Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-11 Tattiriya Upanishad Siksha Valli
6-11-1 Anuvaka 10 Trisanku on Knowledge and Wisdom
The Upanishad quotes Trisanku who after attaining jnAna declares that the glories of Brahman are his glories. Instead of saying Brahman is Satyam-JnAnan-Anantam, he claims- ‘I am Satyam-JnAnam-Anantam’. Instead of claiming that Brahman is Jagat-Karana he declares: I am Jagat-Karana. To an ignorant person, the claim of I am Brahman may seem preposterous. For a jnani, it is a rehearsal mantra. By rehearsing (Nidhidhyasana), he is established in Brahman. It is jnAna-nishtha.
Vedanta makes a distinction between Brahman and Isvara. Brahman is nirguna, Isvara is saguna. Maya is the total causal body. It is unmanifest and rests in Brahman. Brahman with its mAyA power is Isvara. Isvara is also unmanifest. Manifest Isvara is the universe. Sometimes Brahman and Isvara are used interchangeably. However, the context should make clear whether the term refers to nirguna or saguna.
Tag Archives: Upanishads
Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 36
Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-10-2 Anuvaka 10 The Upanishad prescribes two groups of meditation. In each group, there are several meditations: adhyAtma Brahman upAsanA, Adhidaiva Brahman upAsanA, AkAsa Brahman upAsanA.
adhyAtma Brahman upAsanA-. Here different organs in the body are locus for invocation. May you meditate upon Brahman in the form of well-being in speech. If a person’s speech is proper and appropriate, it can bring all-round wellness. Speech is the best ornament of a person. May you meditate on Brahman as yoga and ksema residing in prAna and apAna. PrAna rises from the lung upward and goes out, while apAna goes in from the nostrils and travels down to the lung. In this prAna and apAna, yoga-ksema is present. Yoga means all forms of acquisition – money, house, health, food etc. Ksema. means preservation of whatever has been acquired. Yoga and ksema reside in our breathing, because they exist only when we are alive. Once we cease breathing (die), they become irrelevant.
Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 35
Part 34
Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-10 Taittiriya Upanishad Bhrigu Valli – On Bhrigu’s enlightenment
6-10-1 Anuvaka – 1 to 6 Bhrigu requests his father Varuna to teach Brahman. The father says that Brahman is the cause of food, vital forces, mind, eye, ear, and speech, and unto which they resolve. Bhrigu conducts inquiry. That Brahman is the cause of creation means that It is the ultimate substance from which all the products come into existence. There is an important difference between Brahman and other causes. The latter undergo modifications themselves to become the product, e.g., wood becomes furniture. Brahman is not subject to change. It is vivartavAd of creation. All other causes undergo modification and are parinAmi upAdAna cause. Knowing Brahman through inquiry about product is an indirect approach. Here the creation is inquired in reverse order.
Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part34
Chapter 6 JnAna and moksha
6-9 Taittiriya Upanishad- Brahmananda Valli
6-9-5 AnuvAka 8 – Ananda MimAmsa There is harmony and order in creation. Celestial entities are all the time engaged in their activities in a disciplined manner. It is possible if there is a ruler different from them. He is Brahman of Vedanta who is inactive but at his command all the worldly entities act as if He is the source of terror. This is one aspect. The Upanishad says that Brahman is the source of bliss in the world and in particular, the one enjoyed by a jiva. Whereas bliss is the nature of Brahman and is without any gradation and cannot be experienced, the bliss experienced by a jiva is graded and can be evaluated. Ananda MimAnsa is discussed in detail in (Ananda Mimansa | Advaita Vision)
Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 33
Chapter 6 JnAna and moksha
6-9 Tattiriya Upanishad- BrahmAnanda Valli
6-9-4 AnuvAka 7 (Pt 2) The universe is made of matter and is essentially inert. But living and non-living beings are found in the universe. It means that there is an outside source of sentiency. This source is Brahman. Consciousness is the nature of Brahman. The consciousness is reflected in the subtle body of a jiva and the latter becomes sentient. Brahman is also the source of happiness. When consciousness is reflected in a calm mind, happiness is felt. Vedanta claims that there is not an iota of happiness in worldly objects. If happiness is the essential nature of an object, it should give happiness to everybody all the time. But it is not so. An object liked by a person may not be liked by another person. And an object liked by a person now may not be liked later.
Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 32
Chapter 6 JnAna and moksha
6-9 Taittiria Upanishad- BrahmAnanda Valli
6-9-3 AnuvAka 6
If a person says that Brahman is non-existent, he is adhArmic. Brahman-knowledge cannot be the goal of such a person. He does not accept the authority of the Vedanta sastras. For such a person a preparatory righteous life constituting karma yoga and upAsanA yoga would not make any sense. His life is meaningless. On the other hand, a seeker initially accepts Brahman because the scriptures say so and eventually, he clearly understands that Brahman exists not as an object, but as I, the very subject. It is different from and witness to the five sheaths.
Eight Upanishads (Part-wise) Part 30
Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha 6-8 Prasna Upanishad
6-8-2 Prasna 4.7 to 4.9
5th question is where do they get merged? The entire cosmos is resting on AtmA. It is the support. It provides 3 fundamental things for the entire AnatmA prapancha: Sat, Chit, and Ananda. IS-ness of the universe doesn’t belong to the universe. I, the experiencing consciousness, lend existence to this world like as in a dream, I, the observer, lend existence to the dream world. The entire world is supported by I, the AtmA, the witnessing consciousness which is in and through the three states of experience. The Upanishad gives the example of birds who go to a tree for lodging. The birds are supported by the tree.
Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 29
Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-7 Mundaka Upanishad
6-7-19 Mundaka 3.2.7 and 3.2.8
The Upanishad describes the process of videha-mukti, that is, when a jivanmukta dies. A human being is a combination of material part – called anAtma and sentient part called AtmA. AnAtmA is made of gross, subtle and causal bodies or alternatively five sheaths of food, vital forces, mind, intellect, and bliss. The enclosed consciousness is AtmA component. When a jivanmukta dies, anAtmA part merges into total anAtmA. Gross body merges into cosmic gross body called virAt. Subtle body into total subtle body called, Hiranyagarbha. Since there is no karmic balance, there is no causal body. In Prasna Upanishad, anAtmA part of an individual is divided into 16 parts. The Upanishad says that of them, each of 15 parts merges into corresponding totality. The Upanishad is silent about the 16th part. According to Swami ParmArthananda, the 16th part is the name of a jnAni that remains in the world for the disciples to worship. The consciousness part merges into total consciousness without any travel like pot space merging in total space when the pot breaks. An ignorant person takes rebirth in a body according to his karmAs.
Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 28
Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-7 Mundaka Upanishad
6-7-11 Mundaka 3.1.3 to 3.1.6
When a jiva is disillusioned by the world of duality and is restless, he seeks permanent solution. He turns to spirituality. It is a life-turning moment. He discriminates between permanent and temporary and finally recognizes his true nature, namely, consciousness. As consciousness, he is the source of creation. All worldly experiences are like ripples in the vast mirror of consciousness which he is. He has Self-realization. He transcends all actions. Action does not taint him though he is ever-engaged in action. He knows that his true nature is consciousness which enlivens the vital forces running through body. He is not interested in boasting of his luminosity because being established in Self, he delights in it. He sees same Self everywhere. The enlightened one does not ‘see’ anything else because it is mithyA. PrAna gives life to the body. Self gives life to prAna. Hence It is vital force of vital forces.
The Self is realized by practice of spiritual disciplines, namely, truth, concentration, knowledge, continence and the like. Truth is the path of gods and leads to victory.
Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 27
Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-7 Mundaka Upanishad
6-7-4 Mundaka 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 The Upanishad explains how Brahman can be known though it is formless. It is subtler than the subtlest. It shines through all experiences. It is cognized in the hearts of all beings as revealing Itself through such functions as seeing, hearing, thinking, knowing. It is therefore very near for wise. It is the support of all living and non-living things, all the worlds and the dwellers of the worlds like all the spokes fixed on the navel of the chariot wheel. It pervades all that is subtle and gross, yet not polluted by and is beyond them. It is the highest goal and the most desirable. By knowing It one is contented as if all desires are fulfilled.