Svetasvathara Upanishad – 5

Chapter 2 (Mantras 1 to 7) 

Mantra 2-1

yunjanah prathamam manas tatvaya savita dhiyah I

agner jyotir nichayya prthivya adhyabharat II 2.1 II

May the Sun (at the commencement of yoga) join the mind and other organs to the Supreme Self (so that we may attain the Knowledge of Brahman).   May He, also, support the body through the powers of the deities who control the senses.

            This chapter starts with a prayer by a spiritual seeker to Savitha, the Sun. as Sun is thought of as a symbol of Brahman with Sakthi, the power of all the Devatas. Through this prayer the spiritual seeker appeals to the Sun that He may kindly direct the seeker’s mind and other faculties which are normally occupied with external objects towards Brahman, the Cosmic Self.  The natural tendency of the mind and organs is to perceive external objects. As long as they perceive the external objects, the Self remains beyond one’s vision. Therefore, the prayer is for their control and turning inward so that their energy is not dissipated. By praying to Savita, the Sun, the symbol of cosmic energy, the extrovert nature of the mind is controlled, redirected inward and focused for success in yoga. 

Mantra 2-2

yuktena manas vayam devasya savituh save I

suvargeyaya saktya II 2.2 II

Having received the blessings of the divine Sun and with minds joined to the Supreme Self, we exert ourselves, to the best of our power, toward meditation, by which we shall attain Heaven (union with Brahman).

            This Mantra speaks of the necessity for constant and vigorous practice, Abhyasa, which according to Patanjali, forms along with Vairagya, the most necessary requirement for success in yoga.  The Supreme Self, Brahman is called heaven here because It alone is of the nature of absolute Bliss and in which all other joys are included. With the Grace of Sun and with mind controlled, the meditator seeks union with Brahman. Thus the essence of the Mantra is: “let one, through meditation and Grace of Savita, strive for that absolute joy itself which is Brahman only”. 

Mantra 2-3

yuktvaya manasa devan suvar yato dhiya divam I

brhajjyotih karishyatah savita prasuvati tan II 2.3 II

May the Sun join the senses and the mind to the Self, so that the senses may be directed toward the Blissful Brahman and may reveal, by means of Knowledge, the radiant Brahman.

            The Sun is prayed for turning one’s mind and the sense organs inward. Unless one turns one’s mind inward and re-directs the course of one’s thoughts from the external world one cannot know one’s Self. Once the mind and the sense organs become strong and refuse to be swayed by the external attractions and distractions, one becomes fit for the experience of Brahman. One’s prayer is to prepare the body, mind and intellect in such a way that one can attain Self-Knowledge. So the prayer is not only for stilling the outgoing mind and organs and turning inward but also to ensure they do not slip back to extrovertedness.

Mantra 2-4

yunjate mana uta yunjate dhiyo vipra viprasya brhato vipaschitah I

vi hotra dadhe vayunavideka inmahi devasya savituh parishtutih II 2.4 II

Those learned sages who are able to concentrate their minds and sense organs on the Cosmic Self should be grateful to the all-pervasive, all-knowing great Sun God. This Sun God is wise, unique and the inspirer of all activities.

            After reiterating the necessity for the prayers to make the mind inward, this Mantra makes a reference to the learned sages who have been able to unite their minds and organs with the Self. They offer abundant praise to the Sun as all-pervading and all-knowing, all-witnessing and non-dual, who has granted them their prayers to bestow them Self-Knowledge and unite them with the Self.

Mantra 2-5

yuje vam brahma purvyam namobhir visloka etu pathyeva sureh I

srnvanthi visve amrtasya putra a ye dhamani divyani tasthuh II 2.5 II

O my senses and their presiding deities! Through salutations I unite myself with the eternal Brahman, who is your source. Let this prayer sung by me, who follow the right path of the Sun, go forth in all directions. May you all, the children of immortal bliss and also those in the celestial regions, hear it!

