Kaivalya Upanishad – 1

 

Shanthi Mantra & Mantra 1

Upanishads form the end portion of Vedas, Veda anta bhaga, and are called Vedanta as well. Since this portion deals with the knowledge of Brahman and its realization and gives the knowledge of jiva, the individual, jagat, the universe and their relationship with each other and with Brahman, this is the philosophical portion of Vedas and is called the jnana khanda.  Upanishad is given many meanings. One of them is by splitting Upanishad as upa+ni+shad where ‘Upa’ stands for ‘to approach’; ‘ni’ stands for ‘steadfast’; ‘shad’ for ‘to destroy”. Together the word  ‘Upanishad’ is interpreted to mean that knowledge, which destroys the ignorance of Brahman of those who approach it with shraddah and mumukshutvam and steadfastly abide by its teaching, in short BrahmaVidya, knowledge of Brahman, the Cosmic Supreme.  The word Upanishad primarily refers to the knowledge of the Brahman, and secondarily to the book that contains the knowledge of Brahman. 

The Kaivalya Upanishad belongs to the Atharvana Veda and is considered to be a minor Upanishad as it does not belong to the group of ten for which Sri Aadhi Sankara has written commentary and are called ‘Major Upanishads’.  The word Kaivalya comes from the basic word Kevala meaning “alone” and refers to the state of aloneness, of unity and identity with the Supreme Reality, Brahman.  Though small in size, comprising only about 25 mantras, its scope is vast; covering a range of initial spiritual disciplines to the ultimate experience of the Supreme Reality. Kaivalya Upanishad is described by Swami Chinmayananda as one of the striking Upanishads among the ‘Minor’ ones.  In his flowery language Swamiji states “Spun from pure philosophy, carefully carded with subjective experience, the ideas weave themselves into a vivid pattern of the attractive Reality”

This Upanishad opens with the peace invocation (Shanthi Mantra), which is unique to all Upanishads belonging to Atharvana Veda. Through this peace invocation the student prays for 1) sound physical, intellectual and emotional health, 2) A full life of worshipful attitude to all devas and 3) freedom from all types of obstacles that may hinder successful completion of the study and understanding of the Upanishad.  Swami Vivekananda interprets the first two lines of this Shanthi Mantra as” Let positive strong helpful thoughts enter into our brain from childhood”

The Shanthi Mantra, which is self-explanatory, runs as:

“Om bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah Bhadram pashyemaakshabhiryajatraah I Sthirairangaistushtuvaamsastanoobhih
Vyashema devahitam yadaayuh I Swasti na indro vridhashravaah
Swasti nah pooshaa vishwavedaah I Swasti nastaarkshyo arishtanemih
Swasti no brihaspatir dadhaatu.II  Om shantih, shantih, shantih!  II”

 Om, O Devas, may our ears hear what is good and auspicious! May we see what is auspicious! May we sing your praise, live our allotted span of life in perfect health and strength! May Indra, (who is) extolled in the scriptures, Surya, the all-knowing, Garuda, who saves from all harm, and Brihaspati, who protects our spiritual lustre, vouchsafe prosperity in our study of the scriptures and the practice of the truths contained therein! Om peace, peace, peace!

The Shanti Mantra like other Shanthi Mantras, ends with “Om shantih, shantih, shantih! ”.  Here Om is the sound representation of Brahman.  ‘shantih’ stands for the peace that comes from the removal of obstacles to the successful pursuit of study of Upanishad.  The obstacles are classified into three types.  These are:

1. Adhyathmikam – Obstacles arising from within oneself like one’s personal ill-health, negative mood etc. 
2. Aadhi bauthikam – Obstacles arising from other known sources or external situations like ill-health of a family member, noisy neighbourhood etc.
3. Aadhi daivikam – Obstacles arising from unseen sources like floods, storm etc.

Now let us enter the Upanishad proper and see the first Mantra.  The Upanishad opens with a great sage, Asvalayana, a fully qualified student with Chitha suddhi and Chitha ekagratha attained through practice of Karma yoga and Upasana yoga, approaching Lord Brahma requesting that he be taught the Brahma Vidya.  The Mantra reads as:

Athasvanalano bhagavantam paramesthinamupasametyovaca I  -

Adhihi bhagavo brahmavidyam varistam, Sada sadbhih sevyamanam nigudham |

Yayaciratsarvapapam vyapohya, Paratparam purusam yati vidvan || 1 ||

Thereafter, the sage Asvalayana approached Lord Brahma and requested (thus) – “Oh Lord! Teach (me) the noblest and the most secret knowledge of Brahman which is pursued constantly by the noble ones and by which (knowledge) the wise man destroys all the papas before long and attains Brahman which is beyond Maya.

The Upanishad begins with the introduction of the guru and disciple so that the teaching can be presented as a dialogue between them. An indirect message is conveyed through this format that Self enquiry should be conducted only with the help of a competent spiritual guide.  It starts with the word ‘atha’ meaning thereafter to emphasise that only after qualifying himself fully through preliminary sadhanas, the disciple, sage Asvalayana, has approached the guru, Lord Brahma, for the knowledge of Brahman.  A guru’s guidance is necessary for acquiring this knowledge is emphasised in Mundaka Upanishad as well wherein it is stated in the second line of Mantra 1-2-12: “Tadvijnanartham sa gurumevabhigacchet, samitpanih srotriyam brahmanistham (to attain that knowledge (Brahma Vidya), he must necessarily approach, with samit in hand, a teacher who is learned in scriptures and established in Brahman). 

This knowledge is called ‘secret’ because it deals with a subject that is deeply hidden to our mind and senses and also it can be understood and absorbed only by the few who are pure at heart.  Lord Krishna calls it in Gita (9-2) ‘rajavidya rajaguhyam ( the greatest knowledge and the greatest secret)’.  Kathopanishad (1-2-7) also states:

Sravanayapi bahubhiryo na labhyah, srnvanto’pi bahavo yam na vidyuh |

Ascaryo vakta kusalo’sya labdha, ascaryo jnata kusalanusistah ||

This knowledge is not available even for listening to many. In spite of listening, many do not understand this. The one who reveals is a wonder. The one who discovers this is a wonder. Instructed by a (spiritual) master, the one who knows (this) is a wonder.  

As only a rare set of people understand and absorb this knowledge, it is called a secret.  The Knowledge is described as destroying all papas.  Not only papas but all karmas also get destroyed can be seen from Lord Krishna’s words in Gita (4-37) “jnanagnih sarvakarmani bhasmasat kurute (The fire of knowledge will destroy all the karmas)”.  Sanchita and Agami karmas are destroyed and Prarabhdha is as good as destroyed for the Jnani, as he is unperturbed by its presence or absence.

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Role of Prayer

 

(Based on the lectures of Swami Paramarthananda)

Let me begin the blog with a story told by Swami Paramarthananda quoting Swami Chinmayananda. The story is about a kingdom with a unique rule that any citizen can become a king and rule for five years enjoying all the powers and privileges that goes with kingship.  But at the end of five years he will be banished to a big forest in the neighbourhood on the banks of a big, deep river.  The forest is the home of many wild animals and river is the home of crocodiles and sharks and so one left alone in the forest is trapped therein and has to spend his days in the big forest, infested with wild animals with death alone as the relief.   So whosoever became the king spent their last days in throne in agony and anxiety and cried and screamed when the boat-man left them in the forest.  And then an intelligent person ascended the throne as king and he showed no anxiety or agony on the last day on the throne and boarded the boat cheerfully to be taken to the forest on the other bank.  The surprised boat-man asked him how come he is least agitated while everyone he had been taking to the forest was worried and miserable.  The person replied that in the five years he had ruled he had taken care to develop another kingdom in the forest which he will take over now and so has no fear or anxiety on banishment. 

