Taittriya Upanishad – 16

Chapter 3, Anuvaka10 (Mantras 1,2,3) 

Mantra 3-10-1

na kanchana vasatau pratyacakshita |tadvratam |

tasmadyaya kaya ca vidhaya bahvannam prapnuyat |

aradhyasma annamityacaksate |,

etadvai mukhato'nnagm raddham |

mukhato'sma annagm radhyate |

etadvai madhyato'nnagm raddham |

madhyato'sma annagm radhyate |

edadva antato'nnam raddham |

antato'sma anna radhyate I ya evam veda ||1||

Do not deny shelter to anyone: this is the vow. Therefore, one should procure plenty of food by any means.  To guests, he should say: "Food is ready”.  If this food is prepared in the best manner, food is given to him also in the best manner.  If this food is prepared in the medium manner, food is also given to him in medium manner. If the food is prepared in the lowest manner, food is also given to him in the lowest manner.  He who knows thus (obtains the fruit as mentioned above.)

            The vratham here is not to turn away anyone who comes seeking shelter.  This vow should be seen in the context of Vedic times when hotels were not there and food would not be sold.  In those days when a guest comes unannounced, it was taken as a will of God. Shelter includes food as well.  So one should try to prepare food keeping in mind the unexpected guests and also acquire the means for entertaining guests, through dharmic ways. When the verbal and body language accompanying the offer of food is respectful and courteous, revealing his happiness to share and food is ample, it is considered as the best manner. Where the food is not ample and given out of vanity or served with reluctance, it is the medium manner. Food served with insult or disregard is the lowest manner.   The Upanishad says that according to the manner one offers, one will be receiving back in his hour of need as in old age etc.  In short, what one gives to the world he gets back from the world in the same manner i.e. one will be treated in the same manner, as he treats others.

Mantra 3-10-2

kshema iti vaci | yogakshema iti pranapanayoh |

karmeti hastayoh | gatiriti padayoh |

vimuktiriti payau | iti manusih samajnah ||2||

One should meditate on Brahman as ‘well-being’ in speech, as acquisition and preservation in the prana (upward breath) and the apana (downward breath), as activity in the hands, as movement (walking) in the feet, as evacuation in the anus. These are the meditations on Brahman in reference to man.

            Upanishad is prescribing the first group of upasanas in this Mantra namely Adyathmika Brahma Upasanani.  Every upasana in this group is a meditation on Brahman only, taking different organs of the human body as the locus for invocation.  Adhyatmika is referred to as ‘manushih’ and upasana is replaced by ‘samajnah’.   So manushi samajnah is to be understood as Adhyatmika Brahma upasana. Glory of each organ is taken as the glory of Brahman and meditated upon. As one’s good speech can lead to prosperity and one’s inappropriate speech can lead to sorrow and downfall, meditation of Brahman on speech as all round welfare is prescribed.  Without prana and apana, life and therefore preservation and acquisition is not possible and so meditation of Brahman on prana and apana as preservation and acquisition is prescribed.  With a similar logic meditations of Brahman on hands as activity; on feet as movement; and on anus as evacuation are prescribed.  Through these meditations, one looks upon oneself as sacred and respects oneself which helps later in imbibing “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)” when one gains Athma Jnanam.  Further it helps to create a healthy respect for the body and not to hate or ignore it as anathma when gaining Jnanam where attachment to the body is to be given up.

Mantra 3-10-3

atha daivih | trptiriti vrstau |

balamiti vidyuti I yasa iti pasushu I

jyotiriti nakshatreshu I prajatiramrtam ananda ityupastheI

sarvam ityakase II3II

Next follows the meditation on Brahman, through the Devas.  One should meditate on Brahman as satisfaction in rain, as power in lightning; as fame in cattle, as light in the stars, as procreation, immortality and joy in the organ of procreation and as everything in the Akasa.

            In this Mantra we have the second group of upasanas namely Adi Daivika Brahma Upasanani.  Here natural forces are taken and meditated upon as Brahma Vibhuthi, glory of Brahman. Rain gives fulfilment directly through food and indirectly through various other means and it is meditated upon as satisfaction.  As lightning contains tremendous energy, it is meditated upon as power. As cattle means wealth and thereby name and fame, it is meditated upon as power. Stars shine with natural light and star-light is meditated upon as light.  A upasana under adhyathmika Brahma upasana is also mentioned here and that is upasana on one’s genital organs.  As It is the cause of relative immortality by perpetuating the race and also the cause of Aananda, an expression of Brahman, it is meditated upon as immortality and joy.  As the sky or space pervades all, it is meditated upon as everything.  Through these upasanas one can see the whole creation as Iswara Vibhuthi only, helping one to see the Lord in oneself as well as the world and have Sarvatra Iswara darsanam as revealed in Isavasya Upanishad (Mantra 1) i.e. “Isavasyam idagm sarvam (All this is to be covered by (seen as) Lord only).

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