Chapter 6, Sections 10 &11
Mantras 6-10-1to3
imah somya nadyah purastatpracyah syandante
pascatpraticyastah samudratsamudramevapiyanti sa samudra eva bhavati ta yatha
tatra na viduriyamahamasmiyamahamasmiti || 6.10.1 ||
evameva khalu somyemah sarvah prajah sata agamya na viduh sata
agacchamaha iti ta iha vyaghro va simho va vrko va varaho va kito va patango va
damso va masako va yadyadbhavanti tadabhavanti || 6.10.2 ||
sa ya eso'nimaitadatmyamidam sarvam tatsatyam sa athma
tattvamasi svetaketo iti bhuya eva ma bhagavanvijnapayatviti tatha somyeti
hovaca ||
6.10.3 || iti dasamah khandah ||
Dear son, those eastern rivers flow along to the
east, and the western ones to the west. Rising from the ocean, they go back to
it and become one with it. Once they have
merged in the ocean, there they do not know their separate identities as ‘I am
this river,’ or ‘I am that river’ (1). In the same way, my son, all these beings, having come from Sat
[Brahman], never know this. They do not think, ‘We have come from Sat.’
Whatever they were before in this world
- be it a tiger or lion or leopard or boar or Ibug or insect or flea or
mosquito - that they become again (2). ‘That
which is the subtlest of all is the Self of all this. It is Sat, the
Existence. It is the Athma. That thou art, O Svetaketu.’ (Svetaketu
then said,) ‘Sir, please explain this to me again.’ ‘Yes, dear son, I will
explain it again,’ replied his father (3).
End of tenth section.
In the previous
section Uddalaka, gave the example of honey collected by the honey-bees. In this section he gives the example of
rivers and the latter part of the second Mantra and the third Mantra
of this section are the same as the concluding two Mantras of the
previous section. The waters of the ocean
evaporate to form clouds. These clouds
shower rain on the land and these rain waters collect to form different rivers.
These rivers flow in different directions with individual names and finally merge
in the ocean losing their individual identity to become one mass of water. Each individual river as it flows, does not
know its true nature as water nor its origin and final destination as ocean. Similarly, all Jivas or beings emerge
from and merge into Sat, the Brahman which is their true Self. For the Jivas who have not gained the
realisation during their lifetime of their true nature as Sat only, the
origin, destination and support of all Jivas, the merger is temporary only as in deep sleep and they do not
enjoy liberation from the cycle of birth and death. They are reborn according to their karma and vasanas
and continue their journey through the cycle of birth and death until they gain
the wisdom that they are Sat (Brahman) only always. Mantra 6-10-3 is a repetition of Mantra
6-8-7, where Uddalaka quotes the Mahavakhya “Tat Tvam Asi” and
emphasises the identity of one’s Self, Athma, with Brahman, the
Supreme referred to here as Sat (Existence), and Svetaketu makes the
request for more clarification to which Uddalaka agrees. Tenth section ends here.
Mantras 6-11-1&2
asya somya mahato vṛkshasya yo mule'bhyahanyajjivansravedyo
madhye'bhyahanyajjivansravedyo'gre'bhyahanyajjivansravetsa esha
jivenatmananuprabhutah pepiyamano modamanastishthati || 6.11.1 ||
asya yadekaṃ sakham jivo jahatyatha sa sushyati dvitiyaṃ jahatyatha sa
sushyati tṛtiyam jahatyatha sa sushyati sarvam jahati sarvah sushyati ||
6.11.2 ||
Dear son, if someone strikes at the root of a big
tree, it will continue to live, though it may exude some juice. If someone
strikes at the middle, it will still live, though it may exude some juice. If someone
strikes at the top of the tree, it will survive, though it may exude some
juice. Pervaded by the living Self (Jiva), the tree will keep drinking and
living happily (1). But if the life leaves a branch of a tree, that branch dries
up (dies). If it leaves a second branch, that branch too will dry up (die). If
it leaves a third branch, that branch also will dry up (die). If it withdraws
from the whole tree, then the whole tree will dry up (die) (2).
Uddalaka
is taking up the example of tree in this section. Tree is not an inert being like stone. It has
life and behind the physical body and pervading the physical body is the Jiva,
the reflection of Sat in the body along with Sat. When a cut is made in the branch or trunk of
the tree, the sap flows out but the tree or branch does not die. The tree continues to absorb water and other
nutrients from earth and the concerned branch produces flowers or fruits and
sways in the breeze, as if enjoying the breeze.
For example, rubber trees are regularly cut for extracting sap. However,
when the Jiva withdraws from a branch or the tree, the branch or the
tree withers and dies, but the Jiva does not die. Only the reflection of Sat merges in Sat
and Sat continues.
Mantras 6-11-3
evameva khalu somya viddhiti hovacha jivapetam vava kiledam
mriyate na jivo mriyata iti sa ya esho'nimaitadatmyamidam sarvam tatsatyam sa
athma tattvamasi svetaketo iti bhuya eva ma bhagavanvijnapayatviti tatha
somyeti hovacha || 6.11.3 || iti ekadasah khandah ||
The father said; ‘Dear boy, know this: When the Self leaves the
body, the body surely dies. But the Self, however, never dies. That which is
the subtlest of all is the Self of all this. It is the Brahman (Sat). It is the
Athma (Self). That thou art, O Svetaketu. [Svetaketu then said,] ‘Sir,
please explain this to me again.’ ‘Yes, my son, I will explain it again,’
replied his father. End of eleventh
section.
The Upanishad is trying to tell
through the tree example that Athma, the self,
is immortal and It is the body that dies and the body dies when the Jiva
leaves it. Jiva is the Athma,
that is Sat, the Brahman plus the reflection of Sat. When
teeth fall or when hair falls, Jiva has not withdrawn from the body.
Only in death Jiva withdraws to rest in Sat (Brahman) in
unmanifest condition and manifests later in a new body. This manifestation can be inferred from the
new-born baby’s desire for milk from mother’s breast. It also smiles and cries in sleep even when
there is no external cause. Sat (Brahman)
is immortal and that is one’s Real Self (Athma). Uddalaka tells Svetaketu, “You are That
(Tattvamasi)”, meaning his real Self is not the mortal body-mind-complex but
the immortal Brahman, that is the subtlest essence and Self of all as well. Svetakeu seeks more clarification and Uddalaka
agrees. This section ends here.
-------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment