Upanishads

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, as the name itself suggests, is brihat i.e. vast as the infinite Reality Itself; the Shankara-Bhashya on this Upanishad is also vast and profound. This Upanishad is a part of Shukla Yajurveda's Shatapatha Brahmana (which is also known as Vajasaneyi Brahmana because its knowledge was received by Sage Yajnavalkya through the grace of Sun in an 'equine form'). Out of the two Shakhas (recensions) of the Shatapatha Brahmana, namely Kanva and Madhyandina, Sri Shankaracharya has written his commentary on Kanva branch; and he starts his commentary from third chapter because first two chapters deal with Karma-kanda (ritualistic) portion and Upanishad proper starts from third chapter, continuing till the concluding eighth chapter. This Upanishad is the elaboration of the theme of another Shukla Yajurveda Upanishad namely Ishavasyopanishad.

We present here the notes derived from audio talks by Swami Vidyananda Giri, Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj, and Swami Ramananada Saraswati on Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. (The original text for the Upanishad can be downloaded from sanskritdocuments.org)

Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI

The infinite Self, described in negative terms as 'Neti, Neti', was said to project the phenomenal world of names and forms; some aspects of this projected world were discussed, in order to discuss some other aspects, this and the next chapter is started.

Taking the story of Janaka's assembly of Vedic scholars including Yajnavalkya further, the Upanishad informs us that Janaka sees Yajnavalkya arriving again in his court; Janaka asks him if he wants more cows or if he wants to discuss some subtle points related to spiritual matters. Yajnavalkya replies, 'Both, O Emperor'!
Then following conversation starts --
Yajnavalkya: "Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you."
Janaka: "Jitvan, the son of Silina, told me that the organ of speech (fire) is Brahman."
Yajnavalkya: "As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the son of Silina say that the organ of speech is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who cannot speak? But did he tell you about its abode (body) and support?"
Janaka: "No, he did not."
Yajnavalkya: "This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty."
Janaka: "Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya."
Yajnavalkya: "The physical organ of speech is its abode and the akasha is its support. It should be mediated upon as intelligence."
Janaka: "What is intelligence, O Yajnavalkya?"
Yajnavalkya: "It is the organ of speech, Your Majesty. Through the organ of speech alone, O Emperor, are known the Rig-Veda, the Yagur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Atharvangirasa, history, ancient lore, the arts, the Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, explanations, commentaries, the results of sacrifices, the result of offering oblations in the fire, the results of giving food and drink, this world, the next world and all beings. The organ of speech, Your Majesty, is the Supreme Brahman. The organ of speech never deserts him who, knowing this, meditates upon it; all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods."

Janaka said: "I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant."
Yajnavalkya replied: "My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him."
Similarly further mantras discuss the vital force (air), eye (sun), ear (space), mind (moon), heart (Prajapati) as Brahman and the result of meditating on these as Brahman.

This Brahmana is called Kurcha Brahmana as in its beginning it is narrated that King Janaka got up from his royal seat (Kurcha) when he saw Sage Yajnavalkya easily defeating all the assembled Brahmanas. With devotion and humility, the king asked Yajnavalkya to give spiritual instructions to him. Yajnavalkya replied, 'As one wishing to go a long distance, O Emperor, should secure a chariot or a boat, so have you fully equipped your mind with so many secret names (of Brahman). You are likewise respected and wealthy, and you have studied the Vedas and heard the Upanishads; (but) where will you go when you are separated from this body?'
'I do not know, sir, where I shall go.' Replied Janaka.
'Then I will tell you where you will go.' Said Yajnavalkya.
Janaka: 'Tell me, sir.'
Yajnavalkya: 'The Being who is in the right eye is called Indha. Though he is Indha, he is indirectly called Indra, for the gods have a fondness, as it were, for indirect names, and hate to be called directly. The human form that is in the left eye is his wife, Virat (matter). The space that is within the heart is their place of union. Their food is the lump of blood (the finest essence of the food eaten) in the heart. Their wrap is the net-like structure in the heart. Their road for moving is the nerve that goes upward from the heart; it is like a hair split into thousand parts. In this body there are nerves called Hita, which are placed in the heart. Through these the essence of our food passes as it moves on. Therefore, the subtle body has finer food than the gross body.'

