Mandukya Upanishad - 2

 

Mantras 1, 2 & 3

Mantra 1

oṃ ityetadaksaraṃ idagṃ sarvaṃ tasyopavyakhyanaṃ

bhutaṃ bhavad bhavisyaditi sarvamonkara eva ।

yaccanyat trikalatitaṃ tadapyonkara eva ॥ 1॥

The syllable AUM is all this. (Now follows) a clear and complete exposition of that (syllable.) All this belonging to the past, the present, and the future is Omkara only. And anything else, which is beyond the three periods of time is also Omkara only. 

In the first Mantra, the Upanishad introduces Omkara-vichara, analysis of syllable AUM.  The Upanishad states that Omkara, the word or syllable AUM is everything in the creation and explains that everything belonging to the past, present and future, whether they are inert objects or sentient living beings, are all nothing but Omkara. Whatever the ultimate or absolute reality is, which is beyond past, present and future, is also Omkara. Thus what falls within time and what lies beyond time is nothing but Omkara.  Since Omkara is within time and beyond time, by analyzing Omkara, we are analyzing everything. Thus Omkara is a precious syllable. Omkara is everything and so understanding Omkara amounts to understanding everything within time and beyond time.

The pots that have come out of mud are sustained by mud and go back to mud when they are destroyed. Similarly, the visual world phenomena come out of Brahman, exist in Brahman, and return to Brahman when they are withdrawn from their manifestation.  That Brahman, the eternal, all-pervading principle of Consciousness is represented by the word-symbol AUM is the message of Mantra 1

Mantra 2

sarvaṃ hi etad brahma ayamatma brahma so'yamatma catuṣpat ॥ 2॥ 

All this is verily Brahman. This Athma is Brahman. This Athma has four quarters or Padas.

In this second Mantra Athma-vichara, Self-enquiry, is introduced.  We have three statements in this Mantra which are as under:

1. All this is verily Brahman.

2. This Athma is Brahman.

3. This Athma has four quarters or padas.

We shall now examine these statements.   It is stated in the first Mantra that Omkara is the sound representation of Brahman. Since Omkara is everything in creation, this is also true of Brahman and hence the first statement that all is verily Brahman.  The second statement is a Maha Vakhya that spells out Jiva-Brahma Ikyam.  Brahman which is everything in creation is also as Athma in Jiva making the inert body-mind complex sentient through its reflection in the mind, Chidabhasa.  Athma being one’s true Self, the enquiry into Athma is enquiry into Self i.e.Self-enquiry.  This is first taken up in verses 3 to 7, to be followed by Omkara-vichara in verses 8 to 12.  The enquiry is started with the third statement i.e. the Athma has four quarters or padas.

Here padas mean aspects or facets and not limbs like the four legs of a cow.  The Upanishad wants to say that Athma seems to possess four attributes or four aspects viz., the waking, the dream, the deep sleep and Turiya planes of Consciousness although the first three aspects devolve into the fourth in actuality.  The padas are discussed in the subsequent verses sequentially.

Mantra – 3

The waking state

jagaritasthano bahiṣprajnah saptanga ekonaviṃsatimukhah

sthula bhugvaisvanaraḥ prathamaḥ padaḥ ॥ 3॥

The first quarter (pada) is Vaisvanara, whose field of activity is the waking state, who is conscious of the external world of objects, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and who is the experiencer of gross material objects of the world. 

The waking consciousness is the first pada of the Athma,  the first aspect or phase of experience that Upanishad is studying and investigating. The waking Consciousness is jagaritasthanah, that consciousness which has its abode in the wakeful condition of the individual.  It is bahisprajnah, conscious only of the external world, not conscious of what is inside the body.  Virat is the name given to Consciousness as animating the physical universe.  Virat Purusha is the Cosmic Purusha whom Arjuna saw Lord Krishna as and described in the eleventh chapter of Bhagavad Gita.  Virat Purusha is called here Vaisvanara.  Vaisvanara is derived from the term visva-nara where visva means Comos and nara, man and together means the cosmic Purusha, Virat.  We have seen earlier that Athma is Brahman or the individual Self is Universal Self. On this basis the Upanishad is making use of the samashti term in the Mantra for discussing the waking state Consciousness namely Vaisvanara  instead of Vishwa, the vyashti term.  This is because in the waking state, the entire gross world is the field for the individual to interact with, not just one’s own individual body (Vishwa) which is the case in dream and deep sleep states, where the individual only is involved and not the external world.  The first pada is not the waking state itself but the Consciousness in association with the waking state, during which alone the total gross world can be experienced.  

The Upanishad uses both the microcosm and macrocosm in its description of the Consciousness associated with the waking state.   Thus we have the description that it has seven limbs and nineteen mouths. The nineteen mouths are associated with individual Self, Viswa, mouth representing the point of interaction with the external world and the seven limbs with the Universal Self, Virat, covering the entire Cosmos.   The nineteen mouths associated with individual Self, Viswa, are; the five Jnanendriyas i.e, Ear, Eye, Nose, Skin, Tongue; the five Karmendriyas i.e. Hands, Feet, Speech, Anus, Genitals; Panchapranas i.e. Prana, Apana, Vyana,Samana, Udana: and Anthakarana  i.e. Manas, Buddhi, Ahamkara and Chitham.  The seven limbs associated with the Universal Self, Virat, are; Heaven as Head; Sun and Moon as Eyes; Fire as Mouth; Air as Prana; Space as Body; Water as bladder; and Earth as Legs.  Thus Athma, the observer is appearing as Viswa and Virat in the waking state. So in the study of first pada, the waking Consciousness, the Upanishad is bringing about a harmony between the microcosm and macrocosm. 

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Mandukya Upanishad – 1

 

Introduction & Shanthi Mantra

Upanishad means 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.  Upanishads form the end portion of Vedas, Veda anta bhaga, and so 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.  The earlier portion of Vedas, Veda purva bhaga, deals only with karmas and upasanas and is called the karma khanda.  So while karma khanda focusses on action, the end portion, Veda anta bhaga, called Jnana khanda focusses on knowledge.

Vedas are divided into sakhas.  Each sakha contains an Upanishad.  Originally the Vedas had 1180 sakhas, of which many are lost now.  So we are now having 108 Upanishads only instead of 1180.  Out of these 108, the ten Upanishads for which Sri Aadhi Sankara had written commentaries are referred to as mukhya Upanishads. Mandukya Upanishad is a mukhya Upanishad and belongs to Atharvana Veda and is named after the sage Manduka, with whom it is associated.  It is the shortest of the ten mukhya Upanishads with just 12 Mantras but “presents the quintessence of the entire Upanishadic teaching” according to Swami Chinmayananda.   Mukthika Upanishad states “Mandukya by itself is capable of leading an aspirant to Liberation (Mandukyam ekam kevalam mumukshunam vimuktaye)”.   For Mandukya Upanishad Sri Gaudapadacharya, guru of Sri Aadhi Sankara has written a detailed explanatory analysis called Mandukyakarika consisting of 215 karikas or verses of analysis.  The importance of Mandukyakarika can be seen from the fact that for a student of Vedanta, the study of this Upanishad is not deemed complete without the study of Mandukyakarika as well.  The 12 Mantras of the Upaishad plus the 215 karikas are divided into 4 chapters.  The first chapter is called Agamaprakaraṇam (Vedic text). This chapter contains the entire Upanishad and 29 karikas. The second chapter is called Vaitathyaprakaraṇam (unreality of the objective world) containing 38 karikas on the mithya nature of the universe. The third chapter is titled Advaitaprakaraṇam (non-dualism) containing 48 karikas dealing with the non-dual nature of Athma. The fourth chapter is called Alatasantiprakaraṇam (quenching the fire-brand) containing 100 karikas, which answers all the possible objections to the teaching contained in the Upanishad.  We will deal with the main Upanishad only in these blogs.

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 arishtanemihSwasti 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 ends with “Om shantih, shantih, shantih!”  where Om is the sound representation of Brahman and  ‘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.

Mantra 1 let us see in the next blog.

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Our Quarantine Saga

 

Normally when I plan my trip to India, I have a feeling why not make it a year.  But then it will end up in a 4 to 5 - month trip only.  But this time when I left for India on a near six-month trip on 19^th Nov. 2019, it got extended to 20 months forcibly by the pandemic lockouts. Luckily before the lockout came into force we could take a trip to Madurai to offer our grateful prayers on 1^st Feb.20 at Tiruparankunram temple where we got married sixty years back. This trip was also made memorable by my brother, brother-in-law and co-brother and Rajam’s sisters and sister-in-law who all surprised us in the train by their presence in the same compartment as ourselves. The trip with them all to Madurai and later to Palani was one of the most enjoyed trips in our life.  Better it was that way for it was the only time that we could get out of Chennai in those twenty months of stay.  Even in Chennai our movements were mostly confined to Ashoknagar and West Mambalam in the fifteen months starting from April 20, the only break being our trip to the temples at Mangadu and Vadapalani on the occasion of our daughter Suchy’s Sixtieth Birthday on 5/3/21 which we could not attend in person at Sydney because of the lack of regular flights.   Only repatriation flights organized by Australian Government were in operation and they too did not start from Chennai.  At last when three repatriation flights from Chennai were announced, we booked our tickets in one of them, even though the flights were to Darwin only where all passengers have to undergo quarantine for a fortnight and return negative results in the weekly covid tests before then can fly to their desired destinations.  

But these flights were later changed to start from Delhi only and loaded with an additional condition that passengers should undergo self-isolation in a specified hotel in Delhi for three days and undergo covid test (PCR) arranged by them and can take the flight only if the test result is negative. Also one has to undergo the rapid antigen test at the time of admission to hotel and return negative result for admission to the hotel.  So we cancelled our bookings and waited for better days. After waiting for 45 days in vain, we decided to take the risk and booked for a repatriation flight from Delhi to Darwin on July 17 and for flight from Chennai to Delhi on July 14.  At the Delhi airport, our niece Swetha and her husband Debasish met us and escorted us to the hotel.  They also gave us a travel bag full of ready-to-eat packet foods to see us through the quarantine.

The quarantine hotel was Hotel Leela palace, a star hotel in Chanakyapuri, Delhi.  We waited in the foyer where the rapid antigen test was administered and when the test results came as negative were escorted to our room where we have to stay in isolation for the next three days. We were to confine ourselves to the room and can communicate in person only with the hotel staff who came to the corridor to place the food on the table outside.  The food was good and the room was comfortable with the usual amenities of a star hotel.  Only regret was we could not meet our niece and her husband after they left us in the hotel.  The next morning the PCR test was taken and on the morning of the day of departure, once more the rapid antigen test was done.  Both proving negative we were escorted to the airport and we heived a sigh of relief when we boarded the aircraft and took our seats.  The plane was fairly crowded and it was not a ‘bubble flight’.  The next morning it landed in Darwin, not in the regular airport but in the military airport.  The passengers were allowed to disembark in batches only.  When our turn came and we disembarked and checked out, we were taken in bus to the quarantine centre at Howard springs.

Howards springs facility was the accommodation earlier built to house the thousands working to build a huge gas plant inside Darwin's harbour.  This consisted of portable prefab blocks known as “dongas” and this facility is now called

Centre for National Resilience. Each block consists of four units. We were allotted adjacent units in H1-6 block as each unit can accommodate one person only. Only children are allowed to stay with parents.  The four units have a shared verandah and are self-contained.  Only there is no microwave oven and the electric kettle provided can be used for heating water only. Cooker and any other electrical appliance are prohibited.  Each room had air-conditioning and television.  Tea, coffee, sugar sachets and milk carton and disposable cups were also provided.

Police and soldiers patrol daily to ensure people wear masks and do not wander outside their verandah except for garbage disposal or visits to the laundry units.  But one can sit outside in the verandah and can enjoy the blue skies and the fresh air watching the trees and the birds or if one prefers have one’s work-outs anytime there.  One can also chat with the other persons in the block or the people in adjacent and opposite blocks from one’s verandah when no official is around.  It was really a beautiful sight to watch when the block’s yellow lights were turned on after sunset.

The problem we experienced was not only the restrictions in movements but also the food we were served.   Teams wearing personal ­protective gear and wheeling carts deliver packed food for the night, next day morning and afternoon in a single lot daily at about 5 p.m. which is left on the verandah to be collected by the inmates.  On our request we were given rice with dhal and vegan yoghurt for dinner and bread roll with butter and jam for breakfast on some days.  As for lunch it was mostly cold salad.  But there was a sweet dish and a fruit every day. The packets given by my niece at Delhi came in very handy to use in the place of the cold salad.  We also supplemented the dishes by getting banana bread, fruit yoghurt and muffins from local IGA store through online order which is allowed.  

We underwent Covid tests on day 1, 7 and 12.  Tests proving negative we were allowed to leave on the 14^th day.  Our son-in-law Kumar had already booked our flights to Sydney from Darwin.  We were taken to the Darwin regular airport by bus in the afternoon. We checked in and celebrated our release from quarantine with a cappuccino and raisin toast in boarding lounge and boarded our flight to Sydney.   Suchy met us at the Sydney airport and took us home to our great relief bringing to an end our journey through quarantine. 

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Kaivalya Upanishad – 6

 

Mantras 20 to End

Mantra 20

Anoraniyanahameva tadvad, mahanaham visvamaham vicitram I

Puratano’ham purusho’hamisah, hiranmayo’ham sivarupamasmi II 20 II

I am subtler than the subtle and also I am big.  I am the manifold universe. I am the ancient one. I am the all-pervasive one. (I am) the ruler. I am the effulgent one. I am the very auspiciousness.

In this Mantra sishya is narrating what he learnt about Brahman, ascribing them to his Self i.e. Brahma-lakshanam as his Self-lakshnam.  Through this he is revealing to guru that he has understood well what he taught regarding the description of Brahman in Upanishads as well as the fact of Jiva-Brahma-Ikyam.  So substituting in this Mantra ‘I’ by its lakshyartha ‘Brahman’ the the sishya’s statement will read as:-“Brahman is subtler than the subtlest while It is also bigger than biggest.  Brahman is verily this universe with all its diversities.   Brahman is the most ancient i.e. without beginning.  It pervades everything everywhere. Brahman is Supreme, self-shining, and embodiment of Pure Happiness. That Brahman is “I””.  This is also a Nitidyasana Mantra.

Mantra 21

Apanipado’hamachintyasaktih, pasyamyacaksuh sa srnomykarnah |

Aham vijanami vivikatrupah, na chasti vetta mama citsadaham || 21 ||

I am without hands and legs; (yet) I am endowed with incomprehensible power. I see without eyes. I hear without ears. Endowed with a distinct nature, I know (everything). But there is no one who is the knower of me.  I am ever the pure consciousness.

Mantra 21 is a continuation of the Self-declaration as Brahman made in the previous Mantra.  This is also a Nitidyasana Mantra

Apanipado’hamachintyasaktih – ‘I am without hands and legs’ does not mean Brahman is disabled. Here the hands and legs represent all the five Karmendriyas.  Athma, the Pure Consciousness, in one has no need to respond to outside world and it is the source of life in one’s Karmendriyas and its power cannot be comprehended because Maya is its power as Brahman.

pasyamyacaksuh sa srnomykarnah – “I see without eyes,  I hear without ears” means Athma, the Pure Consciousness, is the hearing power behind the ears and the seeing power behind the eyes.  Eyes and ears represent all five Jnanendriyas and Athma, the Pure Consciousness is the source of intelligence in Jnanendriyas.

