Tait T Iriya

TAITTIRIYA UPANISAD
By Swami Paramarthananda
Transcribed by Smt. Madhuri Rajyasri
& Sri V. Badrinath
NOTE: Swami Paramarthananda has not verified the transcription of talks.

The transcriptions have been done with Swamiji’s blessings by his disciples.
Published by :
Arsha Avinash Foundation
104 Third Street, Tatabad, Coimbatore 641012, India
Phone: + 91 9487373635
E mail: arshaavinash.in@gmail.com
www.arshaavinash.in
Class Notes on Śīkṣāvallī
(Based the Lectures of

Swami Paramarthananda
Saraswati)
Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath
Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 2

Class Notes On Śīkṣāvallī – Based on the Lectures of Swami Paramarthananda
Śīkṣāvallī
Introduction
In this section, we shall recollect the introductory points we have seen in the
previous Upaniṣads. Our basic scriptures, the four Vedas, are broadly classified into
two portions: Veda-pūrvaand Veda-anta. The former is more voluminous and deals
with various karma or activities. All the activities in karma kāṇḍa are classified into
three categories:
• Kāyika karmāṇi – consisting of physical activities such as yāga, pūjā,

namaskāram etc.
• Vācika karmāṇiconsisting of verbal karmas such as orally chanting prayers,
nāma-japa, pārāyaṇam etc. (chanting of Viṣṇusahasranāma).
• Mānasa karmaare upāsanās, where only the mind is used for these activities.
Upāsanās are of many types such as mental pūjā (mānasa pūjā), mental
repetition of the names of Bhagavan (japa) and meditation (dhyāna).
For these types of karmas, the scriptures promise three types of results (phalams).
The results can be broadly placed in the following categories:
• Upādhi-phalam – The body-mind-sense organ (B-M-S) complex is one’s

instrument (upādhi) to conduct transactions in this world. The human beings
know that the B-M-S complex needs to be in good condition to enjoy things in
this world. A deaf person cannot enjoy music even if Saraswati plays the veena.
No one can enjoy anything when the mind is disturbed. Many rituals are
prescribed for the improvement of the B-M-S complex.
• Viṣaya-phalam – For a human being to enjoy, the healthy sense organs need to
interact with sense objects. Many rituals are prescribed for acquiring the objects
of enjoyment known as viṣayaḥ. Without food, what is the use of a healthy
tongue? If there are no wonderful things to see, what is the use of the healthy
eyes?
• Loka-phalam – A suitable environment –peaceful and harmonious - is required to
enjoy the sense objects with the healthy B-M-S complex. Currently, in Syria, it is
hard to enjoy even if one has everything. A person living in a posh house amidst
a slum cannot enjoy the luxury while watching the suffering around him. It is
difficult to enjoy life in a tense environment in a family.

Vedas point out that a thinking person who goes through such a life with a healthy
B-M-S complex, with access to sense objects in a healthy environment will discover
some important things. All these karma-phalams are wonderful, but they have
certain intrinsic defects also. Most people do not notice it because they lead a
mechanical life. There are three types of defects in karma-phalam:
• Duḥkhamiśritattvam – The pleasures experienced from these results are not

pure; they are always mixed with pain. To accomplish these results, one must
struggle through planning and effort mixed with anxiety [ārjane duḥkham]. The
higher the result (and therefore the pleasure), the greater the competition. This
is evident from the fact that these days everyone competes for IT jobs that pay
higher wages. Once you accomplish the results, one goes through pain to retain
them. Retention is as difficult as accomplishment. Despite all efforts to maintain
or preserve the accomplishment, one will lose it all one day. No one can possess
anything permanently. Lord owns everything – He giveth and He taketh. It is
painful when the loss occurs despite the effort to preserve it.
• Atr̥ ptikaratvam – Whatever we accomplish through our actions is finite. Every
action has a proportionate result. Since all actions are finite in nature, the results
will also be finite. Any karmaphalam therefore is apūrṇam or paricchinnam. We
are never satisfied with finitude; we always crave for the next higher thing
regardless of how much we have. We are ever in the state of dissatisfaction.
• Bandhakatvam – All the results (karmaphalams) cause dependence; they are
addictive. They are mental crutches for one to be happy. One who needs an
external support to be happy isweak. We depend on hundreds of
karmaphalamsto stay happy. When anyone of them becomes non-functional, the
life may become miserable (lack of internet, electricity, car, cell phone etc.).
Every object has the capacity to enslave us. We try to travel from dependence to
independence by acquiring more and more, while in fact, we only travel from one
dependence to another. In the materialistic society, the more things one
possesses, the more successful he is, but the Vedanta says that he is a failure
because he is dependent psychologically.
One who lives a Vedic life (karma yogi) discovers these defects because this life style
is designed for such discovery. On the other hand, the person who is non-Vedic and
materialistic, continues to be in the defective mode; he settles for less in life because
he does not know the limitations of karmaphalam. The Vedic life allows one to fulfill
his desires as well as to discover the limitations. When he discovers these defects,
he seeks a higher goal that is defect-free (doṣa-rahita-sādhyam or puruṣārtha).
Once he reaches this stage, veda-pūrva becomes irrelevant to him. In the

Kaṭhopaniṣad, Naciketas was offered all the worldly wealth and pleasures, but he
chose jñāna (and hence mokṣa). With this, there is a shift from pūrva-mīmāṁsā to
anta-mīmāṁsā.
The Upaniṣads introduce Brahman as the goal that is defect-free. One then poses a
question with the intention of finding Brahman: what is the nature of Brahman? The
Vedanta, after an elaborate discussion, makes a shocking revelation: You are that
(tat tvam asi) and that you need not and should not seek Brahman as an external
object.
Prior to being exposed to the Vedanta, I viewed myself as limited and lacking
(apūrṇa-puruṣaḥ). The Vedanta declares that I am Brahman (pūrṇa-puruṣaḥ). Now,
I require self-enquiry to resolve this difference. A person that successfully completes
this self-enquiry realizes that the notion that he is limited (or lacking in life) is a
misconception. The idea that one needs people and things to be happy is a
misconception. The fact is that one does not require anything to be happy because
he is the embodiment of happiness. This knowledge is called Brahmavidyā or
Ātmavidyā.
Brahman is not a new thing to be discovered or acquired. It is his real nature that
one needs to introduce himself to and understand. When Kunti revealed to Karṇa
that he was her son, this knowledge made him a kṣatriya instantly. No action or
travel was required on his part to acquire this identity. Similarly, self-knowledge
helps one to own up to Brahmatvam (pūrṇatvam) and disown the jīvatvam
(apūrṇatvam) status. This freedom from the sense of inadequacy (apūrṇatvam) is
mokṣa
Adequate effort in the right directionis required to achieve success in self-enquiry.

The scriptures emphasize that one must take the help of the śāstras to engage in
self-enquiry. One must also take the help of a qualified guru who applies the time-
tested method to communicate this teaching. It is highly risky to engage in self-
enquiry without their help because it is possible that one may erroneously confirm
his jīvatvam instead of Brahmatvam.
When the Upaniṣad says that you are Brahman, śraddhāis required to be open
minded. Without śraddhā, one may drop the study of the Upaniṣads. After
upanayanam, the brahmacāri is required to keep a vratam(austerity) for three days.

On the fourth day, he worships śraddhādevi. Then for the next 10-15 years, he
develops the śraddhā in the Vedas by constantly offeringprostrations to them. I
should develop as much faith in the Vedas as I have in my eyes to see. With this, I
do not question the Vedas, but I question my conclusion, especialy, that I am
different from Brahman. Analysis is required to verify whether the Vedanta or my
conclusion is right. This is self-enquiry or ātma vicāra.
To do this enquiry, I need a proper instrument. The instrument used for acquiring
knowledge is called pramāṇa. Pramāṇa leads to the acquisition of pramā, the
knowledge. The one who uses the pramāṇato acquire pramā is called pramātā
[pramātā pramāṇena pramā prāpnoti – pramātā obtains pramā by using the
pramāṇa].
The object of knowledge is called prameya. Pramātā obtains pramā of the prameya
through the pramāṇam [pramātā pramāṇena prameyasya pramām jānayati]. Since
there are varieties of objects in the world, and the nature of those objects are
different, the instrument of knowledge will vary depending upon the object of
knowledge. If the sound is the object, the relevant instrument is the ear. No other
instrument can be used for this.
The Vedānta śāstra places the pramāṇas into six categories. An outline is given to
get an idea of how our forefathers made a study of everything thousands of years
ago:
Pratyakṣa(Direct perception) - the five sense organs are grouped together into one
means of knowledge. Pratyakṣa pramāṇa is the basic instrument of knowledge
through which we learn things from our birth.
Anumāna (Inference) – It is to know something indirectly when it is not in the range

of direct perception. When I hear the horn behind me on the street, the ear can only
hear the sound, but I infer that there is a car behind me (even though I do not
directly see it). For this, I need the knowledge of the connection between the car
and the horn. The knowledge through connection is called vyāptijñāna. The horn is
known through pratyakṣa, but the car knowledge is through anumāna.

The sāstras give the example: when there is smoke, we infer that there is fire. Even
though I do not see the fire behind the wall, when the smoke enters the room, I
know that there is fire somewhere.
Arthāpatti (Presumption) – It is very close to inference. By experiencing one event in

the present, I come to know about another event in the past even though I have not
experienced it. For example, when I see wet streets in the morning when I wake up,
I conclude that it must have rained in the night even though I did not perceive the
rain.
Upamāna (Comparison or analogy) – Through comparison you can know other

objects. You see a wild animal in the forest and conclude it is a wild buffalo because
it looks like your village buffalo. This knowledge of the wild animal is obtained by
comparison.
Anupalabdhi (Non-cognition) – This is a special instrument for knowing the absence

of things. If I ask you, “Is there a chair behind the wall?” To know that there is a
chair or not, you must go behind the wall and see. The presence as well as absence
requires seeing. Knowledge of absence is also a specific knowledge and it requires
specific instrument - anupalabdhi. Eyes can see only colors and forms, but you saw
the absence of the chair. The absence of forms and colors (abhāva) cannot be seen;
the absence can be known by the peculiar method anupalabdhi. Books have been
written on this topic of non-existence.
Śabdapramāṇa (Communication through words – verbal or written) – You learn

about Brexit from the newspaper or internet articles – you learn a lot about it even
though you were not in Great Britain personally to witness it.
One m ust use a pram āṇa to gain know ledge - Knowledge is valid only if it is
born of these six instruments of knowledge; otherwise, it is just speculation or
wishful thinking. No new knowledge can happen by just meditating. In meditation,
only the existing knowledge is recycled; any “new” thing that you have generated is
imagination because none of these six pramāṇas is used during meditation.
One requires an appropriate instrum ent of know ledge - The sāstras say that
we do not have a choice in the use of an instrument to obtain a specific type of
knowledge. To know the color, one must use the eyes.

The knowledge to be acquired (or verified) is whether I am a miserable jivātmā

(gloom) or the wonderful paramātmā (bloom). To seek this knowledge, I need a
pramāṇa. I must use a relevant means of knowledge out of the above six. On
analysis, the first five pramāṇas are useless in the acquisition of self-knowledge:
• Pratyakṣa is useful for objective knowledge because the sense organs are turned
outward towards the objective world. They are incapable of objectifying Ātmā
that is behind the B-M complex. The observer (perceiver) cannot be observed
(perceived) even by using the most powerful instrument. When the most
powerful microscope cannot see the eyes themselves, what to talk of Ātmā who
is behind the eyes?
• Once pratyakṣa is ruled out, the other 3 pramāṇas are ruled out because
inference can only operate on perceptual data.
Śabda pramāṇa(communication through words) remains and it is the appropriate

method for self-knowledge. This pramāṇa is classified into two: laukika śabda and
vaidika śabda.
Laukika śabda – words given out by worldly people – in the fields of material
sciences.
Vaidika śabda – Created by the Lord and transmitted to the world by the r̥ ṣis
(mantra draṣtāḥ – they did not invent the mantras, but discovered the already
existent mantras).
Laukika śabdas deal with the objective world and therefore, are useless for self-
knowledge. These are the study of the observed and not the observers – “the
observer cannot be observed.”
We are left with Vaidika śabda – it is also divided into two: Veda-pūrva śabda
(karma kāṇḍa) and Veda-anta śabda (jñāna kāṇḍa). Upon analysis, karma kāṇḍa
śabdas are not useful for self-knowledge because they deal with the objective world
of actions and results (in the field of anātmā).

Vedānta śabda pramāṇais the unique instrument that deals with the subject, the
observer. To see my own eyes, the only suitable instrument is the mirror – no other
instrument works. Vedānta pramāṇa is the “mirror” to reveal myself - which I have
never attempted know. If you are interested in seeing (knowing), Vedānta pramāṇa
is the only instrument.
It is difficult to understand the Upaniṣadthrough self-study because a peculiar

method is used to communicate this knowledge. Normally, the words are used to
reveal the objective knowledge, but the Upaniṣads must use the words to reveal a
more difficult subject – myself. The Upaniṣaddoes not use the normal method. If it
uses the normal method, it will conclude that there is an object called Brahman
(other than you). One will seek to see Brahman face to face through meditation
(Brahma-darśanam). The Upaniṣads communicate in such a way that it describes
Brahman as my own nature and not as a separate object. That is how śravaṇam
should take place. Tremendous skill is required to communicate this, or, the student
may claim that he has understood Brahman will set out to experience it. Improper
teaching and understanding will result in knowledge-experience dichotomy. There is
no division between knowledge and experience in Brahmajñānam. The interpretation
of the Upaniṣads require the guidance of a guru. Guru has the technique of opening
the knowledge and giving it to you on a platter.
The guru uses six indicators (ṣaḍ liṅgāni) to extract the central teaching (tātparya)
of the Upaniṣads:
Upakram a upasam hārau – The summary at the beginning and the end of the
Upaniṣad give the central message. For example, in the radio or television news, the
headlines are given first, then the detailed news and then the summary again of the
headlines.A good presentation or an article will also have the summary of the key
points in the beginning and the end. Every Upaniṣad has a message summarized in
the beginning as well as the end.
Abhyāsaḥ - The topic that is repeated often is the central message (abhyāsaḥ =
āvr̥ ttiḥ = repetition). Whenever we want to stress something, we repeat it. We saw
in Muṇḍaka and Kaṭhopaniṣad, ekastathā sarvabhūtāntarātmā was repeated many
times. In Kathopanisad, we saw the examples of oneness in agni, vāyu and surya in
mantras 2.2.9, 2.2.10 and 2.2.11 (agni driṣtānta ekastathā sarvabhūtāntarātmā,

vayu driṣtānta ekastathā sarvabhūtāntarātmā and sūrya driṣtānta ekastathā

sarvabhūtāntarātmā). The oneness is the central theme.
Apūrvatā – This is a technical clue and an important one. The purpose of the
Vedānta is to teach us something that is not available in the other five pramāṇams
and the veda-pūrva. (Pramāṇāntara avedyam apūrvam). The Vedānta can never
teach dvaitam because it is already available through the other pramāṇams.
Advaitam is not knowable through any other pramāṇam. The other pramāṇams deal
with vyāvahārika dvaitam (lower order of reality – dvaitam). Only the Upaniṣads
teach this unique topic – therefore, advaitam is the central topic of the Upaniṣads.
P halam - A new knowledge that is revealed must have some utility for me. For
example, pure science should be followed by technology; only then the scientific
discovery becomes useful to human beings. Human beings being utilitarian, will not
be interested if the Vedanta tells him that there is something wonderful called
Brahman beyond the clouds. The crucial question is what result does the study of
the Vedānta give me? If the Vedānta teaches dvaitam, it will be useless because
veda-pūrva already deals with it and it gives deficient results. The unique benefit of
advaitam is taught in the Vedānta.
Arthavādaḥ - Identify what is praised by the Vedānta and what is criticized. What
is criticized cannot be the message of Vedanta. What is praised alone will be the
message. In the Upaniṣads, advaitam is praised and dvaitam is criticized. Therefore,
advaitam is the message. Karma is criticized and jñāna is praised (karma nindā,
jñāna stuti). You can use the rituals as the stepping stone, but not as the central
message of the Vedānta. The central message of the Upaniṣads: knowledge,
knowledge and knowledge.
Upapattiḥ - It is that which is supported by logic. In the name of śraddhā, we

should never sacrifice our intellect and reasoning power. We should extract the
teaching in such a way that it doesn’t contradict reasoning. We may not be able to
prove the teaching through reasoning, but the teaching must not be contradictory to
reason. We emphasize śraddhā, but we also permit questioning by the student to
get clear knowledge.
In the Gītā, karma, bhakti and jñāna are elaborately discussed. How do I know what
the central teaching is? Different scholars claim different things. The guru will help
the student discover the tātparyam or the central teaching of the Upaniṣads – you

are what you want to be in life – full, secure and immortal. Whatever you want to be
or become, you already are. The guru must teach this consistently again and again,
until the student nods his head in agreement with conviction. This is Vedānta vicāra
or Vedānta mimāṁsa. This is not merely an academic exercise. The more I see
śāstra clearly, the more I understand myself clearly. When I look at the mirror, the
clarity of my face depends upon the mirror - the clearer the mirror, the clearer my
image. The śastramust be clear and doubt free for us to understand our own nature.
Only then I will understand that my erstwhile conclusion that I am a mortal limited
human being is wrong and that I am really the immortal Brahman. Aham brahma
asmi becomes a fact for me.
The understanding of the nature of the Upanisads helps us to show the right attitude
towards śravaṇam, which,in turn will help us get the knowledge as we listen.
Śravaṇam is the only means of acquiring knowledge; one can never get knowledge
through mere meditation. People make the wrong conclusion that the knowledge is
inside and therefore, the book that the guru shows is not useful for self-knowledge.
The guru must show the Vedāntic mirror to the student. When you look at the
mirror, you are not extroverted, because you are looking at yourself. Thus, the study
of the śāstrasis not extroverted.
This Vedānta vicāra or jñāna yoga consists of three stages: śravaṇam, mananam
and nididhyāsanam.
Śravaṇam - Śravaṇam is the consistent and systematic study of the scriptures under
a competent guru who uses ṣaḍ liṅgas to arrive at the central theme of the
Upaniṣads. Since the Upaniṣads can be interpreted in various ways, it can cause
confusion. We have three major schools of thought arising from different
interpretations: dvaita, viśiṣṭādvaita and advaita. As we are doing śravaṇam, doubts
will arise and we must keep them aside without asking any questions. This is the
first stage.
Mīmāṁsāis used for the analysis of the scriptures. Mīmāṁsā means reverential
analysis –this term is used only for scriptures. Mīmāṁsā is otherwise called
śravaṇam and with this,I arrive at the conclusion that I am that infinite Brahman
(pūrṇa brahman). Also, I arrive at the conclusion that there is no second other than
me (aham advaitam brahma asmi) and that I am the whole and all (ahameva idagṁ
sarvam). After the Vedāntic enquiry, Tamil “āl̥ ” (ஆள்) becomes English “all”.

Mananam- Mananam is the second stage of enquiry, where all doubts regarding the
teaching are removed. The doubts are the intellectual obstacles that stand between
knowledge and conviction. Knowledge must be converted to doubt-free conviction
(samśaya-rahita-jñānam) because doubtful knowledge is as good as ignorance.
Swami Chimayananda gave an example:
If you see an electrical wire hanging and ask a person nearby if it is live and if he
answers that he is 99% sure, how useful is this knowledge?
In the case of Vedantic teachings, the doubts are not ordinary because the teachings
are extraordinary. It is not easy to swallow the fundamental teaching that I am
infinite, because I am certain of the fact that I was born at a certain finite time, will
grow old and then eventually die one day. My entire lifestyle is based on this
entrenched notion. I prepare for my old age, for my children etc. based on the
assumption that I will eventually grow old and die. When the Vedanta says that I am
neither born nor I die (na jāyate mriyate vā kadācit), I will naturally resist it. The
concept that I am infinite is difficult to accept.
Then the Vedānta says that the world that I am experiencing does not exist at all.
Only the formless Brahman exists; there is no world separate from Brahman. The
Vedānta negates what I am experiencing solidly, but attaches reality and existence
to something (Brahman) that is abstract and not experienced by me! Therefore, my
intellect is full of doubts regarding the teachings of the Vedānta related to jīva, jagat
and Brahman because my sense organs and the mind experience something
opposite. All the instruments of knowledge are asserting dvaitam (they reveal
plurality) while the Vedānta is asserting advaitam. There is a big clash between the
two sources of knowledge. When there is a clash between the direct experience and
the scriptures, our natural tendency is to respect the direct experience more than
the scriptures. The scriptures are after all words, written by someone – we don’t
know who wrote it and what their mental condition was when they wrote it. How
can I trust that when my intimate and direct experience is contradicting it? This
conflict is called prameya asaṁbhāvanā (prameya = the teaching or the object
revealed).
We have two objects revealed – advaitam by the scriptures and dvaitam by direct
experience. We cannot accept both because they are diagonally opposite. Thus, this

is purely an intellectual problem which can be resolved only by deep thinking and
further analysis. This process of removing my doubts and answering all the
questions is called mananam. The Vedāntic teaching can be confirmed only by clear
analysis and thinking. Many people think erroneously that the scriptural teachings
must be proved by an extraordinary experience. No experience can remove an
intellectual problem. All intellectual problems are born out of non-thinking or
improper thinking. They can be solved only by right thinking. Nirvikalpaka samādhi
attained through meditation will not remove doubts. The yoga founders (like
Patañjali) focusedon and perfected the nivikalpaka samādhi, but they were never
able to remove the doubt through these practices. Patañjali’s conclusion was
dvaitamand so, his doubt was never removed. Removal of doubt requires thinking
and more thinking until the doubt is removed and I am convinced of the fact ahaṁ
satyaṁ jagan mithyā.
Nididhyāsanam. The central objective of nididhyāsanam is dwelling on the teaching

and assimilating it. This is a process of internalizing the teaching like soaking in the
syrup of advaita jñanam (like rasagolla or gulab jamun). This can be done in
different ways:
• Through repeated śravaṇam, your mind can remain in the teaching. Initially, you
get new ideas through śravaṇam. When you listen to teaching repeatedly, you do
not get new ideas, but you get the opportunity to remain in the teaching.
Repeated reading (of your own notes), writing, discussions with peers and
teaching someone are all effective methods of nididhyāsanamto remain in the
teaching.
• Try to imitate the behavior of a jīvanmukta who has assimilated and transformed.
After some time, it will become natural. Swami Dayananda said – “fake it and
make it”. We ask the children to do namaskāra at the temple or to a mahātmā.
They do it mechanically without reverence. The parents train them with the hope
that this mechanical practice will turn into a reverential one. We can imitate the
mahātmās described in the Gītā in chapters 2 (verses 54-72), 13 (verses 13-20)
and 14 (verses 21-27) and lead an alert life.
• Meditation is a traditional form of nididhyāsanam. It is practiced in a specific
place in a specific posture as described in Verse 5 of Kaivalya Upaniṣad. This
exercise of focusing is called samādhi abhyāsaḥ (samādhiḥ = focus; abhyāsaḥ =
exercise). The focus is not on Brahman as an object, but on any aspect of the
teaching that is relevant to you. If I feel I am lacking something in life, I should
meditate that do not lack anything in life, indicating pūrṇatvam. If I fear dying, I

should focus on nityatvam (eternal). If relationships are causing problems, focus

should be on asaṅgatvam (non-attachment).Thus, choose the appropriate
teaching and focus on it to internalize it.
The purpose of nididhyāsanam is not mokṣa. Through the teaching, we have

understood that mokṣa is not a future event to happen. It is to remind ourselves
that a change in a situation will not make me free because I am already free despite
that situation. It is not even meant for knowledge, which is gained only through
śravaṇam. Nididhyāsanam is not meant to prove, confirm or validate the knowledge.
Proving is done by mananam. It is not for gaining an extraordinary experience
because all experiences belong to anātmā. Ordinary experiences belong to ordinary
anātamāand extraordinary experiences belong to extraordinary anātmā. Even
Śaṅkarācārya admits that extraordinary experiences are possible, but they have no
relationship to self-knowledge. A jñānī is not necessarily a siddhi, a mystic with
extraordinary experiences or powers. There are four types of people:
• A jñānī who is also a siddhi

• A jñānīwho is not a siddhi
• A siddhi who is not a jñānī (like Rāvaṇa)
• One who is neither a siddhi nor a jñānī (the majority)
Thus, nididhyāsanamis for solely for assimilation of the teachings by dwelling on

them. What is the sign of assimilation? It is the change in the unhealthy reaction or
responses to the situations in life. One will attain peace (śānti) – samatvam - which
is the experience of the benefit of self-knowledge (brahmajñānaphala anubhava).
There is no experience of Brahman. This transformation is not instantaneous; it is
gradual. It can be measured using the FIT test:
F – reduction in Frequency of unhealthy reactions to situations in life

I – Reduction in Intensity at all three levels – physical, verbal and mental. The
intensity of disturbance at the mental level is the least, where one knows he is
angry, but has sufficient balance to postpone reaction. The physical reaction is the
most intense because it has crossed the other two levels.
T – Reduction in the Time of recovery. How much time to recover balance? It is said
that a uttama puruṣarecovers in a moment, the madhyamain 1 ½ hours and
adhamain 24 hours, but a pāpi(sinner) does not recover even till death.

The Vedānta does not expect us to be completely free of these reactions; it only
helps us to keep the balance. A healthy body does get sick sometimes, but recovers
fast because it has the internal immunity to fight the disease and get back to
health.Similarly, a healthy mind bounces back negative state like a rubber ball, while
an unhealthy mind stays in the negative emotions like a wet clay ball. This benefit of
jñāna (jñānaphalam) is called jīvanmuktiḥ.
This teaching is at the end part of the Vedas and therefore, it is called Vedāntaḥ
(Veda + antaḥ). Since the focus is on jñāna (self-knowledge) in this section, it is
called jñānakāṇḍa. It is also called the Upaniṣad. In this stage of spiritual
progression, karma is not absent, but the focus is predominantly on brahmavidyā or
ātmavidyā, which is the knowledge of myself as the ever free one.
Śaṅkarācārya has given a special meaning to the word Upaniṣad:

upaniṣannaṁśreyaḥ asyām iti upaniṣat - that in which freedom is hidden or kept. By
analyzing the Upaniṣads, you are discovering the freedom within yourself. You
discover freedom at the emotional level (ātmayeva ātmanā tuṣtaḥ) and achieve total
self-satisfaction and fulfillment, not after death, but here and now. Therefore, the
study of the Upaniṣads should not be treated as an academic exercise.
The teaching in the Upaniṣad is usually given in the form of a dialog between a guru
and a disciple (śiṣya). In Kena, Kaṭha and Muṇḍaka Upaniṣads, the dialog is between
one guru and one śiṣya, while in Praśnopaniṣad, the dialogue is between one guru
and six śiṣyas. In the Br̥ hadāraṇyaka and Chāndogya Upaniṣads, there are several
gurus and several śiṣyas in different sets of dialogues.
There is a total of 1,180 branches in the four Vedas. Each branch has an Upaniṣad
and therefore, there are 1,180 Upaniṣads. However, many of them are lost and only
200+ survived, of which 108 are popular. Only ten of these are generally studied
because Śaṅkarācārya wrote commentaries on them. These ten Upaniṣads are useful
for the study of Brahmasūtra. Taittirīya Upaniṣad belongs to Kr̥ ṣṇa Yajur Veda.
Yajur Veda uniquely has two branches – Kr̥ ṣna and Śukla Yajur Vedas. Taittirīya and
Kaṭha Upaniṣads belong to Kr̥ ṣna Yajur Veda, while Īśāvāsya and Br̥ hadāraṇyaka
Upaniṣads belong to Śukla Yajur Veda. Taittirīya Upaniṣad occurs at the end of
Taittirīya āraṇyakam, which has ten chapters,of which the last four are philosophical.
The first six chapters deal with karma and upāsanā. The famous Sūryanamaskāra

mantras (Aruṇapraśnaḥ) occurs in the first chapter of Taittirīya āraṇyakam. The last
four chapters 7 through 10 are called Taittirīya Upaniṣad. Śaṅkarācārya has written a
commentary only on three chapters 7 through 9. The tenth chapter is well known as
Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad. Of the tenUpaniṣads, Taittirīya and Īśāvāsya are used for
pārāyaṇa because the svaras (intonations) are available for them. The svaras of all
the Upaniṣads have not been preserved and so the chanting tradition has been
broken for these.The svaras of some portion of the Kaṭhopaniṣad have been
preserved, but they are not available for Muṇḍaka and Kena Upaniṣads. Although
the svaras of the Br̥ hadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad have been preserved, it is not that
popular for pārāyaṇam.
There are two stories behind why Taittirīya Upaniṣad received its name:
The first story says that this Upaniṣad was composed by a r̥ ṣi called Tittiri and
therefore, the Upaniṣad got its name: Taittirīya.
The second story is mythological and hence, should be taken symbolic.

Vaiśampāyana r̥ ṣi, a Yajur Veda ācārya, had a great disciple called Yājñavalkya,who
later composed the Br̥ hadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. Yājñavalkya was brilliant compared to
the other students. On one occasion, he misbehaved arrogantly towards another
student. Vaiśampāyana came to know of this and punished him by asking to him
return all the Vedas that he was taught. Yājñavalkya vomited the food and along
with it, all his Vedic knowledge came out. He lost all the wisdom that he had gained
through the assimilation of his knowledge. Symbolically, the teaching was in a
digestible form. The other śiṣyas recognized this to be the ideal time to get those
teachings, but they could not consume it in the human form. Therefore, they
transformed into tittiri birds(partridges), which, although physically small, are
voracious. They received the wisdom by consuming the vomit. The r̥ ṣis who
consumed the vomit, composed the Upaniṣad called Tattirīyam. The vomit was
mixed with dark blood and therefore, it came to be called Kr̥ ṣṇa (dark or deep red)
Yajur Veda. Yājñyavalkya, later studied under Sūrya Bhagavān created Śukla Yajur
Veda. Thus, he was responsible for the Upaniṣads from both the branches.
The symbolic meaning

A school consists of both brilliant and dull students. Many a time, the teacher asks
the brilliant student to teach the co-students (it sometimes happens in modern
schools also). In the same way, Yājñavalkya learned from his guru Vaiśampāyana,

digested the teaching and gave it to his student brothers. This is symbolically
presented in the form of vomit. The students are represented as eager tittiri birds
(book worm = like book worm – similarly, the students were like tittiri birds) to
receive the teachings.
There are four chapters in Taittirīya Upaniṣadof which three have been commented
by Śaṅkarācārya. Each chapter is named with the first word with which the chapter
begins.
• First chapter begins with śīkṣāṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ – therefore, it is called

Śīkṣāvallī.
• Second chapter begins with brahamavidāpnoti paramand therefore, it is called –
Brahmāvallī
• Third Chapter begins with bhr̥ gurvai vāruṇiḥ and therefore, it is called Bhr̥ guvallī
• Fourth chapter – is called Nārāyaṇvallī
Of these three chapters, the first and the third chapters do not teach the Vedānta.
Only the second chapter discusses the Vedānta (jñāna yoga) and therefore, it is the
most important chapter. Śaṅkarācārya has written a very beautiful commentary on
it. The first and third chapters discuss the preparatory disciplines of karma and
upāsanāto gain the eligibility to pursue jñāna ((jñāna-yogyatā-sādhanāni).
Brief Introduction to Śīkṣāvallī

This Upaniṣad is in a prose form, divided into paragraphs instead of verses. A
paragraph, small or big, is known as anuvākaḥ. Śīkṣāvallī consists of 12 anuvākas
with śānti pāṭhas in the first and the twelfth anuvākas. The main text is given in the
2nd through the 11thanuvākas. As mentioned in the introduction, Śīkṣāvallī is a
preparatory chapter (sādhanā-pradhāna); it does not contain any Vedāntic teaching
at all. The Vedantic teaching is in the second chapter. The first chapter discusses
various sādhanās prescribed for gaining jñāna yogyatā (jñāna-yogyatā-
siddhyarthaṁ vividha sādhanāni).
As we have seen in the introduction, there are sādhanās in the form of rituals and
activities(kāyika karmāṇi), in which the physical body plays a prominent role. These
activities constitute pañca-mahā-yajña (karma yoga). They are for the purification of
the mind and to remove the intrinsic laziness (tamoguṇa) from the body. The

physical activities make one agile and alert and therefore pañca-mahā-yajña is
emphasized.
Similarly, many karmas are prescribed at the verbal level in the form of pārāyaṇam
and japa. Whether we understand the meaning or not, recitation of ślokas or
mantras bless us. If the meaning is understood, the efficacy will be more, but mere
chanting with or without knowing the meaning will purify the mind. Repeating a
mantra as a japa again and again (mantra-āvr̥ itti- rūpa-japaḥ) is also a vācika
karma. The difference between pārayaṇam and japa is that the mantras are not
repeated it in the former. Śīkṣāvallī talks about two types of japa – one for jñāna
yogyatā siddhi and another for jñāna siddhi.
Śīkṣāvallī also discusses mānasa karma or upāsanās that are purely at the thought
level. Śīkṣāvallī, describes five types of upāsanās which are highly technical and not
practiced nowadays. We study these upāsanās purely with academic interest.
Thus, in Śīkṣāvallī, we will see one pārāyaṇam, two japas, five upāsanās and karma
yoga – all these sādhanās are prescribed to prepare the mind.
This Upaniṣadtwo śāntipāṭhas– one in the first and another in the second chapter.

Anuvāka 1
ॐ शं नो �मत्रः शं वरुणः I शं नो भवत्वयर्मा I शं न इन्द्रो बह

ृ स्प�तः I शं नो �वष्णरु
ु रुक्रमः I नमो
ब्रह्मणे I नमस्ते वायो I त्वमेव प्रत्य�ं ब्रह्मा�स I त्वमेव प्रत्य�ं ब्रह्मव�दष्या�म I ऋतं व�दष्या�म I
सत्यं व�दष्या�म I तन्मामवतु I तद्वक्तारमवतु I अवतु माम ् I अवतु वक्तारम ् I ओं शािन्तः शािन्तः
शािन्तः II
Oṁ śaṁ no mitraḥ śaṁ varuṇaḥ / śaṁ no bhavatyaryamā /śaṁ na indro br̥ haspati ḥ
/ śaṁ no viṣṇururukramaḥ /namo brahmaṇe /namaste vāyo / tvameva pratyakṣaṁ
brahmāsi /tvameva pratyakṣam brahmavadiṣyāmi /r̥ tam vadi ṣyāmi /satyaṁ
vadiṣyāmi / tanmāvavatu / tadvaktāramavatu / avatu mām / avatu vaktāram /Oṁ
śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
�मत्रःभवतु–mitraḥ bhavatu - May Mitra be शंनः–śaṁ naḥ - the source of
auspiciousness to us. वरुणः–varuṇaḥ - May Varuṇa (be) शम–् śam - a source of
auspiciousness (to us). अयमार्–aryamā - May Aryamā (be) शंनः–śaṁ naḥ - a source of
auspiciousness to us. इन्द्रःबह

ृ स्प�तः–br̥ haspatiḥ - May Indra and Br̥ haspati (be) शंनः–
śaṁ naḥ - a source of auspiciousness to us. �वष्णुःउरुक्रमः–viṣṇuḥ urukramaḥ - May
Viṣṇu, the Lord of long stride (be) शंनः–śaṁ naḥ - a source of auspiciousness to us.
नमःब्रह्मणे–namaḥ brahmaṇe - Prostrations to Hiraṇyagarbha. वायो–vāyo - Oh Vāyu!
नमःते–namaḥ te - Prostrations to You. त्वम ्एवअ�स–tvam eva asi - You alone
areप्रत्य�ंब्रह्म–pratyakṣaṁ brahma - the perceptible Brahman. व�दष्या�म–vadiṣyāmi - I
shall declare त्वम ्एव–tvam eva - Yourself प्रत्य�ंब्रह्म–pratyakṣaṁ brahma - to be the
perceptible Brahman. व�दष्या�म–vadiṣyāmi - I shall declare –ऋतम–् r̥ tam - (You to be)
the right understanding. I shall declare सत्यम–् satyam - (You to be) truthfulness.
तद्अवतुमाम–् tad avatu mām - May He protect me. तद् अवतुवक्तारम–् tad avatu
vaktāram - May He protect the teacher. अवतुमाम–् avatu mām - May He protect me.
अवतुवक्तारम–् avatu vaktaram - May He protect the teacher. ओंशािन्तःशािन्तःशािन्तः–
Oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntih - Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!
May Mitra be the source of auspiciousness to us. May Varuṇa (be) a source of
auspiciousness (to us ). May Aryamā (be) a source of auspiciousness to us . May
Indra and Br̥ haspati (be) a source of auspiciousness to us. May Viṣṇu, the Lord of
long stride (be) a source of auspiciousness to us. Prostrations to Hiraṇyagarbha. Oh

Vāyu! Prostrations to You. You alone are the perceptible Brahman. I shall declare
Yourself to be the perceptible Brahman. I shall declare (You to be) the right
understanding. I shall declare (You to be) truthfulness. May He protect me. May He
protect the teacher. May He protect me. May He protect the teacher. Om! Peace!
Peace! Peace!
Through the śānti pāṭha, the student is asking for two things:
• Jñāna yogyatā prāptiḥ - eligibility to receive knowledge. For this, all the sense
organs must be in a fit condition (karaṇa yogyatā prāptiḥ). In Tattva Bodha, we
saw 17 organs – 5 sense organs (jñānendriyāṇi), 5 organs of action
(karmendriyāṇi), 5 physiological systems (pañca prāṇas), the mind and the
intellect. Some of them should cooperate by doing something and some others,
by not doing anything (like some people, if they do not interfere, it is a great
blessing!). During śravaṇam, the sense organs (jñānendriyam) should be active
and not the organs of action (karmendriyam). Each organ is presided over by a
deity (adhiṣṭhāna devata). Therefore, we invoke these devatās to keep the
organs fit (karaṇa yogyatā siddhyartham through karaṇa yogyatā prārthanā).
• The second prayer is for the removal of any obstacle in the application of my
organs(pratibandha nivr̥ itti ḥ). Let there not be any obstacle related to myself
internally (ādhyātmika), environmentally (ādhibhautika) and natural disasters
(ādhidaivika).
Seven presiding devatās are invoked here:
�मत्रः –mitraḥ– Mitra devatā presides over the exhalation breath (prāṇaḥ = prāk
gamanavān vāyuḥ)
वरुणः– varuṇaḥ - presides over the inhalation breath (apānaḥ = adho gamanavān
vāyuḥ – that which enters your nostril and goes down to your lungs). This meaning
is in the context of breathing. Apānaḥ has another meaning – evacuation, which also
goes down.
Thus, the meaning of this prayer to Mitra and Varuṇa is: Oh Lord, when I am doing
śravaṇam, let my breathing continue unobstructed (suspend respiratory problems
like asthma etc.)

शं नो भवतु अयर्मा–śaṁ no bhavatu aryamā - Aryamā is Sūrya devata, who presides

over the eyes (cakṣurindriyam) – May my eyes be in good condition.
इन्द्रः–indraḥ - Indra presides over the hands – I pray for strength (for writing notes
etc.).
बह
ृ स्प�तः– br̥ haspatiḥ - Br̥ haspati represents intelligence and communication skills
(vācaḥ patiḥ). Communication skill is important also for a śiṣya because he should be
able present his questions (doubts) properly. Precision and brevity in presenting the
question is important . Otherwise, the teacher may misunderstand and give an
elaborate answer to a wrong question . We ask Br̥ h aspati to bless us with the ability
ask the appropriate question in an appropriate manner.
�वष्णुः उरुक्रमः–Viṣṇuḥurukramaḥ– is the Lord of the feet (pādayoḥ viṣṇuḥ). He gives

the capacity to move, do service and guru śuśrūṣā. Even to sit in one place for an
hour, the legs must cooperate. Urukramraḥ means trivikramaḥ - one with long legs.
In the purāṇic story. Viṣṇu takes Vāmana avatāra and asks Mahābali for three strides
worth of land. With one stride, he takes the earth and the other, the heavens. When
there was no other place to offer the third stride, Mahābali offers his head to place
the third stride. The concept of Urukramaḥ has been in the Vedas even before the
purāṇas. He is anantaḥ (eternal).
वायुः– vāyuḥ - Brahma is Hiraṇyagarbha, who is the total subtle body (samaṣṭi
sūkṣma śarīram). Being subtle, he is not visible (parokṣa devata). Even though he is
invisible, he is available as Vāyu (samaṣṭi prānaḥ), the air that we breathe. Vāyu, the
samaṣṭi prāṇa represents Hiraṇyagarbha, the samaṣṭi sūkṣma ṣarīram.
प्रत्य�ं ब्रह्मा�स–pratyakṣaṁ brahmāsi - In the form of total mind, Hiraṇyagarbha is

imperceptible (parokṣa devata). In the form of Vāyu, Hiraṇyagarbha becomes a
perceptible devatā (pratyakṣa devata). He is experienced by the nostrils.
शं भवतु–śaṁ bhavatu – Let them be a source of auspiciousness (strength) for

me.[this statement must be added to each devatā].

नो (नः) - no (naḥ) – for us. This prayer is for both the students and the teacher. The
teacher’s organs also should function properly. His memory should be clear and
strong so that he remembers and communicates his guru’s teachings (otherwise he
will start spinning his own stories and philosophy). The teacher has a great
responsibility to remember and teach what his guru taught.
नमः– namaḥ - I offer prostration (namaskāram) to all of them
ब्रह्मणे–brahmaṇe – especially to Hiraṇyagarbha who is the samaṣṭi devatāthat

includes all the devatās.
नमः ते वायोः–namaḥ te vāyoḥ - Hiraṇyagarbha (total intellect, knowledge etc.) is

imperceptible, but he is symbolized here as experienceable Vāyu (air) – the life-
giving breath. We worship all the five elements – water in sandhyāvandanam, and
fire (agni) in the form of rituals, even when we light the lamp. Space (ākāśatattvam)
is worshipped during sandhyāvandanam when we worship each direction (dig-
vandanam). The earth (pr̥ thivī) is worshipped as Bhūdevi.
त्वमेव प्रत्य�ं ब्रह्म अ�स- tvameva pratyakṣam brahma asi – you are the perceptible
(pratyakṣam) God who is everywhere. I do not have to go to any special temple.
Each time I breathe, I am in contact with the Lord. Is God required for living? Close
your nostrils and mouth – then you will know.
त्वमेव प्रत्य�ं ब्रह्म व�दष्या�म-tvameva pratyakṣam brahmavadiṣyāmi–I declare that you

are available as Vāyu, the pratyakṣaṁ brahma. I want to spread the word. In
Christianity, they talk about the good news that Christ will take away their sins. We
also have the good news that Vāyu is the pratyakṣaṁ brahma who is available to us
everywhere [tvameva pratyakṣaṁ brahma iti sarvatra vadiṣyāmi]. I declare this so
that everyone will worship you in the form of Viśvarūpa.
ऋतं व�दष्या�म सत्यं व�दष्या�म–r̥ taṁ vadiṣyāmi satyaṁ vadiṣyāmi - I declare that you
are r̥ tam and satyam. Normally, these are synonymous, but when they occur
together, we make a subtle distinction between them. R̥tam means living a life
according to what I have learned (yathā jñānam ācāraḥ). There is no incongruence
between my knowledge and my lifestyle.

Satyam is proper knowledge acquired from the scriptures (yathā śāstraṁ jñānam). It
is useless and harmful if I live according to improper knowledge. My knowledge
should be aligned with śruti, yukti and anubhava. Śruti means the śāstras, yukti
means reasoning and anubhava means experience. Only when I have my knowledge
from these sources, it will be the right knowledge.
In simple language, r̥ tam is right action and satyam is right knowledge.
You (Hiraṇyagarbha-tattvam, the samaṣti prāṇa-tattvam) are the embodiment of

right knowledge and right action.
Up to this, the prayer is for yogyatā prāptiḥ – especially the word śam, which is the
source of auspiciousness should be interpreted as yogyatā.
तन्माववतु - tanmāvavatu –May Hiraṇyagarbha protect me from the obstacles

(pratibandha nivr̥ tti ḥ). Even if they do not go away permanently, they should be
suspended at least during śravaṇam.[Tat = Hiraṇyagarbha-tattvam; mām = me;
avatu = protect]
तत ् वक्तारम ् अवत-ु tat vaktāram avatu – May the Lord keep the guru also healthy.
The student is offering prayer for guru’s health and longevity (vaktāram = guru), at
least till he completes his study. [Guru is not worried about his body because he has
already attained what needs to be attained (Brahmaniṣṭhā). He is ready to leave the
body any time].
Pratibandha nivr̥ tti being extremely important, the student offers this prayer once
again for emphasis.
अवतु माम ्–avatu mām – Protect me
अवतु वक्तारम ्–avatu vaktāram – Protect the teacher

ओं शािन्तः शािन्तः शािन्तः–Omśāntiḥśāntiḥ śāntiḥ – A śāntiḥ for each pratibandha –

ādhyātmika (from within), ādhibautika(environmental) and ādhidaivika (natural). O
Lord, remove the three-fold obstacles (trividha pratibandhāḥ)
Anuvāka 2
शी�ां व्याख्यास्यामः I वणर्ः स्वरः I मात्रा बलम ् I साम सन्तानः I इत्यक्

ु तः शी�ाध्यायः II
Śīkṣāṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ / varṇaḥ svaraḥ /mātrā balam / sāma santānaḥ / ityuktaḥ

śīkṣādhyāyaḥ
व्याख्यास्यामः शी�ाम ्–śīkṣāṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ - We shall expound the science of
pronunciation. वणर्ः–varṇaḥ - (It deals with) the alphabet, स्वरः–svaraḥ - accent, मात्रा–
mātrā - measure, बलम ् –balam - emphasis, साम–sāma - uniformity (of pace, सन्तानः–
santānaḥ - (and) conjunction. इ�त–iti - Thus उक्तः–uktaḥ - has been taught
शी�ाध्यायः–śīkṣādhyāyaḥ - the chapter on the science of pronunciation
We shall expound the science of pronunciation. (It deals with) the alphabet, accent,
measure, emphasis, uniformity (of pace, and) conjunction. Thus has been taught the
chapter on the science of pronunciation
The text begins with the word śikṣa and therefore, it is called Śīkṣāvallī. In this small
anuvāka, the Upaniṣadgives the importance of pārāyaṇam as the sādhanā. Mere
chanting of scriptures is a purifying process. The words in the scriptures come from
the mahātmās and therefore, have the purifying power. Among all śāstras, Veda
pārāyaṇamis considered as the best purifier because they are the original scriptures.
All others (smr̥ itis) only have borrowed glory because they are based on the Vedas.
The Upaniṣad points out thatto do Veda pārāyaṇam, one must know how to chant
the Vedas properly. The science of phonetics that defines the rules to properly
pronounce and chant the Vedas is called śiksā-śāstram. In verse 1.1.5 of Muṇḍaka
Upaniṣad, six veda-aṅgas(limbs of the Vedas) are discussed and one of them isśikṣā.
Here the word is spelled as śīkṣā. When the pronunciation is given differently in the
Vedas, it is not called a mistake, but Vedic usage. Six factors that influence the rules
of pronunciation are discussed in śikṣā-śāstra. Various ācāryas have elaborately
written on it, with the most popular one being Pāṇiṇīya śikṣā śāstra written by a
great grammarian called Pāṇiṇi Mahar̥ ṣi.

व्याख्यास्यामः – vyākhyāsyāmaḥ - (The teacher) in the Upaniṣad says: I shall

enumerate (the six factors of)
शी�ाम ् –śīkṣām– the science of pronunciation
वणर्ः–varṇaḥ - One should know how to pronounce every letter in the alphabet. The
science of pronunciation says that the letters originate from eight parts of the body
(aṣṭausthānani varṇānām). One should know the part of the body that a letter
should be pronounced from. In the Indian languages, the alphabet is arranged
based on the part of the body. The vowels and the consonants are first placed in
separate categories. In English, the vowels and the consonants are mixed. The
consonants are also grouped according to the part of the body they originate from:
• Ka,kha, ga,gha ṅa – come from the throat and so they are grouped together.
They are called guttural.
• Ca, cha, ja, jha, ña – come from the palate with the tongue flatly touching the
roof part of our mouth. It is called pālavyāḥ (palatal).
• Ṭa, ṭh, ḍa, ḍha ṇa – This group is called cerebral (mūrdhanyāh) because the tip
of your tongue touches the roof of your palate and the air is directed towards
your cerebrum.
• Ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa – This group is called dāntyā (dental) because when
pronouncing these letters, the tip of the tongue touches the root of the teeth.
• Pa, pha, ba, bha, ma – This group is called oṣṭhya (labial) because when
pronouncing the words, the lips join together (if you have sore lips, it is hard to
pronounce the name Padmanabhan).
Rule #1: we should utter the words properly by knowing where the letter comes
from.
स्वरः–svaraḥ–it means accent or intonation or the pitch in which the letter has to be
uttered – high, medium and low. One must hear it from the ācāryas to learn it
correctly. These days, it the svaras are marked in the books. It is important in
proper Vedic chanting or, the meaning may differ and the result may be
counterproductive. To convey this idea, there is a story in the Vedas:

Viśvarūpa was a celestial priest. Although he was the priest of the devas, he had a
secret allegiance to their arch-rivals, the asuras. When Indra came to know about
this, he killed Viśvarūpa. Tvaṣṭhā, who was Viśvarūpa’s father wanted a revenge.
Revenge is the most natural negative emotion. To get rid of it is extremely difficult.
Even if we don’t actively seek revenge, we feel satisfied when our enemy suffers.
Tvaṣṭhā performed a great yāga to obtain another son Vr̥ trāsura whole sole purpose
was to kill Indra. Tvaṣṭhā intended to ask for a son as the killer of Indra (Indra-
śatruḥ). Instead of Vr̥ tra killing Indra, the reverse happened. Upon analysis, he
realized that the svara of chanting Indra-śatruḥ was wrong. The pitch was not
proper – instead of tatpuruṣa-samāsa, it was chanted in bahuvrīhi samāsa.The
wrong svara gave meaning that he wanted a son who will be killed by
Indra!Vr̥ trāsura died in the hands of Indra because of this subtle mistake.
If the Veda mantrasare not chanted properly, it may produce adverse effect.
Therefore,they were never taught to the masses and that too in public. The practice
of learning with the masses to chant from the books or CD is highly discouraged. If
one is not properly trained in the Veda mantras, he/she can do pārāyaṇamof non-
Vedic scriptures. There is no need for an average person to study the Veda mantras
because there are people exclusively dedicated for Veda-adhyayanam. If not
properly learned, the mistakes will propagate to the next generation and
consequently, we may never be able to distinguish between the right and the wrong.
मात्रा–mātrā - Measure or length of vowel. A consonant has a uniform length with no

variation (ardhamātrā). The duration of the vowel is called mātrā. There are three
measures for vowels – short, long and longer (prolate). In Sanskrit, the longer vowel
is called plūtam. We use this when we chant Harih Om: In the Vedic books, they
write 3 after the letter O in Om to indicate that the length of chanting should be
equal to 3 short vowels. The length of chanting (3 or more) is indicated by a number
in parentheses.
बलम ्- balam– The stress or the effort applied in uttering a letter. For example, more
stress is given when pronouncing kha (ख) than ka(क)and on dha (ध)than da (द), etc.
In the science of pronunciation, the effort applied in the mouth region is classified
into five categories and that applied in the throat region into eleven(ādhyantara
prayatnaḥ pañcadhāḥ; bāhya prayatnaḥ ekādaśaḥ). Elaborate studies have been
done on the effort applied to each letter. Any subject in our tradition is vast and

deep. Tamil is the only Indian language in which no such distinction is shown in the
letters; the stress given is contextual. For a Tamilian, it helps to know another
Indian language to study the scriptures.
साम - sāma–the pace or speed of chanting. Śaṅkarācārya says sāma means medium
pace of chanting. There are rules for when to chant at slow, medium or fast pace:
अभ्यासाथ�धत
ृ ांविृ त्तंप्रयोगाथ�तुमध्यमाI
�शष्यानां उपदे शाथ�कुयार्त ् विृ त्तं�वलं�बताम ्II
Abhyāsārthe dhr̥ tāṁ vr̥ ttiṁ prayogārthe tu madhyamā

Śiṣyānām upadeśārthe kuryāt vr̥ ttiṁ vilambitām
A person must memorize the mantras before chanting; reading from the book is not
considered chanting. Your learning is complete only when chanting is done from
memory. This was compulsory in the olden days. Learn from a guru, memorize it
and chant it regularly to keep it in memory (Brahmayajña). Once in memory, the
mantras can be chanted fast for practice (abhyāsārthe). When chanting as part of a
ritual, the mantras should be chanted at medium pace where every letter is clearly
pronounced and heard (prayogārthe tu madhyamā). When the mantra is taught to
someone, it should be chanted slowly so that the student catches eachletter
correctly.
सन्तानः–santānaḥ– This means combination of words and letters. In chanting, there

are rules for combining and splitting the letters. For example, in Gurustotram, you
can chant words in this line separately:
अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तंयेनचराचारम ्I
Akhaṇḍa maṇḍalākāraṁ vyāptaṁ yena carācaram
However, in the following, the whole statement is a compound word and the words
should not be separated:
अनेकजन्मसम्प्राप्तकमर्बन्ध�वदा�हने
Anekajanmasamprāptakarmabandhavidāhine

For the sake of teaching, we split, but the students continue to practice in the wrong
way. The combination is called saṁhitā or sandhi. Here it is called santānaḥ.
Also, when the words are combined, they undergo changes, which is unique in
Sanskrit. For example, in the śānti pāṭha,
शंनो�मत्रः= शं+ नः + �मत्रः

śaṁ no mitraḥ = śaṁ + naḥ + mitraḥ
नः (naḥ) becomes नो (no) because of the combination rules
There are elaborate rules on sandhi. The Sanskrit class generally begins with sandhi-
prakaraṇam. There are general as well as exceptional rules for vowel and consonant
sandhis. There are also counter-exceptions and counter-counter exceptions. For
example, mitraḥśam should be pronounced as mitraśśam. Namo brahmaṇeis namaḥ
+Brahmaṇe; namasteis namaḥ + te. These are called santanaḥ. Generally, the
students do not know the rules, but they simply imitate the guru who knows the
rules. That is why learning to chant from a guru is extremely important. Because of
all these strict rules, only the learned should chant the Vedas or, the mistakes will be
transmitted to the next generation. If the objective of the non-scholar is citta śuddhi,
he/she can chant non-Vedic scriptures. If you are not a qualified teacher, teach only
the non-Vedic slokas to the children. Otherwise, it will be a disservice to the Vedas.
इ�त उक्तः शी�ाध्यायः- Iti uktaḥśīkṣādhyāyaḥ– In this manner, the science of

pronunciation is presented (iti is the end of quotation).
Other notes:
Śaṅkarācārya points out in his commentary that it is important for one to chant the
Vedas properly; otherwise, one should not chant. He gives two reasons:
• Veda-adhyayanam – the chanting or pārāyaṇam of the Vedas give puṇya, which

is the invisible benefit (adr̥ ṣṭa phalam). When a person chants the Vedas
correctly, even if he does not know the meaning, he gets puṇya. Through proper
Veda adhyayanam (brahmayajña), he gets the purification of the mind also (citta
śuddhi) when enables him to progress spiritually.
• Veda-Mīmāṁsā - Veda adhyayanam will be used later for the study of the
meaning of the Vedas. This enquiry into the meaning is called Veda-Mīmāṁsā.