This story is told to remind that all human beings enjoy at one time Yauvana Samrajayam, the kingdom of youth and after years of youth suffer banishment to Vardhakya vanam, forest of old age.  Youth is called Yauvan Samrajayam because in these years one has got all the powers and privileges with all faculties at command.  This along with the physical fitness and strength makes life enjoyable giving one the freedom to try and do whatever one wants to.  In contrast to this in old age with all powers and privileges lost and faculties not under control and degenerative diseases like wild animals attacking the limbs one feels lost as in a dark forest.  So old age is called Vardhakya vanam.  One can enter old age cheerfully and not with fear, if one like the intelligent king makes preparations to face the problems of old age while enjoying the pleasures of youth.  There is a Sloka in Bhartruhari’s Vairagya satakam which reads as follows:

Yavatsvasthamidam sariramarujam yavajjara durato

yavaccendriyasaktirapratihata yavatksayo nayusah |

Atmasreyasi tavadeva vidusa karyah prayatno mahan

samdipte bhavane tu kupakhananam pratyudyamah kidrsah || 75||

As long as this body is healthy and free of infirmity, as long as senility is distant, as long as the faculties have not lost their vigour, as long as life is not enfeebled, till then the wise ones should make great efforts to reach the supreme goal of life.  For what is the use of digging a well when the house is on fire?

The Sloka reinforces the message of the story with an indirect description of the problems of old age and the message can be read as – ‘If one wants to make his old age a success, he should start young'.  Success here stands for spiritual success for that alone can give a confident mind in old age that enjoys calmness and cheerfulness, free of depression, dejection and disillusionment. The first step for a start on the spiritual path is through prayer that connects one mentally to Bhagawan, the one having Bhaga the six-fold attributes of power, courage, fame, wealth and detachment in infinite measures as described in Vishnu Purana:

Aiswaryasya samagrasya Veeryasya Yasasya Sriyaha I

Vairagyasya Jnanasya shannaam Bhaga itheerana II (Vishnu purana 6.5.47).

Prayer can be through Kayika puja which is physical worship or through Vachika puja which is parayanam or recitation of sthuthis or through Manasa puja or silent mental prayer or through Japa which is repeating a chosen Mantra for a fixed no. of time.  Whatever be the method chosen one should do it sincerely with Shraddha and devotion.  Shraddha is very important as Lord Krishna points out in Gita (9-3): 

Asraddadhanah purusha dharmasyasya parantapa |

Aprapya mam nivartante mrtyusamsaravartmani || 9-3||

 Arjuna, people having no faith in this Dharma, failing to reach Me, revolve in the path of the world of death.

When one prays for Bhagawan’s Grace one should remember the following few things:

1)    One takes responsibility for oneself and does not abandon his responsibilities saying “Everything is in God’s grace.”

2)    One does not pray for rest and freedom from activities.  It is rather for the enjoyment of activities with a cheerful mind drawing inspiration from the activity.

3)    One does not pray to control the future but to contribute to the future with enthusiasm.

4)    One does not pray to change others but to influence others positively through his own life and language.

5) One does not pray for change in set-up but for the wisdom to find security and satisfaction within oneself whatever the set-up is. 

Regular, sincere prayer daily confers the following benefits as well:

1)    It helps to deflate one’s ego

2)    It makes the attachment to Lord stronger and consequently attachment to persons and possessions weaker.  In fact when attachment is less one’s expectations from them is less and this makes the love and care easier.

3) As prayer is the best shock absorber it helps one to develop the mental and emotional strength 

Gradually Shraddha in prayer should mature into Shraddha in scriptures and Iswara Jnanam.  As scriptures dealing with Iswara Jnanam are subtle one should take the guidance of a Guru to understand them and absorb the Jnanam.  Study of Upanishads under the guidance of a Guru reveals the important equation that establishes the identity of Bhagawan with Bhaktha through Mahavakhya.  With the wisdom born of the understanding and absorption of the meaning of Mahavakhya, he can enter the Vardhakya vanam calmly with confidence as a Jivan Muktha, without fear or depression.

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Moksha Purushartha

 

(Based on the lectures of Swami Paramarthananda)

In our scriptures all the human goals are classified into four types. In Sanskrit the goal of a human being is called Purushartha. The four human goals are Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha.  Artha is all those things that we seek for our security and survival.  All those things that one seeks for one’s pleasure constitute Kama.  Dharma is good or noble actions through which one’s satisfaction and feel-good factor is enhanced and which Sastras call as punyam. The last one is called Moksha or liberation (spiritual freedom).   According to our scriptures Moksha is the greatest Purushartha.  Katha Upanishad calls the first three Purusharthas as Preyas and the Moksha Purushartha as Sreyas and names the majority of people who seek only the Preyas as mandas (non-intelligent)) and the few matured, wise people who seek Sreyas as dheeras (intelligent). 