Aham vijanami vivikatrupah – Athma, the Pure Consciousness, is aware of everything as it is Knowledge itself and as It pervades all living beings as Athma

na chasti vetta mama citsadaham -  Pure Consciousness i.e. Brahman is always the subject, the knowing principle itself  and is not an object of knowledge.

That Pure Consciousness is “I”

Mantra 22

Vedairanekairahameva vedyaḥ, vedantakrdvedavideva chaham I

Na punyapape mama nasti nasah, na janmadehendriyabuddhirasti I

Na bhumirapo na cha vahnirasti, na chanilo me’sti na chambaram cha II 22 II

I alone am to be known through all the Vedas. I am the initiator of the Vedanta. I alone am the knower of the Vedas. Punya and papa do not belong to me. There is no death (for me). Birth, body, sense organs, and intellect do not belong (to me). Earth and water do not belong (to me).  Fire also does not belong (to me). Air also does not belong (to me). Space also does not belong to me.

Continuing with the topic of Nitidyasanam, sishya says

Vedairanekairahameva vedyah, vedantakrdvedavideva chaham – this line is almost the same as the second line of Bhagavad Gita verse 15-15, with the word ‘sarvaih’ in the place of ‘anekaih’.  Here also substituting Brahman, the lakshyartha, for “I”, this can be read as “Through the four Vedas Brahman is the ultimate truth to be known.   Brahman is the author of all Vedas as Iswara and also the content of all Vedas.”

Na punyapape mama nasti nasah, na janmadehendriyabuddhirasti -  Brahman does not have the conditionings of body, mind and intellect,  Brahman is beyond birth and death and the laws of the universe do not apply to It, the Creator.

Na bhumirapo na cha vahnirasti, na chanilo me’sti na chambaram cha -  From the angle of one who has woken to Athma Jnanam, the universe made of Pancha Bhutas is a dream and so the Pancha Bhutas as dream elements is unreal and non-existent to him, the knower of Self.

With this Mantra, Nitidyasana Mantras that started from Mantra 19 ends. This Nitidyasanam reinforces the mithyatva darsanam of the universe and the mithyatva darsanam helps one see the choiceless problems of vyavaharika world as events in a cosmic dream and be untroubled by them.  When there are choices one can try to solve the problem using the various choices but the choiceless problems like old age, disease, separation, death etc. have this remedy only: see mithyatvam in them. Mithyatvam can be seen only when one revises one’s opinion about oneself that one is not a jiva and one is Brahman i.e.  “I am not a Jiva, I am Brahman” when stated in first person.  Nitidyasanam helps one to make this assertion to oneself.

Mantra 23

Evam viditva paramatmarupam, guhasayam nishkalamadvitiyam I

Samastasakshim sadasadvihinam, prayati suddham paramatmarupam II 23 II

Thus, having known the nature of the supreme Self which resides in the heart, (which is) partless, nondual, the witness of all, without cause and effect, and pure, one attains the nature of the Supreme Self.

Now, Prajapati concludes his Mahavakhya upadesa pointing out how the Mahavakhyam must be absorbed by the sishya through Sravanam, Mananam and Nitidhyasanam.  Sravaṇam and Mananam are meant for revising the conclusion about oneself that one is not a Jiva but is Brahman. Nitidhyasanam is meant for internalising the revised conclusion and having Jnananishta.  Prajapathi describes Brahman first as:

guhasayam - It is resident in the mind witnessing one’s thoughts (Sakshi).

nishkalam – It is division-less and part-less like space. Therefore, It is formless and all-pervading.

advitiyam – It is one without a second. There is Consciousness only and there is no Real second thing apart from it.

Samastasakshim - It is the witness of everything – all avasthas in case of an individual and all prapanchas in case of the total universe.

sadasadvihinam – It is beyond cause and effect.  Maya is the cause, while prapancha is effect. As It is beyond cause and effect, It is beyond Maya and prapancha.

suddham – It is free from Maya and prapancha that are mithya and not Real.  There is no second thing to contaminate It. Therefore, It is absolutely pure.

paramatmarupam prayati – It is of the nature of Paramathma, the Brahman.  Becoming Brahman is dropping the notion that I am Jiva. The knower of Brahman becomes one with Brahman dropping the notion he is Jiva.  This part of the Mantra is similar to the one in Mundakopanishad (3-2-9) that states “brahma veda brahmaiva bhavati (one who knows Brahman becomes Brahman itself)”. So he is said to become a Muktha Purusha, attaining Jivan Mukthi while alive and Videha Mukthi at death.

Mantra 24

Yah satarudriyamadhite so’gniputo bhavati, surapanatputo bhavati I

Brahmahatyaputo bhavati, krtyākrtyatputo bhavati, tasmadavimukta-

Masrito bhavati I atyasrami sarvada sakrdva japet II 24 II

One who recites Sri Rudram becomes purified by (the sacred) fire (as it were). He becomes free from the sin of drinking. He becomes free from the sin of killing a brahmin. He becomes free from the sin of omissions and commissions. Thereafter, he comes under the shelter of Lord Siva. A sanyasi should recite (Rudram) all the time or (at least) once a day.