The word mīmāṁsā means reverential enquiry and is used only for Vedic enquiry
[a routine police enquiry into a crime should not be called mīmāṁsā). It is
classified into:
• pūrva-mīmāṁsā- to enquire into the meaning of Veda-pūrva bhāga. It is also

called karma kāṇḍa vicāraḥ
• uttara-mīmāṁsāto enquire into Veda-anta bhāga. It is called jñāna kāṇḍa
vicāraḥ. One can only enquire into the meaning if he can enquire into the
mantras.
By analysis of the Vedas, one gets the benefits of karma-jñānam and brahma-
jñānam. Jñānam is a visible benefit (dr̥ ṣṭa-phalam) because, that I know or not is
clearly evident. Puṇya is an invisible benefit (adr̥ ṣṭa- phalam). Veda-adhyayanam is
for adr̥ ṣṭa puṇya phalam and Veda-mīmāṁsāis for dr̥ ṣṭa jñāna phalam.
Anuvāka 3
सह नौ यशः I सह नौ ब्रह्मवचर्सम ् I अथातः स��हताया उप�नषदं व्याख्यास्यामः I पञ्चस्व�धकरणेषु

I अ�धलोकम�धज्यौ�तषम�ध�वद्यम�धप्रजमध्यात्मम ् I ता महास��हता इत्याच�ते II
Saha nau yaśaḥ / saha nau brahmavarcasam / athātaḥ sagṁhitāyā upaniṣadaṁ
vyākhyāsyāmaḥ / pañcavadhikaraṇeṣu / adhilokam adijyautiṣam adhividyam
adhiprajam adhyātmam / tā mahāsagṁhitā ityācakṣate
नौ सह–nau saha - May we both (enjoy)यशः–yaśaḥ - fame. नौ सह–nau saha - May we
both (enjoy) ब्रह्मवचर्सम–् brahmavarcasam - spiritual effulgence. अथ–atha- Now,
अतः–ataḥ - since (the student is familiar with vedic chanting), व्याख्यास्यामः–
vyākhyāsyāmaḥ - we shall teach उप�नषदम–् upaniṣadam - meditations सं�हतायाः–

saṁhitāyāḥ - on the conjunction of letters पञ्चसु–pañcasu - dealing with (the
following) five अ�धकरणेषु–adhikaraṇeṣu - topics: अ�धलोकम–् adhilokam - related to
the worlds, अ�धज्यौ�तषम–् adhijyautiṣam - related to the luminaries, अ�ध�वद्यम–्
adhividyam - related to knowledge,अ�धप्रजम–् adhiprajam - related to progeny,

अध्यात्मम–् adhyātmam - (and) related to the individual. आच�ते–ācakṣate - (The
sages) call ताः –tāḥ - इ�त महासं�हताः–iti mahāsṁhitāḥ - them the great conjunctions.

May we both (enjoy) fame. May we both (enjoy) spiritual effulgence. Now, since
(the student is familiar with vedic chanting), we shall teach meditations on the
conjunction of letters dealing with (the following) five topics: related to the worlds,
related to the luminaries, related to knowledge, related to progeny, (and) related to
the individual. (The sages) call them the great conjunctions.
The sādhanā in the lastanuvāka was Veda-pārāyaṇaor Brahmayajña. If a person

does not know the entire Vedas, he should at least chant the Gāyatrī mantra, which
is the capsule form of the Vedas. If this person does not know Gāyatrī mantra, he
should do other pārāyaṇams such as Sahasranāma, Rāmāyaṇa etc.
The third anuvāka is a long one and therefore, we shall split it into small portions for
the convenience of study. In my introduction, I mentioned that Śikṣāvāllī discusses
the physical sādhanās such as Karma Yoga (pañca mahā yajña), the verbal sādhanās
such as japa and pārāyaṇa and the mental sādhanās consisting of five upāsanās
(pañca upāsanāni). These upāsanās are non-Vedāntic preparatory meditations. The
Vedāntic meditation or nididhyāsanamis meant for assimilating the teachings.
Nididhyāsanam is not discussed here.
The Upaniṣad introduces the first upāsanācalled saṁhitopāsanā, which ishighly

classical and technical. We may wonder if it is even possible to do these upāsanās
because they appear more difficult than the Vedānta itself. Nowadays, these are not
commonly practiced and we study these only with academic interest. These have
been largely replaced by simpler purāṇic upāsanās where personal deities are
invoked in meditation.
The teacher and student consider the study of the upāsanās as sacred. The student
seeks a special blessing for this. Therefore, this anuvāka begins with another prayer
to complete this study successfully.
सह नौ यशः- saha nau yaśaḥ – The student prays that the he and teacher (together)
become popular in the society. What a prayer!
सह नौ ब्रह्मवचर्सम ्- saha nau brahmavarcasam–In addition to scholarship and

knowledge, we also should have magnetic personality to attact students.
Brahmavarcasam means the magnetic personality born out of religious and spiritual

way of life. It is also called brahma tejas. After all, after studying the Vedānta, one
should drop all the desires for name and fame. Why should the student ask for
these? This is because, to a Vedic student, sharing the knowledge with the others to
preserve the culture is just as importantas receiving it. The present generation must
mold the future ones through precept and practice. With this awareness of the
future generations in our culture, the Brahmin student was also assigned the duty of
teaching. The kṣatriyas the vaiśyas had the duty to learn the Vedas (adhyayanam),
but not to teach it (adhyāpanam). The Brahmana is not permitted to take up any
other profession; his only duty is to learn and spread the scriptural teachings
(paṭhanam-pāṭhanam; yajanam-yājanam).
The Vedāntic student incurs a debt to the r̥ ṣis when he studies the scriptures. He
appreciates and benefits from the scriptures because the r̥ ṣis struggled to bring out
the knowledge and preserve it.The student is not indebted only to his guru, but the
entire guru paraṁparā. Thus, he has a debt (r̥ ṇam) to fulfill to the r̥ ṣisby sharing the
wisdom with the others. If he is unable to teach because he lacks confidence or
communication skills, he can indirectly fulfill this debt by supporting the institutions
that teach the Vedas.
Naturally, a brāhmaṇa is keen to receive top grade students so that the paraṁparā
can be preserved. He therefore prays that the society should come to know that he
is a great teacher so that the students will come in droves. What a wonderful
concept! The more you dwell upon it, the more you will come to know the holistic
nature of our tradition. The student includes the teacher also in this prayer.
The Upaniṣad is now introducing the first upāsanā:
स��हतायाउप�नषदं व्याख्यास्यामः–sagṁhitāyā upaniṣadaṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ - sagṁhitā is

saṁhitā. [Śikṣā rule: When the letter “ṁ” is followed by śa, sa, ṣa, ha, ra etc. “ṁ”
will become gṁ]. The word upaniṣadam means upāsanā. We are going to teach you
(vyākhyāsyāmaḥ) saṁhitāupāsanā.
What is samhitopāsanā? Upāsanā requires two things: the object of

upāsanā(meditation) like various deities (upānsā viṣayaḥ) and a symbol to represent
the objects, because these objects are either invisible (abstract) or too big to
visualize in the mind. To worship my country, I represent it with a flag. Thus, the

nation is the upāsanā-viṣayaḥ and the flag is the upāsanā-ālambanam. Ālambanam

is concrete while viṣaya is not always concrete. Śivaliṅga, śāligrāmam, turmeric
powder (for Vināyaka), flame (for Devi) are all examples of ālambanam. Cow is an
ālambanam for Lakshmi Devi, and the book is for Saraswati Devi.
Now the Upaniṣad is going to introduce an upāsanā where ālambanam is saṁhitā.

What is that blessed saṁhitā? Saṁhitā or sandhiḥ is the Vedic combination of
letters. In Sanskrit, the combination of letters is governed by many rules. We already
saw an example – śaṁ no mitraḥ, where śaṁ naḥ becomes śaṁ no when joined
with mitraḥ. The term saṁhitāyāupaniṣadamis really saṁhitāyāḥupaniṣadam; when
the words are joined the visargaḥ (ḥ) after saṁhitāyā gets dropped. For this
upāsanā, we are going to take the Vedic combination of letters where four factors
are going to be involved. I will give you an example:
In olden days, the priests chanted all the four Vedas after the pūjā in the temple.
These days, only the first mantra of each of the Vedas is chanted. The Yajur Veda
begins with iṣe tvāūrje(इषे त्वा ऊज�).The first two words are iṣe and tvā. Let us study
the combination when the wordsiṣe and tvā come together. The word iṣe ends in a
vowel “ए” (e) and the next word begins with the consonant “ta” (त) in tvā (त + व +
आ). In this example, the letter “e” (ए)will be called pūrva rūpam. The next letter “t”
(त) is called uttara rūpam. When the first word (pūrva rūpam) and the next (uttara
rūpam)join, the junction is called sandhiḥ. According to the rules of sandhiḥ, a new
additional letter is created. This additional link letter is called sandhānam, which
means the arriving or emergent letter. When the two words are joined together, the
statement becomes iṣettvā ūrje. Here, “e” (ए)is pūrvarūpam, “ta” (त)is uttararūpam,
the junction is sandhiḥ and the additional link letter “ta”(त) is sandhānam. These
four factors of sandhiḥ are taken as ālambanamin the upāsanā, which is also called
saṁhitā-ālamabana upāsanā (saṁhito-upāsanā). On each of these four symbols, an
object of meditation (upāsanā viṣayaḥ) will be invoked. An analogy is given below
for better understanding:
We will use four chairs as ālambanam and invite four people for honoring by seating
them on these chairs. The invitees are equated to upāsanā-viṣayāḥ. Each of the
viṣayas are associated with a field. For example, we are honoring people from the

field of sports by seating them on the chair: Viswanathan Anand for Chess, Sachin
Tendulkar for Cricket, Roger Federer for Tennis and Michael Jordan for
Basketball.This is one saṁhitā upāsanā. After honoring them, you can vacate the
chairs and bring another group of four people from another field, say, music and
honor them. This is another upāsanā with different four viṣayaswhile using the same
ālambanams. Five such samhitopāsanās are described in this Upaniṣad. For each
upāsanā, there are 4 objects and thus, 20 objects are brought for meditation. These
20 objects are taken from five different fields called adhikaraṇam
(pañcasvadhikaraṇeṣu).
Śaṅkarācārya asks why the Upaniṣadshould prescribe such a difficult meditation on

the Vedic combination of letters and not some other simpler objects? He himself
answers. In those days, everyone thoroughly studied the Vedas (minimum of 8 years
and maximum of 12). When they study the Vedic chanting, they have various ways
of chanting: pada pāṭha (word by word), krama pāṭha (words in sequence of 1-2, 2-
3, 3-4), jaṭāpāṭha(words in sequence of 1-2-2-1-1-2), ghaṇa pāṭha (in sequence 1-2-
2-1-1-2-3-3-2-1-1-2-3-2-3-3-2-2-3-4-4-3-2-2-3-4 etc.). When they do these
permutations and combinations, they must apply the sandhi rules. Thus, every Vedic
student is thorough with every letter of the Vedas (not just every word). A
salakṣaṇaghanapāṭhiknows where each letter originates from and the presiding
devatā behind it [ghaṇapāṭhi – one whose head is heavy with knowledge].
अथः–athaḥ – after having completed the study of the Vedas, the student takes to
upāsanā. His brain is full of Vedic letters and nothing else. Therefore, he naturally
inclined towards the upāsanā that uses Vedic letters as ālambanam. lf one is an
avid Cricket fan, he should be given the three stumps as ālambanamwith trimūrti as
viṣayasfor upāsanā and he will take to it immediately! In summary, the student has
the familiarity of Vedic letters and therefore, this type of upāsanā is appropriate.
पञ्चसु अ�धकरणेषु - pañcasu adhikaraṇeṣu – the five fields from each of which four
objects will be taken (adhikaraṇam = fields or departments).
अ�धलोकम ् –adhilokam – the various lokas – the four lokas are going to invoked on
pūrvarūpam, uttararūpam, sandhi and sandhānam and then meditated.
अ�धज्यौ�तषम ्–adhijyautiṣam –luminaries like the sun, moon etc.

अ�ध�वद्यम ् –adhividyam –the fields of knowledge
अ�धप्रजम ्–adhiprajam –family – the field of progeny. The family is important and
sacred and that is why gr̥ hasthāśrama is prescribed by the śāstras.
अध्यात्मम ्–adhyātmam – In this context, Ātmā means body (śarīram) – we will take
four objects from our own body.
This group of five upāsanās is called samhitopāsana.
ताः महास��हताः –tāḥ mahāsagṁhitāh - these are known as great ālambanamsbecause

20 great objects of meditation are invoked. The saṁhitās by themselves do not
possess any greatness, but they acquire it when associated with these objects of
meditation. For example, a cricket bat by itself is made of ordinary wood, but if it
had been used by a great batsman like Don Bradman or Gary Sobers, it would fetch
much higher amount than the original cost when auctioned. A used bat of an
ordinary person will fetch much less than the original cost.
इ�त आच�ते- iti ācakṣate – it is said by great sages
Other notes:
When you invoke Gaṇapathi in turmeric powder as ālambanam, the latter gets its
greatness and it deserves the ṣodaśa upacāra pūjā, neyvedyam and arcanā.
Otherwise, turmeric itself does not have greatness. After the pūjā is over, the priest
chants a mantra requesting Gaṇapathi to vacate the turmeric powder. Once
Gaṇapathi “leaves”, it becomes ordinary turmeric powder. However, we do not use it
for cooking sambar because it still retains its sacredness because of its past
association with Gaṇapathi. The used articles of ordinary sports star are revered –
what to talk of mahāsaṁhitās?
अथा�धलोकम ् I प�ृ थवीपूवरू

र् पम ्I द्यौरुत्तररूपम ्I आकाशःसं�धःI वायुःसंधानम ् I
इत्य�धलोकम ् I
Athādhilokam / pr̥ thivī pūrvarūpam / dyauruttararūpam / ākāshaḥ sandhiḥ / vayuḥ
sandhānam / ityadhilokam

अथअ�धलोकम ्–atha adhilokam - Now (begins the meditation) related to the worlds.
प�ृ थवीपव
ू रू
र् पम ्–pr̥ thivī pūrvarūpam - The earth is the prior letter; द्यौःउत्तररूपम–् dyauḥ
uttararūpam - the heaven is the posterior letter; आकाशःसं�धः–ākāśaḥ sandhiḥ - the

interspace is the junction; वायःु संधानम–् vāyuḥ sandhānam - air is the link.
इ�तअ�धलोकम–् iti adhilokam - Thus (ends the meditation) related to the worlds.
Now (begins the meditation) related to the worlds. The earth is the prior letter; the
heaven is the posterior letter; the interspace is the junction; air is the link. Thus
(ends the meditation) related to the worlds.
The first samhitopāsana is introduced here. It is called adhiloka upāsanām.
अथ–atha – Now (begins)
अ�धलोकम ्- adhilokam – the upāsanā related to the worlds. [add the word
samhitopāsana]
For each of the ālambanam, i.e. pūrvarūpam, uttararūpam, sandhiḥ and sandhānam,
an object (viṣayaḥ) is invoked.
प�ृ थवी पूवरू

र् पम ्–pr̥ thivī pūrvarūpam – the earth is invoked in pūrvarūpam
द्यौः उत्तररूपम ् –dyauḥ uttararūpam – svargaloka(heaven) is invoked in uttararūpam
आकाशः सं�धः –ākāśaḥ sandhiḥ – the intermediary space (ākāśaḥ) where the earth
and the heaven meet is called antarikṣam.
वायुः संधानम ् –vāyuḥ sandhānam – Vāyuḥ, the atmosphere, is the link that connect
the two lokas in that junction. In short, in this upāsanā, the totality (the entire
cosmos)is visualized on the components of sandhi.This expansion of vision is
important because it helps us get out of the narrow-mindedness of caring only about
self and the closest family members. The Upaniṣad asks us to spend some time
visualizing the macro universe in the form of lokatrayam – bhūloka (earth),
bhuvarloka(intermediary space) and suvarloka (heaven).

इ�त- iti – thus ends (or concluded)
अ�धलोकम ्–adhilokam – adhiloka samhitopāsana.
Thus, we start with macro and we will conclude with the śarīra upāsanā, which is
micro. The world is called brahmāṇḍam and the body is piṇḍāṇḍam. In
brahmāṇḍampiṇḍāṇḍam, you visualize everything.
अथा�धज्यौ�तषम ्I अिग्नःपूवरू
र् पम ्I आ�दत्यउत्तररूपम ्I आपःसं�धःI वैद्युतःसंधानम ्I
इत्य�धज्यौ�तषम ्I
Athādhijyautiṣam / agniḥ pūrvarūpam / āditya uttararūpam / āpaḥ saṃdhiḥ /
vidyutaḥ saṃdhānam / ityadhijyautiṣam
अथ अ�धज्यौ�तषम ्–atha adhijyautiṣam - Now (begins the meditation) related to the
र् पम ्–agniḥ pūrvarūpam - Fire is the prior letter; आ�दत्य

luminaries. अिग्नः पूवरू
उत्तरूपम ्–āditya uttararūpam - the sun is the posterior letter; आपः सं�धः–āpaḥsandhiḥ
- water is the junction; वैद्युतः संधानम ्–vaidyutaḥ sandhānam - the lightening is the
link. इ�त अ�धज्यौ�तषम ्–iti adhijyautiṣam - Thus (ends the meditation) related to the
luminaries.
Now (begins the meditation) related to the luminaries. Fire is the prior letter; the
sun is the posterior letter; water is the junction; the lightening is the link. Thus
(ends the meditation) related to the luminaries.
अथ–atha – hereafter (after the first samhitopāsanā)
अ�धज्यौ�तषम ्–adhijyautiṣam - comes the second upāsanā called adhijyautiṣam. The

word jyautiṣam is derived from the wordjyotiḥ which means aluminary
(prakāśātmaka vastu or prakāśa vastu). Sūrya (the sun), Candra (the moon),
nakṣatra (the stars), agni (the fire), vidyut(the lightening) etc. are examples. An
object associated with jyotiḥ is jyautiṣam. Astrology is called jyautiṣambecause it
deals with luminaries such as planets, stars, sun, moon etc. In this context, it means
the upāsanā associated with jyotiḥ(adhijyautiṣa samhitopāsanā).
अिग्नः पूवरू
र् पम ् –agniḥ pūrvarūpam – Agni is the light principle (tejas tattvam) on the
earth (bhūloka) and therefore, invoked in the pūrvarūpam.

