Taittriya Upanishad – 8

Chapter 2, Anuvaka 5

 

Mantra 2-5-1

vijnanam yajnam tanute I karmani tanute'pi ca I

vijnanam devah sarve I brahma jyesthamupasate I

vijnanam brahma chedveda I tasmacchenna pramadyati I

sarire papmano hitva I sarvankamansamasnuta iti I

The intellect accomplishes the sacrifices; it also accomplishes all actions. All the Gods worship the intellect, as Brahman, the eldest. If a man knows the intellect as Brahman and if he does not swerve from it, he leaves behind in the body all sins and attains all his desires.

            The essential feature of the intellect is its ability to know.  Through knowledge it can perform sacrifices, i.e. acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity. And it can do these really well for the same reason. In other words, intellect enhances one’s power to acquire knowledge as well as to execute actions due to the understanding gained about the way actions work.  Kathopanishad (3.3) in the chariot analogy states: “buddhim tu saradhim viddhi, manah pragraham eva cha (Know the intellect as the charioteer and the mind as verily the reins)” meaning that intellect determines the movement of the individual. Aware of the importance of intelligence Indra and other deities worship Hiranyagarbha, Samashti Vijnanamaya, as Brahman.  Meditating upon Hiranyagarbha, one gets rid of past sins and enjoys everything one wants.

Mantra 2-5-2

tasmadvijnanamayat I

anyo'ntara athmanandayaisa eva sarira athma yah purvasya I

tasmadva etasmayah I tenaisha purnah I

sa va esa purushavidha eva I tasya purushavidhatam I

anvayaṃ purushavidhah I tasya priyameva sirah I

modo dakshinah pakshah I pramoda uttarah pakshah I

ananda athma I brahma puccham pratishtha I

tadapyesha sloko bhavati II

This is the embodied soul of the former. Verily, different from this, which consists of the essence of the intellect, but within it, is another self, which consists of bliss. By this the former is filled. This too has the shape of a man. Like the human shape of the former is the human shape of the latter. Priya is its head; Modha its right wing; Pramodha its left wing; Aananda its trunk; Brahman its tail, its support. About this, there is also the following (Sruthi) verse.

This Vijnanamaya kosa, is the embodied self of the Manomaya kosa (the Self as the mind).  Within the Vijnanamaya kosa (the Self as intelligence) there is another Self, known as Anandamaya kosa, the Self as bliss. The Vijnanamaya kosa is filled by the Anandamaya kosa which is also like a human body having a human form. This is also compared to a bird as in the previous instances.  Priyam, the joy of seeing things is the head, Modha, joy of acquiring things is right wing, Pramodha, joy of enjoying things, is left wing, and Aananda, bliss is the middle part of the body or its trunk.  Brahman is its supporting tail.  Now, we shall see the parts in a little more detail.

1.    Priyam - the pleasure of merely thinking of sense objects.  It also includes seeing as in window –shopping etc.

2.    Modha – The pleasure of mere possessing of the desired sense-object.

3.    Pramodha – The pleasure or the ecstasy of actually enjoying the desired sense-object

4.    Aananda – The whole relative bliss that is split into above three stages. It is only a pseudo-Bliss as compared to the perfect Bliss of Supreme Brahman. In Anuvaka 8, different degrees of this Ananda are described with a measuring scale.

5. Brahman – The perfect, incomparable Bliss of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. This is the original Bliss, unmodified by any of the human form’s Upadhis. It is only experienced by the enlightened persons who have realised Brahman.

            So far in this chapter the Upanishad described the five sheaths which constitute the embodied being. They are the Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijjnanamaya and Anandamaya - in that order, from gross to subtlest, arranged as latter inside the former with the outer deriving its reality from the inner.  Brahman is beyond the sheaths, inner than the innermost and is the Ultimate Reality. It is untouched by any of the sheaths but is the unrelated substratum of all.  These sheaths are different layers of one’s personality. These sheaths have been described in order to demonstrate the transcendental Brahman. Through the contemplation of the sheath of bliss, the aspirant ultimately realizes the pure Brahman. The example is that the luminous ray of the gem is mistaken for the gem itself; but by following such ray one ultimately reaches the gem. Beyond the sheath of bliss there exists the Pure Brahman which transcends all duality and is the substratum of phenomenal universe.  There is the following Sruthi Mantra about Anandamaya kosa which will come in the next anuvaka.  This anuvaka ends with this Mantra.

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Taittriya Upanishad – 7

 Chapter 2, Anuvaka 4

Mantra 2-4-1

yato vacho nivartante I aprapya manasa saha I

anandam brahmano vidvan I na bibhetikadacaneti I

He who knows the Bliss of Brahman, whence all words together with the mind turn away, unable to reach it—he never fears.

            Sruthi here says that Brahman is beyond all speech and thought, and mind as an instrument of knowledge has no access to Brahman.  The best one can do with the mind as an instrument of knowledge is to discover Brahman as conditioned by the mind, i.e. to attain Hiranyagarbha which is Consciousness in association with the Total Mind. And the person who attains the Bliss of Hiranyagarbha by meditating on Him will not have any fear at all.  This Mantra is quoted again in anuvaka 9 while explaining the transcendental nature of Self, the Athma..

Mantra 2-4-2

tasyaisha eva sarira athma I yah purvasya I

tasmadva etasmanmanomayat I

anyo'ntara athma vijaānamayah I tenaisa purnah I

sa va esha purushavidha eva I tasya purushavidhatam I

anvayam purushavidhah I tasya sraddhaiva sirah I

ṛtam dakshinah pakshah I satyamuttarah pakshah I

yoga athma I mahah puccham pratishtha I

tadapyesha sloko bhavati II

This Manomaya is the embodied soul of the preceding Pranamaya.  As compared with Manomaya, there is another self within it made of the intellect (Vijnana).  By that (of intellect) is this one (of Mind) filled.  This is also verily of the human form.  The human form of that Manomaya kosa continues as the human form of this Vijnanamaya kosa. Sraddah is it head, Ritam is its right wing, Sathyam is its left wing, Yoga is its trunk, Mahat is its tail, its support. There is the following (Sruthi) verse about it.

            The Manomaya kosa is considered as the Athma or the Self of the Pranamaya kosa. Inside the Manomaya kosa is the Vijnananamaya kosa, the sheath of the intellect. Vijnananamaya kosa fills the Manomaya kosa. It is also of the form of Manomaya kosa. Vijnanamaya is of the level of the intellect, the level of decision or determination.  Tattva Bodha (9-5) describes: “Sankalpa-vikalpa aatmakam manah; nischaya aatmikaa buddhih;( The mind is of an indecisive nature; the intellect is very decisive in nature;).  Again, Vijnanamaya kosa is described as a bird. The head of such bird is sraddha, faith and respect in the scriptures, which is necessary for the discriminative knowledge to rise.  Head here means the prime factor of knowledge. The right wing of the bird is Ritam, righteousness and the left wing is Satyam, truth, as without these a settled conviction cannot arise. The body of the bird is said to be Yoga; Yoga means complete absorption, without which no complete knowledge will arise. The tail of the bird, the support, is Mahat which is Hiranyagarbha, the first manifestation of Brahman, that supports the individual mind-stuff including Buddhi.  There is the following Sruthi Mantra about Vijnanamaya kosa which will come in the next anuvaka.  This anuvaka ends with this Mantra.

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Taittriya Upanishad – 6

 Chapter 2, Anuvaka 3

Verse 2-3-1

pranam deva anuprananti I manushyah pasavascha ye I

prano hi bhutanamayuḥ I tasmatsarvayushamuchyate I

sarvameva ta ayuryanti ye pranam brahmopasate I

prano hi bhutanamayuh I tasmatsarvayushamuchyata iti I

The Gods (Indriyas) live through Prana, and so do men and the animal kingdom.  Prana is the very life of (all) beings; Therefore, it is called the ‘Universal Life-Principle’.  They attain the full span of life, who worship the Prana as Brahman.  Prana is the very life of (all) beings.  Therefore, it is called the ‘Universal Life-Principle’.

            

            The sense organs are called here as Devas - deities, because they illumine the objects for us. They get their energy from Prana.  So Prana enables the sense organs to perform their respective functions, whether they are of the human beings or animals by giving them life.  As Prana gives life to all living beings, it is called sarvayusham, the life of all beings, the ‘Universal Life Principle’. Those who worship Prana as Brahman live the full span of life.

Verse  2-3-2

tasyaisha eva sarira athma yah purvasya I

asmadva etasmatpranamayat I

anyo'ntara athma manomayah I tenaisha purṇaḥ I

sa va esha purushavidha eva I tasya purushavidhataam I

anvayaṃ purushavidhah I tasya yajureva sirah I

ṛikdakshinah pakshah I samottarah pakshah I

adesa athma I atharvangirasah puccham pratistha I

tadapyesa sloko bhavati II

This Pranamaya is indeed the embodied self, of the preceding Annamaya. As compared with Pranamaya, there is another self within it made of the Mind.  By that (of Mind) is this one (of Prana) filled.  This is also verily of the human form.  The human form of that Pranamaya kosa continues as the human form of this Manomaya kosa.  Of this, the Manomaya kosa, Yajurveda indeed is its head. R̥ikveda is the right side. Samaveda is the left side. The scriptural injunction is the central part. Atharvaveda is the lower part which is the support.  In this regard, there is the following Sruthi Mantra

            Inside this Pranamaya kosa there is Manomaya kosa, the sheath of the mind. Just as the Pranamaya kosa completely fills the Annamaya kosa, so too the Manomaya kosa completely fills the Pranamaya kosa and also it has the same form. Again the Upanishad uses the same analogy of the bird to illustrate the Manomaya kosa. In the yajnas chanting of Veda Mantras forms the basic requirement and therefore the Veda Mantras are deemed to be the limbs of the sacrifices. So too, as the Veda Mantras carry the mind of the seeker along the path of God Realization, though through Karma Kanda, they are said to be the limbs of the Manomaya kosa which is portrayed here in the shape of a bird.  The Yajur Veda is its head, the Rik Veda is its right wing, the Sama Veda is its left wing, the scriptural injunctions prescribed in the Vedas, which detail the rules of conduct during ritualism, is its trunk, the hymns of Atharva Veda are its tail, its support. There is the following Sruthi Mantra about Manomaya kosa which will come in the next anuvaka.  This anuvaka ends with this Mantra.

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Taittriya Upanishad – 5

Chapter 2, Anuvaka 2 

Mantra 2.2.1:

annadvai prajah prajayante I

yah kascha prthivigmsritah I

atho annenaiva jivanti I athainadapiyantyantatah I

annagmhi bhutanaṃ jyeshtam I

tasmat sarvaushadhamuchyate I

sarvam vai te'nnamapnuvanti I

ye'nnam brahmopasateI

annagmhi bhutanam jyeshtam I

tasmatsarvaushadhamuchyate I

annadbhutani jayanteI jatanyannena vardhante I

adyate'tti cha bhutani I tasmadannam taduchyata iti II

All beings, that exist on the earth, are born out of food. Thereafter they live by food. Finally, they merge into this food. Food was verily born before all creatures; therefore, it is called the medicine for all. Those who meditate on food as Brahman certainly attain all food. Food was verily born before all creatures; therefore, it is called the medicine for all.  All beings are born out of food. Those that are born grow by (consuming) food.  Food is eaten by the beings and food eats the beings. Therefore, food is called ‘Annam’. 

            This is the Sruthi quotation regarding food referred to in the first anuvaka.  All the living beings of this world are the products of food, sustained by food and in the end dissolve as food, as they become food for other creatures who live on these bodies. This is the cycle and gives food its name ‘Annam’ which means that is eaten (adyete) and that which eats (atti).  As food being the product of earth is the first born after the pancha bhuthas, food is called jyeshtam, the first born of all the living beings. Food is also called sarvaushadham, the medicine for all as it cures the ‘disease of hunger’ of all beings.  If a person worships this food as Brahman i.e. as the origin, support and the end of all living beings, he gets all food that he wants. According to Sri Sankara each sheath that covers the Indweller is Brahman but not the Supreme Brahman. They are just starting points in pursuit of the Supreme Brahman. We start with the gross body and slowly we have to transcend it, from the gross to the finer, till we reach the Supreme Self.

Mantra 2.2.2:

tasmadva etasmadannarasamayat I

anyo'ntara athma pranamayah I tenaisha purnah I

sa va esha purushavidha eva I tasya purushavidhatam I

anvayam purushavidhah I tasya prana eva sirah I

vyano dakshinah pakshah I apana uttaraḥ pakshah I

akasa athma I pṛthivi puccham pratishta I

tadapyesha sloko bhavati II

Other than this sheath made of the essence of Food, there is another sheath within it made of Prana (Air).  By that (of Air) is this one (of Food) filled. This (Pranamaya) is of the same form as previous.  It is also verily of the human form. The human form of this, is exactly as the human form of the former.  Of this, Prana is the head; Vyana is the right side; Apana is the left side; Space or Samana is the trunk (body); and Earth is the tail (or support) that stabilizes.  Pertaining to this also is the following verse.

            The body is called annarasamaya, made of the essence of food, because it is the personification of what we eat which gets transformed into muscles, bone, blood etc.  After talking about the food sheath, the Upanishad now starts discussing about the sheath of vital breath, Pranamaya kosa. It says it is inside and separate from this gross body. The Upanishad calls it Athma of annamaya kosa.  It is like the individual self or soul of the gross body. The Prana is not just one part of the body; it fills everywhere in all parts of the body. The Prana is all over the body and is known by five different names based on the functions viz Prana (respiratory system), Apana (evacuatory system), Vyana (circulatory system), Udana (reversing system) and Samana (digestive system).  These five Pranas are compared to different parts of a bird as before. The description is as below:

1)    The head is Prana

2)    The right side is Vyana

3)    The left side is Apana

4)    The trunk is Samana

5)    The supporting tail is Udana

The anuvaka ends announcing a Sruthi Mantra in support which is quoted in the next anuvaka.  The, same presentation pattern is followed in the next three anuvakas, which is as below:

1)    Sruthi quotation on the “current kosa”

2)    “Next kosa” as the inner Self of "current kosa"

3)    Changeover: “next” becomes current and “current” becomes “previous”

4)    Bird comparison

5)    Announcement of a Sruthi Mantra in support

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Taittriya Upanishad – 4

 Chapter 2, Anuvaka 1

Om brahmavid aapnoti param I Tat eshaa abhyuktaa I

satyam, jnaanam, anantam brahma I

yah veda nihitam guhaayaam parame vyoman I

sah ashnute sarvaan kaamaan, saha brahmanaa vipashchitaa” iti II 

Om. The knower of Brahman attains the Supreme. With reference to this, there is the following quotation (Rik Mantra): “Brahman is the Truth, Knowledge, Infinity.  He who knows It as existing in the cave of the heart in the transcendent Akasa, realizes all his desires as the Omniscient Brahman”

          This chapter opens with a Sutra Vakhyam, “Brahmavid apnoti Param”, which summarises the entire teaching.  Sutra Vakhyam is a pithy or aphoristic statement in which the teaching is condensed. This capsule statement is followed by a Rig Mantra, which conveys the Svarupa lakshanam of Brahman, among other things.  Since Brahman has no attributes and cannot be objectified it is only indicated through a lakshana vritti.  In Svarupa lakshanam, Brahman is indicated through Its nature. 

    Let us first take the Sutra Vakhyam.  It means that one who acquires the knowledge of Brahman, attains Moksha because when one attains Brahman, one is freed from the cycle of birth and death and the suffering of samsara.   The same idea is expressed in Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-8) which states:” Sa yo ha vai tat paramam Brahma veda, Brahmaiva bhavathi (Whoever knows the Supreme Brahman, becomes the very Brahman)”.  From the Sutra Vakhyam one can also draw the corollary that Moksha can be attained through Jnanam only and not through any other means which are only preparatory sadhanas that make one fit for receiving Jnanam. The Sutra Vakhyam is followed by the Vedic quotation which answers briefly the two questions raised by the Sutra Vakhyam.  i.e. what is Brahman and how can one attain Brahman.

    Brahman is defined as “Satyam, Jnanam, Anantham” i.e. Brahman is Satyam - that which is never subject to change, is Jnanam - that which is all knowledge Itself, is Anantam -that which is Limitlessness Itself.   Being Limitlessness itself, Brahman is free from Time, Space, Object-wise limitations. That means Brahman is “Existence, Consciousness, Infinite”, the capital letters indicating the absolute nature. Further Brahman being Anantam - Limitlessness Itself, there can be nothing independent of Brahman which means all names and forms in this creation are non-separate from Brahman even though Brahman Itself remains independent of this creation which is subject to change from time to time.  Brahman as Existence pervades all, sentient and non-sentient and as Consciousness lends sentiency to all living beings, humans being no exception.  The one who attains the knowledge of Brahman discovers Brahman as one’s very Self, Athma.  This discovery is described as ‘becoming Brahman’.  The one who makes this discovery feels fulfilled and anchors no more material desires and wants.  This realisation of Bliss absolute, as Brahman by the person who attains the knowledge of Brahman, is conveyed by the expression ‘realizing all desires’.  Hereafter, the answers in detail will be given to these questions.

tasmad va etasmaat atmanah akasah sambhutah I

 akasat vayuh I vayor agnih I agner apah I

adbhyah prithivi I prithivya oshadhayah I

oshadhibhyo annam  annaat purushah I 

From That, (which is) this Athma, space is born; from space, air; from air, fire; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, herbs; from herbs, food; from food, the human being

            Brahman is called Athma and is introduced as Jagat Karanam. This means that everything in the creation, without exception, is born out of Brahman. This is the tatastha lakshanam of Brahman as Brahman is indicated through its relation to the thing that we know, the world. The mantra gives a description of the evolution of the universe from fine to gross. It illustrates how the five great elements, pancha bhuthas, have emerged in a sequential order out of the Supreme, Brahman.

 1. From Brahman is born space – akasa. Space is all pervasive and the subtlest; it has one guna, sound.

2. From space is born air – vayu, which has two gunas. sound and touch.

3. From air is born fire – agni, which has three gunas, sound, touch and form.

4. From fire is born water – apah, which has four gunas, sound, touch, form and taste

5. Then from water is born earth – prithvi, the grossest which has got five gunas, sound, touch, form, taste and smell

After the five elements, the elementals are born. From the earth, plant kingdom (oshadayah) is born.  Out of the plant kingdom food is born and out of food the human beings (purusha).  Food precedes human beings as the latter cannot survive without the former.  Further after the inert elements are created, there comes the addition of sentiency in its basic form, namely the plant kingdom.  Through the agency of food, sentiency develops to its advanced stage in the form of human beings.

sa va esha purusho’nnarasamayah I

tasyedameva sirah I ayam dakshinah pakshah I

ayamuttarah pakshah I ayamatma I

idam pucchaṃ pratistha I tadapyesa sloko bhavati II 

He indeed is this Man, consisting of the essence of food; This is his head; This is his right wing; This is his left wing; This is his trunk; This is the hind part forming his support.  About this also is the following verse. 

            The body is said to be annarasamaya, made of the essence of food. For this food becomes the egg in female body and the semen in male body which together join to produce a new body, the child.  Then the Upanishad compares the human body to a bird. The right and left arms are compared to wings. The lower part of the body is compared to tail which is called the support because without the tail a bird cannot fly. The whole body is balanced like a bird. This is the description of annamaya kosa or the food sheath, the human body. The anuvaka closes with the reference to a Rig Mantra, which will be quoted in the next anuvaka.

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Taittiriya Upanishad - 3

 Two Shanthi Mantras

Sikshavalli ends with a Shanthi Mantra as anuvaka 12. This Shanthi Mantra is the same as the one in anuvaka 1 with a difference in tense of verbs used in the latter part of the Shanthi Mantra. While in the earlier one it was a submission to the Supreme, here it is a statement of satisfaction at being blessed with His Grace. The Mantra is:

Om sam no mitrah sam varunah I sam no bhavatvaryama I

sam na indro brihaspatih I sam no vishnururukramah I

namo brahmane I namaste vayo I

tvameva pratyaksham brahmasi I

tvameva pratyaksham brahma vadisham I

ritamavadisham I satyamavadisham I

tanmamaviit I tadvaktaramaviit I

aaviinmam I aaviidvaktaram I

Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi II

May Mitra be propitious unto us. May Varuna be propitious unto us. May Aryaman be propitious unto us. May Indra and Brihaspati be propitious unto us. May Vishnu, of wide strides, be propitious unto us. Salutation to Brahman. Salutation to Thee, O Vayu! Thou indeed are the visible Brahman. Thee indeed I proclaimed as the visible Brahman. Thee indeed, O Vayu, I proclaimed as the Ritam. Thee indeed I proclaimed as the Satyam. That protected me! That protected the teacher! Protected me! Protected the teacher! Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!

       The second chapter is known by three names, Brahmavalli, Anandavalli and Brahmandavalli.  The chapter begins with the word Brahma and so is called Brahmavalli.  A beautiful analysis of Ananda, Ananda mimamsa, is given in the chapter and so is called Anandavalli. Since it starts with the word Brahma and contains the analysis of Ananda, it is called Brahmanandavalli, which name we will be using.  It starts with a Shanthi Mantra which is repeated in the beginning of the third chapter also.  This Shanthi Mantra is a popular Mantra and is recited in school prayers as well, as it prays for good rapport between the teacher and the student besides praying for the good health of both and for removal of obstacles to the successful pursuit of study of Upanishad.  Swami Paramarthananda calls it “a beautiful santipatah, specifically geared for a Vedāntic student”.  Because through this Shanthi Mantra the student is praying for the five factors that are very important for Vedantic study, namely self-effort, grasping and retention power, healthy relationship with Guru, Jnanam and Jnanaphalam.  The Mantra is:

Om saha naavavatu I saha nau bhunaktu I saha veeryam karavaavahai I

tejaswi naavadheetamastu maa vidvishaavahai I Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi II

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 meaning of the different segments of the Mantra are as follows:

Om stands for Brahman . 

saha naavavatu - May the Supreme protect us both the teacher and taught.

saha nau bhunaktu -  May He bless us both to enjoy the fruits of this knowledge.

 saha veeryam karavaavahai - May we both put forth efforts together to find out the true meaning of the Scriptures.

tejaswi naavadheetam-astu - May our studies be fruitful, i.e. it should be available when needed.

maa vidvishaavahai - May we not misunderstand each other as persons and as communication wise.

Om shanti, shanti, shanti - Here Om is the sound representation of Brahman.  shanti stands for the peace that comes from the removal of obstacles to the successful pursuit of study of Upanishad.  The word shanti is repeated thrice as the obstacles are of three-fold nature. They are:

1. Adhyathmikam – Obstacles arising from within oneself like one’s personal ill-health, negative mood etc.  i.e. obstacles arising from oneself.
2. Aadhi bauthikam – Obstacles arising from other known sources or external situations like ill-health of a family member, noisy neighbourhood etc. i.e. obstacles arising from one’s environs.
3. Aadhi daivikam – obstacles arising from unseen sources like floods, storm etc. obstacles arising from nature

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Taittriya Upanishad – 2

 Parting advice to students

The eleventh anuvaka contains the final instruction which the students in those days received when they completed their Vedic studies under the Guru, before leaving the gurukulam which is called sishya-anusasanam (rules for a student).  This is similar to the present day convocation address and gives the students leaving gurukulam at the end of Vedic studies general guidelines for post-gurukulam life.  This can be seen also as Guru’s parting advice to students for leading good life in keeping with their studies, a manifesto for “Hindu way of way of living”, as Swami Chinmayananda puts it.   These instructions can also be seen as a passport to a post-student life of peace, happiness and prosperity for students even today as in life one’s needs are cultural and spiritual as well and not just physical alone.  We shall see all the Mantras together

vedam anoochya aachaaryah antevaasinam anushaasti;

satyam vada; dharmam chara; swaadhyaayaat maa pramadah;

aachaaryaaya priyam dhanam aahritya;

prajaatantum maa vyavacchhetseeh;

satyanna na pramaditavyam; dharmanna na pramaditavyam;

kushalanna na pramaditavyam; bhootyai na pramaditavyam;

swaadhyaaya pravachanaabhyaam na pramaditavyam;

deva-pitru-kaaryaabhyaam na pramaditavyam….1

Having taught the Vedas, the teacher thus instructs the pupils: Speak the truth. Practise Dharma. Do not neglect the study of the Vedas. Having brought to the teacher the gift desired by him, enter the householder's life and see that the line of progeny is not cut off. Do not swerve from the truth. Do not swerve from Dharma. Do not neglect personal welfare. Do not neglect prosperity. Do not neglect the study and teaching of the Vedas. Do not neglect your duties to the Gods and the departed souls.

maatru devoh bhava; pitru devoh bhava;

acharyadevoh bhava; atithih devoh bhava;

yaani anavadyaani karmaani; taani sevitavyaani; no itaraani;

yaani asmaakam sucharitaani; taani tvayaa upaasyaani; no itaraani… 2

Treat your mother as God. Treat your father as God. Treat your teacher as God. Treat your guest as God.  Let the actions that are free from blemishes only be done; and not any others; Let those virtuous actions which are irreproachable only be followed by you; and not any others.

ye ke cha asmat shreyaam sah braahmanaah;

teshaam tvayaa aasanena prashvasitavyam;.

shraddhayaa deyam, ashraddhayaa adeyam;

shriyaa deyam, hriyaa deyam;

bhiyaa deyam, samvidaa deyam…3

When the Brahmanas who are more distinguished than us are in discussion, you must offer them a seat and provide them with honourable services.  Gifts (charity) should be given with faith. Never give without faith; give in plenty, give with modesty; give with sympathy; give with friendly feelings

atha yadi te karma-vichikitsaa vaa vritta-vicikitsaa vaa syaat;

ye tatra braahmanaah sammarshinah; yuktaah aayuktaah;

alookshaa dharmakaamaah syuh;

yathaa te tatra varteran; tathaa tatra vartethaah;

atha abhyaakhyaateshu; ye tatra braahmanaah sammarshinah; yuktaah aayuktaah;

alookshaa dharmakaamaah syuh;

yathaa te teshu varteran; tathaa teshu vartethaah

eshah aadeshah; eshah upadeshah; eshaa vedopanishat; etat anushaasanam;

evam upaasitavyam; evamu cha etat upaasitavyam…4

Now, if there arises in your mind any doubt concerning any act, or any doubt concerning conduct, you should conduct yourself in such matters as Brahmanas would conduct themselves-Brahmanas who are competent to judge, who of their own accord are devoted to good deed and are not urged to their performance by others and who are not too severe, but are devoted to Dharma.  Now when you are falsely accused of some crime; You should act as Brahmanas do - Brahmanas who are competent to judge, who of their own accord are devoted to good deed and are not urged to their performance by others and who are not too severe, and are devoted to Dharma.This is the Command; This is the teaching; This is the secret of the Vedas; This commandment is to be observed; In this way you should live; In this way, verily, you should act.

