Author Archives: Bimal Prasad

Chandogya Upanishad and Brahma Sutra Bhasya- Part 2

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 Part 1 is included in Chandogya Upanishad (chapters 6 to 8) Part14

Part 3

BSB 1.3.14 to 1.3.21                                                                                                        Ch 8.1.1 reads: “Om. Now, in this city of Brahman, there is a mansion in the shape of a small Lotus; in it is a small inner Ākāśa. What is within that, that should be sought; that, indeed, one should desire to understand.”                                                                     [Swami Swahananda. Chandogya Upanisad (p. 366). RK Math, Mylapore, Chennai. Kindle Edition.]                                                                                                           There is a doubt whether term ‘Akasa’ (space) refers to material space or Brahman. Another doubt is about the owner of the ‘city’, Brahman or the individual soul. The opponent holds that space denotes material space because the text, “the space inside the heart is of the same magnitude as the space outside” (Ch 8.1.3) is meaningful only for material space. The individual soul is the owner of the city because the body is earned on account of action of the individual soul. The aphorist rejects the views of the opponent on the strength of Ch 8.1.2 and Ch 8.1.3.

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Upadesa Sahasri (Part 7)

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Part 6

Part 8

Chapter 9 Subtleness and Pervasiveness
9.1 to 9.3                                                                                                                         The author presents knowledge of Brahman with the help of cosmology. Brahman is the material cause of creation (Br Up 1.4.23). The creation unfolds in stages from subtle to gross. If creation is traversed back, the subtlest entity is reached. An entity can be described in terms of imperceptibility (gross/subtle) and pervasiveness. The Vedantic theory is that body is constituted of five fundamental elements, namely, earth, water, fire, air, and space. It may not fully conform to the scientific view. However, it seems reasonable and serves the intended objective. Earth is the least imperceptible and the least pervasive. Imperceptibility and pervasiveness increase on traversing back from earth, water, fire, air, and space in succession. The space is the most imperceptible and pervasive worldly entity. Brahman transcends it and is the most imperceptible (subtlest) and all-pervading. Like the body, the external objects are also made of the five elements.

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Brihadarankya Upanishad (Part 15)

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Part 14

Part 16

4.3.15 to 4.3.17                                                                                                            After enjoying the dream world, a jiva goes to deep sleep or to the waking state. During dream he is only a bhokta though seemingly attached to action. There is no real attachment. He is not a karta and does not earn karma. The Upanishad says that similar to the dreamer, the Self is not attached to any action.

4.3.18                                                                                                                             Self is like a big fish. As the fish swims alternately between two banks without becoming affected by what happens on the bank, the Self moves between the dream and waking states without being affected by what happen in these states.

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Chandogya Upanishad (Chapters 6 to 8) (Part 14)

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Part 13

Section 13 (8.13.1), section 14 (8.14.1), and section 15 (8.15.1)
Vedantic teaching is over with section 12 of the chapter 8. Sections 13 to 15, each containing one mantra, are sort of miscellaneous.
A meditator longs for krama-mukti prays. He has practised meditation on space in the heart as Isvara. Space is one of the five elements. But here space is considered as a symbol of Isvara for meditation. It is revealer of name and form. By practice of meditation, he has reduced papas (demerits) like a horse shakes the dust off his body and the moon comes out of the grip of Rahu. Meditation has purified the mind and sense organs. He is desirous of going to the abode of Brahmaji to realize Atma so that he attains freedom from the cycle of life and death.
After enumerating of lineage of teachers, i.e., Brahmaji, Prajapati, Manus and his descendants, the Upanishad concludes with an assurance. He who serves his teacher, lives as prescribed by the Vedas and has control over mind and body, practices non-injury except otherwise ordained by scriptures, reaches the abode of Brahmaji and does not return. Continue reading →

Upadesa Sahasri (Part 6)

