Thursday, 24 November 2022

Chandogya upanishad (ch.6,7&8)–25

Chapter 8, Sections 2&3 

Mantra 8-2-1

sa yadi pitṛlokakamo bhavati samkalpadevasya pitarah samuttishthanti tena pitrlokena sampanno mahiyate || 8.2.1 ||

If that person desires the world of forefathers, they appear before him as he wishes. Joining his forefathers in that world, he feels happy and exalted.

            In this section the siddhis, the powers the Upasaka attains is spoken about.  It contains ten similar Mantras, where only the object of desire differs and the rest is same.  Here we should note two things.  One, the word ‘lokas’ does not mean ‘worlds’ but ‘objects of desire’.  Second the experience of the object is as in a dream. While one cannot have the dream one desires and the dream experience is short, the Upasaka gets the experience of the object he desires for the period he desires.  In this Mantra, the object of desire is the world of forefathers, as he wants to experience and enjoy their company.  They appear on his mental screen and he can spend as much time as he desires with them. For Mantras 2 to 10 the object of desire only is given as they are same as one, with the change in object of desire.  So only the Mantra no. and the object of desire are given for Mantras 2 to 9 as below:

Mantra no.2 ---- World of mothers

Mantra no.3 ---- World of brothers

Mantra no.4 ---- World of sisters

Mantra no.5 --- World of friends

Mantra no.6 --- World of perfumes and garlands

Mantra no.7 --- World of food and drink

Mantra no.8 --- World of song and music

Mantra no.9 --- World of women

Mantra 8-2-10

yam yamantamabhikamo bhavati yam kamam kamayate so'sya samkalpadeva samuttishthati tena sampanno mahiyate || 8.2.10 || iti dvitiyah khandah ||

Whatever province he wishes for, whatever good thing he wishes to have, they appear before him just as he wishes. By acquiring it, he feels happy and exalted. End of second section.

            Guru had been enumerating the siddhis a sakama Dahara Akasa Upasaka enjoys to motivate the disciples to practice the Dahara Akasa Upasana.  He brings it to a close with a Mantra similar to the Mundaka Upanishad Mantra (3-1-10) which states, “yam yam lokam manasa samvibhati, visuddah-satvah kamayathe yams cha kaman; tam tam lokam jayathe tamscha kaman--- (Whatever loka the man of purified nature desires, whatever object he desires, he obtains those worlds and objects---).   He states that whatever place Dahara Akasa Upasaka wishes for, whatever object he desires, by his mere thought, he attains, the moment he wishes as he has meditated upon Iswara as Sathyakama and Sathyasankalpa in inner Akasa. Having obtained what he desired, he becomes happy. With this Mantra the second section ends.

Mantra 8-3-1&2

ta ime satyah kama anrtapidhanastesham satyanam satamanrtamapidhanam yo yo hyasyetah praiti na tamiha darsanaya labhate || 8.3.1 ||

atha ye casyeha jiva ye ca preta yacchanyadicchanna labhate sarvaṃ tadatra gatva vindate'tra hyasyaite satyaḥ kama anṛtapidhanastadyathapi hiranyanidhim nihitamakshetrajna uparyupari sancharanto na vindeyurevamevemah sarvaḥ praja aharahargacchantya etaṃ brahmalokam na vindantyanrtena hi pratyudhah || 8.3.2 ||

But all these true desires are covered by what is false. Though they rest on the Self, they have a covering which is false. Thus, whosoever belonging to one person has departed from this world, one cannot see him in this world with his eyes. (1)  Further, those of his relatives who are still alive and those who are dead, and also those things a person cannot get even if he wishes for them—all these he gets by going within his heart. All true desires of a person are in his heart, though they are hidden. It is like when there is gold hidden someplace underground and people who are ignorant of it walk over that spot again and again, knowing nothing about it. Similarly, all these beings go to Brahmaloka every day, and yet they know nothing about it because they are covered by ignorance.

