{To Read Author's General Note click here }
(Contd... from Part III)
There are four unrelated parts in this Upanishad. The Upanishad itself is not divided. The division is by me. It has no authority other than convenience.
The first part of the Upanishad emphasizes the importance of the aerobic life. Brahman is self-effulgent.
The second part deals with Brahman that covers all states of existence (waking and sleep and REM sleep). Brahman includes all the gods, like Sun, Vishnu and Rudra. Brahman includes in himself space. Brahman is neither inclusive nor exclusive of human concepts/perceptions.
The third part shows that Brahman is holier than the sacred symbols of Vedic authority like the thread and shika or the tuft among the Brahmins. The treatment highlights the hollow vanity of the symbols.
This part deals with the singularity and universality of God. {This is a vital difference between Hinduism and ‘semitic’ religions like Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Single God of these religions is not universal. They (the single gods) display nepotism in respect of their followers.} ‘Hinduism’ is presented as a religion that celebrates the joy of life.
- God (Brahman) is one. He is present unseen in all created beings. He is all-pervasive. He is the inner Atma in all beings. He is the overlord of all rituals. He resides in all beings. He is the (mute) witness in all rituals. He is the Supreme intelligence. He is exclusive (singular). He has no attributes.
(God is an observer. He is not a participant.) - God is the (active) intelligence among many inactive ones. He is Singular but presents himself as many. The wise ones who discover this Self enjoy eternal bliss, not others.
- The wise ones generate fire (of knowledge) by making their self-consciousness the lower arani and the pranava mantra the upper Arani. They ‘see’ the unseen Brahman by practicing meditation of churning (the two Aranis).
(Arani is the piece of shami wood that is used to generate fire in Vedic rituals. Pranava mantra is the Gaayatri.)
(The mundane and the sublime are rubbed against each other to produce the fire of understanding.)
- (Brahman is present unseen)like oil in the seeds, like butter in the curd, like water in the waves and like the fire in Arani. One sees the Reality by practicing objectivity and by observing the Self in the Self.
- Just as the spider weaves a web and withdraws it (Brahman creates the impression) of presence and absence of Jiva in the wakeful and sleeping states.
- The heart resembles the calyx (closed outer petals) of the lotus bud bent downwards. Understand that to be the supreme abode of the Universe!
(It is my opinion that the lotus with its many petals is symbolic of the many ‘universes’. Recently I came to know that scientists call this, “multiverse”. The petal comes close to the Einsteinian Space-Time curved like a saddle.) - The waking state is centered on the eye. The dream state is assigned to the neck. Dreamless sleep is in the heart and the turiya or cosmic consciousness is located in the crown of the head.
- An individual holds (sandhatte) his Atma by means of Pragnya or understanding of the Supreme Self. From this are derived Sandhya meditation and the prayer called Sandhyavandana.
- This Sandhya meditation (of the Sannyasi) is without any offering of water. It is also not limited by the spoken word and exertion of the body. It unifies all the created beings. That is the Sandhya prayer for the Sannyasi bearing a single staff.
(The Sannyasi is not limited by worldly woes. His prayer is to the universal self.) - Neither the human mind nor the spoken word is relevant in the region of Brahman. This is the Supreme Bliss of the Self. A wise man who knows this is liberated.
(Human attributes do not bind Brahman that is Supreme bliss.) - The Supreme Self pervades everything (seamlessly) like cream in the milk. It is founded on spiritual discipline. It is the supreme Brahmopanishad (Knowledge of Brahman). It is defined by the Unity of Self in all forms. It is the supreme Brahmopanishad.
To sum up: God is the (active) intelligence among many inactive ones. He is Singular but presents himself as many. The mundane and the sublime interact with each other to produce the fire of understanding. The Supreme knowledge is defined by awareness of the Unity of Self in all forms.
End of the Upanishad.
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written by Dr. Pradip Gangopadh, 2009-10-23 11:14:51
(God is an observer. He is not a participant.)
True, God is an observer for most people. However, God actively helps those people who are His devotees. I have posted these 2 Gita verses that say that Goa actively helps devotees.
Whoever being devoted to me solely, engage themselves always in contemplation
and worship of Me - to such ever-steadfast devotees I ensure the procurement
of all their wants (salvation) and the preservation of their assets (wordly
interests). (Gita 9.22)
Abandoning dependence on all Dharmas come to Me as the only Refuge. Grieve
not; I will deliver you from all sins. (Gita 18.66)
True, God is an observer for most people. However, God actively helps those people who are His devotees. I have posted these 2 Gita verses that say that Goa actively helps devotees.
Whoever being devoted to me solely, engage themselves always in contemplation
and worship of Me - to such ever-steadfast devotees I ensure the procurement
of all their wants (salvation) and the preservation of their assets (wordly
interests). (Gita 9.22)
Abandoning dependence on all Dharmas come to Me as the only Refuge. Grieve
not; I will deliver you from all sins. (Gita 18.66)
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written by Dr. Pradip Gangopadh, 2009-10-23 11:06:59
Moksha is an evolutionary end product and not a matter of will or effort.
Moksha has nothing to do with evolution. It is a matter of one's effort and divine grace.
Moksha has nothing to do with evolution. It is a matter of one's effort and divine grace.
