The Upanishads

Prasthana Thraya – 2

Vedas  contain the rituals portion and the knowledge portion. The rituals portion containing upasanas as well is spoken of as Veda purva Bhaga or Karma Kanda. The knowledge portion which comes in the end is called Jnana Kanda or Veda anta Bhaga. Upanishads which occur in Veda anta Bhaga are referred to as Vedanta as well. The word 'Upanishad' is given many meanings. One of them is by splitting Upanishad as upa+ni+shad where ‘Upa’ stands for ‘to approach’; ‘ni’ stands for ‘steadfast’; ‘shad’ for ‘to destroy”. Together  the word  ‘Upanishad’ is interpreted to mean that knowledge, which destroys the ignorance of Brahman of those who approach it with shraddah and mumukshutvam and steadfastly abide by its teaching, in short BrahmaVidya, knowledge of Brahman, the Cosmic Supreme.

A major portion of Vedas are lost  along with the connected Upanishads and are not available.  So we have now only 108 Upanishads available to us. Of the 108, ten for which Sri Adhi Sankara has written commentaies are considered mukhya Upanishads. They are Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna,  Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittriya, Aitareya, Chandoya and Brihadaranyaka Upanishads.  There is a sloka connecting the ten which runs as:

Isa kena kaṭa prasna munḍa mandukya Tiithri I

Aitareyanca chandokyam Brihadharaṇyakam tatha. II

Some add Kaivalya and Swethasvathara Upanishads to the list of ten to make it twelve.  These twelve cover all the four Vedas as follows:

Rig Veda – Aitareya Upanishad

Yajur Veda – Isa, Katha, Taittriya, Brihadaranyaka, Kaivalya, Swethasvatara  Upanishads               

Sama Veda – Kena, Chandogya Upanishads

Atharva Veda – Mundaka, Mandukya, Prasna Upanishads

Besides Brahman, the Upanishads also deal with Jeeva, the individual and Jagat, the Universe and their mutual relations and these discussions form the core of Vedanta system as Upanishads are one of the Prasthana Thraya on which the system is based. Let us see them from Advaitic view-point. Brahman, Paramathma, is one without second and is Nirguna, without Gunas, Nirakara, formless, and Nirvisesha, without attributes, and impersonal and Brahman is Sat, Chit, Ananda i.e. Existence, Knowledge, Bliss in their absolute pure nature. Sat, Chit, Anandha constitute the intrinsic nature of Brahman and should not be treated as attributes, Nirguna Brahman has an unmanifest power, Maya.  Brahman with this inscrutable, undefinable power of Maya manifest is called Saguna Brahman or Iswara.  Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman are not two Brahmans, one the antithesis of other. It is the same truth from two different points of view, one Paramarthika point and the other Vyavaharika point i.e. transactional point.  Jagat, the Universe, a product of Maya, is mithya, vyavaharika satyam, transactional Reality.  It is available for experience, transactions and is useful but it is not absolutely Real, and it is only the unchanging Brahman that appears as the changing universe through Maya. Jeevathma, is the real Self of the individual, Jeeva, who is a combination of Self, Jeevathma, and non-Self, anathma. The entire body-mind-intellect complex is anathama and material and Jeevathma is the life force that lends sentiency to anathama through its manifestation in anathma.  Jeevathma is Pure Consciousness, Chaitanyam, and is not different from Brahman, Paramathma.  So Jeeva in his essential nature is same as Brahman and this identity is termed Jeeva-Brahma-aikyam, and this knowledge, Brahma Jnanam. The statements in the Upanishads that spell out this Ikyam are called Mahavakhyas.

Though there are a number of statements in various Upanishads giving Jiva Brahma Ikyam, one Mahavakhya only from each Veda is chosen, because of its brevity and directness, to represent all Mahavakhyas.  These four Mahavakhyas are:

1)    Prajnanam Brahma –“Consciousness is Brahman”. This occurs in Aitareya Upanishad of Rig Veda

2)    Aham Brahma Asmi – “I am Brahman”.  This occurs in Brihadharanyaka Upanishad of Yajur Veda

3)    Tat Tvam Asi – “That thou Are”.  This occurs in Chandogya Upanishad of Sama Veda.

4)    Ayam Athma Brahma – “This Self is Brahman”.  This occurs in Mandukya Upanishad of Atharva Veda.

Every Upanishad opens with a prayer termed shanti mantra, peace invocation.  Each shanti mantra ends with “Om Shantih Shantih Shantih”.  Here Om is the sound representation of Brahman.  Shantih stands for the peace that comes from the removal of obstacles to the successful pursuit of study of Upanishad.  The obstacles are classified into three types.  These are:

1.     Adhyathmikam – Obstacles arising from within oneself like one’s personal ill-health, negative mood etc. 

2.     Aadhi bauthikam – Obstacles arising from other known sources or external situations like ill-health of a family member, noisy neighbourhood etc.

3.     Aadhi daivikam – obstacles arising from unseen sources like floods, storm etc.

The Upanishads belonging to each Veda have a unique shanti mantra.