आ�दत्यःउत्तररूपम ् - āditya uttararūpam–the sun is also the fire principle

(agnitattvam), but since it is in the upper loka, it is invoked in uttararūpam. [In the
example of iṣe tvā, “e” (ए)Agni and “t” (त ्)is Āditya)
आपः सं�धः –āpaḥ sandhiḥ – The rainy water which is present in the form of cloud
(meghajalam) - it is between Agni (bhūloka) and Āditya (suvarloka).
वैद्युतः संधानम ्– vaidyutaḥ sandhānam – the lightening is the luminary that connects
the sky and the earth. What a beautiful imagination! The lightening originates in the
sky and enters the earth through anything that is available. Vaidyutaḥ, the lightening
is the link between the luminary Ādityaḥ and Agniḥ. Therefore, visualize the
lightening in meditation.
इ�त अ�धज्यौ�तषम ्– iti adhijyautiṣam - thus concludes adhijyautiṣa samhitopāsanā. In

this upāsanā, we are visualizing the powerful natural forces. In the previous one, the
lokas or cosmos were visualized. Learn to visualize everything as Bhagavan’s glory.
Don’t take them granted.
अथा�ध�वद्यम ् I आचायर्ःपव
ू रू
र् पम ् I अन्तेवास्यत्ु तररूपम ् I �वद्यासिन्धःI प्रवचन�संधानम ्
Iइत्य�ध�वद्यम ् I
Athādhividyam / ācāryaḥ pūrvarūpam / antevāsyuttararūpam / vidyā sandhiḥ /
pravacanagṃsandhānam / ityadhividyam
अथ अ�ध�वद्यम ्–atha adhividyam - Now (begins the meditation) related to
knowledge. आचायर्ः पूवरू

र् पम ्–ācāryaḥ pūrvarūpam - The teacher is the prior letter;
अन्तेवासीउत्तररूपम ्–antevāsī uttararūpam - the student is the posterior letter; �वद्या
सिन्धः–vidyā sandhiḥ - knowledge is the junction; प्रवचनं संधानम ्–pravacanam
sandhānam - teaching is the link. इ�तअ�ध�वद्यम ्–iti adhividyam - Thus (ends the
meditation) related to knowledge.
Now (begins the meditation) related to knowledge. The teacher is the prior letter;
the student is the posterior letter; knowledge is the junction; teaching is the link.
Thus (ends the meditation) related to knowledge.
अथ – atha - after addressing the cosmos and the natural forces (in the first two
upāsanās),

अ�ध�वद्यम ्–adhividyam - Now the Upaniṣaddescribes the saṁhitopāsanā in the

educational field (adhi means related to).
आचायर्ः पूवरू
र् पम ्–ācāryaḥ pūrvarūpam– The teacher is the pūrvarūpam. The definition
of ācārya is:
आ�चनो�त शास्त्रा�णआचरे स्थापय�तस्वयम ्आचरतेयस्माद्तस्माद् आचायर्ःउच्यतेI

Ācinoti śāstrāṇi ācāre sthāpayati svayam ācarate yasmād tasmād ācāryaḥ ucyate
The teacher culls or collect (ācinoti) all the important teachings from the scriptures
depending on the need (level) of the students. He then requests the students to
learn and follow (ācāre sthāpayati) thus establishing the right conduct.He does not
merely command the students to follow, but becomes a role model by living what he
teaches (svayam ācaratetasmād). Precept and practice should go together. The guru
does these three things: ācinoti, ācaryati, and ācarati and so he is called ācāryaḥ.
That ācārya is invoked in pūrvarūpam.
अन्तेवासी उत्तररूपम ्– antevāsī uttararūpam – A resident student is called

antevāsī(gurukula sampradāye vidyārthī). Ante means near (samīpe) and vasī means
resident. The student should live with the teacher because he learns more from the
lifestyle of the guru than from mere classroom lectures. The teacher transforms the
student through constant contact. The student is the uttararūpam.
�वद्या सिन्धः - vidyā sandhiḥ – The purpose of the student-teacher association is

education. Therefore, the education is the junction or sandhiḥ.
प्रवचनं संधानम ्–pravacanam sandhānam – Pravacanam, the verbal communication is

the link between the teacher and the student. Scriptures say that verbal contact is
important and more importantly, psychologically, eye contact is required. The
mother’s eyes are constantly in contact with the child’s. There are occasions that
mother does not talk anything; she only keeps on looking in the eyes of the child. In
that exchange, the relationship gets reinforced. Since the teacher and the student
should have the eye-contact, the latter should never listen to the class in a
meditative mode. Book learning can never create an eye contact. When we require
eye-contact for an ordinary communication, what to talk of the highest concept tat
tvam asi? Therefore, a live teacher and gurukulavāsam are highlighted. The expired
gurus (Śaṅkara, Ramaṇa, Ramakrishna etc.) cannot be gurus, but they can be

inspirers. The teaching must come from a live person because eye contact is the
root of all important communication. Teaching is the link.
इ�तअ�ध�वद्यम ्- iti adhividyam – thus ends the meditation on education –adhividyā-

saṁhitopāsanā.
अथा�धप्रजम ् I माता पव
ू रू
र् पम ् I �पतोत्तररूपम ् I प्रजा सं�धः I प्रजनन�संधानम ् I इत्य�धप्रजम ् I
athādhiprajam / mātā pūrvarūpam / pitottararūpam / prajā sandhiḥ /
prajananagṁsandhānam / ityadhiprajam
अथ अ�धप्रजम–् atha adhiprajam - Now (begins the meditation) related to progeny.
माता पूवरू
र् पम–् mātā pūrvarūpam - Mother is the prior letter; �पता उत्तररूपम–् pitā
uttararūpam - father is the posterior letter; प्रजा सं�धः–prajā sandhiḥ - progeny is the
junction; प्रजननं संधानम–् prajananam sandhānam - procreation is the link. इ�त
अ�धप्रजम–् iti adhiprajam - Thus (ends the meditation) related to progeny.
Now (begins the meditation) related to progeny. Mother is the prior letter; father is
the posterior letter; progeny is the junction; procreation is the link. Thus (ends the
meditation) related to progeny.
The fourth saṁhitopāsanācomes from the field of prajā(progeny), which means

gr̥ hasthāśrama or family life. In the previous statement, brahmacaryāśrama field
was described. This is to indicate that each āśrama plays a key role in the spiritual
development of a person. The significance of the gr̥ hasthāśrama is described here:
अथअ�धप्रजम-् atha adhiprajam – after the adhividyāupāsanā, we now enter the field
of prajā(family)
मातापूवरू
र् पम ्– mātā pūrvarūpam - mother or wife is pūrvarūpam. In thisupāsanā, the
mother is visualized as the letter on the left-hand side
�पताउत्तररूपम ्– the father is the latter letter.
What is the purpose of their union (gr̥ hasthāśrama) must be understood and
remembered. The society today has a different intention than what the Vedas have
prescribed. Today’s gr̥ hasthāśrama is totally focused on artha and kāma whereas,
the Vedas declare them to subservient to dharma, the primary goal (puruṣārtha).
There is a tendency among the married couples not to have children, but enjoy the

pleasures that dual income can bring (DINK – double income no kids). In the
dhārmic gr̥ hastha life, prajā or progeny is required.
In the Br̥ hadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, karma is called pāṅktamwhich means that which
requires five factors. Every Vedic ritual requires five factors: yajamāna (performer of
ritual), patni(his wife), putra (children), daiva vitta (Vedic mantras) and mānuṣa vitta
(priests). Gr̥ hasthāṣramais meant for the performance of the Vedic rituals (vaidika
karma) and therefore, children are required. The children are called dharmaprajāḥ –
the children for the sake of dharma. [In the marriage saṅkalpa, we state
dharmaprajāabhivr̥ ttyartham karma kariṣye].
Apart from the karmas, children are required so that the values of the current
generation can be transmitted to the next generation. The personality of the child
forms in the first five or six years and therefore, the values must be inculcated then.
Once the mind is hardened, it is difficult to mold the personality. The first few years
are spent with the parents and therefore, the values must be taught primarily by the
parents. Nowadays, the children grow in the hands of an ayah (nanny). What values
can the child learn from the ayah? Swami Dayananda said repeatedly that the
system of sending children very early to school (for the entire day) produces
emotionally immature ones. Therefore, gr̥ hasthāśrama is meant for bringing up
children who follow dharma. Dharma is not protected by the dhārmic śāstras, but by
the dhārmicchildren who grow in the hands of dhārmic parents. The parents teach
the children by being role models and not by lecturing.
प्रजासं�धः- prajā sandhiḥ–the dhārmic progeny is the context in which a male and
female get married.
प्रजनन�संधानम ्– prajananagṁ sandhānam – the conjugal union of the male and

female (garbhadāna saṁskāra in Vedic language) is the link. In the
garbhadānasaṁskāra, mantras are chanted to get children who are embodiment of
values. Only after values, money is enumerated. According to our tradition, dharma
alone gives ānanda. If dharma is not there, money becomes a source of sorrow. If
dharma is there, ānanda will be there whether one has money or not. Dharma
decides whether a family is happy or not. Thus, the union is not for conjugal
pleasures, but for the creation of dharma prajā.
इ�त अ�धप्रजम–् iti adhiprajam – thus concludesadhipraja saṁhitopāsanā.
We started from the macro and gradually we are moving towards micro, the body –
we will see in the next upāsanā.

अथाध्यात्मम ्I अधरा हनुः पूवरू

र् पम ् I उत्तरा हनुरुत्तररूपम ् I वाक्सिन्धः I िजह्वा संधानम ् I
इत्यध्यात्मम ् I
Athādhyātmam / adharā hanuḥ pūrvarūpam / uttarā hanuruttararūpam / vāksandhiḥ
I jihvā saṃdhānam / ityadhyātmam
अथ अध्यात्मम ्–atha adhyātmam - Now (begins the meditation) related to the
individual. अधरा हनुः पूवरू

र् पम ्–adharā hanuḥ pūrvarūpam - Lower jaw is the prior
letter.;उत्तरा हनुः उत्तररूपम ्–uttarā hanuḥ uttararūpam - upper jaw is the posterior
letter; वाक् सिन्धः–vāk sandhiḥ - speech is the junction; िजह्वा संधानम ्–jihvā
sandhānam - the tongue is the link. इ�त अध्यात्मम ्–iti adhyātmam - Thus (ends the
meditation) related to the individual.
Now (begins the meditation) related to the individual. Lower jaw is the prior letter.;
upper jaw is the posterior letter; speech is the junction; the tongue is the link. Thus
(ends the meditation) related to the individual.
अथ– atha –after adhipraja saṁhitopāsanā,
अध्यात्मम ् – adhyātmam – now comes the saṁhitopāsanāin which the physical parts
of the body (organs) are invoked. Which organ is the most active? If we analyze our
transactions, we find that most are verbal. [Even if you go to an isolated place, you
carry a cell phone]. Even a written letter represents verbal communication. A
country can grow when IT (communication) is revolutionized becauses the
businessesdepend on communication. The whole technology is working to improve
communication. The Vedas know that. Therefore, it gives importance to the mouth,
which is organ of communication.
अधरा हनुः पूवरू

र् पम ्– adharā hanuḥ pūrvarūpam – the lower jaw is the pūrvarūpam.
Notice that only the lower jaw moves when you speak; the upper jaw is stationary
उत्तरा हनुः उत्तररूपम ्– uttarā hanuḥ uttararūpam – the upper jaw is uttararūpam
[Hanumān means the one who has a pronounced upper jaw].
वाक् सिन्धः– vāk sandhiḥ - These jaws come together when speaking (they also come
together when eating). Therefore, speech is sandhiḥ.

िजह्वा संधानम ्- jihvā sandhānam – The tongue is the link. The tongue is one of the
softest parts of the body and the teeth are among the hardest. The softest tongue is
between two sets of hard teeth. It must constantly move between them without
getting caught. How smart must be the tongue! Learn from the tongue how to live
in the family. All the people are like teeth – manage in life like a tongue.
इ�त अध्यात्मम ् –iti adhyātmam – thus concludes the adhyātmā-saṁhitopāsanā.
Thus, these five upāsanās constitute the mahā-saṁhitopāsanā.
We shall now see the benefits (phalam) of this upāsanā.
Othernotes:
Even though we have 5 upāsanās, we take it as one upāsanā because the
ālambanamsare the same (four factors in Vedic conjunction).
इतीमा महास��हताःI य एवमेता महास��हताव्याख्याता वेद I

संधीयते प्रजया पशु�भः I ब्रह्मवचर्सेनान्नाद्येन सुवग्य�ण लोकेन II
itīmā mahāsagṁhitāḥ ya evametā mahāsagṁhitā vyākhyātā veda
saṃdhīyate prajayā paśubhiḥ brahmavarcasenānnādyena suvargyeṇa lokena
इ�त–iti - Thus, इमाः महासं�हताः–imāḥ mahāsaṁhitāḥ - these are great conjunctions. यः
वेद–yaḥ veda - One who meditates upon एताः महासं�हताः–etāḥ mahāsaṁhitāḥ - these
great conjunctions एवं व्याख्यातः–evaṁ vyākhyātaḥ - as described above संधीयते–
sandhīyate - is blessed with प्रजया–prajayā - progeny, पशु�भः–paśubhiḥ- cattle,

ब्रह्मवचर्सेन–brahmavarcasena - spiritual effulgence, अन्नाद्येन–annādyena - agrable
food, सुवग्य�ण लोकेन–suvargyeṇa lokena - (and) the heavenly world.
Thus, these are great conjunctions. One who meditates upon these great
conjunctions as described above is blessed with progeny, cattle, spiritual effulgence,
agreeable food, (and) the heavenly world.
इ�तमहासं�हताः – iti imāḥ mahāsaṁhitāḥ - The Upaniṣad is glorifying the

mahāsaṁhitās. They are great for two reasons: one, the letters chosen are Vedic
and the other, because great objects are invoked for meditation. With this the
upāsanā portion is over.

Hereafter, the Upaniṣad gives the phalam of practicing this grand upāsanā.
The upāsanāphalam depends upon the attitude with which we do upāsanā. Our
saṅkalpa(motive) has the capacity to determine the type of result. A criminal has a
different motive than a doctor when using a knife; the former uses it to hurt the
victim, while the latter uses it to save the patient. Even if the action results in death,
the doctor may be honored for his attempt (at least not punished), while the criminal
will be punished. Thus, action being the same, the motive brings different results.
Saṅkalpa or the motive has the capacity to determine the result of a karma. When
one performs an upāsanā for material results (arthaand kāma), it is called sakāma
upāsanā. When the very same upāsanā is performed dharma and mokṣa (citta
śuddhi, jñāna prāpti and mokṣa prāpti), it is called niṣkāma upāsanā. In the Gītā,
Krishna makes it clear that when a person does sakāma karma, he needs to be very
careful and alert about the rules and regulations,or, the mistakes may work against
him. The karmaphalam may even be the opposite of what was asked for (Vr̥ trāsura
example given earlier).On the other hand, in niṣkāma karma, the rules are relaxed
because we we seek citta śuddhi and mokṣa. We get will only positive results. With
mistakes, it may be less positive, but never negative. When we study these
sādhanās, we must highlight the results from both sakāma and niṣkāma angles.
There are many benefits to the practice of niṣkāma upāsanā. The benefits are not
material in nature (money,positions, status and other possessions), but they are
conducive to spiritual growth. The following are the benefits of niṣkāma karma:
• Expansion of the mind: By invoking various lokas in this upāsanā, we learn to

visualize the three worlds – the earth (pr̥ thivī), the heaven (dyauḥ) and the
interspace (ākāśaḥ). The mind always assumes the form of the object. If you
visualize something small, your mind also becomes smaller. In past, in our
culture, everything was big such as the temples and houses with high ceilings
and huge pillars. Today, the houses are like match boxes with low ceilings and
our mind also becomes narrow. The saṁhitopāsanā starts with the macro-verse
and so it expands the mind.
• Reverence for the universe: Since I meditate on the totality of the universe, I
develop reverence for the universe. I show reverence to the earth as Bhūmādevi
and offer namaskāra asking for pardon:

समुद्रवसनेदेवीपवर्तस्तनमण्डलेI
�वष्णप
ु त्नीनमस्तभ्
ु यंपादस्पश��मत्वमेII
Samudravasane devī parvatastana mandale
Viṣṇupatnī namastubhyam pādasparśam kṣamatva me
O Mother Bhūdevi, the consort of Viṣṇu, I bow to you. Pardon me for

stepping on you (because I cannot fly).
The earth, water, the sun, the other luminaries and the entire creation becomes
sacred for me. This reverential perspective will help me in viśvarūpa darśanam.
By invoking the guru and śiṣya (ācārya pūrvarūpam, antevasi uttarūpam etc.), I
develop the reverence for the teaching and education. In our tradition, we
respect any book that we study (unique tradition). The reverence for ācārya is
unique in Vedic culture. I revere my parents. Finally, I develop reverence for my
own body by meditating on it. We should remember that the body is the greatest
gift from God because we cannot create a single organ. Once an organ is
damaged, it can never get back to its original form. Therefore, I must respect my
body (deho devālaya proktaḥ - body is a temple) and take good care of it, but
must not be attached to it. Attachment would mean sense of ownership – I am
caretaker of the gift from the Lord and not the owner.
Thus, there is transformation of the mind as described as the divya cakṣuḥ in

Chapter 11 of the Gītā. For example, when you buy an apple from the shop, you
put it your bag or mouth directly, but the very same apple, if it comes from a
temple or mahātmā, it goes to your eyes first. The material is the same, but
there is a change in the perspective. This is divya cakṣuḥ. Arjuna got a temporary
divya cakṣuḥ from Krishna to see the Viśvarūpa Īśvara. From this saṁhitopāsanā,
I can earn the divya cakṣuḥ for viśvarūpa darśanam.
• The capacity to focus: Many have the attention deficiency syndrome. This
upāsanā will help us increase the attention span and enhance the focus on a field
for a length of time.
Since we invoke Īśvarain the form of Viśvarūpa, we also get citta śuddhiḥ.
Therefore, the benefits are citta śuddhiḥ, citta ekāgrata, citta viśālatā, and citta
naiścalyam. This will help in Vedāntaśravaṇam, the first step in gaining ātmajñānam.
Certainly, there are benefits to be derived from sakāma upāsanā. These are
described in the last portion of this section.

यः एतः महासं�हता व्याख्याता वेद–Yaḥ etaḥ mahāsaṁhitā vyākhyātā veda – The word
Veda means upāsanā. When a person practices this upāsanāupon these great Vedic
conjunctions (mahāsaṁhitā), which have been talked before (vyākhyātā) in the
previous paragraphs,
एवं (वेद)–evam(veda) – exactly as prescribed. The rule for assigning the appropriate
chair for each dignitary must be followed. For example, pūrvarūpam must honor a
specific dignitary while uttarūpammust honor another appropriate one. In the
modern functions, the organizers spend hours on deciding the assignment of seats.
If a dignitary is not given the appropriate seat, he/she will not be happy and may
not give donation. Sakāma means seeking donation; if you want it, you must honor
the dignitary properly. In niṣkāma, there is no donation sought and so, any error on
honoring will not have serious consequences.
संधीयते- sandhīyate – since he has meditated on the Vedic combination, he will get
association with (blessed with)
प्रजया पशु�भः- prajayā paśubhiḥ – plenty of children and wealth. The sakāma phalam
will be obtained in this world and the next one (after death). With the association
with this upāsanā, you will get progeny (prajayā) and wealth (paśubhiḥ). The
significance is that the nature of the phalam depends upon the nature of
upāsanā(yathā yathā upāsate tadeva bhavati). If a person meditates on Īśvara as
the embodiment of knowledge (sarvajña Īśvaraḥ), he will get plenty of knowledge
(jñāna viśiṣta Īśvara upāsanena jñāna phalam). If he meditates on Īśvara as the
omnipotent (śakti viśiṣta Īśvaraupāsanā), strength will be the benefit. If he
meditates on a beautiful or handsome Īśvara (satyam śivam sundaram), he will
become handsome. If he meditates on nitya Īśvaraḥ, he will be blessed with long
life. Sandhīupāsanāmeans the upāsanā on combination. Therefore, the upāsaka will
get benefits based on the combination he chooses.
ब्रह्मवचर्सेन- brahmavarcasena – Resplendent personality or tejas - magnetic,

charming, brilliant and attractive

अन्नाद्येन – annādyena – plenty of food (annam) that is nutritious (ādyam). Ādyam

means adana-yogyam – fit to be eaten.
These are the benefits enjoyed in this world (ihaloka phalam). What will happen to
him after death? Whether he engages in sakāma or niṣkāmaupāsanā, he will not get
mokṣa. For mokṣa, he requires ātmajñānam.
सुवग्य�णलोकेन– suvargyeṇa lokena - after death, he will get svarga(heaven). There

are six levels of heaven (bhuvarloka, suvarloka, maharloka, janaloka, tapaloka and
satyaloka). The type of loka obtained will depend upon the quantity and quality of
upāsanā. Saṁhitopāsanā can be practiced for material or spiritual benefits.
However, it is not compulsory; puraṇasprescribe upāsanās on deities as other
option.
Anuvāka 4
यश्छन्दसामष
ृ भो�वश्वरूपःI छन्दोभ्योऽध्यमत
ृ ात्सम्बभूव I समेन्द्रोमेधयास्पण
ृ ोतुI
अमत
ृ स्यदे वधारणोभूयासम ् I शर�रं मे�वचषर्णम ्I िजह्वा मेमधम
ु त्तमाI कणार्भ्यांभू�र�वश्रव
ु म ्I
ब्रह्मणःकोशोऽ�समेधया�प�हतःI श्रत
ु ंम
ु ेगोपायII
Yaśchandasāmṛṣabho viśvarūpaḥ / chandobhyo'dhyamṛtātsambabhūva / sa mendro
medhayā spṛṇotu / amṛtasya deva dhāraṇo bhūyāsam / śarīraṃ me vicarṣaṇam /
jihvā me madhumattamā / karṇābhyāṃ bhūri viśruvam / brahmaṇaḥ kośo'si
medhayā pihitaḥ / śrutuṃ me gopāya
यः अ�धसम्बभूव–yaḥ adhisambabhūva - (That Oṅkāra), which manifested अमत

ृ ात ्
छन्दोभ्यः–amr̥ tāt chandobhya ḥ - from the eternal Vedas, ऋषभः–r̥ ṣabhaḥ - is the
greatest छन्दसाम ्–chandasām - among the vedic mantras �वश्वरूपः–viśvarūpaḥ - and
is endowed with manifold forms. सः इन्द्रः–saḥ indraḥ - May that Lord (Oṅkāra)
स्पण
ृ ोतु मा–spr̥ ṇotu mā - strengthen meमेधया–medhayā - with intelligence. दे व–deva -
Oh Lord! भूयासं धारणः–bhūyāsaṁ dhāraṇaḥ - May I become the enjoyer अमत
ृ स्य–
amr̥ tasya - of the immortal wisdom. मे शर�रम ्–me śarīram - May my body �वचषर्णम ्–
vicarṣaṇam - be healthy मे िजह्वा–me jihvā - May my tongueमधम
ु त्तमा–
madhumattamā - be very sweet. �वश्रव
ु म ्–viśruvam - May I listen (to the scriptures)

भू�र–bhūri – repeatedly कणार्भ्याम ्–karṇābhyām - through (my ears). अ�स कोशः–asi
kośaḥ - You are the abode ब्रह्मणः–brahmaṇaḥ - of Brahman, �प�हतः–pihitaḥ - (which

is) veiled मेधया–medhayā - by worldly knowledge. गोपाय–gopāya - May you protect
श्रत
ु ं मे–śrutaṁ me - what is heard by me.
(That Oṅkāra), which manifested from the eternal Vedas, is the greatest among the
vedic mantras and is endowed with manifold forms. May that Lord (Oṅkāra)
strengthen me with intelligence. Oh Lord! May I become the enjoyer of the immortal
wisdom. May my body be healthy. May my tongue be very sweet. May I listen (to
the scriptures) repeatedly through (my ears). You are the abode of Brahman, (which
is) veiled by worldly knowledge. May you protect what is heard by me.
This section gives two spiritual sādhanā for refining the mind:
• Mantra-japaḥ – a sādhanāin the form of repeating a mantra. Japaḥ = āvr̥ ittiḥ =

repetition of chanting [the seeker is asking for jñāna yogyatā praptiḥ]
• Homa-sādhanā – a sādhanā in the form of a physical ritualwhere oblations are
offered to Agni
Upāsanā, is mental in the form of meditation (manaḥ pradhāna), japaḥ is verbally

repeating the mantras and in homa, physical body is engaged in a ritualistic activity.
Thus, we have mānasa, vācika and kāyikakarmas.
In this mantra, a prayer is offered to the Lord. The Lord does not have a form
because He is limitless, but can be visualized in any form through a symbol. Symbols
such as a lamp, Śivaliṅga, Śāligrāma or turmeric powder are commonly used. In this
context, oṅkāraḥ will be used as the symbol to invoke Īśvara (oṅkāra rūpa
parameśvaram prati prārthanā). The benefit obtained through this prayer
(prārthanā) is the eligibility to seek jñāna (jñāna-yogyatā-prāptiḥ).
The seeker should have all-round fitness to attain this eligibility - physical, verbal,
emotional and intellectual:
Physical – the body should be fit. Otherwise, an unfit body will be a distraction to
the learning process.
Verbal- communication skill is important for both the teacher and student; for the
latter should be able to present his questions and doubtsclearly because the process
of learning is through a dialog.

Emotional – emotional problems present obstacles to learning and therefore,

emotional balance is extremely important.
Intellectual – A sharp intellect is required to logically think and reason out because
the Vedānta is a matter for understanding and not for faith or experience. The
teacher tries to make you understand the teachings of the Vedānta. He does not try
to make you believe in something or encourage you to have a mystic experience.
The whole process is cognitive. If the seeker is not convinced, he/she must pose
questions to the teacher until it is understood. We will see in Brahmānandavallī, that
it is completely an intellectual process. The knowledge takes place only in the
intellect. As Swami Dayananda put it: knowledge is intellectual; there is no nasal
knowledge. Kaṭhpaniṣad says in verse 1.3.12 that to gain knowledge, one must have
a sharp and subtle intellect.
In this prayer, jñāna yogyatā will be asked from the Lord by invoking Him in
oṅkāra.The Upaniṣadfirst glorifies oṅkāra and then invokes Īśvara. In a daily pūjāas
the pañcāyatana pūjā, the seat (pīṭham) on which the Lord is placed is glorified or
worshipped first. Similarly, oṅkārā is gloried first because Parameśvara will be
invoked in it: it is a prayer to oṅkāra rūpa parameśvara.
(ओङ्कारः) छन्दसां ऋषभः- (oṅkāraḥ) chandasāṁr̥ ṣabhaḥ – Here, r̥ ṣbhaḥ means śreṣtaḥ
– the greatest or the most glorious (superlative). Oṅkāra is the greatest mantra
among chandas which means the Veda mantras (chandasām madhye = veda
mantreṣu madhye). In chapter 10 also, Krishna glorifies oṅkāra in 10.25 as the
greatest among the Vedic mantras.
A vedic mantra called chandas for two reasons:
• chandayati means it pleases a person; it gives happiness to a person (prīṇayati iti

chandaḥ). If you learn the Vedas, it will give you joy.
• chandayatimeans protects (rakṣayati). The Vedic mantras protects you from
saṁsāra, the worldly problems [mantra = mananāt trāyate iti mantraḥ].
Oṅkāra mantra is extracted from the Vedas just as butter is extracted from milk by
the churning process. How was this done? Who extracted this oṅkāra? It is said that
Brahmāji himself churned the Vedas to extract oṅkāra, the essence of the Vedas
(Veda-sāraḥ) by doing tapas, which is intellectual churning. The first three lines of

the Gāyatrī mantra are the essence (sāraḥ) of the three Vedas – R̥g, Yajuḥ and
Sāma:
• R̥g Veda sāraḥ is tat savituḥ vareṇyam

• Yajuveda sāraḥis bhargodevasya dhīmahi
• Sāma Vedasāraḥ is dhiyoyonaḥ pracodayāt
Brahmā thought that in Kaliyuga, the people will not even have the time to chant the
Gāyatrī. Therefore, he condensed it further: from the first line, he extracted bhūḥ
vyāhr̥ ti, from the second, bhuvaḥ and from the third, he extracted suvaḥ.
The people have no time even for meditating on these three words because they are
too busy with material pursuits. Brahmāji further condensed the bhūḥ vyāhr̥ iti into
letter “a” (अ)and extracted “u” (उ)from bhuvaḥ and “m” (म ्) from suvaḥ. AUM (Om)
is formed from the three letters (mātras) -a(अ)+ u(उ)+m (म ्), the essence of the R̥g,
Yajuḥ and Sāma Vedas.
छन्दोभ्यः अमत
ृ ात ्–chandobhyaḥ amr̥ tāt – from the eternal Vedas (amr̥ tam)
अ�ध संबभूव –adhi saṁbabhūva – originated or surfaced in the form of an extract

(oṅkārah)
Therefore, the greatest mantra came out of the Vedas through Brahmāji’s churning
(tapas) [chandasām r̥ ṣabhaḥoṅkārah amr̥ tāt vedebhyaḥ adhisaṁbabhūva]. Since
oṅkāra, when expanded is the Vedas, it is called Viśvarūpaḥ.
सः इन्द्रः–saḥ Indraḥ – I see that oṅkāra, as the Lord Himself. Indraḥ in this context is
Parameśvaraḥ in the form of oṅkāra (oṅkāra-rupa parameśwaraḥ).
स्पण
ृ ोतु मा–spr̥ ṇotu mā– may He strengthen me (balayatu). May He make me eligible
to be a Vedāntic student by giving the following qualifications:
मेधया–medhayā - medhā śaktiḥis defined as the capacity to receive, grasp, absorb

and retain (grahaṇa-dhāraṇa-śaktiḥ) the Vedāntic teaching. Then I will enjoy the
immortal wisdom:

दे वः- devaḥ - Oh, Parameśvara in the form of oṅkāra
धारणः भय
ू ासम ्–dhāraṇah bhūyāsam – I should be the possessor (of amr̥ tam).
[dhārayati iti dhāraṇaḥ].
अमत
ृ स्य –amr̥ tasya – in this context amr̥ tammeans self-knowledge (ātmajñānam or
brahmajñānam). Literally, amr̥ tam means immortality, which means mokṣa.
Ātmajñānam is the means for immortality (amr̥ tasādhanām). By being the carrier of
ātmajñānam (jñānī), I become immortal. Oh Lord, let me become a jñānī.
To get ātmajñānam, it requires preparation. It can be obtained only by consistent

and systematic study under a qualified guru for a length of time. This is true with
any knowledge transfer – after many years of systematic study, one becomes the
carrier of knowledge in Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry etc. To listen to the guru
(śravaṇa sadhana), all organs of the body must be fit. The seeker prays for physical
fitness:
शर�रं मे �वचषर्णम ्–śarīraṁ me vicarṣaṇam (bhavatu): May my body be healthy and fit
(vicarṣaṇam)[ārogya, dr̥ ḍha gātraṁ bhavatu).
िजह्वा मे मधम
ु त्तमा- jihvā me madhumattamā – In addition my body being fit, my
speech (vāk indriyam) must also be fit to conduct verbal transactions. Let my
tongue (jihvā) be sweet (madhumān – soaked in honey). Madhumattamā means
the sweetest (organ). Let my words be sweet – noble and auspicious (maṅgala
śabdaḥ). Lord Krishna gives four criteria for the words to be auspicious in verse
17.15 of the Bhagavad Gītā:
• Non-hurting: Choose words that are not sharp or rude. Watch also the tone and
pace of speech. If you speak very fast, you cause stress to the listener because
he must concentrate hard to understand you. If the pitch is too high, it causes
hurt and tension.
• Pleasant: Be positively pleasant in your expression through politeness and use
encouraging, praising, positive, appreciating words. Even criticism of one’s
actions must be must be mixed with positive comments on good actions. Avoid
dwelling on negatives. Appreciating words must be more in proportion to
criticizing ones.
• Satyam – be truthful.