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written by karigar, 2009-10-22 15:09:44
Thanks Partha, for sharing.
Dr SKB, Thanks for the comments, which make your writings that much more lively. Hopefully, in future, you may be able to directly post comments on the website, so all will have the benefit of your erudition. (Not all of us will take the effort of a Partha to kindly post your replies here
It is a pleasure having your Upanishad series here on Medha Journal, & we look forward to more of the same.
Dhanyavaad & Namaste!
Dr SKB, Thanks for the comments, which make your writings that much more lively. Hopefully, in future, you may be able to directly post comments on the website, so all will have the benefit of your erudition. (Not all of us will take the effort of a Partha to kindly post your replies here
It is a pleasure having your Upanishad series here on Medha Journal, & we look forward to more of the same.
Dhanyavaad & Namaste!
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written by P. Desikan, 2009-10-21 22:27:41
In response to my comment dated 18th October, Dr SKB wrote as follows to me by e mail.
Thank you.
1. Comment: 'he may just nod in agreement and go back to whatever he had
been engaged in'
Reply: That is precisely the 'purpose' of God. One should persist in what
one does and not bother about Him.
One dedicates his work as an offering. (Svakarmanaa tamabhyarchya siddhim
vindati manavah. Gita XVIII,46)
In another place gita says, yoga karmasu kaushaalam or 'work well done is
yoga.'
(II,50)
Moksha is an evolutionary end product and not a matter of will or effort.
Any 'understanding' of God is likely to be a fallacy.
I recall an incident about Narada. He was proud of his devotion to Hari and
said others are just sham devotees since they pursue their work withut
thinking of god. Vishnu gave him a glass filled to the brim with oil. He
challenged Narada to carry it without a spilling over a specified distance.
Narada successfully carried out the job but had to accept that during that
time his attention was on the glass and that he did not think of God.
Everyone should not be moulded in a single mould which would be the case if
everyone accepts what I say or what anybody else says.
Each one should arrive at the concept by his own efforts.
After all I am not God.
Skb.
I am sure this was not meant uniquely for me and am therefore quoting it verbatim for the benefit of all medhavis.
Thank you.
1. Comment: 'he may just nod in agreement and go back to whatever he had
been engaged in'
Reply: That is precisely the 'purpose' of God. One should persist in what
one does and not bother about Him.
One dedicates his work as an offering. (Svakarmanaa tamabhyarchya siddhim
vindati manavah. Gita XVIII,46)
In another place gita says, yoga karmasu kaushaalam or 'work well done is
yoga.'
(II,50)
Moksha is an evolutionary end product and not a matter of will or effort.
Any 'understanding' of God is likely to be a fallacy.
I recall an incident about Narada. He was proud of his devotion to Hari and
said others are just sham devotees since they pursue their work withut
thinking of god. Vishnu gave him a glass filled to the brim with oil. He
challenged Narada to carry it without a spilling over a specified distance.
Narada successfully carried out the job but had to accept that during that
time his attention was on the glass and that he did not think of God.
Everyone should not be moulded in a single mould which would be the case if
everyone accepts what I say or what anybody else says.
Each one should arrive at the concept by his own efforts.
After all I am not God.
Skb.
I am sure this was not meant uniquely for me and am therefore quoting it verbatim for the benefit of all medhavis.
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written by P. Desikan, 2009-10-18 05:23:08
Dear Sri Balasubramanian,
Every time a wise person like you reminds a Hindu that God as understood by him is both singular and universal, he may just nod in agreement and go back to whatever he had been engaged in. The very profound nature of this uniquely Hindu concept is lost on him, because such thinking could be second nature to him.
Your job is not easy. You are trying to wake up Hanumans in very deep slumber.
Warm regards. Partha
Every time a wise person like you reminds a Hindu that God as understood by him is both singular and universal, he may just nod in agreement and go back to whatever he had been engaged in. The very profound nature of this uniquely Hindu concept is lost on him, because such thinking could be second nature to him.
Your job is not easy. You are trying to wake up Hanumans in very deep slumber.
Warm regards. Partha
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I had depended upon the gita. "sarvasamkalpa sannyasi
yogaarooda-s-thatho-chyate" (VI,4,ii) One has to go beyond sankalpa or
determination and effort to become a yogi. Sannyaasa or Moksha is not a
state of "becoming". It is one of "being". One evolves into sannyasa and
thence to moksha.
Effort comes out of will. Will and effort produce concomitant delusion.
One might say, "where there is will there is delusion".
Divine grace is necessary for everything.
Skb.
My Reply:
Gita 6.4.2 says:
Yada hi n'endriyarthesu na karmasv anusajjate
sarva-samkalpa-samnyasi yogarudhas tad'ocyate
Yada: when
indriyarthesu: the objects of the senses;
na anusajjate: is not attached;
karmesu na: nor to works;
tada: then;
sarva-samkalpa-samnyasi is translated by Swami Tapasyananda as "that one who has abandoned all subtle hankerings and objectives;
yogarudhah: ascended the heights of yoga;
ucyate: is said to be;
The translation of Gita 6.4.2 accroding to Tapasyananda is as follows:
When one ceases to be attached to sense objects and to one's actions, then that one, who has thus abandoned all subtle hankerings and self-centered objectives, is said to have ascended the heights of spiritual communion (yoga).