The Shanti mantra for Rig Veda Upanishads  is:

Om vaang me manasi pratishthitaa

Mano me vaachi pratishthitam

Aaveeraaveerma edhi vedasya ma aanisthah

Shrutam me maa prahaaseer anenaadheetena

Ahoraatraan samdadhaami ritam vadishyaami

Satyam vadishyaami tanmaamavatu tadvaktaaramavatu

Avatu maam avatu vaktaaram avatu vaktaaram

Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

Let my speech be rooted in my mind. Let my mind be rooted in my speech. Let Brahman reveal Himself to me. Let my mind and speech enable me to grasp the truths of the Vedas. Let not what I have heard forsake me. Let me spend both day and night continuously in study. I think truth, I speak the truth. May that Truth protect me! May that Truth protect the teacher! Om peace, peace, peace!

The Shanti mantra for Krishna Yajur Veda Upanishads :

Om saha naavavatu sahanau bhunaktu
Saha veeryam karavaavahai

Tejasvi naavadheetamastu maa vidvishaavahai
Om shantih shantih shantih

May He protect us both (teacher and the taught)! May He cause us both to enjoy the bliss of Mukti ! May we both exert to discover the true meaning of the sacred scriptures! May our studies be fruitful! May we never quarrel with each other! 

Om peace, peace, peace!

The Shanti mantra for Sukla Yajur Veda Upanishads :

Om poornamadah poornamidam
Poornaat poornamudachyate

Poornasya poornamaadaya
Poornamevaavashishyate

 Om shantih shantih shantih

That (pure consciousness) is full (perfect); this (the manifest universe of matter) is full. This fullness has been projected from that fullness. When this fullness merges in that fullness, all that remains is fullness.  Om peace, peace, peace!

The Shanti mantra for Sama Veda Upanishads :

Om aapyaayantu mamaangaani vaak
Praanashchakshuh shrotramatho

Balamindriyaani cha sarvaani sarvam brahmopanishadam
Maaham brahma niraakuryaam maa maa brahma niraakarod

Aniraakaranamastu aniraakaranam me astu
Tadaatmani nirate ya upanishatsu dharmaaste

Mayi santu te mayi santu.
Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

May my limbs, speech, Prana, eye, ear and power of all my senses grow vigorous! All is the pure Brahman of the Upanishads. May I never deny that Brahman! May that Brahman never desert me! Let that relationship endure. Let the virtues recited in the Upanishads be rooted in me. May they repose in me! Om peace. peace. peace!

The Shanti mantra for Atharva Veda Upanishads :

Om bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah
Bhadram pashyemaakshabhiryajatraah

Sthirairangaistushtuvaamsastanoobhih
Vyashema devahitam yadaayuh

Swasti na indro vridhashravaah
Swasti nah pooshaa vishwavedaah

Swasti nastaarkshyo arishtanemih
Swasti no brihaspatir dadhaatu.

Om shantih, shantih, shantih! 

Om, O Devas, may our ears hear what is good and auspicious! May we see what is auspicious! May we sing your praise, live our allotted span of life in perfect health and strength! May Indra (who is) extolled in the scriptures, Surya, the all-knowing, Garuda, who saves from all harm, and Brihaspati who protects our spiritual lustre, vouchsafe prosperity in our study of the scriptures and the practice of the truths contained therein! Om peace, peace, peace!

The Upanishads have been translated into various European languages like Italian, French, Latin, German, Dutch, Polish, Spanish and Russian, besides Asian languages like Japanese.   Mughal prince, Mohammed Dara Shukoh, took keen interest in the study of Upanishads and produced a collection of upanishads translated from Sanskrit into Persian. German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, impressed by the upanishads, called the texts "the production of the highest human wisdom."  Swami Vivekananda who had said “ I have never quoted anything but the Upanishads” has also declared “ The Upanishads are the great mine of strength.  Therein lies strength enough to invigorate the whole world ---“  

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Mahavakhya

(I received a few queries regarding Mahavakhya, of which I made a reference in my blog "I AM THAT I AM"  So by way of explanation I am publishing here my article that appeared in Medha, the annual magazine of school of Vedic Sciences, Sydney)

A mahavakhya is a Vedic statement that occurs in Upanishad giving the oneness of Jiva with Brahman, which is referred to as Jiva Brahma Ikyam. Swami Chinmayananda calls the mahavakhya an identity revealing statement. Since it reveals the central teaching of the Upanishads, it is called Tatparya Vakhyam. The Vedic statement that refers to Brahman without dealing with Jiva Brahma Ikyam is called avaantara vakhya. Though there are a number of statements giving Jiva Brahma Ikyam, one mahavakhya only from each Veda is chosen, because of its brevity and directness, to represent all mahavakhyas. These four mahavakhyas are:

1)    Prajnanam Brahma –“Consciousness is Brahman”. This occurs in Aitareya Upanishad of Rig Veda

2)    Aham Brahma Asmi – “I am Brahman”.  This occurs in Brihadharanyaka Upanishad of Yajur Veda

3)    Tat Tvam Asi – “That thou Are”.  This occurs in Chandogya Upanishad of Sama Veda.