            This is one of the important Mantras of this Upanishad as it refers to the entire human race as ‘amritasya putrah’ - sons of immortality showcasing all the humans as divine. Swami Vivekananda elaborated this Mantra and its ideas at the Parliament of Religions held in 1893 at Chicago.  This Mantra is also in praise of Savitha.  The seeker salutes the sense organs and their presiding deities by whose grace he is able to concentrate and attain Brahman. Let everyone hear this message wherever one is, in this world or elsewhere. Let all wise people help spread this message for the benefit of humanity.

Mantra 2-6

agnir yatrabhimathyate vayur yatradhirudhyate I

somo yatratirichyate tatra samjayate manah II 2.6 II

Where fire is produced by the rubbing of fire-woods, where there is no wind blowing and the soma drink is abundant, there the mind attains perfection.

            Fire in Vedic terminology stands for intellectual knowledge in the form of ideas couched in language.  Of the two pieces of fire-wood used for rubbing, the upper one stands for acharya and the lower for disciple and the rubbing for the process of study. This process refers to Jnana yoga. ‘The wind does not blow’ refers to pranayama, the control of breadth, which is part of Raja yoga. ‘Overflow of soma juice’ stands for Karma yoga as soma juice is used at the time of Vedic sacrifices. So the Mantra is to be interpreted as aiming for a synthesis of Karma yoga, Raja yoga and Jnana yoga for the realization of the Brahman, as revealed by Mahavakhyas. The interpretation is as follows: “The seeker should first practice Karma yoga performing the sacrifices and other rituals prescribed in the Vedas. Then he should practice breath-control and other disciplines of Raja yoga, cultivate meditation and finally realize the meaning of Mahavakyas like ‘Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)’ through Jnana yoga and attain the highest Bliss”.

Mantra 2-7

savitra prasavena jusheta brahma purvyam I

tatra yonim krnavase nahi te purtam akshipat II 2.7 II

A spiritual seeker should seek the grace of Savitha, the source of the universe, and concentrate on meditating on the eternal Brahman.  This will save the seeker from the karma of activities that bind one to this world.

            The Mantra emphasizes the importance of performing work with the right attitude as opposed to merely performing work taking the world and the work to be real as such. Right attitude means without attachment and with right perception. For example, if one perceives a woman as a woman his reactions will be different from that when he perceives her as a manifestation of the Divine Mother; the one leads to bondage and the other to Moksha. The Mantra emphasises that a spiritual seeker should seek the blessings of Savita who is the source of the universe and concentrate on that eternal Brahman. This will also save the seeker from being drawn into worldly activities and entanglements. 

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Kaivalya Upanishad – 1

 

Shanthi Mantra & Mantra 1

Upanishads form the end portion of Vedas, Veda anta bhaga, and are called Vedanta as well. Since this portion deals with the knowledge of Brahman and its realization and gives the knowledge of jiva, the individual, jagat, the universe and their relationship with each other and with Brahman, this is the philosophical portion of Vedas and is called the jnana khanda.  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.  The word Upanishad primarily refers to the knowledge of the Brahman, and secondarily to the book that contains the knowledge of Brahman. 

The Kaivalya Upanishad belongs to the Atharvana Veda and is considered to be a minor Upanishad as it does not belong to the group of ten for which Sri Aadhi Sankara has written commentary and are called ‘Major Upanishads’.  The word Kaivalya comes from the basic word Kevala meaning “alone” and refers to the state of aloneness, of unity and identity with the Supreme Reality, Brahman.  Though small in size, comprising only about 25 mantras, its scope is vast; covering a range of initial spiritual disciplines to the ultimate experience of the Supreme Reality. Kaivalya Upanishad is described by Swami Chinmayananda as one of the striking Upanishads among the ‘Minor’ ones.  In his flowery language Swamiji states “Spun from pure philosophy, carefully carded with subjective experience, the ideas weave themselves into a vivid pattern of the attractive Reality”