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Part 5

Chapter 8 Merging of the mind
The chapter is meant for a seeker who has completed sravan and manan and is engaged in nidhidhyasana. He is convinced that his true nature is consciousness which is complete. Though he has contentment and peace, due to habits formed over many births, there is contrary thinking off and on. It is viprit bhavana. There is a tendency to make efforts to get over this because people are attached to the idea of cause and effect (8.5). The author says that he has composed a dialogue (chapter 8) between Self and mind to convince the seeker that viprit bhavana does not affect at all the true nature (consciousness) of the seeker. Let viprit bhavana which is due to prarabdha take its own course. The author has earlier (4.3) clarified that prarabdha has the capacity to overpower knowledge and it comes to end with death. In Naiskrama-Siddhi, Suresvaracharaya says that jnana removes avidya but not avidya vasana. However, when avidya vasana raises its head, jnana vasana also operates to neutralize it.

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Brihadarankya Upanishad (Part14)

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Part 13

Part 15

Chapter 4 Section 3 4.3.1 to 4.3.5                                                                                  In a series of questions Janaka asks YVK about the lights which a person uses for worldly transactions. Most obvious is the sunlight. When sun has set, it is the moonlight. When both sun and moon have set (Amavasya), it is the light of fire. When sun, moon, fire are unavailable, speech serves as the light to transact. Speech (sound) includes odour.

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Chandogya Upanishad (Chapters 6 to 8) Part 13

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Part 12

Part 14

Chapter 8 Sections 10 (8.10.1 to 8.10.4), 11 (8.11.1 to 8.11.3), and 12 (8.12.1 to 8.12.6)
Impressions are formed on the mind during waking state. These impressions are projected by the mind during dream. The dreamer jiva is different from the waking jiva. For the dreamer, the dream is as real as the world in the waking state is for the waking jiva. Brahmaji says that the one who moves around in the dream is Atma. He is fearless, immortal. He is Brahman. He is referring to consciousness blessed by which the mind functions. However, Indra wrongly takes the dreamer as Atma because he thinks that the dreamer is not affected by the afflictions of the waking state. He leaves satisfied. On his way back, he doubts his understanding. The dreamer too changes and suffers in the dream. It cannot be immortal and fearless Atma. He returns to Brahmaji and expresses his doubt. Brahmaji confirms his doubt and agrees to teach further on the condition that Indra lives in the gurukul for another 32 years. Indra lives for another 32 years.

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Upadesa Sahasri (Part 5)

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Part 4

Chapter 6 Negation of attributes                                                                                     6.1 to 6.3 The author has earlier explained the method of negation (of objects) whereby Self is revealed. In this chapter, it is explained that negation of objects also means negation of attributes. Attribute is distinct from nature. That fire is hot is its nature and does not change. There is no cold fire. Smokiness is the attribute of a smoky fire. Attribute is a qualification and a limitation. The whiteness of a white cow is a limitation because it excludes all other colours. Since infiniteness is the very nature of Self, It is attribute- free. It is the ultimate subject and is the only entity having no attributes.   

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Brihadarankya Upanishad (Part 13)

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Part 12

part 14

Chapter 4 Section 1 (4.1.1 and 4.1.7)
Janaka tells Yajnavalkya that he has learnt from a teacher that fire deity is Brahman. Yajnavalkya says that it is only one aspect of Brahman and there are three more aspects. Organ of speech is its abode; ether is its support, and it should be meditated as intelligence. Organ of speech is intelligence because through organ speech, the meditator knows his relatives, learns different types of knowledge. His speech never deserts him. And people come to him to learn. The dialogue continues in the same pattern.

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Upadesa Sahasri (Part4)

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Part 3

Part 5

Chapter 4 The nature of right knowledge                                                                     

4.1 and 4.2                                                                                                                        In chapter 1, it has been explained that a jnani is free from ahankara (egoism). He considers himself as a witnessing consciousness and is therefore akarta (non-doer) and abhokta (non-enjoyer). In the verse 4.1, the author makes a general statement that action of a jnani, free from egoism, does not produce any punya or papa karma. It is so because, right knowledge has burnt the ego. In verse 2, states a possible objection: is that it is seen that even though action is burnt by the fire of knowledge, it produces result.

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