Svetasvathara Upanishad – 16

  Chapter 6 (Mantras 1 to 7)

Mantra 6-1

svabhavam eke kavayo vadanti kalam tathanye parimuhyamanah I

devasyaisha mahima tu loke yenedam bhramyate brahmacakram II 6.1 II 

Some learned men speak of the inherent nature of things and some speak of Time, as the cause of the universe. They all, indeed, are deluded. It is the power of the Brahman that has manifested as the Brahmachakra (Cosmic Wheel).       

            In the opening verse of this Upanishad this question was raised and many answers like the nature of things, Time etc., were proposed and rejected. After meditation it was concluded that it was Brahman by His own power of Maya, created this universe. In this Mantra, Upanishad is going back to the question to reemphasise the earlier answer. Some scholars who do not recognise God or Brahman, argue that the it is the inherent nature of things or it is the element of Time that is the cause of the world.  But all of them are wrong. The universe is not a self-creating, self-evolving, self-destroying entity. It is lifeless and inert. Brahman is the ultimate cause of the world process which has been described as Brahmachakra, the Wheel of Brahman in Chapter 1 (Mantra 4).

Mantra 6-2

yenavrtam nityam idam hi sarvam jnah kalakalo guni sarvavidyah I

tenesitam karma vivartate ha prthivyaptejonilakhani chintyam II 6.2 II

He by whom the whole universe is constantly pervaded, who is the knowledge itself, the Author of Time who is sinless and omniscient, at whose command the work which is called earth, water, fire, air and akasa appears as the universe, on Him the wise should reflect upon.

            Brahman is the One who pervades the world, who is all-knowing and is the creator of Time. He is pure and sinless and He appears as the five elements (in the sense the five elements are super-imposed on Him) because of which He seems to be the universe which remains under His control. He is endowed with the three gunas-satva,rajas and tamas through His power of Maya.  One should fix one’s mind on this Brahman and meditate and not be deluded by the universe which is only an appearance.

Mantra 6-3

tatkarma krtva vinivartya bhuyas tattvasya tattvena sametya yogam I

ekena dvabhyam tribhir ashtabhir va kalena chaivatmagunais cha sukshmaih II 6.3 II

The Lord finished creating the world and then reviewed it.  Then He put together one, two, three or even eight of them together with Time and their subtle properties.

            When Brahman projects the world the elements created are in the subtle form and through the medium of Time their grossification is done.  This is similar to the process of Pancikaranam described in Tattvabodha.  One stands for Prakrithi, two for Para Prakrithi and apara Prakrithi, three for the three gunas, eight for the eight-fold nature described in Bhagavad Gita (7-4) i.e. earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and ego. The projection is complete when the grossification is complete with the various combinations of subtle and gross elements.

Mantra 6-4

arabhya karmani gunanvitani bhavams cha sarvan viniyojayed yah I

tesham abhave krtakarmanasah karmakshaye yati sa tattvato'nyah II 6.4 II

When a person works, he works within the framework of gunas (for a goal). If that goal is not for himself but for God, then what he does is not a cause for attachment. It is as if he has not been doing anything. He is transformed and becomes a different person altogether.

            This is the concept of karma yoga wherein one performs actions with Iswararpana Buddhi.  In Bhagavad Gita (9-27), Lord Krishna says: “Arjuna, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever oblation you offer in the sacred fire, whatever you give, and whatever austerities you perform, do it as an offering to Me”. Working in a spirit of worship, with no attachment to the results, one will be freed from the bonds of karma in the shape of good and evil consequences. Thus freed from karma, one becomes transformed, a different individual.  One becomes established in one’s true Self in course of time.

Mantra 6-5

aadih sa samyoganimittahetuh paras trikalad akalo'pi drshtah I

tam visvarupam bhavabhutam idyam devam svacittastham upasya purvam II 6.5 II

Brahman is the first cause and also the cause of ignorance which unites the Jiva with the body. He is beyond the past, the present and the future.  He is without parts, the one single whole.  He is both the cause and effect and he is the true object of worship. Meditating on Him as one’s own Self, one attains Liberation.  

            An attempt to describe Brahman continues in this Mantra, in spite of its inadequacy.   He is the primal cause of all beings and things. The soul through avidya, becomes united with the body and the Lord is the cause of such avidya, which manifests as both good and evil. Attachment to good and evil is the cause of the continuing embodiment.  He is beyond the three times - past, present and future. We cannot qualify Him with reference to particular time because He always exists, beyond time. He is not a composite object with parts like bones, tissues, blood etc. which make up our bodies. Brahman is without parts and He is undifferentiated whole. He is of many forms because He is everything. He is the cause of existence. All things exist because He exists and without Him nothing can exist. All forms are His forms.

            The Mantra advises that that the seeker should meditate on Brahman who is within one’s own heart as one’s Real Self when he will realize the essential oneness of the Self with Brahman and be freed from the cycle of birth and death, at his death.

Mantra 6-6

sa vrkshakalakrtibhih paro'nyo yasmat prapanchah parivartate'yam I

dharmavaham papanudam bhagesam jnatvatmastham amrtam visvadhama II 6.6 II

He, from whom this universe proceeds, is beyond the Tree of the World and of Time. When one realises Him, the source of all that is good, the destroyer of evil, the Lord of all powers, the immortal support of all, as one’s own Self one attains Liberation.

            The Lord is described as the One other than the tree of the world and of Time. As in the Bhagavad Gita (15.1), here also the world is compared to a tree.  The tree however huge and vast will die one-day i.e., it does not exist permanently.  But the Lord is eternal and within the Lord the world keeps going in and coming out. He supports virtue and destroys vice, the source of all and the supporter of the world. He is immortal and the inmost Self of all. If one knows Him as his own Self, he attains liberation. 

Mantra 6-7

tam iswaranam paramam mahesvaram tam devatanam paramam cha daivatam I

patim patinam paramam parastad vidama devam bhuvanesam idyam II 6.7 II

He is the Supreme among all gods. He is the God of all gods, the Ruler of all rulers. He is higher than Brahma. He rules the world and is the sole object of worship in the world. He is to be known as one’s own Self.

            All these adjectives are used to emphasize the uniqueness of Brahman. He is the Supreme among all gods and is the God of all gods, the Ruler of all the rulers. He is higher than Brahma. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to say” Brahman alone is vasthu, substance; all else is avasthu, without substance.”  He rules the world and is the sole object of worship in the world. He is to be known as one’s own Self.

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