Narada Bhakthi Sutra – 5

 

Sutras 34 to 42

            We had so far seen the first two chapters covering 33 Sutras that described Para Bhakthi, which is the goal to be reached.  Now we shall see the next chapter that describes the sadhanas that take one to the goal of Para Bhakthi.

 Sutra 34

Tasyaaha sadhanaani gayantyaachaaryaaha.

For that (Para Bhakthi) teachers sing (many) practices.

Sutra 35

Tat tu vishayatyaagaat sangatyaagaachcha.

Now that (goal) by renunciation of worldly things and giving up attachment.

               Sutra 34 describes that the various spiritual masters prescribe the several sadhanas through “stuthis” or songs, in a poetic way by using the expression “Teachers sing”.  From the next Sutra, start the sadhanas.

          One of the sadhanas to reach the goal of para-bhakti is by way of renouncing worldly objects and giving up attachment.  Kaivalya Upanishad (Mantra 3) states: “Na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyagenaika amirtatvamanasuh (Not by work, nor by progeny, nor by wealth, but by renunciation alone, Immortality is attained.”).  Renunciation of worldly things is an attitude born of the understanding that the worldly objects have only limited value and that they will not give one that inner peace and contentment. One may intellectually recognize the limited worth of the worldly objects, but may not quite accept it emotionally.  One must renounce the emotional attachment to objects and cultivate the freedom from desire for these objects.  The second aspect of this sadhana is giving up attachment to the beings around in one’s life and to one’s possessions.  As regards relationship to living beings, these are not to be renounced but one’s relationship is to be chastened by freeing oneself from emotional dependence on them.

Sutra 36 

Avyaavritat bhajanaat.

Through uninterrupted (continuous), loving service of the Lord

Sutra 37

Loke’pi bhagavadgunasravanakirtanaat.

By hearing and singing the glories of the Lord even while engaged in worldly activities.

          In Sutra 35, spiritual service was of a negative character.  But in Sutra 36 spiritual service of positive character is prescribed.  The worship that sage Narada is advocating in this Sutra is continuous non-stop worship. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (8-14):

Ananyachetaah satatam yo maam smarati nityashah;

Tasyaaham sulabhah paartha nityayuktasya yoginah. 

O Arjuna, to that yogi of constant concentration and single-minded attention, who remembers Me uninterruptedly and for long, I am easy of attainment.

Sage Narada echoes this idea in this Sutra by saying “Constantly remembering the Lord throughout one’s life is an easiest way of attaining Him.”        

          Sutra 36 presents another sadhana, viz., remembering God by listening to the glories of God in stories and by singing His praises always, even while engaging in worldly activities. Sage Narada is here apparently referring to the nine types of bhakthi (Nava-vidha-bhakthi) stated in Srimad Bhagavadam, as follows:

“Sravanam, Kirtanam, Vishno-smaranam, Pada-sevanam,

Archanam, Vandanam, Daasyam, Sakhyam, Athma-nivedanam.”

The nine types of bhakthi listed in the above verse are as follows:

1)    Sravanam – listening to epics and puranas.

2)    Kirtanam – Singing devotional songs.

3)    Vishno-smaranam – Uninterrupted thinking of God as Vishnu or one’s Ishta devata.

4)    Padasevanam – Worship of God’s feet meaning worship of God through service to people.

5)    Archanam – Doing puja or any simple ritual.

6)    Vandanam – Chanting hymns and singing His glories.

7)    Daasyam – Thinking and behaving as God’s servant.

8)    Sakhyam – Acting and thinking with a feeling of love and close intimacy with God as in friendship.

9)    Athma-nivedanam – Surrender of self in intense devotion.

Adopting one or more of these above modes one can engage in uninterrupted devotion all the time. After stressing self-effort, Sage Narada stresses the importance of Grace of God, Guru and Mahapurushas in the next five Sutras.

Sutra 38

Mukhyatastu mahatkripayaiva bhagavatkripalesaad va. 

Primarily through the compassion of great beings and a little of Divine grace.

Sutra 39

Mahatsangastu durlabho’gamyo’moghashcha. 

But (to obtain) the company of some one great is extremely difficult; it is impossible to know them fully, yet it is infallible in its effect.