The teaching of Brahma Vidya is over with the previous Mantra.  In this Mantra Prajapati recommends Sri Rudra parayanam for those who find it difficult to understand and assimilate Athma Vidya, as an additional sadhana for Chitta Suddhi.

Mantra also lists the papams that Sri Rudra parayanam frees one from as follows:

·         Papams relating to improper kindling of ritualistic fire

·         Papams relating to consuming of liquor (and eating meat)

·         Papam arising from killing a Brahmin (a person with Vedic knowledge)

·         Papams arising from other acts of commission and omission.

Freed from these papams he comes under the protection of Lord Siva.  Mantra recommends this parayanam for sanyasis as well for mental purification.

Mantra 25 

Anena jnanamapnoti, samsararnvanasanam I

Tasmadevam viditvainam, kaivalyam phalamasnute,

Kaivalyam phalamasnuta iti II 25 II

By the (Rudra Parayanam), one attains Self-knowledge which is the destroyer of the ocean of samsara. Therefore, having known this (Self) thus, one attains the fruit of liberation; one attains the fruit of liberation (definitely).

This is the last Mantra of the Upanishad. As the mind gets more and more prepared, the Upanishadic study will become more meaningful and more relevant. Such a person will ultimately attain Moksha. Moksha is called Kaivalyam here. Kaivalyam means advaitam – the non-dual truth. Since Moksha is called Kaivalyam, this Upanishad itself is called Kaivalya Upanishad.  The line meaning ‘one attains the fruit of liberation” is repeated to mark the end of the Upanishad.

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Kaivalya Upanishad – 5

 

Mantras 15 to 19

Mantra 15

Etasmajjayate pranah, manah sarvendriyani ca |

Kham vayurjyotirapah, prthivi visvasya dharini || 15 ||

From this (Jivathma) are born the prana, mind, all sense organs, space, air, fire, water, and the earth which is the supporter of all.

In the previous verse it was shown that Jivathma as Paramathma is the substratum of the whole physical world.  In this verse it is revealed that Jivathma which is none other than Paramathma is the material cause of all creation as well. 

Kham vayurjyotirapah, prthivi visvasya dharini – Pancha bhuthas namely space, air, fire, water and earth, the supporter of all things and beings

Etasmajjayate – are born from this Jivathma. The use of word Etasmat is significant as it means ‘from this’ which is something a lot closer than Tasmaat which means “from That”.  To indicate the closeness of Paramathma who is right in oneself is the main purpose of using the former word.

 Pranah - the five-fold physiological system (pancha praṇas) – prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana. which are born out of rajoguna of the pancha sukshma bhuthas.

Manah - the four-fold internal organs (antahkaranam) consisting of the mind (manah), intellect (buddhi), memory (chittam) and ego (ahankara) that is born out of the satva guna of the pancha sukshma bhuthas.

Sarvendriyani - the ten sense organs – five organs of knowledge (jnanendriyani) and five organs of action (karmendriyani) that are born out of the satvaguna of the individual sukshma bhuthas.

In short, as Jivathma one is the jagat karanam Brahman.

Mantra 16

Yatparam Brahma sarvathma, visvasyayatanam mahat I

Sukshmatsukshmataram nityam, tattvameva tvameva tat II 16 II

You are indeed that infinite, eternal, supreme Brahman which is the Self of all, which is the abode of all, and which is subtler than the subtle. That (Brahman) is indeed you.

This is a Mahavakhya Mantra.  Lord Brahma first gives the description of Brahman as Supreme, eternal, infinite, essence of all living beings as Sat-Chit Athma, as subtler than the subtlest and the support of the entire Universe. He then tells the sishya ‘You are that Brahman’ and reinforces the statement by restating it in reverse as ‘That Brahman is you only’.

Mantra 17

Jagratsvapnasusṣuptyadi-prapancham yatprakasate I

Tad brahmahamiti jnatva, sarvabandhaih pramuchyate II 17 II

I am that Brahman which illumines the worlds like waking, dream, and sleep. Having known thus, one is liberated from all bonds.

Like the previous Mantra this Mantra is also another Upadesa Mahavakhya Mantra.

The Consciousness (Jivathma) illumines avasthatrayam that consists of:

·         Jagrat avastha – the extroverted state of mind that travels out through the sense organs

·         Svapna avastha – the introverted state of mind turned towards its own memories and vasanas

·         Sushupti avastha– the state when the mind is neither extroverted or introverted, but passive and relaxed

Jivathma is the observer of the mind as well as its three states. Therefore, these attributes (the three states) belong to the mind and not to Jivathma.  Jivathma is the avasthatraya sakshi, different from avasthatrayam. Therefore, the problems of samsara belong to avasthatrayam and not to Jivathma, the sakshi. The attitude that I,as Jivathma, am samsara vilakshanah is called sakshi bhava.  When one re-lives the experience and is established in the fact that he is not the limited ego but the Brahman he is mentally released from all the shackles that bind him to the worldly life through the body-mind complex.