• Hitam – the words should be beneficial to speaker as well as the listener.
How do I know whether my words are sweet? People enjoy talking to me.
Otherwise, people avoid me.
कणार्भ्यां भू�र �वश्रव

ु म ्–karṇābhyām bhūri viśruvam – Let my ears also be fit. The first
sādhanā in learning the Vedānta is śravaṇam – without it, one cannot go to the next
steps of manana-nididhyāsanam. I should use my ears primarily for śravaṇam of the
śāstras (not for unimportant things). I should have sufficient puṇya to make it
possible. Without obstacles, let me hear the (śāstras) repeatedly (bhūri).
Thus, the student prays for fitness of all his organs (jñānendiryāṇi and
karmendriyāṇi) so that he can the eligibility to pursue jñāna (jñāna-yogyatā-prāptiḥ).
Then the student concludes by glorifying oṅkāra once again:
ब्रह्मणः कोशः अ�स–brahmaṇaḥ kośaḥ asi – (Heyoṅkāra!) you are the abode (temple)
of Brahman. You are the sheath (kośaḥ) that protects the residence of Brahman.
Oṅkārais like a jewel box in which the jewel of Brahman is kept. What does it mean?
The all-pervading Brahman can never be contained by anything. The significance of
this statement is by enquiring into the word oṅkāra, and by analysis, one can
discover Brahman [oṅkāra vicāra dvārā brahma prāptyum śakyate]. Since oṅkāra is
the means for discovering Brahman, it is figuratively presented as the container of
Brahman. Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad exensively discusses the process fo discovering
Brahman through oṅkāra vicāra.
If oṅkāra is the container of Brahman, how come I am not able to discover that? For
that, the student himself gives the reason. I am not able to know that because it is
covered (hidden) as it were. You must“dis-cover” it. What is covering Brahman in
oṅkāra? (oṅkārasthita brahmaṇaḥ āvraṇaḥ kim?). The student says:
मेधया �प�हतः- medhayā pihitaḥ – In Śaṅkarācārya’s language, medhā means laukika

jñānam or worldly knowledge (anātma-jñānam). [Only three lines before, we said
medhā means grahaṇa-dhārana śakti). Most people are only interested in anātma-
jñānam or worldly knowledge and therefore, they are extrovert in nature. They have
so busy with the wordly affairs that they have no time for enquiring into Vedānta.
Thus, the extrovertedness becomes an obstacle for Vedāntaśravaṇam. This gets

worse as we materially advance more and more. Pihitaḥ means covered –

figuratively, Brahman is covered by my extrovertedness. Hey oṅkāra, help me turn
my mind inward.
Then the student concludes the japa:
श्रत
ु ं मे गोपाय–śrutaṁ me gopāya – (Heyoṅkāra-rūpa Parameśvara), let whatever I
hear during Vedāntaśravaṇam (śrutam), be preserved in my mind (gopāya). In
gurukulam, the gap between two classes is short. Now the gap is so big that so
many worldly things may displace what was learned in the previous class. The
prayer is: let it be green in my memory when I come to the next class.
With this japa-sādhanā is complete. It must be repeated over and over.
The next is homa-sādhanā:
आवहन्ती �वतन्वाना I कुवार्णाचीरमात्मनः I वासा��समम गावश्च I अन्नपाने च सवर्दा I ततो मे

�श्रयमावह I लोमशां पशु�भः सह स्वाहा I
Āvahantī vitanvānā / kurvāṇācīramātmanaḥ /vāsāgṁsi mama gāvaśca / annapāne ca
sarvadā / tato me śriyamāvaha / lomaśāṃ paśubhiḥ saha svāhā
ततः–tataḥ - Thereafter, आवह मे–āvaha me - bless me with �श्रयम ्–śriyam - fortune
अचीरम ् आवहिन्त–acīram āvahanti - which will immediately bring, �वतन्वाना–vitanvānā
- increase, कुवार्णा सवर्दा–kurvāṇā sarvadā - (and) preserve forever वासां�स–vāsāṁsi -
clothes आत्मनः–ātmanaḥ - for me, च गावः–ca gāvaḥ - as well as cattle, अन्नपाने–
annapāne - food, drinks, च लोमशाम ्–ca lomaśām - and woolly animals सह पश�ु भः–
saha paśubhiḥ - along with (other) animals मम–mama - for me.
Thereafter, bless me with fortune which will immediately bring, increase, (and)
preserve forever clothes for me, as well as cattle, food, drinks, and woolly animals
along with (other) animals for me.
[Note: The word ‘svāhā’ occurring in this and the following portions indicates that
this mantra is to be used in a homa].

The expression svāhā indicates that it is homa-sādhanā offering oblations to the fire.
Through this sādhanā, the seeker is offering prayers to oṅkāra-rūpa-Parameśvaraḥ.
Since the mantra begins with the word āvahantī, this homa is popularly known as
āvahantī homaḥ. It is a very popular homa which is performed even these days.
Āvahantī homa is discussed from now till the end of the fourth anuvāka. Through
this homa, the seeker asks for four things:
• Dhana-prāptiḥ – acquisition of wealth and prosperity (now we know why this

homais popular)
• Citta śuddhiḥ-prāptiḥ – the attainment of the purity of the mind (antaḥkaraṇa -
śuddhiḥ). Purification of the mind is not ultimate objective, but it is necessary to
pursue jñāna.[You wash the plate so that you can eat in it – keeping it clean for
use]
• Jñāna-prāptiḥ – Attainment of jñānaafter achieving the pure mind.
• Śiṣya-prāptiḥ – after attaining jñānam, I should be able to share it with the other
people. Vidyā-dānam is the greatest charity.
The order presented above is different from that in the mantra, but there is a
significance to this order. In this order, the first one is always wealth, because
money is required for karma yoga anuṣṭhānam. Karma yoga is the first sadhana,
which is in the form of contributing to the society. Pañca-mahā-yajña(karma yoga)
requires giving more than what you take from the society. This requires resources.
The wealth must be used for dharma (dhanam for dharma- anuṣṭhānartham); not
for sense pleasures (kāma-bhogārtham) which should be treated only as a
secondary and incidental benefit of wealth.
Wealth should be spent in such a way that it leads to citta-śuddhiḥ – viveka,

vairāgya, śamādiṣatka and mumukṣatvam (sādhanā-catuṣṭaya sampatti). It should
lead to desire for the Vedānta. One should purposefully live gr̥ hasthāśrama in way
that it leads him to the Vedānta. Producing children (kula-santati-abhivr̥ ttiḥ) is only a
secondary objective (avāntara phalam) of the gr̥ hasthāśramaand that too for
preserving the tradition (paraṁparā). The primary objective of this āśrama (ucca
phalam) is to develop the urge for Vedāntajñānam. When this urge comes, it is the
indication that the mind is pure.
Citta śuddhiḥ is not sufficient; to gain jñāna, I need an opportunity to learn from a
qualified guru. I pray to the Lord to give me the opportunity to fulfill the desire of
jñāna-prāptiḥ. Once I have this knowledge, I should also be blessed with the

opportunity to share this knowledge with the others to preserve the tradition (jñāna-
paraṁapara). Thus, my duty is not limited to the expansion of family (kula
paraṁparā), but to also preserve the guru-śiṣyaparaṁparā.
The teacher starts with
ततो मे �श्रयम ् आवह- tato me śriyam āvaha – Oh Lord, bring me Śridevi (Lakshmi
Devi). May she come to my house. May prosperity come to me. Tataḥ means
thereafter. Then the question arises: whereafter? We should never take a Vedic
statement for granted. Śaṅkarācārya tells us to dwell on the word tataḥ. He gives a
very significant observation that money is a two-edged sword: money can lead to
spiritual growth if properly used, but can lead to spiritual destruction if it is
improperly handled. As they say, money is a good servant, but a very bad master. I
should decide whether money is my servant or master. To make money my servant,
I should acquire the knowledge of dharma-śāstra (dharma-śāstra-jñānam). I should
have the knowledge of morality, ethics and the righteous way of living. It is given
very clearly in dharmaśāstraas vidhi-niṣeda, how money should and should not be
used.
Per Śaṅkarācārya, one should never ask for money before knowing dharmaśāstra.
Before asking for money, I should ask for medhā – the knowledge of dharmaśāstra.
That is why in our tradition, in the past, our parents never gave us pocket money.
The parents now think that they are expressing love by giving the children large
pocket money. Children do not have discrimination and there is a risk that they will
spend it on the wrong things. This is evident from alcohol and drug problems in
residential universities. In gurukulams, the students are not allowed to touch the
money. They can earn only after learning the dharmaśāstra. Therefore,
Śaṅkarācārya says tataḥ means after developing maturity through the knowledge of
dharmśāstra (dharmajñāna-anantaram or medhā-prāpti-anantaram). For this,
material education is not enough; the student requires education on religion and
values also.
He then lists things that are indicators of wealth (lest Lakshmi Devi comes empty
handed!). I should have the capability to acquire them and expand the wealth.
Then, I should also be able to preserve and retain it (Tamil: azhiyātha selvam –
அழியாதெசல்வம்).

Acquisitionexpansionpreservation
आवहन्ती–āvahantī –acquisition of material wealth
�वतन्वाना -vitanvānā – the expansion of the material wealth
कुवार्णा सवर्दा– kurvāṇā sarvadā – it should remain with me all the time (preservation)
What material things do I want Lakshmi Devi to bring with her?
आत्मनः– ātmanaḥ - for me (and my family)
वासां�स – vāsāṁsi – plenty of clothing
गावः च–gāvaḥ ca – cattle – this represented wealth including gold, money real estate,
vehicles (vāhanam) etc.
अन्नपानम–् annapānam – food and water (drink)
When should Lakshmi Devi come?
अचीरम ् – May she come immediately
It should be remembered that the seeker is a cultured person (dharmapradhāna

puruṣaḥ) and he is asking for this wealth for dharma and then mokṣa (kāma is
subservient).
Perhaps these people lived in cold places and so they required warm clothing in
winter:
लोमशां पशु�भः सह–lomaśāṁ paśubhiḥ saha – May we have plenty of wooly animals
(like sheep so that we can get woolen garments).
In summary, may I become prosperous.
It is now clear that the Vedas never condemned wealth.Some, including the ones in
the Vedic culture, criticize money as evil (māyā etc.). This amounts to disrespecting
Lakshmi Devi. This type of criticism is borrowed from other immature cultures. Vedic

culture is very mature. It says that money is important, but you should know how to
handle it. In fact, big āśramas can run only if the wealthy patronize them. Without
money, no temple or veda pāṭhaśāla can run. The three āśramas that don’t make
money – brahmacaryai, vānaprastha and sannyāsa – need money for living and
maintenance. They depend upon gr̥ hasthāśrama for support. So, the gr̥ hasthas must
earn plenty of money, but must also share the wealth to patronize the other
āśramas. Earning is never criticized, but hoarding of excessive wealth is. This mantra
is the source (pramāṇa) for this Vedantic concept.
Other notes:
The external wealth should lead to internal purity, which in turn should lead to
knowledge, which in turn should lead to teaching.
आ मायन्तुब्रह्मचा�रणःस्वाहाI �व मायन्तुब्रह्मचा�रणःस्वाहाI प्रमायन्तुब्रह्मचा�रणः

स्वाहाI दमायन्तब्र
ु ह्मचा�रणःस्वाहाI शमायन्तब्र
ु ह्मचा�रणःस्वाहाI यशोजनेऽसा�न‍‌
स्वाहा I श्रेयान्वस्यसोऽसा�नस्वाहाI तंत्वाभागप्र�वशा�नस्वाहाI समाभागप्र�वश
स्वाहा I तिस्मन्सहस्रशाखे I �नभगाहं त्व�यमज
ृ ेस्वाहाI यथापःप्रवतायिन्तI यथामासाअहजर्रम ्I
एवंमांब्रह्मचा�रणःI धातरायन्तस
ु वर्तःस्वाहाI प्र�तवेशोऽ�सप्र मा भा�हप्रमापद्यस्व II
ā mā yantu brahmacāriṇaḥ svāhā / vi māyantu brahmacāriṇaḥ svāhā / pra māyantu
brahmacāriṇaḥ svāhā / da māyantu brahmacāriṇaḥ svāhā / śa māyantu
brahmacāriṇaḥ svāhā / yaśo jane'sāni svāhā / śreyānvasyaso'sāni svāhā / taṃ tvā
bhāga praviśāni svāhā / sa mā bhāga praviśa svāhā / tasminsahasraśākhe / ni
bhagāhaṃ tvayi mṛje svāhā / yathāpaḥ pravatā yanti / yathā māsā aharjaram /
evaṃ māṃ brahmacāriṇaḥ / dhātarāyantu sarvataḥ svāhā / prativeśo'si pra mā
bhāhi pra mā padyasva
ब्रह्मचा�रणः –brahmacāriṇaḥ - May students आयन्तु मा–āyantu mā - come to me.
ब्रह्मचा�रणः–brahmacārinaḥ - May students आयन्तु मा–āyantu mā - come to me �व–vi -
with varied interests. ब्रह्मचा�रणः–brahmacāriṇaḥ - May students आयन्तु मा–āyantu
mā - come to me प्र–pra - with intelligence. ब्रह्मचा�रणः–brahmacāriṇaḥ - May

students आयन्त–ु āyantu - come to me द–da- with sense-control. ब्रह्मचा�रणः–
brahmacāriṇaḥ - May students आयन्तु–āyantu - come to me श–śa - with mind-

control. असा�न यशः–asāni yaśa - May I be well-known (as a teacher) जने–jane -
among the people. असा�न श्रेयान–् asāni śreyān - May I be the greatest वस्यसः–

vasyasaḥ - among the wealthy. भग–bhaga - Oh Lord! प्र�वशा�न–praviśāni - May I
merge तं त्वा–taṁ tvā - into You. भग–bhaga - Oh Lord! सः–saḥ - May Youप्र�वश मा–
praviśa mā - merge into me. भग–bhaga - Oh Lord! अहं �नमज

ृ –े ahaṁ nimr̥ je - May I
purify myself तिस्मन ् त्व�य–tasmin tvayi - in You सहस्रशाखे–sahasraśākhe - who have
thousands of forms. धातः–dhātaḥ - Oh Lord! ब्रह्मचा�रणः–brahmacāriṇaḥ - May
students आयन्तु माम–् āyantu mām - come to me सवर्तः–sarvataḥ - from all directions.
एवं यथा–evaṁ yathā - (May students come to me) just as आपः यिन्त–āpaḥ yanti -
water rush प्रवता–pravatā - downwards यथा–yathā - (and) just as मासाः–māsāḥ - the
months (rush towards) अहजर्रम–् aharjaram - the (next) year. अ�स प्र�तवेशः–asi
prativeśaḥ - (Oh Lord!) You are (like) a rest-house. प्रभा�ह–prabhāhi- Reveal Yourself
मा–mā - unto me प्रपद्यस्व मा–prapadyasva mā - (and) enter into me.
May students come to me. May students come to me with varied interests. May
students come to me with intelligence. May students come to me with sense-control.
May students come to me with mind-control. May I be well-known (as a teacher)
among the people. May I be the greatest among the wealthy. Oh Lord! May I merge
into You. Oh Lord! May You merge into me. Oh Lord! May I purify myself in You who
have thousands of forms. Oh Lord! May students come to me from all directions.
(May students come to me) just as water rush downwards (and) just as the months
(rush towards) the (next) year. (Oh Lord!) You are (like) a rest-house. Reveal
Yourself unto me (and) enterinto me.
In this portion, the student is praying for śiṣya-prāptiḥ. He is not ready to become a
guru yet, but he is planning for the future. Oh Lord, once I become knowledgeable,
the śiṣyas(disciples) should come to me from all directions. This is not for earning
money from the śiṣyas, but to fulfill the r̥ ṇam (debt) to the r̥ ṣis.
ब्रह्मचा�रणः आयन्तु मा–brahmacāriṇaḥāyantu mā(ā +yantu = āyantu- should be read

together) - Let many brahmacāris come towards me. Brahmacāri means śiṣya.
Brahma means Veda and cāri means one who leads a disciplined life of a student
(ācarati iti cāri). One of the primary disciplines of a disciple is to do homework.
Vedas prescribe other disciplines – not engage excessively in entertainment, not
being excessively extroverted, not being obsessed with decorating physical body
(deha-alaṅkāra) etc. When he shows excessive interest in the in the physical body
(sthūla śarīram), he neglects the subtle body (sūkṣma śarīram). A brahmacārifollows

the disciplines to install the Vedic knowledge in his heart (brahmārtham (vedārtham)
vratam iti carati brahmacāri). Brahmacāri does not mean an unmarried person. In
the past, the students were unmarried and therefore, brahmacāri got its secondary
meaning. The primary meaning is one who is a dedicated and committed student.
स्वाहा- svāhā – the seeker is offering oblations as he is chanting.
What type of brahmacāri? The qualifications of the student are mentioned here:
�व मा आयन्तु ब्रह्मचा�रणः- vi māāyantu brahmacāriṇah – Let the student that comes to

me have varied interests to study different subjects (vi- with varied interests –
vividha kāmanāvantaḥ māāyantu). Only if the student has interest in various
subjects can the teacher share the knowledge in those subjects. In addition to the
Bhagavad Gītā and the Upaniṣads, he can teach other subjects such as tarka śāstra,
mīmāṁsā śāstra, vyākaraṇa śāstraetc. [mā= towards me. There is another meaning
for mā = not; this is the opposite of what the student wants].
प्रमायन्तु ब्रह्मचा�रणः- pramāyantu brahmacāriṇah – pra means prajñāvantaḥ – with

intelligence. Let the intelligent students come to me (not the dull students). The
intelligence of the students is classified into three:
• uttama or superior, who absorbs everything that he is taught. The teacher is also
inspired to teach. He is like camphor that catches fire quickly (Tamil: karpūra
buddhi – கற்�ர�த்தி)
• madhyama or mediocre, who is slower to understand, but once he does, he
retains the knowledge. He requires nurturing like the piece of charcoal that takes
time to catch fire (Tamil: kari buddhi – க� �த்தி).
• adhamaor inferior, who neither can absorb nor retain the teaching. He may even
make his teacher forget the Vedānta! He is like the stem of a banana tree, which
not only will not catch fire, but also will put it out (Tamil: vāzhaittanḍu buddhi -
வாைழத்தண்��த்தி).
दमायन्तु- damāyantu – da means of dāntāḥ – the ones who possess sense control
(damaḥ), so that they are able to concentrate on the lectures in the class. He is
asking for students who are damaguṇavantāḥ.

Once a student in a Math class was not paying attention. He was looking at the roof
of the next building where a rat was going from one class to another. The rat
almost entered a class – only his tail was sticking out. The mathematics teacher
asked, “Did it enter (your head)?” The student replied, “Almost!”referring to the rat.
शमायन्तु- śamāyantu – śamaḥmeans mind control. Let the mind of the student be
focused with good attention span so that he does not get distracted mentally
With this, the śiṣya-prāpti-prārthanāconcludes. Now the seeker returns to the

previous topic:
यशो जने असा�न स्वाहा- yaśo jane asāni svāhā – I should be well-known in the society
(yaśaḥmeans famous) so that the students will come from different directions. Let
me be (asāni) a famous ācārya among people (jane).
श्रेयान ् वस्यसः असा�न स्वाहा- śreyān vasyasaḥ asāni svāhā – Let me the wealthiest
person in the society. He is inviting students from all directions to whom, per our
tradition, he must give knowledge (vidyā) free of cost. Gurudakṣinā is compulsory
for the student, but the teacher must never expect it for discharging his duty. The
teacher should be able to provide for every need of the student in this residential
system (gurukulavāsa). He should have enough wealth to build and sustain the
āśrama for the large number of students that he is praying for (vasīyānmeans
wealthy).
The seeker here is praying for wealth to provide for his students and not for
entertainment.The society must understand the necessity of such system.In the
past, the society recognized the need for such infrastructure and provided for them.
The guru focused on teaching the students instead of worrying about the wealth to
maintain the infrastructure. Bright students from all over the world are attracted to
the US universities because research grants are available. The government and the
private institutions support them with grants. One who spends time on Sarasvati
should not worry whether Lakshmi will be there or not. The United States bags most
of the Nobel Prizes because the society values Sarasvati and ensures that Lakshmi is
there. The seeker is praying: may Lakshmi Devi come to me so that I can dedicate
my time in pursuit of Sarasvati.