This Upanishad opens with the peace invocation (Shanthi Mantra), which is unique to all Upanishads belonging to Atharvana Veda. Through this peace invocation the student prays for 1) sound physical, intellectual and emotional health, 2) A full life of worshipful attitude to all devas and 3) freedom from all types of obstacles that may hinder successful completion of the study and understanding of the Upanishad.  Swami Vivekananda interprets the first two lines of this Shanthi Mantra as” Let positive strong helpful thoughts enter into our brain from childhood”

The Shanthi Mantra, which is self-explanatory, runs as:

“Om bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah Bhadram pashyemaakshabhiryajatraah I Sthirairangaistushtuvaamsastanoobhih
Vyashema devahitam yadaayuh I Swasti na indro vridhashravaah
Swasti nah pooshaa vishwavedaah I Swasti nastaarkshyo arishtanemih
Swasti no brihaspatir dadhaatu.II  Om shantih, shantih, shantih!  II”

 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 Shanti Mantra like other Shanthi Mantras, 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.

Now let us enter the Upanishad proper and see the first Mantra.  The Upanishad opens with a great sage, Asvalayana, a fully qualified student with Chitha suddhi and Chitha ekagratha attained through practice of Karma yoga and Upasana yoga, approaching Lord Brahma requesting that he be taught the Brahma Vidya.  The Mantra reads as:

Athasvanalano bhagavantam paramesthinamupasametyovaca I  -

Adhihi bhagavo brahmavidyam varistam, Sada sadbhih sevyamanam nigudham |

Yayaciratsarvapapam vyapohya, Paratparam purusam yati vidvan || 1 ||

Thereafter, the sage Asvalayana approached Lord Brahma and requested (thus) – “Oh Lord! Teach (me) the noblest and the most secret knowledge of Brahman which is pursued constantly by the noble ones and by which (knowledge) the wise man destroys all the papas before long and attains Brahman which is beyond Maya.

The Upanishad begins with the introduction of the guru and disciple so that the teaching can be presented as a dialogue between them. An indirect message is conveyed through this format that Self enquiry should be conducted only with the help of a competent spiritual guide.  It starts with the word ‘atha’ meaning thereafter to emphasise that only after qualifying himself fully through preliminary sadhanas, the disciple, sage Asvalayana, has approached the guru, Lord Brahma, for the knowledge of Brahman.  A guru’s guidance is necessary for acquiring this knowledge is emphasised in Mundaka Upanishad as well wherein it is stated in the second line of Mantra 1-2-12: “Tadvijnanartham sa gurumevabhigacchet, samitpanih srotriyam brahmanistham (to attain that knowledge (Brahma Vidya), he must necessarily approach, with samit in hand, a teacher who is learned in scriptures and established in Brahman). 

This knowledge is called ‘secret’ because it deals with a subject that is deeply hidden to our mind and senses and also it can be understood and absorbed only by the few who are pure at heart.  Lord Krishna calls it in Gita (9-2) ‘rajavidya rajaguhyam ( the greatest knowledge and the greatest secret)’.  Kathopanishad (1-2-7) also states:

Sravanayapi bahubhiryo na labhyah, srnvanto’pi bahavo yam na vidyuh |

Ascaryo vakta kusalo’sya labdha, ascaryo jnata kusalanusistah ||

This knowledge is not available even for listening to many. In spite of listening, many do not understand this. The one who reveals is a wonder. The one who discovers this is a wonder. Instructed by a (spiritual) master, the one who knows (this) is a wonder.  

As only a rare set of people understand and absorb this knowledge, it is called a secret.  The Knowledge is described as destroying all papas.  Not only papas but all karmas also get destroyed can be seen from Lord Krishna’s words in Gita (4-37) “jnanagnih sarvakarmani bhasmasat kurute (The fire of knowledge will destroy all the karmas)”.  Sanchita and Agami karmas are destroyed and Prarabhdha is as good as destroyed for the Jnani, as he is unperturbed by its presence or absence.

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