Svetasvathara Upanishad – 12

  Chapter 4 (Mantras 8 to 15)

Mantra 4-8

rcho akshare parame vyoman yasmin deva adhi visve nishedhuh I

yas tan na veda kim rcha karishyati ya it tad vidus ta ime samasate II 4.8 II

For the one who does not know Him, who is the Indestructible abode of all the Vedas and in whom all the devas rested, what will be the use of the Vedas? Only those who know Him attain (permanent) bliss.

            The Mantra is to be interpreted with care.  It does not decry Vedic rites or rituals which are done mostly for material benefits only, but only cautions that these alone will not give one permanent peace or bliss as they will not take one out of samsara. Along with the study of Vedas and performance of rituals one should try to acquire the knowledge of the Supreme Brahman who is eternal and in whom everything rests. Rig Veda mentioned in the Mantra represents all Vedas, in fact all knowledge, spiritual and secular. Devas represent all the luminous objects-sun, moon, stars, the planets, the entire galaxy. In fact, everything known and unknown to us are all supported by Brahman. Knowing Him and realizing one’s essential oneness with Brahman alone, will liberate one from samsara, conferring permanent peace and bliss. So this Mantra is expressing concern that mere performance of Vedic rituals alone, without trying to gain knowledge of Brahman, the substratum of all manifestations, does not give one lasting benefit. 

Mantra 4-9

chandamsi yajnah kratavo vratani bhutam bhavyam yaccha veda vadanti I

asman mayi srjate visvam etat tasmims chanyo mayaya samniruddhah II 4.9 II

The sacred verses, the offerings, the sacrifices, the penances, the past, the future and all that the Vedas declare, have been produced from the imperishable Brahman. Brahman creates the universe through its power of Maya. Again, in that universe as the Jiva, is bound by Maya.

            Whatever objects are there prescribed in the Vedas - the sacred verses, the sacrifices, the offerings, the penances, the various vows etc., the past, present and future - are all derived from Brahman only, as Brahman is the material and efficient cause of this universe.  Brahman, through His power of Maya, has projected this universe.  Again as Jiva, He has got Himself, bound by Maya. When the Jiva realises this and understands his essential oneness with Brahman he gets liberated.

Mantra 4-10

mayam tu prakrtim vidyanmayinam tu mahesvaram I

tasyavayavabhutaistu vyaptam sarvam idam jagat II 4.10 II

Know, then, that Prakriti or nature is Maya and that Great Lord, Brahman, is the Lord of Maya. The whole world is filled with beings who form His parts.

            Brahman is described here as Mayin, Lord of Maya.  Maya is His power and Maya and Prakriti are the same.  The whole world is His manifestation through the power of Maya. So the Mantra calls the world His body and all beings as His parts therein.

Mantra 4-11

yo yonim yonimadhitishthatyeko yasminnidam sam cha vi chaiti sarvam I

tam isanam varadam devamidyam nichayyemam santim atyantameti II 4.11 II

He is one without a second. He presides over the source of everything.  He sustains the world when it comes into being, and again when it perishes, it goes back into Him. He controls everything.  He is the only giver of boons and He is the sole object of adoration. Realising Him one attains supreme peace.

            Brahman is the single presiding deity of each and every source of origin of things and beings. He is the Supreme Lord of all causes in the world. He is the causeless cause. Under His supervision and arrangement these causes result in effects. The whole universe merges in Him and comes out of Him during the cycles of dissolution and creation respectively. When the jiva realises this Super Controller, the only bestower of the boons, the adorable Brahman, he attains the eternal Supreme Peace.

Mantra 4-12

yo devanam prabhavas chodbhavas cha visvadhipo rudro maharshih I

hiranyagarbham janayamasa purvam sa no buddhya subhaya samyunaktu II 4.12 II

He, the omniscient Rudra, is the creator of the devas and of their powers and is the support of the universe, He who, in the beginning, gave birth to Hiranyagarbha-may He endow us with clear thinking (power of discrimination)!

            This Mantra is repetition of an earlier Mantra of Chapter 3 (3-4). This is a prayer to Brahman as Rudra for obtaining a pure, subtle intellect with the power of discrimination between eternal and ephemeral so that one can realize Brahman.  Rudra is described as maharshi- the omniscient seer; the creator of lesser cosmic powers such as Agni, Vayu etc.; the sustainer of the universe and the creator of Hiranyagarbha, the first Being. 

Mantra 4-13

yo devanam adhipo yasmiml loka adhisritah I

ya ise asya dvipadaschatushpadah kasmai devaya havisha vidhema II 4.13 II

He who is the Lord of all the gods, in whom the worlds find their support, who rules over all two-footed and four-footed beings - let us serve that God, radiant and blissful, with an oblation.

The Brahman is the Lord of all the gods, such as Brahma and Vishnu, and is also the support of worlds that exist. He controls the destinies of mankind and animals. He is radiant and Bliss Absolute. Let us pay our respects to Him, offering oblation.

Mantra 4-14

sukshmatisukshmam kalilasya madhye visvasya srashtaram anekarupam I

visvasyaikaṃ pariveshtitaram jnatva sivam santimatyantameti II 4.14 II

By realizing Him who is subtler than the subtlest, who creates the world in the midst of the chaos, who assumes many forms and who is the non-dual pervader of the universe, one attains the absolute peace.

            Brahman is in this universe but we cannot see him as he is the subtlest of all. He has manifested Himself in many forms in many ways. When the unity behind diversity is realized and one knows Him as the inner being of everyone, then one attains absolute peace and blessedness.  Brahman is called Siva in this Mantra.

Mantra 4-15

sa eva kale bhuvanasya gopta visvadhipah sarvabhuteshu gudhah I

yasmin yukta brahmarshayo devatas cha tam evaṃ jnatva mrtyupasamschinatti II4.15 II

It is He who, in proper time, becomes the protector of the universe, the Lord of all, hidden in all things, and in whom the sages and the deities are united. Verily, by knowing Him thus one cuts asunder the fetters of death.

Brahman, who is being described continuously, preserves the existence of universe and is hidden as indweller in all beings. All the sages keep themselves engaged in meditating upon him. By knowing that Supreme Brahman this way, one cuts all ties causing birth and death. He becomes free from the bondage of samsara and gets emancipated.

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