Mantra 18

Trishu dhamasu yadbhogyam, bhokta bhogasca yadbhavet I

Tebhyo vilaksanah sakshi, cinmatro’ham sadasivah II 18 II

I am distinct from all those which are the subject (of experience,) the object (of experience,) and the instrument (of experience) in all the three states. (I am) the witness which is pure consciousness and which is ever auspicious.

This Mantra is Anubhava Mahavakhya Mantra.  This is a declaration by the sishya who has attained Jnanam through the teaching of guru, to reveal to the guru his understanding of the Ikyam Jnanam.  This is also a Nitidyasana Mantra to get oneself established in the Ikya Jnanam. In this Mantra the sishya retells from his personal stand-point what the guru taught in the previous Mantra.  Pure Consciousness also called original Consciousness is neither the waker, waking and object perceived, nor the dreamer, dreaming and the dream-objects, nor the deep-sleeper, the deep-sleeping and the total absence of everything in the deep-sleep.  It is called Sakshi from one’s own standpoint and is one’s intrinsic nature. It is also called Jivathma and is none other than the ever auspicious Paramathma.  Paramathma is described here as Chit Aananda swarupaha.  Jivathma as ahamkara is vachyartha and Jivathma as Sakshi is lakshyartha. Ikyam is applicable in the case of lakshyartha only.

Mantra 19

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.

This is another Nitidyasana Mantra coming from the sishya.  Here while declaring the Jiva-Brahma-Ikyam the Sat aspect of Brahman is emphasised. These declarations are made not for others but to one’s own mind to meditate upon.  In the dream one feels that one is one within the dream world, but the moment he wakes up, he says that the dream world is born out of him,  rests in him  and resolves into him i.e.he is the srshti-sthithi-laya karanam for the dream-world he experienced. He can say this only as a waker, but not as a dreamer.  Similarly, after waking up to Athma Jnanam ending the great sleep of Self-ignorance (Athma ajjnanam), the sishya is able to make the statement that the jagrat prapanca is a great dream which is born out of him, rests in him and resolves in him i.e he as Self that is Brahman is the srishti-sthithi-laya karanam for the Jagrat Prapancha.  The essence of  this declaration is “I (as lakshyartha) am the non-dual Brahman in which everything is born, exists and ultimately merges, in short the srishti-sthithi-laya-karana for this universe”.  What this declaration amounts to is that we are living in an unreal world, having unreal experiences of unreal objects and feeling joys and sorrows that are all unreal which will be revealed to us when we realize our Real Self and Its identity with the Supreme Brahman

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Kaivalya Upanishad – 4

 

Mantras 11 to 14

Mantra 11

Athmanamarinam krtva, pranavam chottararinam |

Jnananirmathanabhyasat, pasam dahati panditah || 11 ||

Keeping the mind as the (lower) arani and Omkara as the upper arani, (and) by the practice of churning which is in the form of enquiry, the wise man burns down the bondage.

The central teaching of the Upanishad begins with this Mantra 11 in which Vedanta Vichara is introduced.   Sravanam and Mananam together is called Vichara.  This verse likens the Vedanta Vichara to the arani mathanam process.    The arani mathanam is mentioned in scriptures as a method of raising the sacrificial fire. When two logs of wood are churned in a certain way, the friction creates sparks of fire.  The fire thus created is transferred directly to the homa kunda by catching the sparks with a very dry grass or cotton. This arani mathanam process is quoted in Athmabodha verse 42 when talking about raising the flame of knowledge to burn down Self-ignorance.  This metaphor is used in this verse to explain Self-enquiry through Omkara Upasana, Omkara being the sound symbol of Brahman and one’s Self being no different from Brahman.

Athmanamarinam krtva – Lower arani is compared to the mind of the student.  It should be steady, focussed and prepared with Chitta Suddhi and Chitta Ekagratha

pranavam chottararinam – Pranava, Omkara representing Mahavakhyas is compared to the upper arani

Jnananirmathanabhyasat -  Here nirmathanam means enquiry.  This consists of analyzing the Mahavakhya and arriving at the identity of Self with Brahman on the basis of lakshyartha.  This process of Mahavakhya vichara must be repeated (abhyasah) to create the fire of knowledge that will destroy Self-ignorance.

pasam dahati panditah – Panditah is that sishya who has internalised this knowledge through the repeated vichara.   This enlightened disciple burns as ahuthi in the fire of knowledge all the karmas; agami, sanchita and prarabhdha and other shackles like avidya, ahamkara and mamakara which are together clubbed in this Mantra as bondage since they trap one in samsara.

Thus the enquiry process results in Brahmavidya that burns samsara by revealing the identity of one’s Self with Brahman.

Mantra 12

Sa eva mayaparimohitatma, sariramasthaya karoti sarvam |

Striyannapanadivicitrabhogaih, sa eva jagratparitrptimeti || 12 ||

With the mind deluded by Maya, he himself identifies with the body and performs all actions. In the waking state, he himself attains fulfilment through various sense-objects like woman, food, and drink.

Mantra 13

Svapne sa jivah sukhaduhkhabhokta, svamayaya kalpitajivaloke I

Sushuptikale sakale viline, tamo’bhibhutah sukharupameti II 13 II

During dream, that jiva becomes the experiencer of pleasure and pain in the subjective world projected by his own Maya. When everything is resolved in the state of sleep, he attains the nature of Aananda, overpowered by ignorance.

