANDA 12.4: Why Extreme Agitation Happens

a-pariikShaka-bhaavaac ca
puurvaM matvaa divaM dhruvam
tasmaat kSheShNuM parishrutya
bhRshaM saMvegam eyivaan

12.4
Being of an unquestioning nature,

He had presumed heaven to be a constant;

So hearing that it was perishable,

He became extremely agitated.

COMMENT:
Nanda was of an unquestioning nature. He was, in other words, not truly and fully conscious. He was more or less subconsciously controlled -- not like you and me who are terribly clever, with our scientific education.

In conversation over breakfast yesterday with my 18-year-old son, I asked him what Chemistry was. "The study of why things happen," was his answer.

OK then, all-knowing Chemist, why did Nanda get extremely agitated? Was it all down to too much testosterone, too little dopamine, blah, blather, blather?

If a neuro-surgeon were to come along and dissect Nanda, wishing to locate the source of the extreme agitation in his nervous system, the surgeon might open up Nandas testicles and check for over-production of testosterone, or he might cut open the spinal chord and identify the autonomic nervous system as important, or he might go deep into the brainstem and look at the nuclei of the vestibular system and other neuronal circuits that set off the fear reflexes. But even then the surgeon's knife wouldn't have gone deep enough to get to the real root of the problem, as identified in this verse; namely, a wrong presumption, linked to an unconscious end-gaining idea.
In recent times nobody, in my book, has understood this kind of problem (the causal relation between agitated or collapsed states of being and end-gaining ideas) more clearly and exactly than FM Alexander.

Then why isn't Alexander better known? How come Alexander's name is not so well known as contemporaries of his such as Einstein or Freud?

The answer might have something to do with how terribly well educated we all are. FM used to say, "A child of three can understand this work. But give me a man who's been educated, and God help me."

EH Johnston:
With his superficial nature he had previously deemed the joys of heaven to be eternal and, learning them now to be transitory, he became extremely agitated.

Linda Covill:
Because his nature was not given to careful inspection, he had previously considered heaven to be permanent. So when he heard about its perishability he was profoundly disturbed.

VOCABULARY:
a: not
pariikShaka: an examiner
bhaavaat = ablative of bhaava: being, innate property
ca: and, certainly (sometimes used expletively)

puurvam: previously
matvaa = absolutive of man: to think
divam = accusative of diva: heaven
dhruva: fixed; fixed (in astrology); certain

tasmaat: so, therefore
kSheShNu: perishable
parishrutya = absolutive of parishru: to hear , learn , understand

bhRsham: strongly , violently , vehemently , excessively , greatly
saMvegam = accusative of saMvega: violent agitation , excitement , flurry
eyivaan: got, became