{To Read Author's General Note click here }

There are two recensions of this Upanishad with minor variation. Swami Madhavaananda had dealt with both in a combined form. We shall follow him.

Part of the Upanishad is in prose and the rest in short shlokas. I am breaking the prose into individual numbered sentences or clusters for clarity.

1. OM! Shaunaka the renowned householder asked the Rishi Pippalaada of the Angiras line, “How do they get installed in and create in this body known as divine Brahmapura? What is the source of their glory (power)? Who is behind this power?
   
   (How did evolution to human being take place? Brahmapura as human body is said to be in the tradition of the Upanishads, started by Atharva Veda.)
2. He (Pippalaada) taught the Supreme Knowledge of the Brahman. “Praana is this Atman. Praana constitutes the glory of this Atman”.
   
   (Aerobic life is meant as the most important stage of evolution.)
3. Praana constitutes the power of the Gods. Praana is both the life and death of the Gods.
   
   (Gods may also mean organs of the body.)
4. The Brahman (who is the source of Brahmapura) is Self-effulgent. He has no attributes. He is all pervading.
5. Brahman controls the Jiva, just as the spider controls the bee (caught in its web).
6. The spider has the ability to spin and draw back the web. Similarly Praana holds the clue to the life and death of the Devas (organs).
   
   (Taken literally, “drawing back the web” is a mistake. A spider may abandon a web and allow it to decay.)
7. Praana controls the Nadis or the nerve chords as their ‘God’.
8. In sushupti (dreamless sleep) one goes ‘home’ like a falcon in the sky.
   
   (In deep sleep the subject-object differentiation disappears. The analogy of the falcon is not clear. Perhaps one glides smoothly into deep sleep almost effortlessly.)
9. In sushupti one (referred to as Devadutta) does not run away even after being beaten by a stick. In a similar manner the Atman is not affected by the pleasant and other consequences of rituals.
   
   (When the identification with the subject or observer disappears there is no fear of the consequences. In a similar manner the realized person is not swayed by the vagaries of life.)
10. An infant enjoys its games because it has no motive. Similarly Devadutta enjoys his dreamless sleep because the motive has become dormant.
    
    (An infant has no competitive spirit even as it feels insecure. It does not try to outwit or overcome others. Sadism is an adult trait. (?))
11. He (Devadutta or his Atman) knows that he is the supreme enlightenment. Being desirous of the light he enjoys the enlightenment. Fixing attention on the next point he returns to the dream state like a leach that carries itself from one point (of suction) to another. The state that he does not give up is the waking state.
    
    (A cyclical set of waking and sleeping states is what is meant.)
12. (Atman) carries all the states within itself like the vedic deity carries the eight sacrificial cups simultaneously. It is from him that the Vedas and Devas hang like breasts. 
13. This (waking) good and evil obtain for the Self that is the internal controller. He is like a bird and can soar high. He is like the crab and can move sidewards. He is the lotus, the Purusha, Praana, the cause and the effect the Brahman and the Atman. Whoever knows this attains the transcendent Brahman.
    
    The analogies, the implications etc. of 8-13 are not clear.

To sum up: The first part of the Upanishad emphasizes the importance of the aerobic life. Brahman is self-effulgent. I feel the later part also deals with the overall importance of praana in living systems. I get the impression that praana is the internal controller and extends its sway over all the three states: the wakeful state, sleeping states with and without dreams.

Skb.

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written by Deshika.N.Kumar, 2009-08-28 04:20:51

Dear Dr SKB,
Thank you for catalysing some clarifications! Following your points on ‘evolution’ - hope we get to read your paper one day – and ‘Ganga’s children’ and, Pradipda’s clarifications on how Hindu scriptures, the early Upanishads and itihaas including the Mahabharata are to be read and understood, I add my two penny bit.

1.(ch.Pradipda): an Upanishad is a complete scriptural text with clear message(s) as is any modern well researched paper/ book and the contents must therefore be interpreted within that context; the Mahabharata too has its primary purpose clearly spelt out...

2a.The Hindu scriptures, in this case one of the Vedantic Upanishads – as against many of the huge number that were written subsequently eg the Christoupanishad - are the fruits of Darshan (‘seeing’). The scriptural element in itihaas including the Mahabharata made this available knowledge accessible to the junta of all classes/ professions/ castes/.....
2b.These Hindu scriptures are the result of scientific enquiry the results of which can be (have been) replicated and verified by others . Thus like Einstein’s theory of Relativity they cannot be interpreted through frameworks outside the original, unlike texts in ‘Literature’ or even ‘social science research’ outputs.

3.Since the Gurus who expounded these text were ‘heavy with knowledge’ they used everyday language/ illustrations to make themselves understood (unlike most modern ‘thinkers’ who rely on jargon and convoluted sentences to seem ‘weighty’!). As the language/illustrations are within everyone’s grasp, a student who is a protean thinker and more focussed on some other problem may well pick up ideas for solutions associated with his/her problem in hand. Eg, such an ophthalmologist reading a bio-neurologist’s paper on the response of the cranial nerves to some chemicals/ mental state may pick up ideas for his own work, though the entire paper may/ may not be relevant (not the ideal example – but .....).

