Chandogya upanishad (ch. 6,7 & 8) – 14

 Chapter 7, Sections 2 & 3

Mantras 7-2-1,2

vagvava namno bhuyasi vagva ṛgvedam vijnapayati yajurvedam samavedamatharvanam caturthamitihasapuranam panchamam vedanam vedam pitryamrasim daivam nidhim vakovakyamekayanam devavidyam brahmavidyam bhutavidyam ksatravidyam sarpadevajanavidyam divam cha pṛthivim cha vayum chakasam chapascha tejascha devaṃscha manushyamscha pasumscha vayamsi cha trnavanaspatinsvapadanyakitapatangapipilikam dharmam chadharmam cha satyam chanrtam cha sadhu chasadhu cha hrdayajnam chahrdayajnam cha yadvai vangnabhavishyanna dharmo nadharmo vyajnapayishyanna satyaṃ nanrtam na sadhu nasadhu na hrdayajno nahrdayajno vagevaitatsarvam vijnapayati vachamupassveti || 7.2.1 ||

sa yo vachaṃ brahmetyupaste yavadvacho gataṃ tatrasya yathakamacharo bhavati yo vachaṃ brahmetyupaste'sti bhagavo vacho bhuya iti vacho vava bhuyo'stiti tanme bhagavanbravitviti || 7.2.2 || iti dvitiyah khaṇdah ||

Speech is certainly superior to name. Speech makes known the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, and the fourth—the Atharva Veda; then the fifth—history and the Puranas; also, grammar, rules of the worship of ancestors, mathematics, the science of omens, the science of treasures, logic, moral science, etymology, the ancillary knowledge of the Vedas, the science of the elements, the science of war, astronomy, the science relating to snakes, and the fine arts; also heaven and earth; air, space, water, and fire; the gods and human beings; cattle and birds; creepers and big trees; animals of prey as well as worms, fleas, and ants; merit and demerit; truth and untruth; good and evil; and the pleasant and the unpleasant. If speech did not exist there would be no awareness of merit and demerit, nor of truth and untruth, good and bad, the pleasant and the unpleasant. Speech alone makes it possible to understand all this.  (Hence) worship speech. (1) ‘Anyone who worships speech as Brahman can do what he pleases in the sphere within the reach of speech’. Narada asked, ‘Revered sir, is there anything higher than speech?’  ‘Of course there is something higher than speech,’ replied Sanathkumara.  Narada then said, ‘Revered sir, please explain that to me’. (2)

            Speech is one of the most powerful of our organs of action.  Because there is speech there is name. Speech is the cause and name is the effect.  If there was not a spoken word, there would not have been a written word. It is because of speech that language has come about.  Through Speech is conveyed and understood all the sciences. Through Speech is also conveyed and understood all about the five elements.  Even one’s body language is translated in one’s mind as speech. All creatures have their own way of communicating to each other. Animals have sounds such barking, neighing, mooing, etc. Birds have their chirping and frogs croaking. Humans have their languages.  Even ants and other insects are said to ‘talk’ among themselves. Further speech enables humans to distinguish values at all times. So Sanathkumara advises Narada to meditate on speech as Brahman i.e. Vak Brahma Upasana.  Mantra 7-2-2 is similar to Mantra 7-1-5, with Sanathkumara giving the benefit of sakama upasana as gaining punyam to go to any Loka within the reach of the Alambanam, Vak, and Narada wanting to know whether there is anything higher than speech. Sanathkumara replies in the affirmative and Narada wants to know it.  Sanathkumara agrees and the section ends. This pattern of prescription of upasana and statement of benefits of upasana and Narada’s query will continue up to section 15.

Mantras 7-3-1,2

mano vava vacho bhuyo yatha vai dve vamalake dve va kole dvau vaksau mushtiranubhavatyevam vacaham cha nama cha mano'nubhavati sa yada manasa manasyati mantranadhiyiyetyathadhite karmani kurviyetyatha kurute putraṃscha pasumsceccheyetyathecchata imam cha lokamamuṃ ceccheyetyathecchate mano hyathma mano hi loko mano hi brahma mana upassveti || 7.3.1 ||

sa yo mano brahmetyupaste yavanmanaso gatam tatrasya yathakamacharo bhavati yo mano brahmetyupaste'sti bhagavo manaso bhuya iti manaso vava bhuyo'stiti tanme bhagavanbravitviti || 7.3.2 || iti trtiyah khandah ||

The mind is higher than speech. Just as a person can hold in his fist two amalaka fruits, or two kola fruits (plums), or two aksha fruits, so also the mind can hold within it both speech and name. If a person thinks, ‘I will learn the Mantras,’ he learns them. If he thinks, ‘I will do this act,’ he does it. If he decides, ‘I will desire children and animals,’ he desires to have them. If he decides, ‘I will desire this world and the next,’ he desires them.  The mind is the Athma. The mind is the world. The mind is Brahman. Worship the mind. (1)  ‘Anyone who worships the mind as Brahman can do what he pleases in the sphere of the mind.’ Narada asked, ‘Revered sir, is there anything higher than the mind?’ ‘Of course there is something higher than the mind,’ replied Sanathkumara. Narada then said, ‘Sir, please explain that to me’.  End of third section. (2)

            The mind gives a name for every thought it thinks. That helps it to assemble its intentions, internally in words first, and externally in the expression of speech. Thus name and speech are the tools used by the mind to express itself.  Amlaka, Kola and Aksha represent the small fruits, two of which can be held in hand without difficulty and this simile of holding the two fruits in one’s closed palm explains how mind is higher than speech and name. The mind is the palm and the two fruits are speech and name.  All thinking and desires belong to the mental level.  Through examples Sanathkumara points to Narada how one contemplates in one’s mind what to do do in respect of any action, and after that acts on the thought.  So through mind one becomes kartha and as a kartha becomes the bhoktha as well.  When the mind is restless with thoughts (busy formulating its plans to satisfy desires), then it is linked to the world; when the thoughts dwindle into a blank, peaceful nothingness, then it is linked to the Athma.  So Sanathkumara advises Narada to meditate on Mind as Brahman i.e. Mano Brahma Upasana.  Mantra 7-3-2 is similar to Mantra 7-1-5 and 7-2-2, with Sanathkumara giving the benefit of sakama upasana as gaining punyam to go to any Loka within the reach of the Alambanam, Mind. and Narada wanting to know whether there is anything higher than mind. Sanathkumara replies in the affirmative and Narada wants to know it.  Sanathkumara agrees and the section ends.

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