According to Advaita Vedanta, one can realise Moksha through the realization that one’s Self, Athma, is in fact Brahman, the Supreme.  Jiva in its ignorance of its true Self, imagines it is bound to samsara and with Self-knowledge the shackles of assumed bondage fall off and the Jiva becomes a muktha purusha even while alive and at the exhaustion of prarabhdha karma, is free of the body once and for all.  The self-ignorance can be removed through self-knowledge only and so it is said in traditional teaching that Moksha can be attained only through Jnanam as Athma Jnanam alone dispels Athma ajjnanam and reveals one’s own svarupa as Brahman. In Brahma Sutra Sri Vyasacharya establishes that study of Sastras under the guidance of a competent Guru is the only means for getting this Jnanam. 

Study of sastras require not only the desire to acquire the knowledge but also a pure mind to absorb the subtle knowledge when acquired.   Sastras prescribe various methods like performing pancha maha yagnas, yoga and pranayama for getting the mind purified for Sastra study.  This purified mind is required to learn the sastras and understand that one is not bound at all.  Tattva-Bodha of Sri Aadhi Sankara says at the start: “Sadhana chatushtaya sampanna adhikarinam Moksha sadhana bhutam tatva viveka prakaram vakshyamaha. (We shall explain to those who are endowed with four-fold qualifications the mode of discrimination which is the means of liberation.)”.  Sadhana chathushtayam, the four-fold qualification; Viveka (discrimination), Vairagyam (dispassion), Samadhi shatka sampatthi (six qualities of mind-discipline), and Mumukshutvam (desire for liberation), shortly referred as 4D’s i.e. Discrimination. Dispassion, Discipline and Desire, is required as a preparation for the study of sastras to learn the truth about one’s Real Self.  But this fact of the identity of one’s self with Brahman cannot be known or understood before learning about Athma.  This means a Jiva getting liberated is not conditional on any requirement but only his understanding, absorbing and internalising the fact revealed by Mahavakhyas that is conditional on factors like a purified mind, Sadhana Chathushtaya Sampaththi etc.   So Moksha is not conditional but acquiring Athma Jnanam, which leads to the discovery that one is ever-free and never bound,  is conditional.

Then one may wonder why in the beginning of the Vedanta study Sadhana Chathushtaya Sampaththi is introduced as a condition for Moksha only to be negated in the advanced stage of study.  It is because the methodology of teaching employed here is Adhyaropa Apavada Nyayaha i.e. the method of superimposition and negation.  The word Adhyaropa means superimposition and Apavada means negation.  This method can also be interpreted as the method of introducing an idea in the beginning and withdrawal of the very same idea in the later part of the teaching.   Both Adhyaropa and Apavada complement each other as Adhyaropa is incomplete without Apavada and Apavada is irrelevant without Adhyaropa.  Talking about the creation in the beginning and later saying that really there is no new creation, is one other instance where this method is employed.

Some dharmic people look upon pursuit of Moksha as a selfish pursuit as it benefits the individual only unlike social service which benefits society.  Swami Paramarthananda in one of his Sivarathri talks explains in detail why pursuit of Moksha, though a selfish pursuit, is to be considered as the best selfish pursuit since Moksha destroys one’s selfishness and gives Aananda and also accommodates others’ selfishness.  Let us see that briefly. 

According to scriptures except for a Jnani, who is a liberated person with Self-knowledge, all others have selfishness as their instinctive characteristic. This selfishness is expressed in three ways. The first expression of selfishness is “Ahamkara”.  Ahmakara is the misconception or notion that one is a human being with a body-mind sense complex.   The second expression of selfishness, Mamakara is a natural corollary of the first.  One’s feeling of ownership and attachment to a few things and people around like house, property, wife, child etc., are called Mamakara.   The third expression of selfishness is an extension of Ahamkara and Mamakara.  From the standpoint of one’s Ahamkara and Mamakara, one classifies and differentiates things and people as favourable, giving him happiness and unfavourable, being a source of sorrow and develops attachment or Raga towards favourable ones and dislike or Dwesha towards the unfavourable ones.  According to our scriptures every living being and every human being is bound by Ahamkara, Mamakara and Raga-Dwesha.  So the nature of every being is selfishness.