Sutra 40

Labhyate’pi tatkripayaiva.

Nevertheless, it is attainable through God’s grace.

          One cannot reach the goal of uninterrupted bhakthi through one’s own efforts alone; one needs help.  Primarily, what one needs is the compassion of a loving, compassionate person like a spiritual teacher, or a saint. It is through their compassion or through a bit of God’s Grace that one’s efforts will bear fruit.

          In Sutra 39 sage Narada warns that finding a proper teacher is extremely difficult and even when the opportunity arises it is not obvious; it is subtle.  Sri Sankara says in Vivekachudamani (verse 3)

 Durlabham trayamevaitad devanugrahahetukam I

Manushyatvam mumukshatvam mahapurushasamsrayaha II

Human birth, mumukshuthvam, the tutelage of a mahapurusha (a great realised person) are difficult to gain without God’s Grace.

Also, one has to be beware of false teacher who tempts the seeker with the promise of an easy path without much sadhanas.  And, there is also the danger of not recognizing a true teacher when one meets him.

          So, sage Naradha states in Sutra 40, that one should seek the Grace of God for getting the proper spiritual teacher. It is by the Grace of God only that one turns a mumukshu.  Again, it is only the Grace of God that will lead him to the right Guru who will guide him in that path. 

Sutra 41

Tasmintatjane bhedabhavaat.

Because between God and His devotees there is no difference.

             ‘Devotee’ in this context means the Para Bhakta and not every devotee. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (7-18) that He views the Jnani Bhaktha (Para Bhaktha) as His very Self.  Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-9) states: -“Brahmavit Brahmaiva Bhavathi (The knower of the Brahman becomes Brahman). Para Bhaktha is one who has realized his oneness with Brahman and does not stray from this knowledge in all his activities.  This Sutra is also interpreted as “that the love of God knows no distinction among His children” and so anyone seeking His Grace sincerely, steadfastly, and with single minded devotion will get it with kindness, irrespective of his past before coming to the path of spiritual seeking.

Sutra 42

Tadeva saadhyataam tadeva saaadhyataam.

That alone is to be accomplished; that alone is to be accomplished.

          The repetition in the sutra is to emphasize the point that the sadhana as would enable one to obtain God’s Grace that would ultimately reveal God through the teaching of a spiritual teacher is only to be practiced.  Sadhana clears away all obstructions in the way of understanding the true identity of one’s Self with Brahman. 

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Who am I?

 (Based on Taittriya Upanishad)

            The first anuvaka of Brahmandavalli of Taittriya Upanishad opens with a cryptic statement, “Brahmavid apnoti param (The knower of Brahman attains Supreme)”. Supreme here denotes Brahman as we can see from Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-8) where there is a similar statement which states, “Sa yo ha vai tat paramam Brahma veda, Brahmaiva bhavathi (Whoever knows the Supreme Brahman, becomes the very Brahman)”. This gives rise to the questions, “1) Who or what is Brahman and 2) where can one find Brahman”.  The answers to both these questions are given in the latter part of the Mantra. Let us first take the first question which is answered through quoting the Rig Mantra which states “Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam Brahma (Brahman is Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam)”.   The nature of Brahman is defined through these words Satyam, Jnanam and Anantam.  We shall see each of them separately taking first “Anantam”

            Anantam means the limitless one or infinite. The limitation can be in three ways; spatial, time-wise and object-wise. Spatial limitation means an object cannot be in two places at the same time i.e. presence in one place means absence from other place.  So free of spatial limitation means It is all-pervading, sarva vyapakam.  Time-wise limitation means one is confined to a time-frame. Swami Chinmayananda calls our life a dash from womb to tomb. Brahman is present at all times; past, present and future i.e. eternal. Object-wise limitation arises from the presence of another object. Brahman is free from this limitation means it is non-dual. So Anantam means eternal, all-pervading and non-dual.  Jnanam means knowledge. Knowledge is of two kinds. 1) conditioned knowledge which is knowledge of things conditioned by things known and 2) unconditioned knowledge which is absolute knowledge illuminating the objects of experience in the outer and inner worlds, namely, the Consciousness principle.  Brahman being infinite without limitations is this Pure Consciousness which is called Chit.  Satyam, generally meaning Truth, also means an existent object. The existent object has three components, nama, rupa and existence. Brahman being infinite, the finite nama, rupa is discarded and the pure Existence principle which is called ‘Sat’ alone is taken as the meaning of Satyam.  As Brahman is free from attributes, the definition is called ‘Svabhava  lakshanam’ and it is “Sat, Chit, Anantam” i.e. “eternal, non-dual, all-pervading Existence, Consciousness” which we shall refer hereafter as “limitless Existence, Consciousness”, capital letters indicating that they are Pure Existence and Pure Consciousness.