This is a profound and very subtle subject that is being dealt here in this Upanishad. The gross body is perceived by majority of the humanity and is taken to be the self; correspondingly the gross world is taken to be the only reality. This is spiritual ignorance and a great tragedy. The real Self not only transcends the gross body and gross world but also the subtle body that sustains both! And most of the humans are totally ignorant about even the subtle body!!
Here in these mantras, it is illustrated that the food eaten gets converted in three parts: the grossest and useless part is thrown out as excreta, the slightly subtle part is converted into body matter proper, while the subtlest part goes on the make the mind (subtle body). Further Yajnavalkya explains, 'Self-realized sage initially identifies with the gross vital force and body, then subtle aspects of these, and thus realizes his/her identity with everything; finally giving up these identifications too, he/she identifies with Brahman, the absolute Self, which can only be indicated as "Not This", "Not This"'

Yajnavalkya's instructions made Janaka realize Brahman and observing this, Yajnavalkya said, 'O Janaka, you have attained That which is free from the fear of birth, death etc.'
Janaka replied, 'Revered Yajnavalkya, may that which is free from fear be yours too, for you have made that Brahman accessible to us by removing our spiritual ignorance. What can we present you? This Vedeha kingdom is yours, do with it as you see fit. I too am your servant, ready to do your bidding.'

This very important Brahmana is called Jyoti Brahmana as it deals with the subtlest aspect of Vedanta -- the study of three states of consciousness (waking, dream, and deep-sleep). And it points out that Self is the ultimate Light (Jyoti) for entire phenomenon.

The story of Janaka and Yajnavalkya is used again with little bit of added history of their previous interactions. This time Janaka asked, 'Yajnavalkya, what serves as light for a man?'
Yajnavalkya: 'The light of Sun, O Emperor. It is through the light of Sun a man functions.'
Janaka: 'When the Sun has set, Yajnavalkya, what serves as the light for a man?'
Yajnavalkya: 'The moon serves as light. It is through the light of moon a man functions.'
Janaka: 'When the Sun and moon has set, Yajnavalkya, what serves as the light for a man?'
Yajnavalkya: 'The fire serves as light when Sun and moon are set. It is through the light of fire a man functions.' Janaka: 'When the Sun and moon has set and fire has gone out, Yajnavalkya, what serves as the light for a man?'
Yajnavalkya: 'The speech serves as light when Sun and moon are set and fire has gone out. It is through the light of speech a man functions. Therefor O Emperor, even when one's own hand is not clearly visible, if a sound is uttered, one manages to go there.'
Janaka: 'When the Sun and moon has set, fire has gone out and speech has stopped, Yajnavalkya, what serves as the light for a man?'
Yajnavalkya: 'The self serves as his light. It is through the light of the self that he sits, goes out, works, and returns.'
Janaka: 'Which is the self?'
Yajnavalkya: 'This infinite entity (Purusha) that is identified with intellect and is in the midst of organs, the self-effulgent light within the heart (intellect). Assuming the likeness (of the intellect) it moves between two worlds; it thinks, as it were, it shakes, as it were. Being identified with dreams, it transcends this world -- the form of death (ignorance etc.). The 'self' limited by the adjuncts i.e. transmigrating soul attains to gross body and associated evils and when it leaves the body or dies, it discards those evils.'

