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ESSENCE OF MAITRI UPANISHAD
Edited, compiled, and translated by VDN Rao
Chapter VI
Paralellism and Unification of Paramatma and Antaratma
Athaanyatraapi uktam, svanavati eshaasyah tanuuh yaa AUM iti stree- punnaapumasaketi lingaavatee eshaataagnir vaayur aadityaa iti bhaasvati, esha atha Brama Rudro Vishnuriti adhipativatee, eshaatha garhapatyo dakshinaagnir aahavaaneeyaa iti mukhaavatee, eshaatha Rig Yajur Saameti vigjnaanaa - vatee, esha bhur bhuvar swar iti lokavatee, eshaatha bhutam bhavyam bhavisyaad iti kaalaavatee, eshaatha praanognih surya iti prataapavatee, eshaataannam aapas chandramaa iti aapyaayanaavatee eshaatha praanopaanovyaana iti praanavatee, esheti ata AUM iti uktenaitaah pastutaa architaa arpitaa bhavanteeti evam hyaahaitad vai atyakaama paraan chaparaan cha brahmayad AUM iti etad Aksharam iti/
AUM is a nisshabda shabda or a silent sound heard by each and every Being, irrespective of age or sex. This represents Agni, Vaayu and Surya as the flickering flash within, as long as the life lasts. Indeed, that is the Real Self, the Antaratma which is of the form of trimurtis, Brahma-Rudra-Vishnu, essentially representing the trigunas of satvika-tamasika-rajasika or of srishthi-samhaara-sthitis. They also represent three types of homaagnis (sacrificial fires) viz. Gaarhapatya, Dakshina, Ahaavaneeya agnis viz. the agni mukha swarupas; or Rig-Yajur-Saama veda, the knowledge forms or Bhur-Bhuva-Swah the forms of the trilokas, the Kaala maana of past, present, future; Praana-Agni Suryas the essences of existence as the sustaining Shaktis; the preservation energies of food, water, moon; the sense forms of Buddhi-Manas-Ahamkaaras or intelligence-mind-and the awareness or sense of thoughts; or the Praana-Apaana-Vyaana or the breathing energies. Thus AUM not only represents paraa-aparaa self- existence but also Paramatma too!
Paraa vidya - Aparaa vidya has been distinguished in the Mundaka Upanishad vide 1.i.1-5 as follows :
I.i.1-3) Om, Brahma Devaanaam prathamah sambabhuva Vishvasya kartaa bhuvanasya goptaa, sa Brahma- Vidyaam sarva vidyaa pratishtham atharvaaya jyeshtha putraaya praaha/ Atharvane yaam pravadeta Brahmaatharvaa taam purovaachaangire Brahma Vidyaam sa Bharadvaajaaya Satyavaahaaya praaha Bharadvajengirase paraavaraam/ Shaunako ha vai Mahaashaalongirasam vidhivad upaasannah papraccha, kasminnu Bhagavo vijnaatam bhavati iti
AUM, Brahma the Creator, Sustainer and Protector of the Universe was self-manifested as the foremost of devas who were appointed to administer its existence. Most initially, He taught the rudiments of brahma jnaana to his eldest son, Atharvan, who was apparently born of one of the most ancient cycles of Brahma Times. Atharvan, in turn, taught this vidya to Maharshi Angira and the latter transmitted this knowledge to Satyavaha of the ancestry of Bharadvaaja and further down to maha yugas and yugas through the ages. Shaunaka, who was a householder of fame, approached Maharshi Angira of the relevant generations and desired to know and asked him: ‘Bhagawan! kasminnu vijnaate sarvamidam vijnatam?’ (Respected Sir! What is That by which everything becomes known?)
There is a reference in the Chhandogya Upanishad (VI.i.3) cited in this context: A brahmana vidyarthi named Svetaketu who learnt the vedas in a gurukula for several years, returned home and showed off his knowledge around. His father asked Svetaketu: Yenaashrutam bhavati, amatam matam, avijnatam vijunaatamiti! (What is that which is never heard is heard, unthought is never thought, and unknown is never known?) Svetaketu got baffled and drew a blank. The kind father explained to him: “Do listen what is the reply: ‘A lump of earth denotes what earth is all about; just as all kinds of speech are the basis of speech itself; Indeed, it is that secret which could made of a staggering variety of plurality that a singular existence could roll out! That is what Brahma Vidya is all about!