        Now we come to the second question, “Where can one find this Sat, Chit Anantam Brahman?”. The Upanishad gives the answer along with the benefits flowing from the knowledge of Brahman, following the definition of Brahman as, “yah veda nihitam guhaayaam parame vyoman I sah ashnute sarvaan kaamaan, saha brahmanaa vipashchiteti II (He who knows It as existing in the cave (of the heart) in the inner Akasa, realises all his desires along with the Omniscient Brahman”).  So it has to be known in the space of the heart and mind pervades this space. Brahman is to be realised as the Consciousness in one’s mind as one’s Real Self. This true Self of one is hidden by Maya, the first level of Brahman’s Upadhis. Maya with its veiling power, avarana sakthi, covers Brahman and through its projecting power, vikshepa sakthi, projects the upadhis of body-mind complex as one’s self.  When through the process of Jnana Yoga under the guidance of a competent Guru, one realises the identity of one’s True Self as Brahman, the limitless Existence, Consciousness, one feels one with the Mahavakhya “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)”.  Now he, after realization of his essential identity with Brahman, declares like Asvalayana rishi in Kaivalya Upanishad (Mantra19);

Mayyeva sakalam jatam, mayi sarvam pratishthitam I

Mayi sarvam layam yati, tad brahmadvayamasmyaham II 19 II

Everything is born in me alone; everything is based on me alone; everything resolves into me alone. I am that non-dual Brahman.

With this knowledge he feels totally fulfilled and as he is everything, which amounts to his having everything and no wants or desires for anything.  This feeling of total fulfillment as Brahman is stated in the end part of the Mantra as realising all his desires along with the Omniscient Brahman. 

(adapted from a talk of Swami Sarvapriyananda)

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Svetasvathara Upanishad – 17

  Chapter 6 (Mantras 8 to 14)

Mantra 6-8

na tasya karyam karanam cha vidyate na tatsamaschabhyadhikascha drsyate I

parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnanabalakriya cha II 6.8 II

He is without a body or organs.  No one is His equal; no one is His superior either. The Vedas speak of His exalted power, which is innate and capable of producing diverse effects and also of His omniscience and might.

            Brahman has no body or organs. None is His equal and none is His superior either. He possesses all powers of knowledge and action which are natural to Him. This has been confirmed by the scriptures.

Mantra 6-9

na tasya kaschit patirasti loke na chesita naiva ca tasya lingam I

sa karanam karanadhipadhipo na chasya kaschijjanita na chadhipah II 6.9 II

He has no master in the world, no ruler, nor is there even a sign of Him by which He can be inferred. He is the cause of all, the Lord of the lord of the organs (Jiva); and He is without progenitor or controller.

            There is none in this world who is Brahman’s master or who governs Him and there is nothing by which He can be identified. He is the cause of all. He is also the Lord of the Jiva (the individual Self) who is the lord of all the sense-organs. No one is His creator and no one is His controller. 

Mantra 6-10

yas tantunabha iva tantubhih pradhanajaih svabhavatah I

deva ekah svamavrnoti sa no dadhat brahmapyayam II 6.10 II

May the non-dual Lord, who, by the power of His Maya, covered Himself, like a spider, with threads drawn from its own navel, merge us in Brahman!

As a spider hides itself by its own web, Brahman hides Himself effortlessly within the projections of his Maya such as names, forms and actions. May He kindly unite us with Himself. 

Mantra 6-11

eko devah sarvabhuteshu gudhah sarvavyapi sarvabhutantarathma I

karmadhyakshah sarvabhutadhivasah sakshi cheta kevalo nirgunascha II 6.11 II

The non-dual and resplendent Lord is hidden in all beings. He is all-pervading and is the innermost Self of all creatures.  He presides over all actions and He is the support of all beings. He is the Witness, the Animator and the Absolute, free from the three gunas.