The Upanishad then gives some mantras with following meaning:
This radiant infinite Being while going to dream state puts aside the body, and Himself remaining awake, reveals the impressions of waking state by Its own light. This immortal Being preserves this filthy body with the help of vital forces, and roams, goes wherever He likes leaving this nest (body). In the dream state, this illumined One, attaining higher and lower states, puts forth innumerable forms. He seems to be enjoying Himself in the company of women, or laughing, or even seeing frightful things. Everyone sees the play of Him but no one sees Him. Physicians say that a person sleeping shouldn't be woken up suddenly, that may cause irreparable damage to organs and body. Some people say that dream is not different from waking and hence the Self is the independent light illumining dream state is not correct. But this view is not logical, because the physical lights of the waking as well as the senses are absent in dream. It is the light of the Self that illumines dream world. Thus, the Self of a person is distinct from this sphere of existence as well as other sphere, from dream as well as waking state; the Self is self-luminous.

Hearing this much about the Self Janaka said to Yajnavalkya, 'For this knowledge I will give you thousand cows as it is conducive to Liberation but it is only one part of what I wish to know. Hence, I request you to instruct me further about Liberation so as I am totally free of doubts and attain to the highest by your grace.' Janaka's request for the remaining part of the Self-Knowledge arises due to the doubt: in dream the Self transcends the gross body and illumines the dream experience but in dream too dualities like pleasure and pain, heat and cold persists; this could mean that the Self transcends a form of death but does not transcend death itself (here death means karma, the experience of duality)? Is death then inseparable nature of Self? If yes, then Liberation is impossible and if no, then it has to be explained.

Now we enter into the profound mystery of deep sleep state. Unless all three states -- waking, dream and deep-sleep -- are analysed, real nature of Self and Liberation cannot be determined. So, Yajnavalkya answered Janaka's doubt as: 'After enjoying Himself and roaming, and merely seeing the results of good and evil in dreams, He stays in the state of deep sleep, and comes back in the reverse order to his former condition of dream state. He remains untouched by whatever He sees there in that state, as this infinite Being is unattached.'
Janaka was pleased with this answer, which explains Self to be untouched by karma i.e. subject-object duality, and gave thousand more cows to Yajnavalkya; then he requested to further instruct about Moksha (Liberation).
So Yajnavalkya continued, 'After enjoying Himself and roaming in dream state, and merely seeing the results of good and evil, he comes back in reverse order to His former condition i.e. waking state. He remains untouched by whatever He experiences there for this infinite Being is unattached.'
Janaka was pleased again with this answer, which explains Self to be unattached to the experiences of waking and dream states, and gave thousand more cows to Yajnavalkya; then he requested to further instruct about Moksha (Liberation).
Further it is stated, 'After enjoying Himself and roaming in the waking state, and merely seeing the results of good and evil, he comes back in reverse order to his former condition of dream state (or deep-sleep state).'

The Upanishad illustrates above point with the help of a simile, 'As a great fish swim alternately to both the banks of a river, so does this infinite being moves to both these states -- waking and dream.' The fish is not obstructed by the flow of the river and is not tied to a particular bank, similarly the Self remains untouched by the flow of life -- mental as well as physical, and Self is also not bound by mental states like waking, dream, deep-sleep etc.
Another example is given by the Upanishad to point out the movement of Self from waking and dream states to deep-sleep states, 'As a hawk or a falcon flying in the sky becomes tired, and stretching its wings, is bound for its nest, so does this infinite being run for this state, where falling asleep he craves no desires and sees no dreams.'

This Infinite Self when superimposed by illusory limiting adjuncts of mind and body experiences waking and dream states. In this superimposed human being are the nerves called Hita which are as fine as a hair split into thousand parts. These nerves are filled with serums of white, blue, green, brown, red colours due to the combination of nerve matters, bile and phlegm. In these nerves are the impressions of subtle body and they cause him to experience various diverse kinds of dreams as per the experiences of waking state. Thus, this is the work of ignorance (avidya): it shows divisions and distinctions in One Undivided Self causing deluded soul to defend, oppose, fight, labour, run around etc. forgetting its real nature!
This Self is beyond desires, free from evils (both merit and sin), and is fearless. As a man fully embraced by his beloved wife, does not know anything at all, either external or internal, so does this infinite being (Self), not knowing anything at all, either external or internal. That is its form -- in which all objects of desires have been obtained and are but the Self, and which is free from desires and grief. In this state, father is no father, mother is no mother, worlds no worlds, gods no gods, Vedas no Vedas, thief no thief, killer no killer, low-caste no low-caste, monk no monk, hermit no hermit. The Self remains untouched by virtue and sin and is beyond the afflictions of heart/intellect/mind.