Tasmai sa hovaacha, dvai vidye veditavye iti ha sma yad Brahma vido vadanti Paraachaiva -aparaacha
Tatparaa Rigvedo Yajurvedah Saamavedorvavedah Shikshaa Kalpo Vyhakaranam Niruktam Chhando Jyotishamiti, atha paraa ayaa tadaksharamadhigamyate
The para jnaana or the aihika jnaana of somewhat inferior approach to brahma vidya, in contrast to apara-jnaana or amushmika jnana, is through acquisition of knowledge of veda vedangaas and the system of rituals, regulations and a conventional set of rules that the knowledge of scriptures so prescribe. The other superior approach of higher learning without resorting to karama kaanda is of Self Realisation through total control of panchendriyas viz. the karmendriyas or the action-oriented organs and jnaanendriyas or the sensory organs and mainly of mind in essence. The former route is detailed as the knowledge of Rig-Yajur-Saama-Atharva vedas and the Shadvedangas of Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chhandas, Jyotisha. Bhur-Bhuvah-Swah the Tri Lokas and worship of Gayatri, Bhaskara and Savitri.
Athaavyaahritam vaa idam aaseet, sa Satyam Prajapatistapas taptvaanuvyaaharad Bhur-Bhuvah - Swar iti; eshaivaasya Prajaapateh sthavishthaa tanuryaa lokavateeti,swar iti; Swar iti asyaah shiro naabhir Bhuvo Bhuh paadaa Adityaaschakshuh, chakshur aayattaa hi Purushasya mahatee maatraa, chakshushaa hi ayam maatraascharati, Satyam vai chakshu, aksheene avasthito hi Purushah sarvaartheshu charati, etasmaad bhur bhuvah swar iti, upaaseetaanena hi prajapatir vishvaatmaa vishvachakshur ivopaasito bhavateeti, evam hi aahaishaa vai Prajaapati vishvaabhrit tanuur etasyaam idam sarvam antarhitam, asmi cha sarvasminn eshaa antarhhiteti, tasmaad eshopaseetaa
At the very beginning, indeed only Prajapati was self-manifested and by observing severe concentration, uttered three words Bhur-Bhuvah-Swah and issued magnificent and huge His gross and universal form which comprised Aakaasha as the head, navel as the atmosphere, feet as the bhumi and the vision as the pratyakta bhaskara. Hence the manifestation of Prajapati; hence prajaapatir vishvaatmaa vishva chakshur (Prajapati Himself is the body form as also His vision.) Indeed, the entire universe is hidden in the Antratma Himself as the true reflection of Prajapati.
The purport of the venerable Symbols of ‘Bhurbhuvatvasuvah is described in Taittireeyopanishad vide I.v.1-2 as follows:
I.v.1-
Bhurbhuvah suvareeti vaa etaas tisro vyaahrutayah, taasaamu ha smaitaam chaturteertham mahaachamasyah pravedayate maha hati, tad Brahmaa sa Atmaa angaanyanyaa Devataah, Bhuriti vaa ayam lokah,Bhuva ityantariksham, Suvariti asou lokah
Maha iti aadityam, Adityenavaa va sarve lokaa maheeyante
Mahaityaadityah Adityena vaava sarve lokaa maheeyante, Bhurati vaa Agnih Bhuva iti Vaayuh, Suvarityaadityah, Maha iti Chandramah Chandramasaa vaava sarvaani jyotimshi maheeyante
As the vyahritis or qualifying features of maha or Brahma are: Bhu or the earth, Bhuva or the intermediate space, and Svaha is the extra terrestrial world yonder or the higher worlds. Now, if Bhu is agni, Bhuva is vayu, Svah is surya then Maha is chandra and the last is what the luminaries sparkle and glorify! Indeed if vyahriti is called the trunk of the body of Hiranyagarbha Brahman, then the limbs are : Bhu or the legs, Bhuvah or the hands and Svaha or the head!