            Upasana sthuthi and motivating talk continues in this chapter.  Guru states that though everything one desires are subsisting in the inner Akasa, they are covered by one’s ignorance and the longing for the objects outside not knowing they are available in his Self.  His extrovertedness and ignorance become an obstacle for looking in and they act as a false covering for the inner Akasa. But an Upasaka has not only access to the objects of desire in Dahar Akasa, but he can see the departed Jivas and others living elsewhere in the inner Akasa.  Indeed, in sushupthi avastha everyone is in Dahar Akasa and is in contact with Brahman. Only Upasaka is aware of this and enjoys Iswara within making him almost close to a Brahma Jnani. Others under the sway of ignorance are not aware of their merger with Brahman in sushupthi and wake up as before as samsaris only.  They act like one who is struggling in the world for money not knowing the treasure of gold buried in the ground in his house.

Mantra 8-3-3

sa va esha athma hrdi tasyaitadeva niruktam hrdyayamiti tasmaddhrdayamaharaharva evamvitsvargam lokameti || 8.3.3 ||

The Athma resides in the heart. The word hṛdayam is derived thus: hrdi + ayam—‘it is in the heart.’ Therefore, the Athma (Brahman) is called hrdayam. One who knows thus goes daily in deep sleep to the heavenly world (i.e., in his dreamless sleep he is one with Brahman.)

            Brahman in Daharakasa gets a new name, Hrdayam.  For the etymological derivation of Hrdayam is Hrdi (in the heart) +ayam (this one).  Though all people merge with Brahman in deep sleep (sushupthi) there is a difference between Jnani and others.  Jnani is aware that he has merged in Brahman while others are not aware.  Further while at death, though all are merged in Brahman, only Jnani who has realised Brahman while alive, is completely freed from the cycle of birth and death, while others are born again and the cycle of birth and death continues for them until they realise Brahman.

Mantra 8-3-4

atha ya esha samprasado'smacchariratsamutthaya param jyotirupasampadya svena rupenabhinishpadyata esha athmeti hovachaitadamrtamabhayametadbrahmeti tasya ha va etasya brahmano nama satyamiti || 8.3.4 ||

The teacher said: ‘Then, this person, who is the embodiment of happiness, emerging from the body and attaining the highest light, assumes his real nature. This is the Self. It is immortal and also fearless. It is Brahman. Another name for Brahman is satyam, Truth.’

            In this Mantra, Brahman is given another name Satyam, Truth.  The Jiva during deep sleep is happy and free from the impurities born of contact with worldly objects. During deep sleep this tranquil being gives up the notion that self is the body and merges with the supreme Self, Paramathma, the Brahman which is of the nature of pure Consciousness. This is Athma, his Real Self, immortal and fearless as It is beyond desa and kalaUpasaka arises with this awareness and enjoys his real nature unlike the non-upasaka, who does not have this knowledge when he arises and returns to samsara and worldly attractions and afflictions on waking up. This new name of Brahman, Satyam, will be explained in the next Mantra. 

Mantra 8-3-5

tani ha va etani trinyaksharani satiyamiti tadyatsattadamrtamatha yatti tanmartyamatha yadyam tenobhe yacchati yadanenobhe yacchati tasmadyamaharaharva evamvitsvargam lokameti || 8.3.5 || iti trtiyah khandah ||

Sa, ti, and yam—these are the three syllables (which represent Brahman). Sa stands for that which is immortal. ti stands for that which is mortal. And yam stands for that which binds both the mortal and the immortal. As both (the mortal and the immortal) are held together by it, it is called yam. The person who knows the significance of these three syllables enjoys divine bliss every day in dreamless sleep. End of section three.

            The name Satyam consists of three syllables: Sa, ti and yam.  Sa signifies the Immortal; and ti the mortal; and yam binds both the mortal and immortal.  Nirguna Brahman is immortal and from Saguna Brahman, Brahman with Maya, has come this mortal world.  So Brahman binds both the mortal and immortal.  Even at the individual level, one is a mixture of both.  At the transcendental level one is immortal and at the phenomenal or empirical level one is mortal.  At the transcendental level there is no duality, no “I” or “you” but only the Self i.e. Athma the Brahman.  One who knows this goes into the world of peace and bliss with awareness in deep sleep, like the bird flying back to its nest to rest. This section ends with this Mantra.

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