In the case of a Moksha seeker, his entire endeavour is to get rid of this selfishness package of Ahamkara, Mamakara and Raga-Dwesha. So scriptures call the pursuit of Moksha as the most intelligent selfish pursuit.  In other pursuits of Artha, Kama, and Dharma the selfishness is perpetuated while only in Moksha pursuit the aim is to remove and dilute selfishness through the attainment of Self-knowledge. This Moksha pursuit which is the pursuit of Self-knowledge is a long pursuit.   In this long journey one learns three important lessons the adoption of which act as antidotes to Ahamkara, Mamakara and Raga-Dwesha.  The first lesson is a new understanding or insight with respect to one’s body which knowledge will annul Ahamkara. The understanding gained is “I am not body and I am not mind, they are temporary medium through which I transact with the world”.  The second lesson is that “I am not the owner of the body as well besides being not the body itself.  I am the user of the body only and only Bhagawan is the owner of the body”.   The third important lesson is the understanding that one is not even the controller of the body.  Like time, place and law of karma, oneself is also only one of the factors that determine the destiny of the body.  Once it becomes clear “I am not the body; I am not the owner of the body; and I am not the controller of the body” Ahamkara weakens, Mamakara reduces and Raga-Dwesha diminishes and with the firm unshakeable understanding of one’s nature as Athma and the knowledge “Athma is the only source of happiness in the creation” they all get liquidated. 

A wise person who is established in Self-knowledge and has dropped the Ahamkara and Mamakara and is free of Raga-Dwesha, has destroyed his selfishness and does not suffer from Raga-Dwesha based samsara.  He also understands and accommodates the selfishness of ignorant people as he realizes that people are helplessly selfish because of their Self-ignorance.  One who has attained the Moksha Purushartha is called Jivan Muktha who does not depend on the world or others for his security and happiness; is as comfortable being alone as in the presence of others; returns anger with soft and kind words; never injures or harms any life form; and is humble and selfless and at the exhaustion of his Prarabhdha karma lays down the body and is free of the Samsara cycle forever.

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God-centred life

(Adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

Vedic scriptures advise its followers, the Vaidhikas whose popular name is Hindus, to lead a God-centred life.  The God-centred life is broadly divided into two stages. The first stage is Iswara Aradhanam to be followed by the second stage, Iswara Jnanam.  Iswara Aradhanam means worship of God and Iswara Jnanam means knowledge of God.   Without Ishwara Aradhanam, Ishwara Jnanam is impossible and without Ishwara Jnanam, Ishwara Aradhanam is incomplete.  In the first stage of Iswara Aradhanam worship is based on faith in God. It is based on Ishwara Shraddha that “I have faith in the existence of God”.  In the Bhagavad Gita (17-3) Lord Krishna says “sraddha-mayo 'yam purusho yo yacchraddhah sa eva sah (The man consists of faith: as a man’s faith is, so is he)”.

To practice Ishwara Aradhanam one requires faith in Ishwara and faith in Aradhanam or worship and basic information to implement this Aradhanam.  As regards Jnanam at this stage, the general information regarding God that Scriptures give, which is that God, is srishti-sththi-laya kartha – the creator, sustainer and resolver of the entire universe, is enough for carrying on Iswara Aradhanam.  The scriptures also give the message that Ishwara can be invoked in several forms for the sake of Aradhanam.  There are male forms like Shiva, Krishna. Rama etc., female forms like Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswathi etc., mixed form like ardhanareeswara, animal form like matsya, kurma, varaha, and human-animal mixed form like Narasimha.   In addition to all these forms one can also invoke God in symbols like Shiva linga or Saligram or Omkara.  So there are many forms and many options in which one can invoke Iswara for Iswara Aradhanam at home.  One can do this Aradhanam in a formal way learning from somebody on how to worship God in a formal way.  Or even a simple informal Aradhanam one can practice.  The simple informal Aradhanam is kayika puja or physical worship in which one offers a few flowers and have a simple arathi and a naivedayam of a fruit or two.  If one is not ready for kayika puja then one can have vachika puja where one does some parayanam of slokas or sthuthis in any language.  What is important is one should spend some time exclusively for Aradhanam and one should do it sincerely with devotion and concentration. 

Bhagawan is one having Bhaga and Bhaga is defined as the six-fold attributes of power, courage, fame, wealth, knowledge and detachment in infinite measures in the Vishnu Puranam verse:

Aiswaryasya samagrasya Veeryasya Yasasya Sriyaha I

Vairagyasya Jnanasya shannaam Bhaga itheerana II

So when one has not only faith in God but also the conviction that His Grace is with him in all his activities he is free of fear, worry and anxiety.  His attitude to all karma is one of Iswara Arpanam.  Not only he chants ‘Yadyatkarma karomi tattadakhilam Shambho tavaaraadhanam’, he lives it also and accepts the results, be it success or failure as Iswara Prasadam and he finds peace even in the midst of failures and adversities. This faith based Iswara Aradhanam will prepare an aspirant gradually for the second stage, which is Iswara Jnanam.

For entering the second stage three factors are required.  The first factor is a sincere, deep desire to know about God, which is named in Gita as jignasu bhakti.  The second factor is the help of a spiritual guide, Guru and the third factor is a subtle intellect and a mature mind to understand the abstract and subtle subject of nature of God.  The Ishwara aradhanam performed with Sraddah and Bhakthi will give one all the three factors: sincere desire, spiritual guide and also a mature mind.   Guru bases his teaching on the primary source of knowledge about God, Upanishads and on the secondary sources like Bhagavad Gita.  Even at the early stage of teaching one’s Iswara Jnanam undergoes a change.  God who was known early as srishti-sthithi-laya kartha comes to be known now as srishti-sthithi-laya-karanam.  Once one changes his knowledge from ‘kartha’ to ‘karanam’ other changes also follow.  Let us see the four important corollaries that follows from the revised karanam-karyam relationship based on the parallel analogy of gold and ornaments that have the karanam-karyam relationship.

Gold the cause is ekam (one) and from that one lump we have several ornaments. Therefore though karyam is many (anekam) karanam is one (ekam) only.  Secondly though Gold, karanam, can exist independently, the ornaments, karyam cannot exist independently and are dependent on gold for existence.   Whatever has independent existence is called Satyam and whatever is seemingly existent with borrowed existence, they are called mithya.  So karanam is satyam and comparatively karyam is mithya.  Further gold, the karanam, is in and through all ornaments, karyam and is the substance of all ornaments, Saram.  Also gold existed before ornaments are made and will continue to exist even when the ornaments are melted.  So karanam is nithyam (eternal) and karyam is anithyam.  Applying this to God, karanam and universe, karyam one makes the following deductions.

1)    God as karanam is only One (ekam) and He can be invoked in several forms as we have seen earlier and He is present everywhere and in everything in universe.

2)    God as karanam is the Sathyam and universe is mithya

3)    God as karanam is Nithyam and universe is anithyam.

4)    God as karanam is the Saram and universe is asaram.

Besides understanding God as ekam, nithyam, sathyam and saram and all worldly things as anekam, anithyam, asathyam and asaram, one learns another important thing.  Though there is variety, novelty and beauty in worldly things one can depend on God only for security as others are anithyam asaram and asathyam.  He also gets the firm knowledge at this stage that God is not only the truth beyond all forms, He is also the truth behind everything and He is in me also.  With this firm knowledge one can move to the next stage of Self-enquiry which is still more subtle.

How to identify the ekam, saram, nithyam and satyam Iswara residing in one is the next stage of enquiry about God.  A live being consists of body-mind complex which is achetanam (matter) and Consciousness (Chaitanyam that is chetanam).  The body is continuously changing; the mind consisting of thoughts is also changing and only the Consciousness that is aware of all the changes is the unchanging factor and is the Chit nature of Iswara.  The second factor Is 'I Am', which is constant in all statements about oneself like I am old, I am young, I am tall, I am a man etc. and represents the existence or satyam principle, the Sat nature of Iswara.  Sat Chit Ananda stands for the Karanam Iswara principle who is everywhere and who is in everyone also as the Consciousness principle. And when one learns to identify with that core then one can say with conviction: “Aham Brahma asmi”. This makes one’s life purnam, totally fulfilled.   

So the God-centred life starts with Iswara Aradhanam and leads one to Iswara Jnanam that gives the realisation that ‘I am Iswara’ and makes one a Jivan Muktha.

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