The experience of Jiva in all the three states of waking, dream and deep-sleep is described in these two verses. The analysis of all the three states reveals the underlying presence of Self as witness of all the three states. Maya is a term used for the macrocosm or Totality and Avidya is termed used in the case of microcosm or individual.   But here as in Advaita Makaranda there is no differentiation made between these two words and the word Maya is used here in the place of Avidya with reference to Jiva.  Jiva is the Self deluded by Maya, who moves from one state to another, creating his own world in the first two states and merging in the bliss of ignorance in the third.  

Mantra 12 describes the experience of Jiva in the waking state. The individual consciousness in the waking state is called Viswa, and all the Upadhis are available in this state to transact with the environment i.e. external world.  Enjoyment to the maximum degree is possible during the waking state of the Jiva through the use of the physical body, mind, intellect, senses and pranic energies and Jiva seeks full gratification in the world of objects making use of this opportunity to the full extent in the waking state. Stree stands for chetana prapancha, sentient universe and anna-pana stands for achetana prapancha, insentient universe.

The first line of Mantra 13 describes the experience of Jiva in the dream state. In this state Jiva is under the spell of Nidra sakthi which is called Maya here.  Jiva through Nidra sakthi creates a dream world with objects and enters the dream world and has experiences, good and bad, which are real to the dreamer. For the dreamer, the dream is not a dream in the dream.  The individual consciousness in the dream state is called Taijasa.

The second line of Mantra 13 describes the experience of Jiva in deep-sleep state.  The deep sleep state is very different from the previous two states. Here everything withdraws into its causal state. There is no mind available for this experience and there is only the Self, merely as a witness.  Due to the temporary absence of all transactions with the world, and the ‘switching off’ of all thoughts of joy or sorrow, there is the experience of Bliss in this state which is not a mental bliss but the Bliss that is the natural state of the Self.  The experience of deep-sleep state is a total non-apprehension of everything; a total ignorance.  Even the experience of the natural state of Bliss is realized only later on waking up.  The individual consciousness in deep sleep state is called Prajna.

Mantra 14

Punasca janmantarakarmayogat, sa eva jivah svapiti prabuddhah I

Puratraye kridati yasca jivah tatsu jatam sakalam vicitram I

Adharamanandamakhandabodham, yasmin layam yati puratrayam ca II 14 II

Once again, that very Jiva dreams or wakes up because of the association with past karma. All this diversity is born out of that (Jiva) alone which Jiva sports in the three worlds of experience. Moreover, the three worlds resolve into that (Jiva) which is indivisible Consciousness and Aananda, the substratum (of all).

This verse takes an overview of all the three states, waking, dream and deep sleep.  The karma that one has accumulated over countless births becomes the cause of  birth into human bodies, there to work itself out. This karma keeps one within any one of the three states at any one time. It is the karma that hurls one back and forth through the three states, tossing one from one to the other, like a tennis ball.  The three states are called three cities as they are unique in themselves. The Self as witness is common to all the three states, witnessing them as their substratum. It remains unaffected by the game of change of states. In fact, It even survives their ultimate dissolution at the time of death absorbing them into Itself.  This Mantra points out at the start that from the bliss of deep sleep the Jiva wakes up to the trouble and turmoil of samsara of the physical world or dream world due to influence of accumulated karma. So the respite one gets from samsara is ordinarily brief.  But when Jiva wakes up to Athma Jnanam to realize its true identity with Brahman, Jiva is relieved of the karmas and then realises in the waking state that he as the Self is the substratum to the physical world as well and disassociating himself from body-mind complex enjoys the permanent bliss of the substratum, the universal pure Consciousness which is Sat-Chit-Aananda.

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Kaivalya Upanishad – 3

 

Mantras 6 to 10

Mantra 6

Hrtpundarikam virajam visuddham, vicintya madhye visadam visokam |

Acintyamavyaktamanantarupam, sivam prasantamamrtam brahmayonim |

Tathadimadhyantavihinamekam, vibhum cidanandamarupamadbhutam || 6 ||

Having turned one’s attention to the steady, pure, clear, (and) pleasant lotus of the heart, (one should meditate) there on Brahman which is the source of all, incomprehensible, unmanifest, many-formed, auspicious, tranquil, immortal, beginningless, middleless, endless, nondual, all-pervasive, consciousness-bliss absolute, formless, and wonderful.

One more stage of preparation is discussed in the first line – that is, visualizing one’s own heart. The sastras say that the mind resolves into the heart when not functioning, such as in deep sleep state. Even though Bhagavan is all pervading, at the time of meditation, Bhagavan is invoked in the mind as Sakshi Chaitanyam witnessing the presence and absence of the thoughts and hence in the heart. Lord Brahma is describing Dhyanam as an important sadhana, specifically, Sivadhyanam, which is meditation upon Lord Siva both as Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman.  Both these aspects are given in this verse as we can see from the description with the respective aspect.

In this verse we have the physical description of the heart followed by the description of the emotional state at the seat of meditation.  The description of Lord Siva in both Saguna and Nirguna aspects follows the description of heart in lines 2 and 3. We shall see them now.

Hrtpundarikam - the heart which is shaped like a lotus bud that is hanging upside down.