            Brahman is the one without a second, yet he is hidden in every being. He is all- pervasive, the Self of all. He gives to all beings the fruits of their actions, and he is the support of all. He is the witness, bestower of consciousness, without attributes and unconditioned.  Bhagavad Gita (13-23) describes Him thus:

upadrashtaanumantaa cha bhartaa bhoktaa maheshwarah I

paramaatmeti chaapyukto dehe'smin purushah parah II 13.23 II

The Supreme Purusha in this body is also called the Witness, the Approver, the Supporter, the Experiencer, the Overlord and the Absolute. 

Mantra 6-12

eko vasi nishkriyanam bahunamekam bijam bahudha yah karoti I

tam athmastham ye'nupasyanti dhirastesham sukham sasvatam netaresham II6.12 II

He is the non-dual Ruler of the inactive many and He makes the one seed grow into many.  To the wise people, who perceive Him within themselves, belongs eternal happiness and not to others.

            Brahman is the one without a second. He activates and makes all actions possible. He makes the one seed grow into many.  For instance, the five elements have grown into the vast universe by his activation. Wise people see Him within themselves and are eternally happy. Others, not having the wisdom, continue to be caught up in the cycle of samsara and do not enjoy the eternal happiness.

Mantra 6-13

nithyo nithyanam chetanaschetananam eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman I

tat karanam samkhyayogadhigamyam jnatva devam muchyate sarvapasaih II 6.13 II

He is the Eternal among the eternals, the Consciousness among the conscious. He is non-dual, yet fulfils the desires of many. He who has realised Him, the cause of all causes who can be realized only through Knowledge (Sankhya) and yoga, is freed from all fetters.

            Brahman gives eternity to all the seemingly eternals like the elements, consciousness to those who are conscious. He is alone, yet he is able to fulfil the wishes of all. One realises him only through knowledge and when one has this realization, one becomes free from all bondages.  Bondage arises from the ignorance of the identity of one’s Self with Brahman and Self-knowledge destroys this ignorance and frees one from the bondage.

Mantra 6-14

na tatra suryo bhati na chandratarakam nema vidyuto bhanti kuto'yam agnih I

tam eva bhantam anubhathi sarvam tasya bhasa sarvamidaṃ vibhati II 6.14 II

There the sun does not shine, neither do the moon and the stars; nor do these flashes of lightning shine. How can this fire?  He shining, everything shines after Him. By His light all these shine variously.

            The sun, moon and the other luminous things derive their light from Brahman and without Brahman they cannot give any light. Brahman is the source, support, essence and goal of everything including the sun, moon and the stars. This Mantra occurs in Kathopanishad (2.2.15) and in Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.10) as well.  This Mantra need not be taken as applying to luminous objects only.  Light is symbolically used to indicate knowledge as well and the Mantra can be interpreted as revealing the fact that all process of knowing takes place due to Him only, as He is the source of all knowledge.

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Svetasvathara Upanishad – 13

Chapter 4 (Mantras 16 to 22(end)) 

Mantra 4-16

ghrtat param mandam ivatisukshmam jnatva sivam sarvabhuteshu gudham I

visvasyaikam pariveshtitaram jnatva devam muchyate sarvapasaih II 4.16 II

By knowing Him, the auspicious, hidden in all beings, like the film that rises to the surface of clarified butter, the sole Pervader of the universe, the Brahman, one is released from all fetters.

One becomes free forever from all bondages by knowing the Brahman who is subtle as a film on the clarified butter and who is supreme good for all, who is hidden in all beings and who pervades the entire world.

Mantra 4-17

esha devo visvakarma mahatma sada jananam hrdaye samnivishtah I

hrda manisha manasabhiklpto ya etad vidur amrtas te bhavanti II 4.17 II

The creator of the world; great souled, the Supreme Lord, always seated in the heart of every one; He manifests Himself by meditating through heart, intellect and mind; They who know Him become immortal.  

The omnipresent and omnipotent Supreme Lord, the sole creator of the world is always seated in everyone’s heart. He is revealed through meditation. One who realises Him as his Real Self becomes free from the cycle of birth and death.

