THE MESSAGE OF THE BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD

Book: Swami Ranganathananda R !i w: Sat" nd#a Nath Dwi! di

The words of the Upanishads are great music, the tunes of which have the power to fascinate the hearts of all sensitive people, century after century. Everyone who studies the Upanishads reverently, and in a seeking mood, will realize for himself or herself the charm of their deep, profound utterances couched in language, direct and deep, poetic and sublime. A spiritual seeker who reads the Upanishads will feel that he is dealing with a theme that is very close to his life and destiny, a reality which is in himself as well as in the world outside. The deep pulsations of that reality have been caught up in the beautiful music of the Upanishads. wami !anganathananda Int#od$%tion Knowledge begins with wonder. With wonder the child begins its great strides in knowledge. The great sages of the Upanishads gave to humanity a science of a different field of e"perience, which is today#s modern science taken a step ahead over to the realm of a new datum i.e. the $ elf#. %t is a real scientific in&uiry into a realm where the ordinary sense organs cannot go. The ordinary mind sub'ect to the sense organs also cannot go to that realm. A new training of mind is needed to probe into that field. The Upanishads study experience in its other dimension, the dimension of the Self , !ust as we study in physical sciences the dimension of non-self .

The study of the Upanishads, the sub!ect matter of which no sensory system can understand or cope with, makes itself a matter of supreme interest to men and women. The philosophy of the Upanishads gave a basis to the development of culture in %ndia. The Upanishads have continued to be its great stimulus and support all these several thousand years. Ea&t o# ' &t( a t#$th i& a)wa"& a t#$th * %a$& %h %k it +o# o$#& )! &, w %an # di&%o! # and

Shruti is called Sanatana Dharma , the eternal "harma. Smriti is called Yuga Dharma , the "harma for a particular age and for a particular people. #anatana "harma and $uga "harma exist side by side, and it is accepted in all our literature that if there is a conflict between #hruti and #mriti , #mriti will ha%e to go and Shruti will remain. &dherence only to #mriti makes for rigidity. 'ut adherence to #hruti along with flexibility in #mriti makes for a continuous progress as experienced in (ndia. %ndia developed its culture based upon the supreme vision of the (edic sages who accepted both the departments of science ) one dealing with the e"ternal world within the sensory reach, and the other dealing with the internal world lying beyond the sensory level. The word Vidya in #anskrit means science. )idya belongs to Apara and Para category* Apara being ordinary and Para , higher. &para-)idya is at the sensory le%el, where we deal with sense ob!ects. +ara-)idya deals with the percei%er of the ob!ects. The combination of &para-)idya and +ara-)idya is known as Brahma-Vidya or Adhyatma-Vidya or Atma-Vidya . That is because Brahman is the #elf of the uni%erse, and the uni%erse itself is the manifestation of the 'rahman. The #elf and the non-self, the internal and the external, become unified in 'rahman. %n the Upanishads the words $*rahman# and $Atman# are used repeatedly. *rahman deals with the totality of reality seen from outside and $Atman# refers to the reality seen from inside, and the beautiful conclusion is+ This Atma and *rahman are ,ne-. 'rihadaranyaka Upanishad represents great sages and thinkers among both men and women, such as Yajnavalkya , Janaka , Gargi and Maitreyi . !he "pani#had# are the great mine $f #trength% !herein lie# #trength en$ugh t$ invig$rate the &h$le &$rld' the &h$le &$rld (an )e vivified* made #tr$ng* energi+ed thr$ugh them% !hey &ill (all &ith trumpet v$i(e up$n the &eak* the mi#era)le* and the d$&n-tr$dden $f all ra(e#* all (reed#* and all #e(t# t$ #tand

up$n their feet and )e free% ,reed$m* phy#i(al freed$m* mental freed$m* and #piritual freed$m are the &at(h&$rd# $f the "pani#had#%, S&ami Vivekananda , The 'rihadaranyaka Upanishad starts with the peace chant-

!he invi#i)le .Brahman/ i# the ,ull' the vi#i)le .the &$rld/ i# al#$ ,ull% ,r$m the ,ull .Brahman/* the ,ull .the vi#i)le univer#e/ ha# ($me% !he ,ull .Brahman/ remain# the #ame* even after the ,ull .the vi#i)le univer#e/ ha# ($me $ut $f the ,ull .Brahman/%-ha.t # /: A Uni! #&a) P#a" #

.ead me from the unreal to the real, lead me from darkness /ignorance0 to light /knowledge0, lead me from death to immortality.-

!hi# Self i# dearer than a #$n* dearer than &ealth* dearer than everything el#e* and i# innerm$#t% Sh$uld a per#$n .h$lding the Self a# dear/ #ay t$ $ne (alling anything el#e dearer than the Self* 0.&hat y$u h$ld/ dear &ill die 1 he $r #he i# (ertainly ($mpetent .t$ #ay #$/ 1 it &ill indeed ($me true% 2ne #h$uld meditate up$n the Self al$ne a# dear* the dear $ne# are n$t m$rtal-% 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 4%5%67 The one thing to be known and reali.ed is the &tman , which is dearer than anything else in this world. Knowledge of 'rahman consummates in the experience of 'rahman. The /undaka Upanishad says-

!he kn$&er $f the Brahman )e($me# Brahman%- 3Mundaka "pani#had 8%9%:7

!hi# .univer#e/ &a# indeed 0Brahman in the )eginning% ;t kne& $nly it#elf a#* 0; am Brahman% !heref$re* it )e(ame all% And &h$ever am$ng the g$d# kne& ;t al#$ )e(ame !hat' and the #ame &ith #age# and human )eing#-% 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 4%5%4<7 %t is knowledge that makes us realize our true worth. 1nowledge is power. 1nowledge is what liberates.

!hi# .univer#e/ indeed ($n#i#t# $f three thing#= name* f$rm and a(ti$n .pr$(e##/%- 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 4%>%47

!he#e three .name-f$rm-pr$(e##/ t$gether are $ne 1 thi# )$dy* and the )$dy* alth$ugh $ne* i# the#e three% !he imm$rtal entity i# ($vered )y truth .the five element#/% !he vital energy i# the imm$rtal entity* and name and f$rm are truth' .#$/ thi# vital energy i# ($vered )y them-% 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 4%>%87 Whate%er has a name and form is sub!ect to mortality. 0ame-form-process constitutes this relati%e uni%erse which is the sub!ect matter of Apara-Vidya or ordinary science. 1nce we finish off with relati%ity, then comes the study of the Atman which is the concern of the Para-Vidya . To the 2indu, man is not traveling from error to truth, but from truth to truth, from lower to the higher truth-. ) wami (ivekananda -ha.t # 0: 1Apara3(idya2 &an& 1Pa#a34id"a2 5 It& Dang #& Th S )+ o+ th $ni! #& and th S )+ in ! #" man( woman and )i!ing * ing i& On , That i& th g# at Ad!aiti% !i&ion, %t is surely astonishing that such a system as the (edanta should have been slowly elaborated by the indefatigable and intrepid thinkers of %ndia thousands of years ago, a system that even now makes us feel giddy, as in mounting the last steps of the swaying spire of an ancient 4othic cathedral. tone follows on stone after regular succession after once the first step has been made, after once it has been clearly seen that in the beginning there can have been but ,ne, as there will be but ,ne in the end, whether we call it $Atman# or $*rahman#. 5a" 5uller 6 i" ystems of %ndian 7hilosophy8 4

The whole uni%erse we percei%e is the waking-state uni%erse, and all knowledge that we ha%e ac2uired about the uni%erse is the waking-state-knowledge. When we go into the non-waking state of dream and sleep, new dimensions of reality open up before us as challenges. The whole uni%erse of multiplicity is essentially that 1ne infinite reality from which it has come, in which it li%es and unto which it returns.

A# a #pider m$ve# al$ng the thread .it pr$du(e#/* and a# fr$m a fire tiny #park# fly in all dire(ti$n#* #$ fr$m thi# Self emanate all $rgan#* all &$rld#* all g$d#* and all )eing#% ;t# #e(ret name ."pani#had/ i# 0!he !ruth $f truth% !he 0Prana .vital f$r(e/ i# true* and ;t i# the !ruth $f that-% 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 9%4%9<7 The world is non3different from *rahman9 remains filled with *rahman during its e"istence and finally merges back into the *rahman. We are truly infinite, but as if caught in the coil of this body-mind complex, and through that, caught in a sect, creed, nation and race. We ha%e forgotten our true nature. #lowly we reali.e we are not bound by any of these limitations. We are something special, something wonderful. We are one with the ultimate reality. This knowledge then comes to us, and that is all about spiritual growth and reali.ation. The same di%ine spark is in you, in me, and in all of us according to the (ndian system of thought. &d%aita goes one step ahead and says that we are one with 'rahman.

; take refuge in the #elf-e?i#ting @eality* in Ah$m i# thi# univer#e* fr$m Ah$m i# thi# univer#e* )y Ah$m i# thi# univer#e* Ah$ Bim#elf i# thi# univer#e* Ah$ i# )ey$nd thi# univer#e-% 3Shrimad-Bhagavata 6%8%87 T#$th i& t #na) * %a$& th # %an n ! # * an" %hang to it, /imansa means in%estigation or examination. (t dealt with the text of the )edas and probed into their meaning. There were two di%isions in it , Purva-Miman#a and "ttara-Miman#a . +ur%a-/imansa dealt with the ritualistic and the ceremonial portion of the )edas. (t had a spiritual inclination, no doubt, but mostly hea%en-based. The last one is Uttara-/imansa , the Vedanta . 5

We strengthen religion with intellect, but we ne%er say religion is based on intellect alone. (ntellect has to be transcended. The ultimate truth is a matter of experience and not intellectual 2uibbling. The entire )edanta is there to take us towards the unification of all experience in the &tman, one and absolute. Th a++i#mation that 1God i&2( and th n gation that 1God i& not2( do not to$%h God at a)), That i& * %a$& God i& th t #na) S )+ * hind a)) a++i#mation& and n gation&, When we forget our intrinsic %alue, we become sub!ect to all pressures coming from the ob!ects of the external world. Then we think these ob!ects ha%e a high %alue and we ha%e none, that we are nothing and the world of ob!ects is e%erything. We then become absolutely a sla%e in this world. There is no freedom for us in such a situation. 'ut when we know our true nature, we reali.e that we are supreme and not the ob!ects. That is the freedom )edanta speaks of. )edanta is concerned with rescuing men and women from the subordination to things. @eal freed$m ($me# $nly &hen &e are truly independent $f thing#.

All dependen(e i# mi#ery* and all independen(e i# happine##% Cn$& thi# t$ )e the (hara(teri#ti( $f happine## and mi#ery%- 3Manu Smriti 5%4><7 ;#ha "pani#had #ay#=

The whole world is to be understood as filled with "i%inity. With the understanding that all this is "i%ine, we renounce our wrong notion about the world. What we until then undertook to be the world* we reali.e it as 'rahman . Through that renunciation we are free to en!oy life. Then only we are truly free. We can then li%e with tremendous .est in this world, and at the same time, in a spirit of complete renunciation. We can en!oy life fully thereby. #peech is the first great capacity that brought the human being into the world of knowledge, and all progress started thereby. Therefore Vak , the power of speech is highly respected in (ndia, and Sara#&ati , the goddess of speech is called Vag-Devi . The organ of speech and the capacity to confront the forefinger with the thumb are highly commended in our literature. (n fact, the Jnana-mudra, in which gods and sages are usually seen, represents this capacity to control the thumb with the forefinger. (t is uni2uely a human capacity.

The word Deva has been used in the Upanishads to describe the sensory system. The word "e%a and "i% mean luminous. "e%a is that luminous reality which we ha%e in the body. The sense organs are therefore called Deva# . &ll the organs appear to be luminous only due to the light of the Atman , without which they are inert like clods of earth.

Brahman ha# )ut t&$ f$rm# 1 gr$## and #u)tle* m$rtal and imm$rtal limited and unlimited* defined and undefined-% 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 9%8%47

!heref$re the de#(ripti$n .$f Brahman/= 0D$t thi#* n$t thi#% Be(au#e there i# n$ $ther and m$re appr$priate de#(ripti$n than thi# 0D$t thi#% D$& ;t# name= 0!ruth $f truth% !he vital f$r(e i# truth* and ;t i# 0!ruth $f truth-% 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 9%8%>7 By eliminati$n $f all differen(e# due t$ limiting adjun(t#* the &$rd# 0Deti* Deti refer t$ #$mething that ha# n$ di#tingui#hing mark #u(h a# name* $r f$rm* $r a(ti$n* $r heter$geneity* $r #pe(ie#* $r Eualitie#% A$rd# den$te thing# thr$ugh $ne $r $ther $f the#e* )ut Brahman ha# n$ne $f the#e di#tingui#hing mark#% Ben(e* it (ann$t )e de#(ri)ed a#* 0;t i# #u(h and #u(h* a# &e de#(ri)e a ($& )y #aying* 0!here m$ve# a &hite ($& &ith h$rn#% Ahen* h$&ever* &e &i#h t$ de#(ri)e ;t# true nature* free fr$m all differen(e# due t$ limiting adjun(t#* then it i# utter imp$##i)ility% !hen there i# $nly $ne &ay left* vi+% t$ de#(ri)e ;t a#* 0D$t thi#* n$t thi#* )y eliminating all p$##i)le #pe(ifi(ati$n# $f ;t that $ne may kn$& $f% Ahen thr$ugh the eliminati$n $f all limiting adjun(t# the de#ire t$ kn$& a)$ut #pa(e* time and everything el#e .that i# n$t Brahman/ i# rem$ved* $ne reali+e# $ne# identity &ith Brahman* the 0!ruth $f truth* &hi(h i# h$m$gene$u# like a lump $f #alt* i# Pure ;ntelligen(e* and i# &ith$ut interi$r $r e?teri$r F% !heref$re the t&$ negative parti(le# in 0D$t thi#* n$t thi# are u#ed in all-in(lu#ive #en#e%- Shankara(harya Unless we get detached from the world of truth, we cannot understand the world of Truth of truth . The future of man, if it is to be progress and not merely a standstill or degeneration, must be guided by a deliberate purpose. Ae had di#(u##ed in ;ndia the ($mm$n purp$#e $f human ev$luti$n l$ng ag$% 2ur great and pr$f$und thinker# f$rmulated a &$nderful the$ry% !hey (alled it the the$ry $f 0Puru#hartha#%

The four human pursuits are- Dharma , Artha , Cama , M$k#ha . We need &rtha 3money and other resources4 to satisfy Kama 3sensory satisfaction4. &ll the sensory %alues are included in these two , Kama and &rtha. To regulate them at the human le%el, we need a third %alue that is called "harma 3duties4. Though in our day to day life, Kama comes first, then &rtha, "harma is always stated first in our formula for human de%elopment. The se2uence of +urusharthas therefore is- "harma, &rtha, and Kama. 5inally, comes the fourth and the supreme +urushartha called /oksha . There we are perfectly alone. "r. 6adhakrishnan says- 7;n the la#t #tage $f life# j$urney man &alk# in #ingle file.8 These +urusharthas are the greatest contribution to social thought from (ndia to the world. Upanishads are ne%er interested in pro!ecting human beings. They are interested in pro!ecting the truth , the truth about our #elf and about the world. They are intensely impersonal in their approach. There is no 2uestion of accepting the truth because a person has told it. The fact has been stated. $ou can check for yourself.

;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f the hu#)and* my dear* that he i# l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that he i# l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f the &ife* my dear* that #he i# l$ved* 8

)ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that #he i# l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f the #$n#* my dear* that they are l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that they are l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f &ealth* my dear* that it i# l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that it i# l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f the )rahmana* my dear* that he i# l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that he i# l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f the k#atriya* my dear* that he i# l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that he i# l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f the &$rld#* my dear* that they are l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that they are l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f g$d#* my dear* that they are l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that they are l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f )eing#* my dear* that they are l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that they are l$ved% ;t i# n$t f$r the #ake $f all* my dear* that all are l$ved* )ut f$r $ne# $&n #ake that all are l$ved% The elf, my dear 5aitreyi should be realized ) should be heard of, reflected on, and meditated upon. *y the realization of the elf, my dear, through hearing, reflection and meditation, all this is known%- 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 9%5%G7 The three steps to be taken are , #hravana 3hearing4, manana 3thinking4, and nididhya#ana 3meditating4. Through this we reali.e our true #elf. 1nly when these are combined does the true reali.ation of the unity of 'rahman takes place. (n the e%olutionary process, the ego is necessary to make us feel our indi%iduality, but we ha%e to transcend it. +resently our body constricts our #elf, and the genetic consciousness makes us a tiny creature, whereas there is an infinite element in us lying hidden. &nybody who is %ery egoistic will repel others. 9e or she will not attract anybody. &nybody who is slightly spiritual and less egoistic attracts others. 'ecause the ultimate reality in )edanta has (ntelligence as the principle, we can say that the knowledge it had was ( . 'rahman knew (tself as ( am 'rahman . The Upanishad says that we too can reali.e that truth. (f 'rahman can do so, we too can. Why: The same 'rahman is pulsating in us as our #elf. That is the understanding of 'rahman about (tself. :e must realize this $Atman#. %f you realize the Atman, you realize everything, because everything has come from the Atman. (edanta stands as a sponsor to all the finest dreams and aspirations of the human mind in the modern period when physical sciences are destroying distance between countries leaving the ego3born distance between one another intact. That separation can be avoided only through implementation of this philosophical and spiritual vision.

A# fr$m a fire kindled &ith &et fagg$t diver#e kind# $f #m$ke i##ue* even #$* my dear* the @ig-Veda* Yajur-Veda* Sama-Veda* Atharvangira#a* hi#t$ry* myth$l$gy* art#* "pani#had#* pithy ver#e* aph$ri#m#* elu(idati$n#* and e?planati$n# are .like/ the )reath $f thi# infinite @eality% !hey are like the )reath $f thi# .Supreme Self%- 3Brihadaranyaka "pani#had 9%5%4<7 To emphasi.e that the whole creation is a natural, spontaneous outpouring of that infinite reality, the natural and effortless act of breathing has been taken as an illustration. They are like the breath of the #upreme #elf. The Upanishad says that the whole of knowledge has come from 'rahman. )edas means knowledge. They are nothing but the breath of that (nfinite 1ne, and therefore, knowledge is sacred. The 9indu concept is that all knowledge is sacred. This universe is of the same nature as the elf. %t emerges from %t, remains in %t, and merges back into %t. Throughout there is nothing but the elf, *rahman. This *rahman is pure consciousness. .!$ )e ($ntinued/ R !i w: Sat" nd#a Nath Dwi! di

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