The Self does not see in the state of deep sleep, because although 'seeing' then, it does not see; for the vision of the Witness can never be lost, being immortal. But there is not that second thing separate from it which it can see. Similarly for hearing, smelling, touching, speaking, thinking, knowing etc. The Self is Consciousness Itself and it does not require mind and senses for cognizing, but apart from Self nothing else is there (in deep sleep and samadhi) to cognize. And hence though the illuminating power of the Self is never absent, due to lack of subject-object duality in deep sleep, one 'experiences' that 'I did not know anything'. This experience does not indicate lack of illuminating power of the Self but only that soul, mind, world everything had merged in the Self and there was no duality to illumine the differences. When there is something else, as it were, then one can see something, one can smell something, one can taste something, one can speak something, one can hear something, one can think something, one can touch something, one can know something; but when all becomes One without second, witness, transparent (like water), that is the state (sphere) of Brahman, O Emperor. Thus, Janaka was instructed by Yajnavalkya.
This is the supreme glory, highest world, supreme bliss. On a minute particle of this bliss, people live their lives. Next is given the measurement of bliss in different spheres of existence and how one who has renounced desires achieves those levels of bliss automatically by dispassion is narrated. This is similar to the calculation given in Taittiriya Upanishad.

On hearing about this supreme bliss, the Emperor Janaka said to Yajnavalkya that for this I give you thousand cows and further requested to instruct about Moksha (Liberation). Listening to this request, Yajnavalkya became afraid as he saw the keen witted Emperor enquiring him more and more about Brahma-Vidya. Janaka thought that he has merely been given the illustrations for bondage and liberation, and their actual description is yet to come; hence his request.
The individual self's going from waking to dream to deep-sleep was explained and also the state of bliss in deep-sleep. The soul, after staying in deep-sleep for some time, returns back to waking state in the reverse order. This is explained next: After enjoying himself and roaming in the dream state, and merely seeing the effects of merits and demerits, He comes back in the inverse order, to His former condition, i.e. waking state.

Just as the conditioned Self comes and goes in and out of dream and waking state, similarly it moves from one body to another body at the time of death. This is described in the next mantra with an example: Just as a cart, heavily loaded, goes on rumbling, so does the self that is in the body, being presided over by the Supreme Self, go making noises, when the breathing becomes difficult (at the time of death). This is narrated to cultivate renunciation, as the Supreme Self has no coming and going but due to superimposition with the subtle body, it leaves one body and holds another. While leaving the gross body, lot of pain is experienced and the person becomes helpless, dependent, incapable of effort etc. Hence before such a state arrives, one should be engaged with full force in removing the spiritual ignorance and establishing in Pure Self. Further description of dying soul is given: When this body becomes thin -- in emaciated through old age and disease -- then, as a mango, or a fig, or a fruit of the peepul tree is detached from its stalk, so does this infinite Being, completely detaching himself from the parts of the body, again go, in the same way that he came, to particular bodies, for the unfoldment of his vital force.

When the conditioned Self takes up new body, the new body is made ready by the elements just as when a King is supposed to arrive, his servants prepare and keep ready everything for him. And just as when the King is about the depart, everyone assembles near him -- similarly when this conditioned Self is about to depart the physical body all organs and vital forces are gathered.

The narration of conditioned Self departing one physical body and assuming new one (i.e. the transmigration) was discussed at the end of third Brahmana in brief; now it is elaborated here in fourth Brahman.
When this conditioned Self becomes weak and senseless as it were (at the time of death), the organs come to it. Completely withdrawing these particles of light, it comes to the heart. When the presiding deity of the eye turns back from all sides, the man fails to notice colour. Similarly, all the sense-organs and mind are withdrawn into the subtle body and people say that 'He can't see, listen, smell, touch, think etc.' Then the top of the heart brightens. Through that brightened top the 'self' departs, either through the eye, or through the head, or through any part of the body. When it departs, the vital forces follow; when the vital force departs, the organs follow. Then the 'self' has particular consciousness and, goes to the body which has that particular consciousness. It is followed by knowledge, karma, and past experience.