4)    Ayam Athma Brahma – “This Self is Brahman”.  This occurs in Mandukya Upanishad of Atharvana Veda.

There is a story connecting all these four Mahavakhyas. A sishya went to a guru and told him “Sir, I want to know about Brahman”. Guru asked him to go and meditate on the vakhya “Prajnanam Brahma”. Since this is a vakhya given for meditation practice it is called abhyasa vakhya. The sishya went and meditated on the vakhya. When he meditated on the vakhya, he was startled by the mind-boggling discovery he made and wondered whether the Consciousness that activates him can be the supreme cosmic force, Brahman. So he came to the guru again for confirmation and guru replied affirmatively “Tat Tvam Asi”. Since this is given as a teaching, it is called updesa vakhya. The sishya went and again meditated for a time and then returned to the guru and told him, “Aham Brahmasmi”. Since this vakhya is uttered after realisation it is called anubhuthi vakhya. Guru agreed with him with this statement “Ayam Athma Brahma”. So this is called sammatha vakhya.

Mahavakhya removes the misconception that Self is different from Brahman.  As Brahman is the source of security, peace and happiness, bhedha buddhi makes one run after these searching them elsewhere and Ikya Buddhi i.e. knowledge of identity, makes one realize them within oneself.  Abiding in this knowledge of Jiva Brahma Ikyam at all times, gives one Jivan Mukthi, i.e. Moksha, while living. In that sense mahavakhya gives one, liberating Self Knowledge.  But we should always remember that when Self is equated with Brahman it is like equating water in the ocean with water in a container in the seashore on the basis that both have the same chemical formula H₂O or like equating tiny waves in the ocean with the mighty ocean itself on the basis that both are essentially water only. It is not the individual with the upadhi of sareera triam, equated with the Brahman with the upadhi of prapancha triam. We shall see this briefly taking one of the mahavakhyas for analysis, namely the updesa vakhya.

“Tat Tvam Asi” occurs in Chapter 6 of Chandogya Upanishad, where Guru Uddalaka instructs sishya Svetaketu through examples the nature of Brahman. The importance of this upadesa vakhya can be seen from the fact that it is repeated nine times in the course of the teaching. This statement is in the form of an equation Tat=Tvam.  Equating both sides is not necessary if they are same like, 5 and 5. Again equating both sides is not possible when they are different like, 5 and 8. Equating becomes necessary, only if they appear to be different but, on analysis, they reveal identity like, 5+1 & 8-2. That is what happens in this equation Tat=Tvam, when you take the lakshyartha for Tat and Tvam, instead of the vachyartha.

Vachyartha, which is also called mukhya artha, is the primary meaning and lakshyartha is the secondary meaning. When I say I bought a banana, it means I bought the whole fruit.  But when I say I ate a banana, it refers only to the pulp portion and not to the whole fruit with the skin. In the first instance, we have taken the primary (literal) meaning, vachyartha, for banana i.e. the whole fruit with skin. In the second instance we have taken the secondary (contextual) meaning, lakshyartha, for banana i.e. the edible portion without the inedible skin. For getting the lakshyartha in the place of vachyartha, we employ one of the three following methods:

1)    Jahallakshana – Taking the secondary meaning, excluding the primary meaning. For example when you order takeaway coffee, and you are asked ‘any sugar’ and you reply ‘two spoons’, coffee is given not with two spoons, but with two spoonful sugar mixed.

2)    Ajahallakshana – Taking the secondary meaning, without sacrificing the primary meaning. For example when you order coffee, it is served in a cup which you have not ordered but understood.

3)    Jahadajahallakshana or Bhagatyagalakshana - Retaining certain portion of the primary meaning i.e. primary meaning is partially included and partially excluded as in the case of eating a banana, where only pulp portion is included and the skin portion excluded, while understanding the statement.

We are employing one of the three methods regularly for finding lakshyartha, when the vachyartha does not fit in. Only we are doing it automatically, without our being even aware of it. In the case of the statement, Tat Tvam Asi, when we take the vachyartha of both, we cannot equate the Jiva who is mortal and has all types of limitations and Brahman who is eternal and transcends all limitations. So we go to the lakshyartha of both on the basis of sastras, which is the pramanam for all matters concerning Self and Brahman, that cannot be objectified or conceptualized. Employing bhagatyagalakshana method and taking out the unequal upadhis ie sareera triam in Jiva and prapancha triam in Brahman we are left with Consciousness on both sides of the equation and that is identical. The same is done in anubhuthi vakhya, Aham Brahma Asmi, understanding Aham as standing for the Self , which is consciousness and not as referring to the individual as such with the body mind complex. The other two mahavakhyas, Prajnanam Brahma and Ayam Athma Brahma are much more straightforward as Consciousness is Athma, as per sastras. 

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