4.Inspite of technological advances and what we are taught to believe, the human mind-body-(soul) complex has not changed over the millennia since these books were written, even though the immediate issues requiring response may have grown exponentially. The higher-order Yogis – their gradations irrelevant here - were (to my mind) the ultimate experts in these areas. But each of them was in his/her own way a ‘specialist’; eg Kalidaasa in Literature, Panini in Language, Ramana Maharishi in Advaita, the Buddha on the Mind/nature of suffering, Guru Nanak at blending social and scriptural issues at a certain level, Charak in medicine, etc.

5.Your interest area appears to be history in the widest sense; it seems this Upanishad confirmed some of your ideas, perhaps led you to new insights vis early Hindu thoughts on evolution. Similarly reading of Ganga’s children brought out the doctor in you. It is likely that even in those times there were some women who killed off their children; Pradipda has pointed out that the text explicitly mentions women who kill their unborn babies (abortion). In other words, the illustrations are not fanciful but neither are they meant to be dwelt upon in expounding on scriptural texts (ch Pradipda’s paper).

6.You are doing a great job in bringing to the fore the history and the knowledge of history (including evolution etc) of the early Hindus. ‘Lateral thinking’ (more colloquially - protean thinking) is extremely useful if one is treading in new areas – how/where you get the initial ideas is not relevant if the resultant research paper is well argued, backed by relevant facts, etc. But confused use of Darshan texts and/or inappropriate scriptural analogy could result in the carpet slipping from under your feet.

A rather heavy two pennies but I hope it helps!

Best wishes

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DR. SKB's response
written by Dr. Pradip Gangopadh, 2009-08-20 08:16:26

I inadvertantly deleted the first of Dr. SKB's e-mail. I will post here his other e-mails.

I am sorry that my incomplete reply was sent. I am continuing from the place
I had left the discussion.
1. > In deep sleep we come closest to the Non-dual Reality of the Atman. No,
this verse has nothing to do with gliding smoothly into deep sleep almost
effortlessly! Home here means close to Atman!
I had said this is undifferentiated state in the sense that difference
between the Self and universal reality is blurred.
2. (When the identification with the subject or observer disappears there
is no fear of the consequences. In a similar manner the realized person is
not swayed by the vagaries of life.)
I cannot be clearer than this.
What is generally not appreciated is the role played by the genric term
'fear'. It is the compendium of phobias, conditioning, complexes like the
inferiority complex and many other inhibitory emotions; in short it convers
all the limiting existential loci. For a man who is free of these nothing
matters.
3. Actually the implications and the analogies are quite clear!
The analogies referred to here are the falcon, bird, the crab etc. There is
more rhetoric than sense.
4. The Upanishad is not talking about competitive spirit or sadism. This
is a statement about nondualism. In sushupti there is no other and hence no
motive.
Competitive spirit is the ultimate in duality. The child does not feel it.
5. The first part of the Upanishad emphasizes the importance of Praana sakti
I have said that praana is energy in the biological context. Aerobic
evolution is fundmentally important and what is implied in this context.
I might add that there are two more forms of energy, Vayu the cosmic energy
(Planck's energy) and agni the terrestrial form or Newtonian energy.
Planck's energy does not have a term for mass in its definition. Newtonian
definition has the term for mass.

1. Aerobic life is meant as the most important stage of evolution.
The "evidence" is fairly clear about praana.
I am attaching my article on hindu evolution. The evolutionary idea is based
on three sources. the dashavatara concept; the taittiriya upanishad and the
Gita (ch. X) The upanishad fixes the place of praana in evolution.
2. Oriented to much to the physical body
I plead guilty. I am not familiar with the paramatma-jivatma terminology. I
do not use it not because i do not accept it. i am just ignorant of the
nuances. I can live with the idea that there is no soul.
The Upanishads are tantalising in this respect. They are not assertive. They
lead one to seek the answer individually.
This is because realization is not a matter of intellect. It has to be
intuitive. Kena upanishad points out that the "knower does not know."
The kathopanishad comes closest to define the reality but even that stops
saying that the path is like the razor's edge.
There is another fallacy in this criticism (2). The terminology is
different.
I have a feeling that lot of sanskrit words lost their nuances by constant
usage with another meaning. This comes out in my interpretation of the axiom
satyameva jayate.
"Evolution" has no equivalence in the terminology of spiritual debate. That
is where the misunderstanding comes about.
skb

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hi
written by P. Desikan, 2009-08-19 23:57:10

Dear Editors,
Dr S, (which is how Pradip refers to Dr SKB) seems to have personally conveyed his response to Pradip for which Pradip has thanked him in the latest comment
Can some one (Editors/Pradip?SKB) make the response public?
Regards. Partha.