The purpose of this prayer is to ultimately reach the following goal:
भग–bhaga – O Lord!
तं त्वा प्र�वशा�न –taṁ tvā praviśāni – I want to ultimately merge into you; I seek to
become one with you (jīvātma-paramātma-aikyam). Aikyam can be attained only
through jñānam. This is the uniqueness of our culture: our society values jñāna. The
word Bhāratam means that one that revels in the light of knowledge: bhā means
light, which means knowledge and ratam means reveling or committed to. Rata is
derived from the root ram, which means to revel. All our activities are geared
towards gaining this knowledge: wealth is earned and spent for this purpose.
Getting married is not just for producing children; it is for knowledge. In the
Sandhyāvandana mantra, we remind ourselves – maheraṇāya cakṣase – O Lord, I
want that ultimate knowledge. We do know all the qualifications required, but we
call it the duty of Īśavarato supply us with those qualifications: uśatīriva mātaraḥ,
tasmā araṅgamāmavaḥ, yasyakṣyāya jinvatā, āpo janayatācanaḥ – just as the
mother feeds the child at the right time, O Lord, you should feed me with viveka
(discrimination), vairāgya (dispassion),ṣaṭka-sampatti (discipline) and mumukṣatvam
(desire) so that I can ultimately gain (mahate ramaṇīyāya cakṣase)ātmajñānam.
Therefore, merger into Lord means jñāna-praptiḥ.
Not only I should merge into you; you should merge into me.
भग- bhaga – O Lord!
मा प्र�वश- mā praviśa – may You enter into me so thate we become one. When the
river flows towards the ocean to merge with it, the latter also flows towards the
former to meet it; that is why the river water near the ocean is salty. The ocean also
merges with the river. If I go to Bhagavan, He will come to me.
Now the student is asking for cittaśuddhi because he knows that jñāna is not
possible without it. Purification of the mind means removal of the impurity. The
physical impurity is removed by dipping in the river water (in the olden days, it was
common to take a dip in the river). To purify the mind, one must dip into the
thought of the Lord – Īśvara smaraṇam. The vaiṣṇavas are called āzhvārgal(Tamil)

because āzhvardal means dipping - they dip themselves in the thought of the Lord.
Here the student makes a beautiful metaphor. A river has many tributaries. You can
dip in any of them and purify yourself. God is one, but you can purify yourself in any
of His manifestations – Viṣṇu, Śiva, Laksmi, Sarasvati and any other of the infinite
forms.
Therefore, he says:
सहस्रशाखे तिस्मन-् sahasraśākhe tasmin – You have thousands of branches or

tributaries (forms). For example, Krishna has many forms - kutti Krishna, Radhe
Krishna, Gītopadeśa Krishna etc. Let me worship you in any form.
�न भग अहम-् ni bhaga aham – Hey Bhagavan, I dip myself in you.
�न मज
ृ –े ni mr̥ je – let me purify myself (wash my sins by worshipping you).
There is an āvaṇi avittam saṅkalpa:
मानसं वा�चकं पापं कमर्णा समुपािजर्तं श्रीरामस्मरणेनैव व्यपोहतीन संशयः I

Mānasaṁ vācikaṁ pāpaṁ karmaṇā samupārjitaṁ srirāmasmaraṇaenaiva
vyapohatina saṁśayaḥ
I have accumulated mānasa, vācika and kāyika (actions) pāpamsand I

remove it by the mere remembrance of the Lord (Sri Rama).
We now have all the four boons: dhana-prāpti, cittaśuddhi-prāpti, jñāna-prāpti and
śiṣya-prāpti. Now the prayer concludes by asking again for śiṣya-prāpti. This person
is very interested in teaching because it is the only profession for a Brahmin.
Puruṣasūktam says: brāhmaṇosya mukhamāsīt - which means that the Brāhmaṇa is
the mouth of the Vedic society. Therefore, he prays for excellence in his profession,
i.e. he wants to excel as a karma brāhmaṇa.
How should the students come? He uses an example:
यथा आपः प्रवतायिन्त- yathāāpaḥ pravatānti – Just as the waters gush down a slope,
the students must come to me from all directions (pravatā = slope)

यथा मासाः अहजर्रम ्- yathā māsāḥ aharjaram – just as months (māsāḥ) rush to meet
the next year (aharjaraḥ). Before we blink our eyes, the time is moving.
एवम ्–evam - In the same way,
ब्रह्मचा�रणः माम ् (आयन्तु)–brahmacāriṇaḥ mām (āyantu) – may students come to me
सवर्तः –sarvataḥ – from all directions.
The only qualification required is the interest in knowledge. He does not say whether
the student should be a brahmacāri, gr̥ hastha, a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya; no
specification is given. There is no no caste, age, or gender specification. I will teach
whoever is interested in knowledge.
धातः –dhātaḥ - O Lord! The Lord is called dhātaḥbecause he is karmaphala dātā –

the one who gives appropriate karmaphalam to the appropriate jīva at the
appropriate time and place. We must remember that oṅkāra rūpa Parameśvara is
being addressed here.
This seeker has kept a long journey in mind – it takes time to obtain wealth; then it
takes a long time to achieve purification of the mind; then, he must find a guru to
get jñāna (śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsanam). The path is difficult and full of ups and
down. The student is somewhat diffident and wonders if he can achieve his goal. He
likens the Lord to a rest house, where he can find some relief from his mental and
intellectual fatigue. With that, he hopes that his diffidence will be removed and he
will be refreshed and rejuvenated to continue to the next next lap of the journey.
Therefore, he says
प्र�तवेशः अ�स–prativeśaḥ asi – you are like a rest house. By this, the student indicates
when we get frustrated in the learning process, bhakti (devotion) can give us the
push. Personal effort (puruṣātha) is no doubt important, but despite this effort,
frustration is bound to come because of attachments and aversions (rāga and
dveṣa). Rāga is a powerful obstacle, and dveṣa is still more powerful. Along with
these, the other negative emotions such as anger, jealousy etc. stall our progress

and cloud our mind. When such frustration comes, the only way out is to surrender
to the Lord. In verse 18.58 of the Gītā, Lord Krishna says:
मिच्चत्तः सवर्दग
ु ार्�ण मत्प्रसादात्त�रष्य�स ।
अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्काराद् न श्रोष्य�स �वनङ् �य�स ॥ १८.५८ ॥
maccittaḥ sarvadurgāṇi matprasādāt tariṣyasi |
atha cēttvamahaṅkārād na śrōṣyasi vinaṅkṣyasi || 18.58 ||
With (your) mind (fixed) on Me, you shall cross over all obstacles by MY
grace. But if you do not listen due to egoism, you will perish.
When you feel diffident, surrender to the Lord. You will gain the confidence that you
will get mokṣa in this janma itself because you have the support of the Lord. This
confidence is not because of arrogance, but because of bhakti. The bhakta is
confident because Lord Krishna says in verse 9.22 of the Gītā:
अनन्यािश्चन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पयप

ुर् ासते ।
तेषां �नत्या�भयुक्तानां योग�ेमं वहाम्यहम ् ॥ ९.२२ ॥
ananyāścintayantō māṁ yē janāḥ paryupāsatē |
tēṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yōgakṣēmaṁ vahāmyaham || 9.22 ||
(Those) people who see Me as non-different from them offer worship (by)
dwelling on Me. I take care of the yoga and kshema of those eversteadfast
ones.
Therefore, a true bhakta never speaks pessimistically. When the seeker feels
pessimistic, he must regain his confidence by autosuggestion: “I will be able to get
mokṣa.” The powerful Lord will give the push.
मा प्र भा�ह- mā pra bhāhi– May you reveal yourself to me. Oh Lord, I will do my part
and you should do yours. I am tired of this journey. I cannot walk anymore. You
must do the rest for me.
मा प्र पद्यस्व- mā pra padysva – you come towards me. I have travelled this far and
you must do your part to meet me. This is only a figurative expression because
Bhagavan is all-pervading and so, there is no question of physical travel.With this,

the student seeks help in understanding. Merger into Bhagavan is merely dropping
the notion of distance between Him and me. It is an intellectual process in which I
should drop the notion and I will reach Bhagavan. This notion is dropped clear
knowledge that I am Brahman (aham brahma asmi). The expression, “Come near
me’ means help me understand aham brahma asmi clearly.
With this homa sādhanā as well as the fourth anuvāka is complete.
Anuvāka 5
भूभव
ुर् ःसुव�र�तवाएतािस्तस्रोव्याहृतयः I तासामुहस्मैतांचतुथ�म ्I माहाचमस्यःप्रवेदयतेI महइ�तI
तद्ब्रह्मI सआत्माI अङ्गान्यन्यादे वताःI
bhūrbhuvaḥ suvariti vā etāstisro vyāhṛtayaḥ / tāsāmu ha smaitāṃ caturthīm /
māhācamasyaḥ pravedayate / maha iti / tad brahma / sa ātmā / aṅgānyanyā
devatāḥ
भूः भुवः सुवः इ�त–bhūḥ bhuvaḥ suvaḥ iti - bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, and suvaḥ - एताः वै–etāh vai -
these are indeed �तस्रः व्याहृतयः–tisraḥ vyāhr̥ tayaḥ - the three vyāhr̥ tis. उ ह स्म–u ha
sma - Verily, तासाम–् tāsām - along with them, माहाचमस्य प्रवेदयते–māhācamasya

pravedayate - Māhācamasya reveals एतां चतुथ�म–् etāṁ caturthīm - the following
fourth (vyāhr̥ ti) इ�त महः–iti mahaḥ - which is mahaḥ. तद् ब्रह्म–tad brahma - That is
(to be meditated upon as) Hiraṇyagarbha. सः आत्मा–saḥ ātmā - He is the ātmā.अन्याः
दे वताः–anyāḥ devatāḥ - All other gods अङ्गा�न–aṅgāni - are (His) limbs.
Bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, and suvaḥ - these are indeed the three vyāhr̥ tis . Verily, along with
them, Māhācamasya reveals the following fourth (vyāhr̥ ti) which is mahaḥ. That is
(to be meditated upon as) Hiraṇyagarbha. He is the ātmā. All other gods are (His)
limbs.
In this anuvāka, another upāsanā is introduced. This second upāsanā called vyāhr̥ iti
upāsanā which is like saṁhitopāsanā in several respects. In saṁhitopāsanā, we use
ālambanams (symbols) associated with the combination of letters: pūrvarūpam,
uttararūpam, sandhiḥ and sandhānam. We then invoke various objects of meditation
using these ālambanams. In the vyāhr̥ ti upāsanā, we will use vyāhr̥ ti mantras as
ālambanams. Four vyāhr̥ ti mantras – bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, suvaḥ and mahaḥ - are

introduced, upon which, four objects will be meditated. They are called vyāhr̥ ti
mantras for two reasons:
• Brahmāji uttered them when he extracted the essence of the Vedas. As discussed
in the commentary on Chapter 10 of the Bhagavad Gītā, he condensed three
Vedas – R̥g, Yajuḥ and Sāma – into one line each of the Gāyatrī mantra. He then
condensed itfurther: the first line intobhūḥvyāhr̥ ti, the second intobhuvaḥvyāhr̥ ti
and the third into suvaḥvyāhr̥ ti. He further condensed these into “a”(अ),
“u”(उ)and “ma”(म) to make it aum (Om). Therefore, this condensation was done
by Brahmaji during tapas and because he uttered it first, they got the
namevyāhr̥ iti –vyāhr̥ means to utter (uccāraṇam) –brahmaṇā vyāhr̥ ta iti vyāhr̥ tiḥ.
• The second meaning is the extension of the first meaning. Since these condensed
Veda mantras were uttered by Brahmāji, they are extremely sacred. Therefore,
these mantras can remove pāpams. The second meaning of vyāhr̥ means to
eliminate or destroy – vyāharati pāpāni iti vyāhr̥ ti.
Later, the fourth one mahaḥ was also added. These four vyāhr̥ ti mantras will be
used as symbols to invoke four objects in this vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā.
भूः भुवः सुवः इ�त वा एताः �तस्रो व्याहृतयः–bhūḥ bhuvaḥ suvaḥ iti vāetāḥ tisro vyāhr̥ tayaḥ -
the three vyāhr̥ tis are bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and suvaḥ. The word vā indicates that they are
well known in the Vedic tradition. It is known in the karma kāṇḍa – everything is
purified in the rituals by sprinkling water and uttering the mantra bhūrbhuvaḥ suvaḥ.
When we do pariṣecanam before eating the food, we say this mantra. The Gāyatrī
mantra has these three words. These mantras are known in Karma, upāsanā and
jñānakāṇḍa. Therefore, the word vā means prasiddhaḥ (famous). The real word is
vai, but it becomes vā in sandhi.
तासाम ् उ हस्मएतां चाथथ

ु �म ् –tāsām u ha sma etām caturthīm – along with the three
vyāhr̥ ti mantras, the following fourth one was revealed – u, ha, and sma are
particles revealing prasiddhi (fame). In sandhyāvandanam, we have saptavyāhr̥ tīḥ –
in praṇāyāma mantra, there are bhūh, bhuvaḥ, suvaḥ, mahaḥ, janaḥ, tapaḥ and
satyam. The fourth vyāhr̥ ti was discovered by
माहाचमस्यः –māhācamasyaḥ – r̥ ṣinamed Māhācamasya - he is called that because he

was the son of Mahācamas. Mahācamas means the one who used big ladles when

performing the yāgas (camas – the spoon used in the yāgas) – this means he
performed big rituals. By naming the r̥ ṣi, born in the paraṁparā of great
Mahācamas, the glory of the vyāhr̥ ti mantra is magnified.
प्रवेदयते - pravedayate – (such a great r̥ ṣi) revealed (the fourth vyāhr̥ ti).
Now we have four ālambānams upon which we must invoke four objects – one for
each ālamabanam.In the group of four objects to be studied, there is one main and
three subordinate objects. In Sanskrit, the main object is called aṅgī and the
subordinate is called aṅgaḥ – thus, there one aṅgīand three aṅgas. Of these four,
the main one is the most glorious. Furthermore, the glory of the main object
pervades that of the subordinate objects. The power of the subordinate is derived
from the main just as the power of the cabinet ministers are derived from the prime
minister. The prime minister’s support is required for the other ministers to retain
their posts. Therefore, we can say that the prime minister pervades the subordinate
ministers. Of the four vyāhr̥ tis, one will symbolize the main and the others, the
suboridnates.In a public function, the chair of the main dignitary is generally, big
and special. The Upaniṣad chooses mahaḥ(mahovyāhr̥ ti) as the main because the
name itself indicates that it is a great one (mahān). The term mahaḥ is derived from
the root mah, which means to be worshipped or adored.
महः इ�त –mahaḥ iti – mahaḥ, the fourth vyāhr̥ itiis the main one.
तत ् ब्रह्म- tat brahma – that is the greatest one (the glorious one) – because it will
symbolize the greatest object of meditation
सः आत्मा- saḥ ātmā – it is the pervading one (in this context, should not be
interpreted as saccidānanda ātmā). The mahovyāhr̥ ti, the main object pervades the
other vyāhr̥ tis.
अङ्गा�न अन्याःदे वताः–aṅgāni anyāḥ devatāḥ – all the other objects of meditation
represented by bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and suvaḥ are only subordinates. They enjoythe
(borrowed) power only because the head is willing to delegate the (intrinsic) power
to them
Now that we have defined the symbols, we are ready for the upāsanās.

भू�र�त वा अयं लोकः I भुव इत्यन्त�र�म ् I सुव�रत्यसौ लोकः I मह इत्या�दत्यः I आ�दत्येन वाव सव�
लोका मह�यन्ते I
bhūriti vā ayaṃ lokaḥ / bhuva ityantarikṣam / suvarityasau lokaḥ / maha ityādityaḥ /
ādityena vāva sarve lokā mahīyante
भूः वै–bhūḥ vai - Bhūḥ इ�त अयं लोकः–iti ayaṁ lokaḥ - is (to be meditated upon as) this
world. भुवः–buvaḥ - Bhuvaḥ इ�त अन्त�र�म ्–iti antarikṣam - is (to be meditated upon
as) the interspace. सव

ु ः–suvaḥ - Suvaḥ इ�त असौ लोकः–iti asau lokaḥ - is (to be
meditated upon as) the other world. महः–mahaḥ - Mahaḥ इ�त आ�दत्यः–iti ādityaḥ - is
(to be meditated upon) the sun. आ�दत्येन वाव–ādityena vāva - By the sun alone, सव�
लोकाः–sarve lokāḥ - all the worlds मह�यन्ते–mahīyante - are glorified.
Bhūḥ is (to be meditated upon as) this world. Bhuvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as)
the interspace. Suvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the other world. Mahaḥ is (to be
meditated upon) the sun. By the sun alone, all the worlds are glorified.
Four objects in the form of lokas that will be invoked in the vyāhr̥ tis. Since they are
taken from the field of lokas, they are called adhiloka vyāhr̥ tiupāsanās. [In
saṁhitopāsanā, we saw adhiloka, adhijyautiṣam, adhividyam, adhiprajam and
adhyātmam).
भू�र�त वा अयं लोकः –bhūriti vā ayaṁ lokaḥ – bhūḥ loka will be seated on the “first
chair” as bhuḥ vyāhr̥ ti. Ayam lokaḥ is this world in which we exist.
भुवः इ�त अन्त�र�म–् bhuvaḥ iti antarikṣam–bhuvaloka, the intermediary loka will be
invoked in the bhuvaḥ vyāhr̥ ti mantrah.
सुवः इ�त असौ लोकः–suvaḥ iti asau lokaḥ – asau lokaḥ means the world that is far
away. Thus, suvarlokaḥ is the same as svargalokaḥ which is invoked upon the suvaḥ
vyāhr̥ ti.
महः इ�त आ�दत्यः–mahaḥ iti ādityaḥ – the sun is invoked upon mahovyāhr̥ ti. We justify
the sun to be the superior object because,

आ�दत्येन वाव सव� लोका मह�यन्ते- ādityena vāva sarve lokā mahīyante – all the worlds
are functioning because of the grace of the sun. Even astronomically, all the planets
are surviving only because of the sun. The earth’s glory is derived from the sun.
Krishna says verse 15.13 of the Gītā that the pervading light from the sun sustains
all living beings.
In summary, in this adhiloka vyāhr̥ ti upāsanā , bhūloka, bhuvarloka, suvarloka and

maharlokaare invoked on the four vyāhr̥ tis. Sūrya is the aṅgī and the otherlokasare
aṅgas.
भू�र�त वा अिग्नः I भुव इ�त वायुः I सुव�रत्या�दत्यः I मह इ�त चन्द्रमाः I चन्द्रमसा वाव सवार्�ण
ज्योती��षमह�यन्तेII
bhūriti vā agniḥ / bhuva iti vāyuḥ / suvarityādityaḥ / maha iti candramāḥ /
candramasā vāva sarvāṇi jyotīgṁṣi mahīyante
भूःइ�तवैअिग्नः–bhūḥ iti vai agniḥ - Bhūḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the fire.
भुवःइ�तवायुः–bhuvaḥ iti vāyuḥ - Bhuvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the air.
सव
ु ःइ�तआ�दत्यः–suvaḥ iti ādityaḥ - Suvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the sun.
महःइ�तचन्द्रमाः–mahaḥ iti candramāḥMahaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the moon.
चन्द्रमसावाव–candramasā vāva - By the moon alone सवार्�णज्योतीं�ष–sarvāṇi jyotiṁṣi -
all the luminaries मह�यन्ते–mahīyante - are glorified.
Bhūḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the fire. Bhuvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the
air. Suvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the sun. Mahaḥ is (to be meditated upon as)
the moon. By the moon alone all the luminaries are glorified.
Four members are selected from the field of the devatās. We shall call it adhideva
vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā.
भू�र�त वा अिग्नः- bhūriti vā agniḥ – Agni devatāis invoked in bhūḥvyāhr̥ ti
भुवः इ�त वायुः–bhuvaḥ iti vāyuḥ – Vāyu devatāis invokedin bhuvovyāhr̥ ti
सव
ु ः इ�त आ�दत्यः–suvaḥ iti ādityaḥ – Āditya devatā is invoked insuvovyāhr̥ ti

मह इ�त चन्द्रमाः- maha iti candramāḥ – Candra devatāis invoked in mahovyāhr̥ ti. Why
did we choose Candra? The Upaniṣad says
चन्द्रमसा वाव सवार्�ण ज्योती��षमह�यन्ते - candramasā jyotigṁṣi mahīyante – all these

devatās are glorious only because of Candra devatā. Thus, Candra devatā is the
main object and the others are subordinates.
This leads to a legitimate question: how can Candra devatābless Sūrya when we
know that Candra’s light (moonlight) is borrowed from Sūrya (the sun)? The answer
is: we are referring to the devatās being invoked and not the physical objects. We
saw in Tattva Bodha that Candra presides over the mind (antaḥkaraṇam), while the
other devatās preside over the sense organs of knowledge (jñānendriyam) and
organs of action (karmedndriyam) – Agni presides over speech (vāg indriyam –a
karmendriyam), Vāyu over the sense of touch (sparśa indriyam – a jñānendriyam)
and Āditya presides over eyesight (cakṣurindriyam – a jñānedriyam). [Puruṣasūktam:
candramāmanso jātaḥ; cakṣoḥ suryo ajāyata mukhādindrasyagniśca prāṇāt
vayurajāyata]. Since Candra presides over the mind, it is more powerful than the
sense organs because the latter cannot function without the blessing of the former.
In meditation, the mind is active while the sense organs are not. When the mind
does not back a sense organ that sense organ does not function. For example, if
your mind is elsewhere, you don’t hear the lecture in the class. Thus, from the
devatā angle, Candra is the aṅgī and the other devatāsare aṅgas. Therefore, there is
no defect in the Vedic teaching.
भू�र�त वा ऋचः I भुव इ�त सामा�न I सुव�र�त यज�ू �षI मह इ�त ब्रह्म Iब्रह्मणा वाव सव� वेदा
मह�यन्ते I
bhūriti vā ṛcaḥ / bhuva iti sāmāni / suvariti yajūgṁṣi / maha iti brahma / brahmaṇā
vāva sarve vedā mahīyante
भूःइ�तवैऋचः–bhūḥ iti vai r̥ ca ḥ - Bhūḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the R̥gveda.
भव
ु ःइ�तसामा�न–bhuvaḥ iti sāmāni - Bhuvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) the
Sāmaveda. सुवःइ�तयजूं�ष–suvaḥ iti yajūṁṣi - Suvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as)
Yajurveda. महःइ�तब्रह्म–mahaḥ iti brahma - Mahaḥ is (to be meditated upon as)

Oṅkāra. ब्रह्मणावाव–brahmaṇā vāva - By Oṅkāra alone, सव�वेदाः–sarve vedāḥ - all the
Vedas मह�यन्ते–mahīyante - are glorified.
Bhūḥ is (to be meditated upon as ) the R̥gveda. Bhuvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as)
the Sāmaveda. Suvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) Yajurveda. Mahaḥ is (to be
meditated upon as) oṅkāra. By oṅkāra alone, all the Vedas are glorified.
The third vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā is described here. These four objects belong to the field of
the Vedas. So, this can be called the adhi-veda vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā.
भूःइ�तवैऋचः–bhūḥ iti vai r̥ caḥ – Rg mantra is invoked in bhūḥ vyāhr̥ iti
भव
ु ः इ�त सामा�न–bhuvaḥ iti sāmāni – sāma mantra is invoked in bhuvaḥvyāhr̥ ti
सुवःइ�त यजू��ष–suvaḥ iti yajūgṁṣi–Yajur Veda is invoked in suvovyāhr̥ ti
महःइ�तब्रह्म–mahaḥ iti brahma – in this context, brahma means oṅkāraḥ. Oṅkāra is

the greatest because it consists of the essence of all the Vedas. Oṅkāra pervades all
the Vedas.
ब्रह्मणा वाव सव� वेदाः मह�यन्ते–brahmaṇā vāva sarve vedāḥ mahīyante – all the Vedas
are glorified because of Oṅkāra.
भू�र�तवैप्राणःI भुवइत्यपानःI सुव�र�तव्यानःI महइत्यन्नम ्I अन्नेनवावसव�प्राणामह�यन्तेI

bhūriti vai prāṇaḥ / bhuva ityapānaḥ / suvariti vyānaḥ / maha ityannam / annena
vāva sarve prāṇā mahīyante
भूः इ�त वै प्राणः–bhūḥ iti vai prāṇaḥ - Bhūḥ is (to be meditated upon as) prāṇa. भुवःइ�त
अपानः–bhuvaḥ iti apānaḥ - Bhuvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) apāna. सुवः
इ�तव्यानः–suvaḥ iti vyānaḥ - Suvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) vyāna.
महःइ�तअन्नम–् mahaḥ iti annam - Mahaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) food.
अन्नेनवाव–annena vāva - By food alone, सव�प्राणाः–sarve prāṇāḥ - all the
prāṇasमह�यन्ते–mahīyante - are glorified.

Bhūḥ is (to be meditated upon as) prāṇa. Bhuvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as)
apāna. Suvaḥ is (to be meditated upon as) vyāna. Mahaḥ is (to be meditated upon
as) food. By food alone, all the prāṇas are glorified.
This is the fourth and final vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā. We take four objects from the field of
prāṇa and therefore, itis called adhiprāṇa vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā.
भूःइ�तवैप्राणः– bhūḥ iti vai prāṇaḥ -– The exhalation breath is invoked in bhūḥvyāhr̥ ti
(prāk gamanavān vāyuḥ)
भुवःइ�तअपानः– bhuvaḥ iti apānaḥ – Apāna is invoked in bhuvovyāhr̥ ti. Apāna has
two functions: first, the inhalation air that goes down from the nostrils to the lungs
(adhogamanavān vāyuḥ). Secondly, all the waste of the body is pushed downward
through excretion – therefore, it is also called apāna. (apāna = inhalation +
excretion).
सुवः इ�त व्यानः –suvaḥ iti vyānaḥ – Vyāna circulates everything in the body (viśvak-
gamanavān vāyuḥ = vyānaḥ).Viśvak means all parts of the body – the blood
circulates and distributes the nutrients to every part of the body.
The above are all aṅgas. Then what is the aṅgī?
महःइ�तअन्नम ्– mahaḥ iti annam – Annamis the aṅgī because the prāṇas can function
only if they are nourished by food. During upavāsam (fasting), the prāṇas become
weaker. Without food for a length of time, the prāṇas will quit the body.
अन्नेन वाव सव� प्राणाः मह�यन्ते –annena vāva sarve prāṇāḥ mahīyante – the prāṇas are
glorious only when food is available.
This is adhi-prāṇavyāhr̥ tiupāsanā. Thus, sixteen objects are invoked in this collective
vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā. [In the saṁhitopāsanā, twenty objects were invoked].
तावाएताश्चतस्रश्चतुधार्I चतस्रश्चतस्रोव्याहृतयःI तायोवेदI सवेदब्रह्मI सव�ऽस्मैदेवा

ब�लमावहिन्तII
tā vā etāścatasraścaturdhā / catasraścatasro vyāhṛtayaḥ / tā yo veda / sa veda
brahma / sarve'smai devā balimāvahanti