Now how does the 'self; move from one body to another is discussed: Just as a leech supported on a straw goes to the end of it, takes hold of another support and contracts itself, so does the 'self' throw this body aside -- make it senseless -- take hold of another support, and contract itself. Just as a goldsmith takes apart a little quantity of gold and fashions another -- a newer and better -- form, so does the 'self' throw this body away, or make it senseless, and make another -- a newer and better -- form suited to the Manes or the celestial minstrels, or the gods, or Viraj, or Hiranyagarbha, or other beings.

Further it is shown that it is desires that become resolves and later actions, thus identification of the conditioned Self with desires causes its transmigration. One who has given up desires and regained the true Self, ceases to transmigrate and his vital forces don't leave the body at the time of death.

@ How can the arising of Self-knowledge thought-form ('Jnana-Vritti') - which being a product of mind i.e. ignorance (Avidya) -- destroy ignorance ('Avidya-Nivritti') and confer Mukti? Can the effect kill its cause?
To this objection, it is said that, this does happen and examples for this in phenomenon are given: sword made of steel (effect) cuts steel (cause), Banana -- the fruit (effect) of Banana-tree (cause) -- after its ripening causes the tree to die, in some type of crab species the mother-crab (cause) dies after giving the progeny (effect).
@ Some commentators describe the 'removal of ignorance' ('Bandh-Nivritti') as fifth type ('Pancham-Prakaar') -- the four types being Sat (IS), Asat (IS NOT), Ubhaya (IS and IS NOT), and Anirvachaniya (indescribable); while others call it Anirvachaniya.

Again, Emperor Janaka said to Yajnavalkya, 'I will give you thousand cows for this.'

The Upanishad then gives some verses about the Self which is in the innermost recesses of heart and realizing which, the seer overcome transmigration and all miseries related to spiritual ignorance. The seer realizes himself/herself as the maker of the phenomenal world. Those who, while having the precious human body, realize this immortal infinite Self - which is the basis of time and space, names and forms, body-senses-vital forces-mind - are Liberated while those who fail to do such suffer a great loss. Then the famous verse comes: नेह नानास्ति किञ्चन | मृत्योः स मृत्युमाप्नोति य इह नानेव पश्यति || -- there is no difference in IT whatsoever. He goes from death to death, who sees difference, as it were, in IT.' The Pure Consciousness-Bliss Self/God is the only infinite Reality and there is nothing else; there is no me, you, they, world, body, mind in IT. But spiritually blinded souls see great variety in IT and hence go from death to death i.e. they transmigrate through different bodies. The Upanishad continues: That great, birthless Self which is identified with the intellect and is in the midst of the organs, lies in the space that is within the heart. It is the controller of all, the Lord of all, the Ruler of all. It does not become better through good work nor worse through bad work. It is the Lord of all, It is the Ruler of all beings, It is the protector of all beings. It is the bank that serves as the boundary to keep the different worlds apart. The Brahmins seek to know It through the study of the Vedas, sacrifices, charity, and austerity consisting in a dispassionate enjoyment of sense-objects. Knowing It alone one becomes a sage. Desiring this Self alone monks renounce their homes. This is (the reason for it): The ancient sages, it is said, did not desire children (thinking that), 'What shall we achieve through children, we who have realized this Self.' They, it is said, renounced their desire for sons, for wealth and for the worlds, and lived a mendicant life. That which is the desire for sons is the desire for wealth, and that which is the desire for wealth is the desire for the worlds, for both these are but desires. This self is That which has been described as 'Not this, not this'. It is imperceptible, for It is never perceived; un-decaying, for It never decays; unattached, for It is never attached; unfettered, It never feels pain, and never suffers injury. (It is but proper) that the sage is never over-taken by these two thoughts, 'I did an evil act for this,' and 'I did a good act for this'. He, conquers both of them. Things done or not done do not trouble him.