Virajam – This means keeping the Rajo guna under control

Visuddham - This means keeping the Tamo guna under control

Visadam – This means Satva guna is dominant

Visokam – This means a cheerful mind free of grief or anxiety

Now we have description of the subject of Dhyanam in both aspects:

Achintyam -  The unthinkable  (Nirguna Brahman)

Avyaktham – The Unmanifest   (Nirguna Brahman)

Ananta Rupam – The one of endless forms (Saguna Brahman)

Sivam – Ever auspicious (applicable to both aspects)

Prasantam – Totally tranquil (applicable to both aspects)

Amrtam – Immortal (applicable to both aspects but mainly to Nirguna Brahman)

Brahmayonim - The origin of Lord Brahma (Saguna Brahman)

Adimadhyantavihinamekam - The One without a beginning, middle or end (applicable to both aspects)

Vibhum – All pervading (applicable to both aspects)

Chidanandam – The Knowledge-Bliss Absolute (Nirguna Brahman)

Arupam – Formless (Nirguna Brahman}

Adbhutam – Wonder (applicable to both aspects)

Mantra 7 

Umasahayam paramesvaram prabhum, trilochanam nilakantam prasantam |

Dhyatva munirgacchati bhutayonim, samastasakshim tamasah parastat || 7 ||

Having meditated on the tranquil, supreme Lord who is the consort of Uma (and) who is the Lord with three eyes and blue neck, the meditator attains (oneness with Brahman) which is the source of all beings, witness of all, and beyond all darkness.

The verse starts by enumerating six qualities of the Lord Siva in His Saguna aspect.

Umasahayam - the consort of Uma

Paramesvaram – the highest Lord

Prabhum – the all powerful Controller

Trilochanam – with three eyes

Nilakantam – with blue neck

Prasantam – the ever tranquil 

It is relatively easy for a meditator to be attentive when his mind is focused on a concrete form. This rapidly brings the mind to rest on the object. It ensures bringing the wandering mind under control and at the same time keeping it in an elevated state of religious fervour.  This is the idea behind all Saguna upasana.  After the meditation on Saguna Brahman, one has to go through Sravanam and Mananam to gain the doubt-free knowledge of Nirguṇa Brahman, which is: ‘Nirguṇam Brahman Aham asmi’.  After gaining this knowledge, when one goes through the final step of Nirguṇa Brahma Dhyanam, which is also called Athma Dhyanam and Nitidyasanam, he will merge into Nirguna Brahman by claiming ‘Aham Brahma asmi’.  This is revealed by the 2^nd line, “bhutayonim, samastasakshim, tamasah parastat” being the description of Nirguna Brahman.

Mantra 8 

Sa brahma sa sivah sendrah, so’ksarah paramah svarat |

Sa eva visnuh sa pranah, sa kalo’gnih sa candramah || 8 ||

He is Brahma. He is Siva. He is Indra. He is the supreme, imperishable, self-effulgent one. He himself is Vishnu. He is prana. He is time (He is) fire. He is the moon.

Mantra 9

Sa eva sarvam yad bhutam, yacca bhavyam sanatanam |

Jnatvatam mrtyumatyeti, nanyah pantha vimuktaye || 9 ||

He alone is everything which was in the past, which (is in the present,) and which will be in the future. Having known that eternal one, one transcends mortality. There is no other means for liberation.

Mantra 10

Sarvabhutasthamatmanam, sarvabhutani chatmani ||

Sampasyanbrahma param, yati nanyena hetuna || 10 ||

Clearly seeing oneself in all beings and all beings in oneself, (one) attains the supreme Brahman; not by any other means.

In Mantras 8, 9 and 10, Lord Brahma describes the nature of Brahmavidya which leads one to develop Sarvathma Bhava.  Understanding oneself to be the Adhishthanam or substratum of all is called Sarvatma Bhava.  By doing the Upasanas mentioned earlier, whether it is Saguna or Nirguna, the object is to cultivate Sarvatma Bhava.   Mantra 8 states this Sarvatma Bhava in all deities including the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.  Mantra 9 points out to the Sarvatma Bhava in all periods of Time; Past, Present and Future.  In this verse the guru also makes an important statement that without Jnanam, liberation is not possible through the remark that there is no other alternate means for liberation. Mantra 10 outlines the Sarvathma Bhava in all beings.  The acid-test of one’s Sadhana is when one “experiences one’s own Self in all beings” as their Substratum; another way of expressing this is to “experience all beings in one’s own Self” by feeling that all are superimposed on the Brahman. Self-realisation is the experience of Universal Consciousness.

Through these Mantras Lord Brahma declares that the Eternal Truth now realized by the disciple is the all-inclusive Divinity – He is Brahma, Siva, Vishnu, the Immortal Supreme Self –effulgent Being, Indra, Prana, Time, Agni, the Moon etc., and also everything that ever existed in the past, or will exist in the future, the ever-existent one.  Knowing this Reality is the way to immortality. One attains the Supreme Brahman by realizing the all –pervading Athma, who is ever present in oneself and in all other beings.  This really means that the Self is not our body-mind-intellect package. It is something different and greater than that.  This principle of Sarvatma Bhava, when followed in every detail, makes one totally free from raga-dwesha.

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