ताःवैएताःचतस्रः–taḥ vai etāḥ catasraḥ - Thus, these four (vyāhr̥ tis) चतुधार्–caturdhā -
are meditated upon in the four-fold ways चतस्रःचतस्रःव्याहृतयः–catasraḥ catasraḥ
vyahr̥ tayaḥ - (and) four vyāhr̥ tis each are there (in each meditation). सःयःवेद–saḥ
yaḥ veda - He who knows (and meditates on) ताः–taḥ - them वेदब्रह्म–veda brahma -
knows Hiraṇyagarbhaसव�देवाः–sarve devāḥ - (and) all gods आवहिन्तब�लम ्–āvahanti
balim - carry offerings अस्मै–asmai - to him.
Thus, these four (vyāhr̥ tis) are meditated upon in the four -fold ways (and) four
vyāhr̥ tis each are there (in each meditation). He who knows (and meditates on)
them knows Hiraṇyagarbha (and) all gods carry offerings to him.
The Upaniṣad concludes this anuvāka with this section by giving the phalam(benefit)
of this upāsanā.
ताः वा ( तावै) एतः चतस्रः–tāḥ vā (tāvai) etaḥ catsraḥ - in this manner, these four
vyāhr̥ tis
चतुधार् - caturdhā – (meditated) in fourways – each vyāhr̥ ti represents four objects
चतस्रः चतस्रः व्याहृतयः–catasraḥcatasraḥ vyahr̥ tayaḥ – in each of the four upāsanās,

four vyahr̥ tis were used. Thus,sixteen 16 objects were meditated. Śaṅkarācārya
gives an explanation why this statement is repeated explicitly when we already know
there are sixteen: this is to emphasize that they need to be invoked in the same
order mentioned here. The right object must be invoked in each vyāhr̥ ti.
ताः यः वेद–tāḥ yaḥ veda – one who practices this four-fold vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā (veda =
upāsanām karoti –who meditates upon these vyāhr̥ tis) as mentioned in the
Upaniṣads
सः ब्रह्म वेद–saḥ brahma veda – knows Brahma. In this context, the word Brahma
means Hiraṇyagarbha. Thus, this person is practicing Hiraṇyagarbha upāsanā. (Few
lines ago, Brahma meant oṅkārah). Śaṅkarācārya adds that this upāsaka (meditator)
will become one with Hiraṇyagarbhawhen he successfully practices upāsanā (the
phalam is Hiraṇyagarbha prāpti). Tattva Bodha defines Hiraṇyagarbhaas the

reflected Consciousness appearing in the reflected medium of total sūkṣma śarīram,

which is the collective subtle body consisting mind and the prāṇas (samaṣṭi sūkṣma
śarīra sahita caitanyam). Since Hiraṇyagarbha represents the total mind, it is
sarvajñaḥ– the omniscient possessing the knowledge of all the minds. [phalam =
sarvajña Hiraṇyagarbha padam prāpnoti].
Śaṅkarācārya raises the question: if this person is only doing the vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā,
how can he get Hiraṇyagarbha prāptiḥ? Normally, the nature of the upāsanādictates
that of the phalam. For example, Lakshmi upāsanā will bring wealth and Sarasvati
upāsanā will bring knowledge (yathā yathā upāste, tadeva bhavati). This statement
from the Upaniṣadmust be interpreted correctly to find consistency. In the next
section (6thanuvāka), the teacher will discuss Hiraṇyagarbhaupāsanā. Śaṅkarācārya
says that the vyāhr̥ tiupāsanāshould not be practiced independently; it must be
combined with Hiraṇyagarbhaupāsanā. The result of this mixture is Hiraṇyagarbha
phalam.
One will receive this phalam after death (maraṇa anantaram); thus, the primary
qualification is death!By attaining this phalam (Hiraṇyagarbha-padam), the seeker
acquires infinite power because the total sūkṣma śarīram has the combined power of
all the sense organs of knowledge and action, the prāṇas, the mind, memory,
intellect and ego (pañca karmendriyāṇi, pañca jñānendriyāṇi, pañca prāṇaḥ and the
four-fold antaḥkaraṇam). In short, he is the totality. Therefore,
सव� दे वाः अस्मै ब�लम ् आवहिन्त- sarve devāḥasmai baliṁāvahanti – all the devatās will
worship Hiraṇyagarbha
In the Tattva Bodha, it is mentioned that Sūrya represents the total eye power; dig
devatā represents total hearing etc. – each devatā represents the total of each sense
organ. Hiraṇyagarbha represents the total sūkṣma śarīram and therefore, all the
devatās, who are part of him, worship him. Through this upāsanā, the seeker
becomes one with Hiraṇyagarbha and therefore, all the devatās worship him. The
devatās such as Indra, Varuṇa, Agni, Sūrya etc. will worship him and make offerings
(baliḥ). This phalam of Hiraṇyagarbha padam is a sakāma upāsanā phalam. This
position of Hirayagarbha is ephemeral. Why should the seeker practice this upāsanā
if he is not interested in this ephemeral goal? The benefits of this upāsanā are citta
śudhhiḥ (purification of the mind), citta ekāgratā (focus of the mind) and citta

viśālatā (expansion of the mind through the upāsanā of the lokas). These
qualifications are pre-requisites to the pursuit of jñāna, which brings mokṣa.
This concludes the vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā.
Anuvāka 6
स यएषोऽन्तहृर्दय आकाशःI तिस्मन्नयंपुरुषोमनोमयःI अमत

ृ ो�हरण्मयःI अन्तरे णतालुके I
यएषस्तनइवावलम्बतेI सेन्द्रयो�नःI यत्रासौकेशान्तो�ववतर्तIे व्यपोह्यशीषर्कपालेII
sa ya eṣo'ntarhrudaya ākāśaḥ / tasminnayaṃ puruṣo manomayaḥ / amṛto
hiraṇmayaḥ / antareṇa tāluke / ya eṣa stana ivāvalambate / sendrayoniḥ / yatrāsau
keśānto vivartate / vyapohya śīrṣakapāle
अयम ् अमत
ृ ः �हरण्मयः–ayam amr̥ ta ḥ hiraṇmayaḥ - That eternal and effulgent पुरुषः–
puruṣaḥ - Hiraṇyagarbhaमनोमयः–manomayaḥ - who is revealed through the mind (is
to be meditated) तिस्मन–् tasmin - in that locus सः यः एषः आकाशः–saḥ yaḥ eṣaḥ
ākāśaḥ- which is the space अन्तहृर्दये–antarhr̥ daye - within the heart. यः एषः
अवलम्बते–yaḥ eṣaḥ avalambate - (Suṣumnā nāḍī passes through that part) which
hangs down इव स्तनः–iva stanaḥ - like a nipple अन्तरे ण तालुके–antareṇā tāluke -
between the two palates. व्यपोह्य–vyapohya -(It comes out) breaking open
शीषर्कपाले–śīrṣakapāle- the crown of the head यत्र असौ केशान्तः–yatra asau keśāntaḥ -
where the roots of the hair �ववतर्त–े vivartate - are divided apart. सः इन्द्रयो�नः–saḥ
indrayoniḥ - That is the passage to (the world of) Hiraṇyagarbha.
That eternal and effulgent Hiraṇyagarbha who is revealed through the mind (is to be
meditated) in that locus which is the space within the heart. (Suṣumnā nāḍī passes
through that part) which hangs down like a nipple between the two palates. (It
comes out) breaking open the crown of the head where the roots of the hair are
divided apart. That is the passage to (the world of) Hiraṇyagarbha.
In this sixth anuvāka, the Upaniṣad is introducing the third upāsanā of Śīkṣāvallī.
This is called Hiraṇyagarbha upāsanā. Hiraṇyam literally means gold, but in this
context, it represents knowledge. Both gold and knowledge shine and therefore,
they are synonymously used here – prakāśātmakatvāthiraṇyamjñānamityucyate.
Hiraṇyam refers to gold-like shining knowledge that removes removes ignorance
(darkness). Garbhaḥ in this context means within (garbhaḥliterally means the

womb). Therefore, Hiraṇyagarbha means: within whom there is infinite knowledge

(hiraṇyam garbhe yasya saḥ Hiraṇyagabhaḥ]. This Hiraṇyagarbha is to be meditated
here.
Since Hiraṇyagarbha represents total mind (and intellect), it is not possible for the
individual mind to conceive of the totality. The human intellect is too small to
conceive of omniscience. Hiraṇyagarbha, being the total subtle body, is not
perceptible by the sense organs. Then how can one meditate on Hiraṇyagarbha?
How can one conceive of the inconceivable? The technique is to use a symbol
(ālambanam).The best symbol for the total mind (samaṣṭi manaḥ) is the individual
mind (vyaṣṭi manaḥ).
In general, people consider God as something external – He is somewhere remote,

which means He is not here. With this orientation, we will have difficulty in
assimilating the Vedānta because it teaches ahaṁ brahma asmi (I am Brahman).
Even the karma kāṇḍa(ritualistic portion of the Vedas) espouses the notion that God
is different from us. Therefore, in this stage, the seeker considers himself to be a
puny little creature in front of God – I am dāsaḥ (the servant) and you are swami
(the master); I am a destitute (anāthaḥ) and you are the Lord of the destitutes
(anātha nāthaḥ). He keeps beating himself down; some religions even say that he is
a sinner. [We already have problems and complexities and top of it they address us
as O ye sinners!]. With this orientation, the Vedānta is difficult to digest because it
says: I am Brahman, the purest of the purest - nityoham, śuddhoham, anantoham,
śāntoham, sarva-ādhāroham, asaṅgoham, jagat kāraṇamaham etc. Instead of these
wonderful descriptions, why do I downgrade myself as puny and worthless?
How do I change this orientation? One method is to invoke the Lord within me
instead of outside, so that I can get some respectability. May my dvaita
buddhi(duality orientation) gradually vanish. May the feeling that I am different from
God (bheda buddhi) may vanish.I can remove this notion of division by invoking the
Lord in myself. This upāsanā is called ahaṁ graha upāsanā. In sandhyāvandanam,
one practices daily by chanting the mantra: asāvādityo brahmā brahmaivāhamasmi.
In the initial stages, it is an imagination, but in the later stages, it will be converted
into a fact. When it is an imagination, it is called ahaṁ graha upāsanā and when it is
converted into a fact, it is called aikya-jñānam. Thus, the mind will be taken as the
ālambanam for the total mind, Hiraṇyagarbha.

Where is this individual mind is located? The śāstras say that the mind is distinctly
different from the brain. The mind is a subtle instrument while the brain is a physical
and tangible organ. At the time of death, brain will be burned into ashes. Per the
śāstras, the mind will not only survive after the body dies, but will travel in search of
another body. Science has not accepted this. The scriptures say that every subtle
instrument (indriyam) has a physical location (golakam) in the body. For example,
cakṣuḥ(eyesight) is the indriyam behind seeing and the eyeballs are the golakam.In
a blind person, golakam is present, but indriyam is not. Per Śaṅkarācārya, the
golakam for the mind is hr̥ dayam, the physical heart. During the jāgrata avasthā
(waking state), the mind functions all over the body. In the suṣupti avasthā, the
mind withdraws from the body and returns to its residence, the physical heart
(hr̥ dayam).
अन्तहृर्दये–antarhr̥ daye – in the physical heart
सः एषः आकाशः–saḥ eṣaḥākāṣaḥ – there is an inner space in the hr̥ dayam.

Kathopaniṣad says in verse 2.3.17 that the space is as big as the thumb. The heart
is of the size of the fist – the inner space is of the size of the thumb (when you
cover the thumb with fist).
तिस्मन ् अयं पुरुषः- tasmin ayaṁ puruṣaḥ – Invoke Hiraṇyagarbha-puruṣaḥ (the total
mind) in the individual mind residing in that space.
Meditate upon the Hiraṇyagarbha with many virtues (vividha guṇa viśiṣṭa
Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ) described below:
मनोमयः –manomayaḥ – he is the total mind (samaṣṭi manaḥ). The total pervades the
individual just as India pervades Tamilnadu state. Therefore, invoke the total
(samaṣṭi manaḥ) in the individual (vyaṣṭi manaḥ).
अमत
ृ ः –amr̥ taḥ – he is immortal (in the relative sense of the term). In Chapter 8 of
the Gītā, we saw that Brahmaji’s life is much longer than our life – 2000 catur
yugasequal a calendar day of Brahmāji. [1 catur yuga =4,320,000 human years]. He
lives 120 years, which is relatively eternal.
�हरण्मयः –hiraṇmayaḥ – he is omniscient (sarvajñaḥ)

The above constitute the rules (vidhiḥ) of Hiraṇyagarbhaupāsanā.
From this line onwards, the consequences (phalaśruti)of this upāsanā are given. In
the Muṇḍaka and Kaṭha Upaniṣads, it is mentioned that the Hiraṇyagarbhaupāsaka
will attain brahmaloka after death.The bundle of the subtle and causal bodies
(sūkṣma-kāraṇa-śarira)travels to Brahmaloka in the path called śukla-gatiḥwhich
means bright or well-lit path.
The Upaniṣad says that śuklagatiḥ starts at the hr̥ dayam. At the time of death, the
sūkṣma śarīram of the upāsaka is withdrawn into his hr̥ dayam. Kaṭhopaniṣad says
that101 main nāḍis(subtle part) emerge from hr̥ dayam. The main nāḍi is called the
suṣumṇānāḍi, which travels upward through the middle of the body, through the
middle of the neck, then through the inner part of (fleshy hanging part - uvula), and
then to the top of the head (ucci) where it opens. This opening is called brahma
randhram. Then it goes upwards and passes through the middle of the sun and
reaches Brahmaloka. Since the śukla gati takes one to Brahmaloka, the Upaniṣad
gives a special title to this path: indrayoniḥ. Indra in this context is Brahmāji or
Hiraṇyagarbha. Yoniḥ means path (mārgaḥ).
स इन्द्रयो�नः- sa indrayoniḥ–there is a śuklagatiḥ known as indrayoniḥ(that starts

from the hr̥ dayam)
अन्तरे ण तालुके–antareṇa tāluke – (it passes) through the middle of the inner throat
(uvula)
स्तनः इव अलंबते–stanaḥ iva alambate – a fleshy portion (uvula) that hangs down like
the nipple of the cow’s udder
यत्र असौ केशान्तः �ववतर्ते- yatra asau keśāntaḥ vivartate – It goes to the top of the
skull to the roots of the hair (keśāntaḥ)
शीषर् कपाले व्यपोह्य–śīrṣa kapāle vyapohya – that nāḍibreaks open (vhapohya) the top
of the skull (śīrṣa kapāle). This portion of the skull is very tender. When a sannyāsī
dies, there is a tradition to break his skull with the coconut to open the śuklagatiḥ.If

he has already gained jñāna, there is no travel because he gets mokṣa here itself. If
he has not gained jñāna, he goes to Brahmaloka per the śāstras.That’s why in our
tradition, it is recommended to take sannyāsaāśrama because the minimum benefit
is Brahmaloka. Some people who are afraid of sannyasa āśrama, try to take the
short cut to Brahmaloka by taking āpat sannyāsa at the time of death.Swami
Dayananda called it āpattu (danger) for sannyāsa! This person, if he survives, it will
be danger to sannyāsa. This is just a tradition; the jīva has already left the body and
there is no point in opening the śuklagatiḥ. Even a gr̥ hasthawill also go to
Brahmaloka if he practices this upāsanā.
Other notes:
• Hiraṇyagarbhaas the total mind is sarvajñaḥ and sarva-jñāna-śakitmān
(omniscient).
• As the total prāṇa, he is sarva-kriyā-śaktimān(omnipotent).
• This upāsanā is defined as nikr̥ ṣṭa vastunī utkr̥ ṣṭa darśanam upāsanā because the
inferior (limited) individual mind (nikr̥ ṣṭa)is used to visualize the superior
(limitless) total mind (utkr̥ ṣṭa).
• Since Hiraṇyagarbha is visualized upon myself (my mind), it is called aham graha
upāsanā.
• With niṣkāma Hiraṇyagarbha upāsanā, one gets the eligibility to pursue jñāna
(jñāna yogyatā prāpti)
• With sakāma upāsanā, the benefit is Brahmaloka prāpti or Hiraṇyagarbha prāpti.
This attainment of Brahmalokais a posthumous reward.
भू�रत्यग्नौ प्र�त�तष्ठ�त I भुव इ�त वायौ I सुव�रत्या�दत्ये I मह इ�त ब्रह्म�ण I आप्नो�त स्वाराज्यम ्
I आप्नो�त मनसिस्पतम ् I वाक्प�तश्च�ुष्प�तः I श्रोत्रप�त�वर्�ानप�तः I एतत्तत्तो भव�त I
आकाशशर�रं ब्रह्म I सत्यात्म प्राणारामं मनआनन्दम ् I शािन्तसमद्ध
ृ ममत
ृ म ् I इ�त
प्राचीनयोग्योपस्स्वII
bhūrityagnau pratitiṣṭhati / bhuva iti vāyau / suvarityāditye / maha iti brahmaṇi /

āpnoti svārājyam / āpnoti manasaspitam / vākpatiścakṣuṣpatiḥ /
śrotrapatirvijñānapatiḥ / etattatto bhavati / ākāśaśarīraṃ brahma / satyātma
prāṇārāmaṃ manaānandam /śāntisamṛddhamamṛtam / iti parācīnayogyopassva
प्र�त�तष्ठ�त–pratitiṣṭhati - (At the time of death, the upāsaka) merges अग्नौ–agnau -
into the fire इ�तभूः–iti bhūḥ - which is in the form of bhūḥ; वायौ–vāyau - (he merges)
into the air इ�तभुवः–iti bhuvaḥ - which is in the form of bhuvaḥ; (he merges) आ�दत्ये–

āditye - into the sun इ�तसुवः–iti suvaḥ - which is in the form of suvaḥ; ब्रह्म�ण–
brahmaṇi - (he merges) into Hiraṇyagarbhaइ�तमहः–iti mahaḥ - who is in the form of
mahaḥ. आप्नो�तस्वाराज्यम–् āpnoti svārājyam - He attains sovereignty. आप्नो�त–āpnoti
- He attains मनसिस्पतम–् manasaspatim - lordship over all minds. वाक्प�तः–vākpatiḥ -
He becomes the lord of speech, च�ुष्प�तः–cakṣuṣpatiḥ - lord of eyes, श्रोत्रप�तः–
śrotrapatiḥ - the lord of ears, �व�ानप�तः–vijñānapatiḥ - and the lord of intellects.
ततः–tataḥ - In addition to this, एतद् भव�त–etad bhavati - the following (attributes)
are also there. ब्रह्मआकाशशर�रम–् brahma ākāśaśarīram - Hiraṇyagarbha has a body
which is all-pervading like the space सत्यात्म–satyātma - and which consists of the
entire universe with and without form. प्राणारामम–् prāṇārāmam - He has all the
prāṇas as the sporting ground. मनआनन्दम–् mana ānandam - He has a mind which is
an embodiment of ānanda. शािन्तसमद्ध

ृ म–् śāntisamr̥ ddham - He is all peace and
prosperity अमत
ृ म–् amr̥ tam - and eternal. Oh प्राचीनयोग्य–prācīnayogya -
Prācinayogya! उपास्स्व–upāssva - May you meditate इ�त–iti - thus.
(At the time of death, the upāsaka) merges into the fire which is in the form of
bhūḥ; (he merges) into the air which is in the form of bhuvaḥ; (he merges) into the
sun which is in the form of suvaḥ; (he merges) into Hiraṇyagarbha who is in the
form of mahaḥ. He attains sovereignty. He attains lordship over all minds. He
becomes the lord of speech, lord of eyes, the lord of ears, and the lord of intellects.
In addition to this, the following (attributes) are also there. Hiraṇyagarbha has a
body which is all-pervading like the space and which consists of the entire universe
with and without form. He has all the prāṇas as the sporting ground. He has a mind
which is an embodiment of ānanda. He is all peace and prosperity and eternal. Oh
Prācinayogya! May you meditate thus.
This section tells us what happens to the Hiraṇyagarbha upāsaka jīva after death
(maraṇam). We should remember that he has practiced Hiraṇyagarbhaupāsanā
along with vyāhr̥ tiupāsanā.

He has meditated upon Agni in bhūḥ vyāhr̥ ti, Vāyu in bhuvaḥ and Āditya in suvaḥ
(aṅgadevatās). All those devatās are part of Hiraṇyagarbha (aṅgī). He will become
one with all these aṅgadevatās and then the aṇgī,in this chronological order.
भू�र�त अग्नौ प्र�त�तष्ठ�त–bhūriti agnau pratitiṣṭhati -The upāsaka reaches or merges

with Agni devata, which is represented by bhūḥvyāhr̥ ti
भुवः इ�त वायौ–bhuvaḥ iti vayau (pratitiṣṭhati) – pratitiṣṭhati means ekī bhavati-
merges into the Vāyu devatā represented by bhuvaḥvyāhr̥ ti.
सुवः इ�त आ�दत्ये–suvaḥ iti āditye (pratitiṣṭhati) – he merges into Sūrya devatāwhich is
represented by suvaḥvyāhr̥ ti
Having merged into the aṅgadevatās, he finally merges into the aṅgīdevatā, the
samaṣṭi Hiraṇyagarbha:
महः इ�त ब्रह्म�ण–mahaḥ iti brahmaṇi(pratitiṣṭhati) – he finally merges into

Hiraṇyagarbha. Brahma here is the saguṇa Brahman – Hiraṇyagarbha, which is
represented by the mahaḥvyāhr̥ ti.
One he merges with Hiraṇyagarbha, he enjoys the status of Hiraṇyagarbha adhipati

– the Lord of Brahmaloka:
आप्नो�त स्वाराज्यम–् āpnoti svārājyam – he attains sovereignty. He attains absolute

overlordship of all the fourteen lokas because Brahmaloka is the highest loka – even
Indra, Varuṇa etc. are under Brahmāji.
Because of this sovereignty, he lords over the organs of all the beings:
आप्नो�त मनसः प�तम-् āpnoti manasaḥ patim – he is the Lord of all the individual
minds because he is the total mind. The president or the prime minister has the
svārājyam over the country. Although he looks like an individual, the decisions he
makes impacts all the citizens (sarveṣāṁ manasāṁ patiḥ = antaḥkaraṇa patiḥ)

(आप्नो�त) वाक् प�तः –(āpnoti) vāk patiḥ – he is the Lord of all the karmendriyas
(karmendriyāṇām patiḥ).Vāk is speech that represents all the karmendriyasand
Varuṇa devatā is the lord of the tongue.
च�ुः प�तः श्रोत्रप�तः–cakṣuḥ patiḥśrotrapatiḥ – sarva jñānendriyāṇam adhipatiḥ – he is

the Lord of all the jñānendriyas. Sūrya devatā is the Lord of the eyes, but he is only
a part of Hiraṇyagarbha.
�व�ानप�तः- vijñāna patiḥ – he is the Lord of all the intellects – he is the total
knowledge. When we do something, our own effort is important and so is the Lord’s
grace. The Lord is Hiraṇyagarbhatattvam. Without this grace, our effort may not be
sufficient.
एतत ् ततः भव�त–etat tataḥ bhavati – the following additional glories are also in
Hiraṇyagarbha. His guṇas (vibhūti) are:
आकाश शर�रं ब्रह्म- ākāśa śarīram brahma – Brahma, the Hiraṇyagarbha has space
(ākāśa) as the body. He has the macrocosmic body. The word Brahma refers to
saguṇa Hiraṇyagarbha only.
सत्यात्मा - satyātmā – his body consists of both the visible and invisible universe,
just as the individual body consists of sthūlaand sūkṣma śarīrams. Satyātmā = sat +
hya +ātmā: sat means the visible universe (mūrta prapañcaḥ); hya means the
invisible universe (amūrta prapañcaḥ) and ātmāmeans the body (śarīram) – mūrta-
amūrta-prapañca śarīraḥHiraṇyagarbhaḥ. This explanation is based on mūrtāmūrta
brāhmaṇam in Br̥ hdāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. It is explained more elaborately there.
प्राणारामम-् prāṇārāmam – Hiraṇyagarbha revels in the total prāṇa. He has the total
sūksma śarīramwhich consists of total prāṇa. A garden or recreational ground is
called ārāmaḥ. In short, he revels in every jīva.
मनः आनन्दम–् manaḥ ānandam – Hiraṇyagarbhaexperiences ānanda through every

mind (manaḥ eva ānandasthānaṁ yasya). What about total sorrow (duhkham)?
Because of the extraordinary puṇya he has earned through the upāsanā, only the

ānanda samaṣṭi comes to him and not the total duhkha. Br̥ hadāraṇyakaUpaniṣad
also says this.
शािन्त समद्ध
ृ म–् śānti samr̥ ddham – Hiraṇyagarbha is the embodiment of total peace
(śānti)as well as the total prosperity (samr̥ ddhi).
इ�त उपास्स्व- Iti upāssva – meditate thus if you want to enjoy this brahmapadam
प्राचीनयोग्य - prācīnayogya – he is addressing the student – this means prācīna vidyā

yogyaḥ – the student who is eligible to receive this ancient wisdom because he has
śraddhā. May you practice this upāsanā.
With this Hiraṇyagarbhaupāsanā is complete.
Anuvāka 7
प�ृ थव्यन्त�र�ं द्यौ�दर् शोऽवान्तर�दशाः I अिग्नवार्युरा�दत्यश्चन्द्रमान�त्रा�णI

आपओषधयोवनस्पतयआकाशआत्माI इत्य�धभूतम ्I अथाध्यात्मम ्I
प्राणोव्यानोऽपानउदानःसमानःI च�ुःश्रोत्रंमनोवाक्त्वक् I चमर्मा�स�
स्नावािस्तमज्जाI
एतद�ध�वधायऋ�षरवोचत ्I पाङ्क्तंवा इद�सवर्म ् I पाङ्क्तेनैवपाङ्क्त�स्पण
ृ ोती�त II
pṛthivyantarikṣaṃ dyaurdiśo'vāntaradiśāḥ / agnirvāyurādityaścandramā nakṣatrāṇi /
āpa oṣadhayo vanaspataya ākāśa ātmā / ityadhibhūtam / athādhyātmam / prāṇo
vyāno'pāna udānaḥ samānaḥ / cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ mano vāktvak / carma
māgṁsagṁsnāvāsti majjā / etadadhividhāya ṛṣiravocat / pāṅktaṃ vā idagṁsarvam /
pāṅktenaiva pāṅktagṁspṛṇotīti
प�ृ थवी–pr̥ thivī - The earth, अन्त�र�म–् antarikṣam - the interspace, द्यौः–dyauḥ - the
heaven, �दशः–diśaḥ - the (four) main quarters, अवान्तर�दशाः–avāntaradiśaḥ - and the
(four) intermediary quarters; अिग्नः–agniḥ - fire, वायुः–vāyuḥ - air, आ�दत्यः–ādityaḥ -
the sun, चन्द्रमाः–candramāḥ - the moon, न�त्रा�ण–nakṣatrāṇi - and the stars; आपः–
āpaḥ - water, ओषधयः–oṣadhayaḥ - herbs, वनस्पतयः–vanaspatayaḥ- trees, आकाशः–

ākāśaḥ - space and आत्मा–ātmā- Virāt – इ�त–iti - these (three groups of five factors
each) constitute अ�धभूतम–् adhibūtam - adhibhūtamअथअध्यात्मम–् atha adhyātmam -
Now follow (the three groups of five factors each) which constitute adhyātmam –

प्राणः–prāṇaḥ - prāṇa, व्यानः–vyānaḥ - vyāna, अपानः–apānaḥ - apāna, उदानः–udānaḥ -
udāna and समानः–samānaḥ - samāna; च�ुः–cakṣuḥ - the eyes, श्रोत्रम–् śrotram - the
ears, मनः–manaḥ - the mind, वाक् –vāk - speech, त्वक् –tvak - and the organ of touch;
चमर्–carma - skin, मांसम–् māṁsam - flesh, स्नावा–snāvā - muscle, अिस्थ–asthi- bone
and मज्जा–majjā - marrow. अ�ध�वधाय–adhividhāya - Having revealed them, ऋ�षः
अवोचत–् r̥ ṣiḥ avocat - the sage said – सव� वै इदम–् sarvaṁ vai idam - all these are
indeed पाङ्क्तम–् pāṅkatam - pāṅktas. पाङ्क्तेन एव–pāṅktēna eva - With the help of
the (three subjective) pāṅktas, स्पण