This has been expressed in following hymn: The eternal glory of the knower of Brahman is that it does not increase or decrease through work. Therefore, one should know the nature of that alone. Knowing It one is not touched by evil action. Therefore, he who knows It as such becomes self-controlled, calm, withdrawn into himself, enduring and concentrated, and sees the Self in his own self (body); he sees all as the Self. Evil does not overtake him, but he transcends all evil. Evil does not trouble him, but he consumes all evil. He becomes sinless, taintless, free from doubts, and a Brahmana (knower of Brahman). 'This is the world of Brahman, O Emperor, and you have attained It' said Yajnavalkya. And Janaka said, 'I give you, sir, the empire of Videha, and myself too with it, to wait upon you.'

Then the Upanishad continues: That great birthless Self is the eater of food and the giver of wealth (fruits/results of one's work). He who knows It as such, receives wealth (those fruits). That great birthless Self is un-decaying, immortal, fearless and infinite (Brahman). Brahman indeed is fearless. He who knows It as such, becomes the fearless Brahman.

In the Madhu-Kanda, Brahman was explained with Agama i.e. on scriptural basis; later in Muni-Kanda, It was explained using logic as expounded in debate and discussions with Yajnavalkya. Now the present chapter relating to Maitreyi is being introduced as a conclusion of the proposition regarding the same topic. Also, the Self-knowledge and renunciation that was explained in first two Kandas are worthy of being pursued by serious spiritual aspirants, this is being explained here.

Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi dialog that came in second chapter fourth section is repeated here with slight variation. Sri Shankaracharya in his commentary says, 'In all the four chapters one and the same self has been ascertained to be the Supreme Brahman. But the means to Its attainment are various. The goal of all of them, however, is that Self which has been pointed out in the second chapter in the words, "Now therefore the description: Not this, not this" (II. iii. 6). The same has also been ascertained in the third chapter, in the dialogue between Shakalya and Yajnavalkya, where death (the falling off of the head) was mentioned as the wager; then at the end of the third chapter, next in the dialogue between Janaka and Yajnavalkya, and again here at the conclusion of the Upanishad. In order to show that all the four chapters are exclusively devoted to this Self, and that no other meaning is intended in between, the conclusion has been made with the words, "This self is That which has been described as 'Not this, not this,'" etc. Since, in spite of the truth being presented in a hundred ways, the Self is the last word of it all, arrived at by the process of "Not this, not this," and nothing else is perceived either through reasoning or through scriptural statement, therefore the knowledge of this Self by the process of "Not this, not this" and the renunciation of everything are the only means of attaining immortality. To bring out this conclusion the text says: "This much indeed this realisation of the Self, the one without a second, by the eliminating process of 'Not this, not this,' is (the means of) immortality, my dear Maitreyi, and this is independent of any auxiliary means. That of which you asked me saying, 'Tell me, sir, of that alone which you know (to be the only means of immortality),' is just this much. So, you have known it." Saying this, describing this Self-knowledge, the means of immortality, to his beloved wife Maitreyi, Yajnavalkya, what did he do? -- did what he had first proposed saying, "I am going to renounce this life" -- left, i.e. became a monk. The discussion of the knowledge of Brahman, culminating in renunciation, is finished. This much is the instruction, this is the teaching of the Vedas, this is the ultimate goal, this is the end of what a man should do to achieve his highest good.' (Swami Madhavananda translation)

Like the long line of Guru-disciple succession that was given at the end of Madhu-Kanda to highlight the importance of BrahmaVidya (Self-Knowledge), here too the long list of disciple-Guru is mentioned related to Yajnyavalkya; it ends at the top in Virat as disciple and Hiranyagarbha as Guru.

Next : Chapter V