Mantra 4-18

yadatamastanna diva na ratrir na sannacasacchiva eva kevalah I

tad aksharam tat savitur varenyam prajna cha tasmat prasrta purani II 4.18 II

When there is complete absence of the darkness of ignorance, then what is experienced is neither day nor night; neither existence or non-existence; only Brahman, undifferentiated and bliss absolute, called here Siva.  Even the presiding deity of sun and other planets paid homage to this Brahman. From Him has emerged the ancient wisdom that spread all over the world.

            Because darkness is symbolic of ignorance, the Upanishad says that Brahman is without darkness.  Brahman is knowledge itself.  Brahman is the Absolute. Words are simply not enough to give an idea what it is like.  Brahman is not an object that one can perceive and describe. It is beyond the description of relative terms like day and night, existence and non-existence.  It is something permanent and full which never changes.  In the words of Dr.S. Radhakrishnan “The characterization of the Supreme which transcends the duality of subject and object can only be negative and cannot be a field of clear definition and demonstration”.   He is the source of all the wisdom that has come down to us in the form of Vedas.

Mantra 4-19

nainam urdhvam na tiryancham na madhye parijagrabhat I

na tasya pratima asti yasya nama mahad yasah II 4.19 II

No one can grasp Him from above, or across, or in the middle. There is none equal to Him. His name is ‘Great Glory’.

            Brahman who has been described in various ways in the previous Mantras is beyond one’s perception.  He cannot be seen or grasped in whatever manner one may try because He is entirely beyond grasp.  When Sastras talk of knowing Him, it only means realizing Him through personal experience. Such a realized soul too cannot express Him through words because mind and speech cannot reach there.  He is absolutely different from physical objects which can be understood or grasped. Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.10) and Katha Upanishad (2.2.15) speak of Him thus “Him the sun does not illumine, nor the moon, nor the stars, nor the lightning–nor, verily, fires kindled upon the earth. He is the one light that gives light to all…”.  To say anything about Him is to limit the unlimited.  He has no equal and He is what He is and so He is called “Great Glory”.

Mantra 4-20

na samdrse tishthati rupam asya na chakshusha pasyati kaschanainam I

hrda hrdistham manasa ya enam evam vidur amrtas te bhavanti II 4.20 II

Brahman is not perceptible; no one can see Him with the eyes. Yet, through pure intellect and the Knowledge of Unity based upon reflection, one can realize Him in the pure heart. When one realises Him, He becomes immortal.

Brahman is not perceptible.  Nobody can visualize Him physically. Those who experience Him through meditation become immortal - free from birth and death forever.

Mantra 4-21

ajata ityevam kaschid bhiruh prapadyate I

rudra yatte dakshinam mukham tena mam pahi nityam II 4.21 II

O Rudra, You are birthlesss and this is why people frightened by death seek refuge with you. Please turn your benign face towards me and protect me always.

     This Mantra reveals the attitude of Bhakti or devotion to Brahman, who is called Rudra here. Some intelligent, discriminating people know Brahman to be birthless and so deathless as well i.e. immortal.  Fearing death and desirous of freedom from the cycle of birth and death, they take refuge in Him, realizing that the immortal Brahman can alone save them from the cycle of birth and death. So the Mantra is a prayer to Brahman for His Grace to get liberated from this fearful cycle of birth and death.   

Mantra 4-22

ma nas toke tanaye ma na ayushi ma no goshu ma no asveshu ririshah I

viran ma no rudra bhamito vadhir havishmantah sadam it tva havamahe II 4.22 II

O Rudra, Please do not be angry with us and hurt us or our sons and grandsons.  Do not destroy our cattle, horses and our strong servants. With oblations in hand, we pray to you seeking your protection.

            This Mantra is also occurring in Anuvaka 10 of Rudra Suktham (Namakam).  This Mantra presents a contrasting picture of the trend of the discussions. So far, the prayer has been for Knowledge. Now this prayer is of mundane variety seeking personal blessing and material advantage from the Supreme implying the idea of dualism. The reason is that before one can attain Brahma Jnanam, the Supreme knowledge, one is on a relative plane and one is conscious that one has a body.  So long as one lives in the relative plane of life and one is conscious of one’s body, one can reach non-dualism through dualism alone.  As long as one is attached to the body, one has to have recourse to dualism-to worship and prayer. But he must remember that his goal is non-dualism. In this process, one is using non-dualism to reach dualism. With this Mantra, the chapter ends.