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What is Praana?
written by Dr. Pradip Gangopadh, 2009-08-19 10:49:06

Dear Dr.S,

Thanks for the clarification. You are right that the idea of Praana being sakti of the Atman is a matter of faith (provisional and not blind belief) for those of us who have not had direct experience. It is however widely accepted that Praana does not mean simple breathing. You are also right that the analogy of the web may not be completely accurate. Fortunately it is not a big matter in my opinion.

Regards

Gangp

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...
written by karigar, 2009-08-18 15:11:43

Gangp,

Point taken. I didn't mean to imply that your comments were anything but well thought out, and in the true give & take spirit of discussion. Sorry if came out that way.

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written by Dr. Pradip Gangopadh, 2009-08-18 07:17:06

Dear Karigar,

Dare I say that interpretations other than the Advaitic/Adhyaatmic (& Anthropocentric, i.e human Enlightenment related only ) are also possible, without negating the power of the Adhyatmic, purely philosophical?

True. Interpretations other than the Advaitic/Adhyaatmic (& Anthropocentric, i.e human Enlightenment related only ) are also possible. However, the author himself admits that,
"The analogies, the implications etc. of 8-13 are not clear.". I was trying to point out that this is so because the author is thinking of the human body-mind complex to be purely matter while the author of this Upanishad has a different view regarding the human body-mind complex.

Anyway, the discussions are the spice of Medha life...so let's see where this one goes smilies/smiley.gif

The points I made were made not in the spirit of abuse but in the spirit of discussions being the spice of Medha life. I would be more than happy if Dr. S can indeed come up with a non-Adhyatmik interpretation that makes the whole text very clear. Currently he has himself admitted that the text is not clear to him.

Regards

Pradip

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multi interpretations
written by karigar, 2009-08-17 13:43:35

Dear Gangp,

Thanks for the forceful interpretation.

Dare I say that interpretations other than the Advaitic/Adhyaatmic (& Anthropocentric, i.e human Enlightenment related only ) are also possible, without negating the power of the Adhyatmic, purely philosophical?

I found Dr skb's interpretation challenging enough to enjoy, while still being respectful to the spirit of the Upanishads. and luckily, author disclaims any authoritativeness to his interpretations, or belonging to any specific school of thought.

Anyway, the discussions are the spice of Medha life...so let's see where this one goes

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Oriented to much to the physical body!
written by Dr. Pradip Gangopadh, 2009-08-17 12:54:39

This commentary makes the mistake of taking the human body-mind complex to be solely a material combination. This is the reason why the implication is not clear.

1.(How did evolution to human being take place? Brahmapura as human body is said to be in the tradition of the Upanishads, started by Atharva Veda.)
2. (Aerobic life is meant as the most important stage of evolution.)

These verses have nothing to do with any evolution or aerobic life. Shaunaka is
asking about our selfawareness and the associated senses. How are we made
self-aware? How can a mere assemblage of matter become aware? How can we see, smell etc? This is being asked.

Praana is not aerobic life. It is the sakti of the Atman present in the linga sarira
(subtle body). The inga sarira consists of manas, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara. Lingasarira is the Atman bound by the eight fetters.

(Gods may also mean organs of the body.)

No! Gods do mean the organs of sight, hearing, smell etc but these organs are not in the physical body but exist in the subtle body.

(Taken literally, “drawing back the web” is a mistake. A spider may abandon a web and allow it to decay.)

The point being made here is the importance of Prana, the shakti of Atman. Another name for prana is the Kundalini Shakti.

(In deep sleep the subject-object differentiation disappears. The analogy of the falcon is not clear. Perhaps one glides smoothly into deep sleep almost effortlessly.)

In deep sleep we come closest to the Non-dual Reality of the Atman. No, this verse has nothing to do with gliding smoothly into deep sleep almost effortlessly! Home here means close to Atman! In deep sleep only a thin veil separates us (the ego) from the Atman.

(When the identification with the subject or observer disappears there is no fear of the consequences. In a similar manner the realized person is not swayed by the vagaries of life.)

This verse is saying that the Atman is the witness who watches everything calmly.

(An infant has no competitive spirit even as it feels insecure. It does not try to outwit or overcome others. Sadism is an adult trait. (?))

The Upanishad is not talking about competitive spirit or sadism. This is a statement
about nondualism. In sushupti there is no other and hence no motive.

(A cyclical set of waking and sleeping states is what is meant.)

The real point being made is in the next verse that the Atman carries all the states within itself. Humans usually move from waking state to dream sleep to dreamless sleep. All this is made possible by the Praana sakti or Kundalini sakti of the Atman. The realized person reaches a fourth state called Turiya.

The analogies, the implications etc. of 8-13 are not clear.

Actually the implications and the analogies are quite clear!

The first part of the Upanishad emphasizes the importance of the aerobic life. Brahman is self-effulgent. I feel the later part also deals with the overall importance of praana in living systems. I get the impression that praana is the internal controller and extends its sway over all the three states

The first part of the Upanishad emphasizes the importance of Praana sakti! The last part also emphasizes the importance of Praana sakti! It is the existence of this sakti of the Atman which makes us selfaware and makes possible the the wakeful state, sleeping states with and without dreams.

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