I.v.3-5) Bhuriti vaa Ruchah Bhuva iti Samaani Suvariti yajumsi, Maha iti Brahma, Braahmana vaava sarve vedaa ma maheeyante/ Bhurita vai Pranah, Bhuva ityapaanah suvariti vyaanah maha ityannam annena vaava sarve praanaa maheeyante/ Taa vaa etatas chaturdhaah chaturasro vyahritayah, taa yo veda saeda Brahma, Saveshmai Deva balim aavahanti
The word Bhu connotes Rig Veda, Bhuvah denotes Saama Veda, and Svaha for Yajur Veda while Maha is Om or Brahman. Also, Bhu is the praana, Bhuvah is apaana, Svaha is vyana’, and Maha is anna or food. Thus, the vyahritis of Brahman are expressed in four significant forms viz. (1) Brahman as trilokas of Bhurbhavassvah, (2) the three devas of Agni, Surya and Chandra, (3) the three vedas of Rig-Saama-Yaju and (4) the three Pranas viz. apana-vyana-suvana. Indeed, he who absorbs these details attains supremacy of Brahman and the devas offer a variety of gifts to him.)
Tat Savitur varenyam iti asau vaa Aadityah savitaa sa vaa evam pravaraneeyaa aatmakaameneti aahur brahmavaadinotha bhargo devasya dheemaheeti, Savitaa vai devas tato yosya bhargaakhyastam chintayaameeti aahur bhahmavaadinotha dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat iti buddhhayovai dhiyastayo - smaakam prachodayaat iti aahur brahmavaadinah, atha bhargaa iti yo ha vaa aamushminn aaditye nihitas taarakokshini vaisha bhargaa iti rudro brahmavaadinotha, bha iti bhaasayateemaan lokaan, ra iti ranjayateemaani bhutaani, ga iti gacchhanti asminn aagacchanti asmaad imaah prajaas tasmaad bha- ra-ga-twaad bhargah, shaashvat suuyamaanaa naat Suryah savanaat savitaadaanaat aadityah pavanaat paavanothaapopyaayanaad iti evam hi aaha, khalvaatmanotmaa netaamrritas chetaa mantaa gantotsrashtaanaat kartaa vaktaa rasayitaa ghraataa drashtaa shrotaa sparshaiticha vibhur vigrahe sannivishtaa iti evam hi aaha, atha yatra dvaiteebhutam vigjnaanaam tatra hi shrunoti pashyati jighrati rasayati chaiva sparshayati sarvam aatmaa jaaneeteti, yatraadwaitee bhutam vigjnaanam kaarya- kaarana-karma-nirmuktam nirvachanam anoupam nirupaakhyaam kim, tad avaachyamyam
Brahma vaadis or those who aspire to identify with Paramatma, the Inner Self, seek to envision Savitri beyond the pratyaksha bhaskara as that very inimitable magnificence, the outstanding all Omniscience. May our thought levels be elevated to envision the ever hidden pupil of that glorious Self which is Omnipresent! It is that Rudra, the extinguisher of periodical creation of every object of creation from time to time. Bharga, the Bhaskara, is thus denoted as Bha for radiance to the worlds, Ra for sustenance, and Ga for the dissolution of praanis and lokaas alike. Thus, the pratyaksha bhaskara assumes the double role of preservation and termination while the pivotal role of Savitri is to restart the cycle of kaalamaana or the time schedule. As Aditya assumes the role as the initiator and sustainer, Paavana is the purifier, Aapas is the instrument of growth. Indeed the Inner Self is the everlasting, all distinguisher, the thinker, the one who acts, the root of joy and sorrow, the voice lender, taster and smeller, and the hearer too. At the same time, there occurs a double nature involved as subject and object or Inner Self or the Conscience and the Concerned Being respectively. Yet the actual actor on the stage of the play of life is the Being under reference, be it male or female of any moving or immobile species who would kick-start the physical organs and senses to see-hear-feel-smell-taste even while the original director and promtper is the Antaratma, the Inner Self, the very reflection of Paramatma, the Supreme who is kaarya-kaarana-karma-nirmuktam nirvachanam anoupam nirupaakhyaam kim, tad avaachyamyam/ kaarya-kaarana-karma-nirmuktam nirvachanam anoupam nirupaakhyaam kim, tad avaachyamyam/
(But indeed that is what Abstractness, and that is what the Unknown is all about. |
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