6.13.1 to 6.13.3 and 6.14.1 to 6.14.3 Uddalaka continues the teaching using common metaphors as he finds that Svetaketu is a worthy student. When salt is dissolved in water, it is not possible to see the salt with eyes. However, presence of salt is ascertained by tasting the water from top or middle or bottom. Brahman is present in every jiva but sense organs are unable to perceive it. However, there are other means, namely, the scriptures, by which Brahman is known as the Self of jiva. A robber having brought a person blindfolded from Gandhara leaves him in a desolate place. The person is clueless about directions and in particular about the direction leading to GandhAra. He cries for help and fortunately on getting guidance from someone, he proceeds towards GandhAra inquiring for its location from people whom he meets on way. Finally, he reaches GandhAra. Similarly, as long as a person does not get a preceptor, he remains ignorant about Brahman and Self. If he is fortunate due to his punyas earned, he gets a preceptor and he becomes liberated. Sections 13 and 14 conclude with Thou that art.
6.15.1 to 6.15.3 and 6.16.1 to 6.16.4 A dying person is able to recognise friends and relatives assembled around so long as his speech is not merged in mind, mind in prAna, and prAna in fire, and fire in the supreme deity. As soon as speech is merged in mind, mind in prana, prana in fire, and fire in the supreme deity, he does not recognise. A man of knowledge merges in Brahman in the same manner as an ordinary ignorant man does. The difference is that the former merges permanently and the latter is reborn according to laws of karma. The former is liberated while in the current body and does not go along the path of the sun, etc, after the fall of the body.
A person accused of theft is brought in the court of the king. Whether he is guilty or not is tested by asking the accused to hold a heated axe by hand. If he is guilty but he does not accept, the hand is burnt and he is jailed. However, if he is not guilty and he says so, the truth protects him, the hand is not burnt and he is released. Though the heated axe and holding it are similar in both the cases, the man attached to truth is released and the man addicted to falsehood is punished. Similarly, though both the man with knowledge and the man without it merge in the supreme deity, the former is liberated and the latter is reborn. Both are embodied and pass through the same stages of ascent from the grosser to the subtle; the man without knowledge is bound, the one with knowledge is liberated in the current the body which is co-terminus with prArabdha.
The bodily presence or existence affects the bound soul, while it does not affect the mind of the liberated soul. That condition in which the soul resides in the body with knowledge is called jivanmukti, liberation while living. This is the difference between death and Self-realisation. This is also the difference between sleep and Self-realisation. The desires of the mind are not destroyed in sleep, and therefore there is return to the waking or dreaming state after sleep. The desires of the mind are not destroyed even in death, and therefore, there is rebirth after death.
Brahman is the root of the universe. It is the abode and basis of all creatures. He is birthless, immortal, fearless, auspicious, and non-dual. That is the Truth and That is your Self. Thou art That, Svetaketu. The sentence, ‘Thou art That’, is repeated 9 times in chapter 6, one time in each of the sections from 8 to 16. It means that it is at the core of Vedantic teaching. It also shows that Vedantic teaching needs repetition. Repetition is not a defect if the subject is subtle and complex. Contd Part 6(2)