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Svetasvathara Upanishad – 11

Chapter 4 (Mantras1 to 7) 

Mantra 4-1

ya eko'varno bahudha saktiyogad varnan anekan nihitartho dadhati I

vi chaiti chante visvamadau sa devah sa no buddhya subhaya samyunaktu II 4.1 II

The Lord, One and Undifferentiated, by the manifold application of His powers produces, in the beginning, different objects for reasons not known and, in the end, withdraws the universe into Himself.  May this self-luminous Lord endow us with clear intellect!

            This Mantra is a prayer to Lord, the Brahman, that we may be endowed with a clear intellect, with a description of that Brahman.  Brahman in His formless aspect is devoid of form and colour, yet, in the beginning of creation for some unknown reasons assumes various forms and colours through His power of Maya which is non-different from Him. We, the finite beings, cannot understand the reasons behind the creation by that infinite Brahman. It is His Lila. In the end, this universe of all forms and colours dissolve in Him as well. He initiates this cycle of creation, maintenance and dissolution without any selfish purpose but for the ultimate good of the Jivas.  That Supreme Brahman is really one without the second and is Self-luminous. We can only pray unto Him, for a good mind and clear intellect that enables us to understand our essential oneness with Him.

Mantras 4-2,3&4

tad evagnistadadityastadvayustadu chandramah I

tad eva sukram tad brahma tad apas tat prajapatih II 4.2 II

tvam stri tvam puman asi tvam kumara utha va kumari I

tvam jirno dandena vanchasi tvam jato bhavasi visvatomukhah II 4.3 II

nilah patango harito lohitakshas tadidgarbha rtavah samudrah I

anadimattvam vibhutvena varthase yato jathani bhuvanani visva II 4.4 II

That Brahman is the fire, the sun, the moon, the constellation of stars, Hiranyagarbha, water and Virat. (2)  You are the woman, you are the man; you are the boy and the girl also. You are the old man walking with the help of a stick. It is you alone who is born in all forms and has faces in all directions. (3)  You are the blue bee; You are the green parrot with red eyes; You are the thunder-clouds carrying lightning, the seasons and the oceans. You are beginningless and omnipresent. From you alone all the worlds are born.

            The Brahman is described in various terms. In Mantra 2 He is described as all devatas i.e. Agni (fire), Aapah (water), Aditya (sun), Vayu, Chandramah, Nakshtras, Hiranya garbha and Virat. In short, all the devatas are the manifestations of the Brahman only; they are not independent and different. In Mantras 3 and 4, various other forms and phenomenon are described as His manifestations. The entire universe is His manifestation only. There is no limitation to the form in which He, the Formless, incarnates. The realised seeker perceives only the Brahman in all objects, sentient and insentient; having all colours and forms because all these worlds and dwellers therein emanated from Him. The Formless appearing in a multitude of forms from moment to moment is His great play, Lila, as in the case of His appearances before Gopis or His visvarupa darshana before Arjuna and Yashoda.  In His all-pervading aspect he is in everything, omnipresent, and takes up every form. He is the master of Prakriti which is discussed in the next Mantra.

Mantra 4-5

ajamekam lohitasuklakrshnam bahvih prajah srjamanam sarupah I

ajo hyeko jushamano'nusete jahaty enam bhuktabhogamajo'nyah II 4.5 II

The one unborn Prakriti - red, white and black - gives birth to many creatures like itself. An unborn individual soul becomes attached to it and enjoys it, while another unborn individual soul rejects it after knowing the ephemeral nature of the sense world from his earlier experience.

            The Mantra says Prakriti (nature) is ajam i.e., unborn, without beginning. It is the combination of three gunas which gives rise to the diversities in the world. Prakriti (nature) creates many creatures like itself which are governed by three gunas, satva, rajas and tamas.  The three gunas are described here as three colours; white, red and black; white standing for satva representing wisdom; red for rajas representing activity; black for tamas representing inertia.  The Mantra says figuratively that an ignorant person feels drawn towards this sense world and he enjoys it while another clever and discriminative individual knows the ephemeral nature of this sense world on the basis of his previous experience and therefore rejects it. If one goes beyond all these diversities he will find that behind the diverse names and forms there is only One i.e., Brahman. This knowledge destroys ignorance. About ignorance and knowledge there is more discussion in the next two Mantras. 