              A selection from these instructions that can be a source of guidance and inspiration even this day as well is listed below with a brief commentary to follow.

1)    satyam vada; satyan na pramaditavyam. (Be truthful.   Do not swerve from truthfulness.) - One should maintain harmony between thought and speech, without hypocrisy or a motive to do injury.  Truthfulness is also required to cultivate love between members of family.  Truthfulness needs no ‘maintenance’, while a lie needs more lies and constant effort to maintain it.

2)    dharmam chara ; dharman na pramaditavyam.( Follow Dharma. May you not neglect the dharmic way of living.) – To be righteous and follow a religious way of living, means being just and compassionate in everything one plans or does.  Swami Vivekananda says “The world can be good and pure only if our lives are good and pure”

3)    svadhyayat ma pramadaḥ ; svadhyaya pravacanabhyam na pramaditavyam. (Never neglect scriptural study.   Never neglect the study and propagation of Vedas) - Scriptural study reminds one of Vedic values and Niyata Karmas and sharing with others helps one to keep in mind what has been learned.

4)    kusalan na pramaditavyam. (Do not neglect personal welfare) - One should not neglect the duty to oneself and one’s family in the name of serving the society.  It is not selfish to take care of one’s well-being and one’s family’s welfare; rather it is one’s duty.  It is only wrong to be selfish at the at the expense of the others.

5)    bhootyaih na pramaditavyam (Do not neglect prosperity) - Earn in plenty but earn legitimately and give in plenty, proportionate to the earning.  Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to advise people to earn well but not to consider earning as an end by itself.

6)    devapitrkaryabhyam na pramaditavyam (Do not neglect the duties to Gods and ancestors) - Worship of God is essential. Swmi Paramarthananda quotes an example from Bhagavatam. To nourish a tree, one pours water only at the root even though one wants to water every cell of the tree.  That water from the root will reach every cell in an invisible manner. Similarly, the universe is huge tree with many needy people. It is impossible to help every individual in the world. Therefore, the Vedas prescribe a method: serve or contribute to the universal tree whose root is Iswara.   Offering at least a spoonful of water, regularly worship Iswara asking for the welfare of the entire world and in that process purify the mind as well.  Similarly, pitrkaryam, the worship of the ancestors in the form of srardha, tarpaṇa etc. is also extremely important.  This helps one to attain chithasuddhi, that aids one’s spiritual growth.

7)    maatru devoh bhava; pitru devoḥ bhava; acharyadevoh bhava. (Treat your mother as God; Treat your father as God; Treat your teacher as God) - Have reverential attitude towards parents and teacher and offer them namaskara as one does to an idol in the temple.  One should not forget the sacrifices made and pains suffered by the elder generation to bring one up from infancy and groom as responsible intelligent youth.

8)    yanyanavadyani karmaṇi ; tani sevitavyani ; no itarani (Let the actions that are free from blemishes only be done; not others) - The Acharya, out of humility, here tells the pupils that they should take only the good from what they have experienced in their gurukulam life, and discard the others.

9)    ye ke cha asmat shreyaam sah braahmanaah; teshaam tvayaa aasanena prashvasitavyam. (When the Brahmanas who are more distinguished than us are in discussion, you must offer them a seat and provide them with honourable services.) -  Here Brahmanas stand for cultured, Vedic scholars. The idea is that one must be all ears and eyes when such scholars hold discussion on philosophical matters with the aim of learning from their discussions, while treating them respectfully as well.

10)  sraddhaya deyam ; asraddhyadeyam ; sriya deyam ; hriya deyam ; bhiya deyam ; saṃvida deyam. (Gifts (charity) should be given with faith. Never give without faith; give in plenty, give with modesty; give with sympathy; give with friendly feelings) – In short, gift must be a Satvic Dhanam as defined by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita (17-20) i.e. “That gift which is given with a sense of duty expecting nothing in return, in a proper place and at proper time to a proper person, is pronounced as Satvic”.

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