Mantras 4-6&7

dva suparna sayuja sakhaya samanam vrksham parishasvajate I

tayoranyah pippalam svadvattyanasnann anyo abhichakasiti II 4.6 II

samane vrkshe purusho nimagno’nisaya sochati muhyamanah I

jushtam yada pasyaty anyamisamasya mahimanamiti vitasokah II 4.7 II

Two birds, bound one to the other in close friendship, are perched on the same tree. One of them tastes the sweet and bitter fruits of the tree; the other, tasting neither, calmly looks on. (6) Seated on the same tree, the individual self (jiva), deluded by forgetfulness of his identity with the divine Self, bewildered by his ego, grieves and is sad. But when he recognizes the other as the Lord worshipped by all and His glory, he becomes free from grief. (7)

            These two Mantras are in Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.1&2) as well. The Mantras are employing the metaphor of two birds, closely related, seated on the same tree. Tree stands for the body and the two birds are Jiva, the individual self and Athma, the Brahman which is the Cosmic Self.  In the example, one of the birds, the Jiva, eats the fruits of the tree, some sweet, some bitter. That is to say, the Jiva identifying itself with the body gets involved in various activities of the world and experiencing samsara is confused and distraught. The other bird, Athma, the Brahman, just sits there without eating anything as a detached witness. The form of every sentient being has two indwellers, the two selves just like the two birds. However, they do not have the same experience of the tree. The individual self, the Jiva, tastes the fruit of the tree in the form of the inner and outer senses, and according to the quality of that experience is made happy, unhappy, contented, discontented and thus undergoes experiences, sometimes laughing and sometimes weeping, immersed in thought and bewildered by his own helplessness.

            The Supreme Self, on the other hand, tasting neither (sweet or bitter experiences), calmly observes. Brahman also experiences because He is the indweller of all as Athma and is aware of all that the individual self experiences; yet, He looks on without being affected or conditioned by such experiences. But He knows exactly the effect and conditioning that accrues to the individual self. He is experiencing right along with Jiva as witness only without being involved in any of the experiences.  When the Jiva sees, right in the core of his being, the very Supreme he has been hitherto worshipping as separate from himself, all is changed.   Experiencing within his own being the presence and the glory of the Supreme, and realizing that glory as his own, the individual becomes liberated from sorrow.  Dr. Radhakrishnan says “In Mantra 6, the cause of sorrow is traced to the sense of helplessness induced in us when we are lost in the objective world. In Mantra 7, freedom from sorrow is traced to our getting beyond object, thinking and establishing contact with Real being”.

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Svetasvathara Upanishad – 8

 Chapter 3 (Mantras 1 to 7)

Mantra 3-1

ya eko jalavan isata isanibhih sarvanllokan isata isanibhih I

ya evaika udbhave sambhave cha ya etad vidur amrtaste bhavanti // 3.1 //

That Cosmic Self, who is a magician, who governs the world by his own power, who is the same whether he causes the origin or the destruction of the universe by his own power is one without a second. Those who realize this Being become immortal.

            Brahman is called here a magician, Maya being his power of magic.  It is through the power of Maya, the universe is projected, sustained and dissolved and hence Brahman appears as many.  Brahman with power of Maya manifest is called Saguna Brahman or Iswara who in his various forms is worshipped as personal God as well.  Isvara, as an emanation of Brahman, arises as first step in creation and remains as the last step at the time of dissolution.  Then He merges into Brahman who alone remains.  Thus Brahman is behind everything and one who comes to know this attains the realisation that in essence his individual Self is also same as Brahman, the Cosmic Self and becomes one with Brahman at death. 

Mantra 3-2

eko hi rudro na dvitiyaya tasthurya imamllokan isata isanibhih I

pratyan janamstishthati samchukochantakale saṃsrjya visva bhuvanani gopah II 3.2 II

Rudra is one who protects and controls the worlds by His own powers and He is one only. There is no one beside Him who can make Him the second.  He is present inside the hearts of all beings. After projecting and maintaining all the worlds, He finally withdraws them into Himself.

            Brahman is called Rudra in this Mantra and so Rudra has the three functions of creation, protection or maintenance and dissolution of the universe. The epithet Rudra means the destroyer of all that is false or evil, ignorance and their effects, sorrow and suffering and who confers wisdom and bliss. In the Rig Veda, Rudra is the personification of Brahman in Its destructive aspect. In the later portion of the Veda, Rudra is described as Siva, the auspicious, who has two aspects viz., Rudra meaning fierce and Saumya meaning the good.  Rudra after creating universe with his own power, Maya, takes them back unto himself at the time of pralaya or dissolution. Rudra is the antaryami, the indweller of all beings as individual Self.  He witnesses silently all the actions and thoughts of men and dispenses the fruits of their actions.

Mantra 3-3

visvatascakshuruta visvatomukho visvatobahuruta visvataspat I

sam bahubhyam dhamati sam patatrair dyavabhumi janayan deva ekah II 3.3 II

All eyes are His eyes, all faces are His faces, all arms are his arms, all feet are His feet.  He it is who endowed men with arms and birds with wings. He alone created the heaven and earth (and all that exists in-between).

            The same idea is repeated in verse 16 which is the Bhagavad Gita (13-14) sloka that is given below:

sarvatah paanipaadam tat sarvato’kshishiromukham;

sarvatah shrutimalloke sarvamaavritya tishtathi.

With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere He exists in all the worlds, enveloping all.

Brahman is immanent and transcendent.  He alone exists as everyone and everything in the world. Not only the world is created by Him, it is also supported by Him which is indicated by the statement regarding wings and hands.

Mantra 3-4

yo devanam prabhavas chodbhavas cha visvadhipo rudro maharshih I

hiranyagarbham janayamasa purvam sa no buddhya subhaya samyunaktu // 3.4 //

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 is a prayer to 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. This Mantra is repeated in Chapter4 (4-12).

Mantra 3-5 & 6

ya te rudra siva tanuraghora’papakasini I

taya nas tanuva samtamaya girisantabhichakasihi II 3.5 II

yam ishum girisanta haste bibharshyastave I

sivam giritra tam kuru ma himsih purusham jagat II 3.6 II

O Rudra, you who reside on a mountain peak, having a benign, calm, and holy presence, cast your kind glance at us. (5)  O You who reside in the Himalayas and the protector of the Himalayas, make benign that arrow which you hold in your hand ready to shoot. Please do not hurt us or the world with it. (6)

            The above Mantras 5 and 6 are also occurring in the Anuvaka 1 of Rudra Suktham (Namakam). These are prayers to the Lord to withdraw His terrible form and shower upon the world His blessings. Lord Siva is having two forms viz., one that is calm or benign (santa) and the other that is terrific (ghora). The prayers are to the benign Self for bringing the highest good or revealing only what is good with His kind glance and not letting the arrow in hand to hurt his devotees or the world. 

Mantra 3-7

tatah param brahma param brhantam yathanikayam sarvabhuteshu gudham I

visvasyaikam pariveshtitaram isam tam jnatva’mrta bhavanti II 3.7 II

The Supreme Brahman is greater than Virat, beyond Hiranyagarbha. He is vast and is hidden in the bodies of all living beings. By knowing Him, who envelops the world within Himself, one becomes immortal.

            The Supreme Brahman is everywhere, pervading the entire world and existing in all beings. And He is also beyond the phenomenal world. Virat is the totality of physical bodies in the universe. Brahman through his Maya identifies himself with Virat. Hiranyagarbha is the cosmic seed at the beginning of creation which is also called the totality of the mind of the universe and Brahman is identified as beyond this.  He who knows Brahman becomes Brahman, says Mundaka Upanishd (3.2.9):”sa yo ha vai tat paramam brahma veda brahm’aiva bhavati (Whoever knows the supreme Brahman becomes the very Brahman)”.  So, when through self-control, discrimination and meditation, one realizes Brahman as one’s own inner Self, then that one attains Liberation i.e. becomes one with Brahman at death liberated from the cycle of birth and death. 

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