ृ ो�त इ�त–spr̥ ṇoti iti - one should meditate upon
the (three objective) पाङ्क्तम–् pāṅktam - pāṅktas.
The earth, the interspace, the heaven, the (four) main quarters, and the (four)
intermediary quarters; fire, air, the sun, the moon, and the stars; water, herbs,
trees, space and Virāt – these (three groups of five factors each) constitute
adhibhūtam. Now follow (the three groups of five factors each) which constitute
adhyātmam – prāṇa, vyāna, apāna, udāna and samāna; the eyes, the ears, the
mind, speech, and the organ of touch; skin, flesh, muscle, bone and marrow. Having
revealed them, the sage said – all these are indeed pāṅktas. With the help of the
(three subjective) pāṅktas, one should meditate upon the (three objective) pāṅktas.
We have seen three upāsanāsso far: saṁhitā, vyāhr̥ ti and Hiraṇyagarbha. It must be
remembered that the second and third upāsanāsshould go together. We are now
entering the seventh section that deals with the fourth upāsanā. This is called
pāṅkta brahma upāsanā. In this upāsanāalso, we will visualize the total creation, the
samaṣṭi prapañcaḥ (the macrocosm) upon the individual, the vyaṣṭi (microcosm).
The Upaniṣadis now training us for ahaṁ brāhmasmi: these are rehearsals for
jivātma-paramātma-aikyam. We are practicing the visualization of the total upon the
individual.
We have also seen that scientifically the micro and the macro are similar. In an
atom, the protons and electrons revolve around the neutron. In the macro universe,
the planets revolve around the sun. We are appreciating the similarities between the
macro and micro in these upāsanās. A pāṅktam is a group of five members. We will
now classify the creation into three groups (paṅktatrayam). Thus, the creation is
classified into 15 members. Similarly, the microcosm is also classified into three
pāṅkatams (pāṅktatrayam). Thus, we have a samaṣṭi and vyaṣṭi pāṅktatryam. We

must visualize the samaṣṭi pāṅktatrayam upon the vyaṣṭipāṅktatrayam. In simple

language, visualize the totality in yourself. The totality is called Brahma and
therefore, this upāsanāis called pāṅkta-brahma-upāsanā. Now the Upaniṣad gives
the list of each pāṅktam:
First, the Upaniṣad talks about the macro pāṅktam.
Śaṅkarācārya calls the first group loka-pāṅktam:
• Pr̥ thivī – the earth (bhūlokaḥ)

• Antarikṣam – the intermediary space between the heaven and the earth
(bhuvarlokaḥ)
• Dyauḥ – the heaven (svarga or suvarlokaḥ)
• Diśaḥ – the four main directions – east, west, north and south
• Avāntaradiśāḥ – the intermediary four directions – northeast, northwest,
southeast and southwest.
The second macro pāṅktam consists of:
• Agniḥ – Agni devatā - fire

• Vāyuḥ – Vāyu devatā - wind
• Ādityaḥ – Sūrya devatā – the sun
• Candramaḥ – Candradevatā -the moon
• Nakṣatrāṇi – the stars
Śaṅkarācārya calls it devatā-pāṅktam.
The third macro pāṅktamconsists of:
• Āpaḥ- waters
• Oṣadhayaḥ – herbs or plants
• Vanaspatayaḥ– the trees (big)
• Ākāsaḥ – the total space
• Ātmā – everything else in the creation not mentioned in this list. Śaṅkarācārya
translates it as Virāṭ
Śaṅkarācārya calls this group bhūta pāṅktam.
इ�त अ�धभत
ू म–् iti adhibhūtam - this is the pāṅktatrayam belonging to samaṣṭi or the
cosmos (loka + devatā + bhūta = samaṣṭi pāṅktatrayam)

अथ अध्यात्मम–् atha adhyātmam – we will now see the pāṅktatrayam connected to

the vyaṣṭi, the individual.
The first group is the pañcaprāṇaḥ:
• Prāṇah – respiratory system

• Apānaḥ – the excretory system
• Vyānaḥ – circulatory system
• Udānaḥ – the rever̥ ṣing system
• Samānaḥ – the digestive system
Śaṅkarācārya calls it vāyu pāṅktam because they are all connected with prāṇa-vāyu.
The second group consists of sense organs:
• Cakṣuḥ - the eyes

• Śrotram – the ears
• Manaḥ – the mind
• Vāk – the organ of speech
• Tvak – the organ of touch
Śaṅkarācārya calls this group as indriya pāṅktam.
The third group consists of the parts of the body:
• Carmam – the skin (the inner skin)

• Māṁsam – the flesh
• Snāva–the muscles
• Asthi–the bones
• Majjā – marrow of the bone
Our śāstras and Ayurveda call this group dhātuḥ, which means the inner
components of the body that sustain it (dhatte iti dhātuḥ). In Ayurveda, the health is
nothing but harmony among the dhātus (dhātu-sāmyam ārogyam). When there is
disharmony (like high cholesterol) it is called dhātu vaiṣaṁyam(rogaḥ).
Śaṅkarācārya calls this group dhātu pāṅktam.

एतत ् अ�ध�वधाय ऋ�षः अवोचत-् etat adhividhāya r̥ ṣiḥ avocat – the r̥ ṣi prescribed these
six pāṅktams
पाङ्क्तं वा इदं सवर्म-् pāṅktam vā idaṁ sarvam – the whole creation is nothing but
pāṅktam. Vyaṣṭi and samaṣṭi are all pāṅktams
पाङ्क्तेव पाङ्क्तं स्पण

ृ ो�त–pāṅktena pāṅktam spr̥ ṇoti – may you visualize the samṣti
pāṅktatrayam with the help of vyaṣṭi pāṅktatrayam; this will strengthen you.
By visualizing the totality, the seeker gets the strength. When you visualize your
family members, you get extra courage (I am a Tamilian IndianAsian being:
you get more strength and feel more secure when you include a bigger family).
Strengthen yourself by invoking God in you. The more you invoke God in you, your
battery gets charged. When we meet a mahātmā, we say that we get extra strength.
We get the secondary charge that the mahātmāhas borrowed from the Lord. Why
can we not go to the Lord to directly get the charge? The more you visualize God
within yourself, the more strength you get [like the uninterrupted power supply –
UPS].
This upāsanā is called pāṅkta-brahma upāsanā. This can be practiced in sakāma and
niṣkāma manner. The benefits are Brahmaloka and cittaśuddhi (citta-ekāgrata and
citta-viśālatā) respectively.
We will now enter the fifth and the final upāsanā: oṅkāraupāsanā.
Anuvāka 8
ओ�म�त ब्रह्म I ओ�मतीद�सवर्म ् I ओ�मत्येतदनुकृ�त ह स्म वा अप्यो श्रावयेत्याश्रावयिन्त I ओ�म�त

सामा�न गायिन्त I ओ�शो�म�त शस्त्रा�ण श�सिन्तI ओ�मत्यध्वयःुर् प्र�तगरं
प्र�तगण
ृ ा�त I ओ�म�त ब्रह्मा प्रसौ�त I ओ�मत्यिग्नहोत्रमनज
ु ाना�त I ओ�म�त ब्राह्मणः प्रव�यन्नाह
ब्रह्मोपाप्नवानी�त I ब्रह्मैवोपाप्नो�त II
omiti brahma / omitīdagṁsarvam / omityetadanukṛti ha sma vā apyo
śrāvayetyāśrāvayanti / omiti sāmāni gāyanti / ogṁśomiti śastrāṇi śagṁśānti /
omityadhvaryuḥ pratigaraṃ pratigṛṇāti / omiti brahmā prasauti /
omityagnihotramanujānāti / omiti brāhmaṇaḥ pravakṣyannāha brahmopāpnavānīti /
brahmaivopāpnoti

ओम ् इ�त–om iti - (One should meditate upon) Oṅkāraब्रह्म–brahma - as Brahmanसवर्म ्
इदम ्–sarvam idam - (because), all this is ओम ् इ�त–om iti - Oṅkāra alone. एतद् ओम ्
इ�त–etad om iti - This Oṅkāraह स्म वै–ha sma vai - is indeed अनुकृ�तः–anukr̥ tiḥ - an
expression of acceptance. अ�प–api - Moreover, आश्रावयिन्त–āśrāvayanti - (the
priests) direct (the assistant) to recite (to the gods) इ�त–iti - thus – ओं श्रावय–om
śrāvaya - “Om, may you recite (to the gods)”. गायिन्त–gāyanti - The (Sāmaveda-
priests) sing सामा�न–sāmāni- the sāma-mantras इ�त ओम ्–iti om - after uttering
Oṅkāra. शंसिन्त–śaṁsanti - (The R̥gveda-priests) chant शस्त्रा�ण–śāstraṇi - the r̥ g-
mantras इ�त–iti - after uttering ओं शोम ्–om śom - ‘Om śom’. अध्वयःुर् –adhvaryuḥ - The
Yajurveda-priest प्र�तगण
ृ ा�त–pratigr̥ ṇāti - expresses प्र�तगरम ्–pratigaram - permission
इ�त ओम ्–iti om - by uttering Oṅkāra. ब्रह्मा प्रसौ�त–brahmā prasauti - The
Atharvaṇaveda-priest gives permission इ�त ओम ्–iti om - by uttering Oṅkāra.
अनज
ु ाना�त–anujānāti - The priest permits अिग्नहोत्रम ्–agnihotram - (to do) the
agnihotra-ritual इ�त ओम ्–iti om - by uttering Oṅkāra. प्रव�यन ्–pravakṣyan - Desiring
to learn the Vedas, ब्राह्मणः आह–brāhmaṇaḥ āha - the Brahmin utters ओम ् इ�त–om iti
- Oṅkāraइ�त–iti - with the intention, उपाप्नवा�न ब्रह्म–upāpnavāni brahma - “Let me
attain vedic knowledge”. एव उपाप्नो�त–eva upāpnoti - He certainly attains ब्रह्म–

brahma - vedic knowledge.
(One should meditate upon) Oṅkāra as Brahman(because), all this is Oṅkāra alone.
This Oṅkāra is indeed an expression of acceptance. Moreover, (the priests) direct
(the assistant) to recite (to the gods) thus – “Om, may you recite (to the gods)”.
The (Sāmaveda-priests) sing the sāma-mantras after uttering Oṅkāra. (The R̥gveda-
priests) chant the r̥ g -mantras after uttering ‘Om śom’. The Yajurveda-priest
expresses permission by uttering Oṅkāra. The Atharvaṇaveda-priest gives permission
by uttering Oṅkāra. The priest permits (to do) the agnihotra-ritual by uttering
Oṅkāra. Desiring to learn the Vedas, the Brahmin utters Oṅkāra with the intention,
“Let me attain vedic knowledge”. He certainly attains vedic knowledge.
This section deals with the Oṅkāraupāsanā where Om is taken as the symbol
(pratīkaālambanam) upon which Īśvara is invoked. Oṅkāra can represent Virāṭ,
Hiraṇyagarbha or Īśvara. Virāṭ represents the total gross universe (samaṣṭi sthūla

prapañca), Hiraṇyagarbha represents the total subtle creation (samaṣṭi sūkṣma

prapañca), and Īśvara represents the total causal universe (samaṣṭi kāraṇa
prapañca). The Upaniṣad says
ओम ् इ�त अ�रे ण ब्रह्म (उपासीत) - Om iti akṣareṇa brahma (upāsīta) – We must supply
the verb upasīta. May you practice the upāsanā upon Brahman using the symbol
oṅkāra. The word “iti” indicates the inverted commas on the syllable Om. Here the
word Brahma refers to saguṇa Brahman because the nirguṇa Brahman is not an
object of upāsanā. Kena Upaniṣad says in verse 5:
यद्वाचानभ्यु�दतं, येनवागभ्युद्यते I
तदे वब्रह्मत्वं�व�द्ध, नेदंय�ददमुपासते II
yadvācānabhyuditaṃ, yena vāgabhyudyate
tadeva brahma tvaṃ viddhi, nedaṃ yadidamupāsate
The object of meditation is always saguṇa Brahman and never nirguṇa Brahman.
The meditator is nirguṇa Brahman (tadeva brahma tvam viddhi) and never the
meditated object. Virāṭ, Hiraṇyagarbhaand Īśvaraare all saguṇa because they have
sthūla, sūkṣma and kāraṇaguṇa respectively.
When there are so many sacred words in the scriptures, why does the Upaniṣad
choose oṅkāra as the symbol? Why did it not choose Śiva, Rāma, Ganeśa etc.? The
Upaniṣadhas already pointed out in the 4th anuvāka that oṅkāra is the most sacred
mantra, because Brahmāji extracted it by churning the Veda mantras. Thus, oṅkāra,
the essence (sāraḥ) is as potent as the Vedas. This section discusses the glory of
oṅkāra(oṅkāra mahimā).
ओम ् इ�त इदं सवर्म ् –omiti idaṁ sarvam – A word in any literature, scriptural or secular,
can reveal only a specific object. The word “chair” reveals only a chair and not a
table. When one says Rama, my mind will think only of Rama with his own specific
attributes described in the scriptures. In the Dhyāna sloka, Rama’s description is
different from that of Krishna. Rama stands for dharma; he walks upright and
straight. Krishna is always happy and relaxed. In Bharatanātyam, the character of
Krishna never stands straight. One of the ślokas describe him as tribhaṅgi which
means bent in three axes. The words are limited and therefore, they cannot describe
the limitless Viśvarūpa Īśvara.

The ingenious word that represents all the objects in the creation is om.The letter
“a” (अ)represents the sthūla aspect of the creation, “u”(उ) represents the sūkṣma
objects and “m” (म ्)part represents the kāraṇa aspect. Om consists of the three
sounds – “a”(अ), “u” (उ)and “m”(म ्). To say something, one must open the mouth.
The sound that comes freely when you open the mouth is “a”. Therefore, it
represents the first letter. “A” (अ)is the first alphabet in any Indian language –
Krishna says in the Gītā: akārāṇām akṣarām asmi. [In English, there is no “a” (अ)at
all]. After saying something one must close the mouth and therefore, the last letter
is “m”(म ्). All the intermediary letters of the alphabet of all languages are
represented by “u” (उ). Thus, om represents all the alphabetic letters (akṣara mālā).
The alphabetic letters represent all the possible words in a language because the
words are merely the letters arranged in certain combinations. Om represents the
letters which represent all the words (padam), which in turn represent all the
objects. Thus,om represents all the objects of the world:
Omalphabetswordsobjects.
No other word can express everything (sarvam). When I say chair, the word only
points to the chair (unidirectional). Om is omnidirectional – sthūla-sūkṣma-kāraṇa
padārthas are represented. The totality of all the padārthas is the Lord. Thus, om
represents the Lord. Om is called praṇavaḥ, which means ideal name. It is the ideal
name for the Lord because it represents totality. Therefore, oṅkāra becomes the
ideal symbol for Īśvaraupāsanā. In the upāsanākāṇḍaof the Vedas, oṅkāraplays a
prominent role as an ideal symbol for Virāṭ, Hiraṇyagarbhaand Īśvara.
Oṅkāra plays a prominent role also in the karma kāṇḍaof the Vedas. It is not
mentioned here, but oṅkāra plays a prominent in role jñānakāṇḍaalso. How is
oṅkāra important in the ritualistic portion? It is a versatile mantra employed for
these purposes:
ओम ् इ�त एतद् अनुकृ�तः –omiti etad anukr̥ tiḥ – anukr̥ tiḥ means acceptance. Om is used
to express acceptance to a request or a command. For example, if I say, “come to
the class next week also”, you can accept this request by saying Om. [Om is same

as o(m)k!]. In the rituals, when the priest requests or commands the assistant, he
replies with the word om.
ह स्म वै अ�प–hasma vai api – ha, ma, vai, api – all these words mean well known
(prasiddhi). It is well known because in the olden days, the rituals were popular and
therefore, the student here is familiar with it.
ओं श्रावय इ�त आश्रावयिन्त–om śrāvaya iti āśrāvayanti – In a big ritual, many priests
perform various functions. Some of them offer oblations to various devatās. Some
others specialize in mantras chanted to invite and welcome the devatās. When they
are ready to perform the oblations, the priests ask(command) the “invitation” priests
(assistants) to chant the invitation mantras: Ośrāvaya– which means “chant the
invitation mantras loud enough to reach the svarga loka”.
ओम ् इ�त सामा�न गायिन्त–om iti sāmāni gāyanti – in a big rituals, the three Vedas are
applied: R̥gfor the glorification of the devatās; Yajuḥfor offering oblations, and Sāma
for dānam (charity).
ओं शोम ् इ�त शस्त्रा�ण शंसिन्त–om śom iti śastrāṇi śaṁsanti–śastrāṇi means R̥g V eda
mantrāḥ (not weapons). The R̥g Veda mantras chanted without svara(intonations)
during the rituals are called śastram. They (hotrgaṇāh) chant starting with om
(omśomiti).
अध्वयःुर् प्र�तगरं प्र�तगण

ृ ा�त–adhvaryuḥ pratigaram pratigr̥ ṇāti – The Yajur Veda priest
grants permission (pratigaram) to the assistant to offer oblations by saying om.
[In some parts Sri Lanka, some Tamils say om for okay]
ओम ् इ�त ब्रह्मा प्रसौ�त –omiti brahmā prasauti – Brahmā, the Atharvaṇa Veda priest
(supervisor) commands (prasauti). Nowadays, we donot have Brahmā at all because
no one is well versed in all the four Vedas. So, the priests invoke Brahmā in an
āsanā (seat) by putting some darba(dry grass) and akṣatā (rice). They symbolically
seek permission from the āsanā.

ओम ् इ�त अिग्नहोत्रम ् अनुजाना�त –omiti agnihotram anujānāti – Oṅkāra is used not only
in big rituals, but also in agnihotram, the most fundamental śrauta karma.
Aupāsanām is the first smārta karma that one is initiated into at the time of
marriage. Soon after that, he is also required to begin performing a śrauta karma.
Agnihotram is started with an initiation ceremony called agni ādhānam in six months
(to become a qualified gr̥ hastha). Such a qualified gr̥ hastha is called ācitāgniḥ. He is
required to perform agnihotram twice daily before oblations for the rest of his life. It
can be broken only under two conditions – death and sannyāsa. Generally, milk is
offered as oblation. He needs to get permission for this, which is granted by saying
om. All the pūjāsstart with om. The simplest ritual to spiritually snd religiously purify
the house is place the water in front of the Lord, chant om and sprinkle all over the
house.
The teacher conveys that oṅkāra is significant in the sādhanas of all the four
āśramas.
ओम ् इ�त ब्राह्मणः प्रव�यन ् आह–omiti brāhmaṇaḥ pravakṣyan āha – Brāhmaṇaḥ is a

student of the Vedas, whose primary job is to learn the chanting of the Vedas.
Pravakṣyan means when he is about to begin the lessons on chanting of the Vedas
(pravacanam kurvan = pravakṣyan). Even before he begins the lessons, the
śiṣyautters om (āha) when he says om gurubhyo namaḥ.
ब्रह्म उपाप्नावा�न- brahma upāpnavāni – may I grasp the Vedic chanting first
[thereafter, may I grasp the Vedic meaning]. Learning the chanting is called
adhyayanam and learning the meaning is called mīmāṁsā. A person must learn this
in Brahmacaryaāśrama in addition to learning his own profession. Dharmaśāstra is
common to everyone.
ब्रह्मैव उपाप्नो�त- Brahmaiva upāpnoti – the result is that he certainly grasps the
Vedas.
Since oṅkāra is important in all the āśramas, it is the most sacred mantra. Therefore,
ओम ् इ�त उपातीत–omiti upātīta – may you use oṅkāra for Īśvara upāsanā.
Other notes:

1. The specialists from each Veda are asked to perform the rituals They have
special names:
• Hotā - the specialist in the R̥g Veda (r̥ g veda r̥ tvik ). He has assistant priests to
help him with the ritual. This group consisting of the hotā and his assistants
(generally 3) is called hotragaṇaḥ.
• Adhvaryuḥ - is the head priest for the Yajur Veda and he has a group of three
assistants. This group is called adhvaryugaṇaḥ.
• Udgātā – is the head priest of the Sāma Veda group. His role is to sing the glory
of the devatās through sāma mantras. He has also three assistants and the
group is called udgātr̥ gaṇaḥ.
• Brahmā – is the heads priest of the Atharvaṇa Veda group. He does not have a
direct role in the performance of a ritual because Atharvaṇa Veda does not have
a direct application in the rituals. Thus, he becomes the supervisor of the entire
ritual. He also has three assistants and this group is called Brahmagaṇaḥ.
Thus, the total number of priests is sixteen. With the addition of the performer of
the ritual and his wife (yajamāna and yajamāni), the total number of the important
people in the ritual is eighteen. Verse 1.2.7 of Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad references these
18 constituents of yajña.
The job of the Atharvaṇa priest (Brahmā) is to supervise these gaṇasto ensure that
they perform their duties properly. If mistakes are committedand corrective actions
are not taken, the ritual will become invalid - it will be a waste of time, money and
energy. The remedy (prāyaścitta)varies according to the mistake. Minor mistakes
may be countered by simple mantras, prāṇāyāma, Gāyatrī mantra etc., but a major
one may cause them to start the ritual all over. Some others may be so severe that
the performer may have to give away all his possessions to charity. Brahmā, the
supervisor must have a deep knowledge and must know the duties of all the gaṇas
very well. He must constantly watch for mistakes so that he can prescribe remedial
steps for them. While the hotā, adhvaryuḥ and udgātā need only to know their
respective Veda, Brahmāmust be an expert all the four Vedas (caturvedi). The
important point is all the four gaṇas constantly use oṅkāra mantras in the rituals.
2. Māṇḍūkya Upanisad discusses how Brahman is revealed through analysis of

oṅkāra. Upāsanā is always on saguṇa Brahman.

3. AUM – written in English does not exists. According to Sanskrit grammar

combination, a+u = o (guṇasandhiḥ). You should never write Om as AUM – it
should be written as how it is pronounced.
4. The length of oṅkāra – at the beginning of the Vedic chanting, the length should
be three mātrās. When concluding the Vedic chanting, it should be four mātrās.
5. Oṅkāra japa is only prescribed for the sannyāsī. Other āśramitesshould not chant
oṅkāraalone as a japa. They can chant Gāyatrīand oṅkāra with some other name
such as Om namaḥŚivāya etc.). When a sannyāsī takes dīkṣā, he resolves the
Gāyatrī into om (tatsaviturvareṇyam akāre praveśayāmi; bhargodevasya dhīmahī
ukāre praveśayāmiand dhiyoyona pracodayāt makāre praveśayāmi). For this
sannyāsī in meditation, om should be long, as much as his breath would allow –
dīrgha praṇava uccāraṇam. Swāmi Dayānanda said that mere oṅkāra uccāraṇam
can give deep dispassion (tīvra vairagya). That is why it is recommended that
only the sannyāsīschant oṅkāra. The gr̥ hasthas have duties to perform and
therefore, oṅkāra must be diluted with other names (Śiva, Viṣṇu etc.) so that
vairāgya is not strong enough to disturb their ability to perform the duties. For
the gr̥ hasthas, vairāgyashould be enough to understand the Vedānta, but not to
disturb their set up.
Anuvāka 9
ऋतं च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I सत्यं च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I तपश्च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I दमश्च

स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I शमश्च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I अग्नयश्च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I अिग्नहोत्रं च
स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I अ�तथयश्च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I मानुषं च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I प्रजा च
स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I प्रजनश्च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I प्रजा�तश्च स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च I सत्य�म�त
सत्यवचा राथीतरः I तप इ�त तपो�नत्यः पौरु�शिष्टः I स्वाध्यायप्रवचने एवे�त नाको मौद्गल्यः I
त�द्ध तपस्त�द्ध तपः II
ṛtaṃ ca svādhyāyapravacane ca / satyaṃ ca svādhyāyapravacane ca / tapaśca
svādhyāyapravacane ca / damaśca svādhyāyapravacane ca / śamaśca
svādhyāyapravacane ca / agnayaśca svādhyāyapravacane ca / agnihotraṃ ca
svādhyāyapravacane ca / atithayaśca svādhyāyapravacane ca / mānuṣaṃ ca
svādhyāyapravacane ca / prajā ca svādhyāyapravacane ca / prajanaśca
svādhyāyapravacane ca / prajātiśca svādhyāyapravacane ca / satyamiti satyavacā
rāthītaraḥ / tapa iti taponityaḥ pauruśiṣṭiḥ / svādhyāyapravacane eveti nāko
maudgalyaḥ / taddhi tapastaddhi tapaḥ
स्वाध्यायप्रवचने च–svādhyāyapravacane ca - (One should observe the following duties
---) study and teaching of the scriptures च ऋतम ्–ca r̥ tam - as well as right

understanding, सत्यं च–satyaṁ ca - truthfulness, तपः च–tapaḥ ca - austerity, दमः च–
damaḥ ca - sense control, शमः च–śamaḥ ca - mind control, अग्नयः च–agnayaḥ ca -

maintenance of sacrificial fires, अिग्नहोत्रं च–agnihotraṁ ca - performance of the
agnihotra-ritual, अ�तथयः च–atithayaḥ ca - hospitality, मानष

ु ं च–mānuṣaṁ ca - service
to humanity, प्रजा च–prajā ca - begetting progeny, प्रजनः च–prajanaḥ ca - procreation,
च प्रजा�तः–ca prajātiḥ - (and) begetting grandchildren. सत्यम ् इ�त–satyam iti -
Truthfulness (is the highest duty) according to राथीतरः–rāthītaraḥ -
Rāthītaraसत्यवचाः–satyavacāḥ - whose words are ever truthful. तपः इ�त–tapaḥ iti -
Austerity (is the highest duty) according to पौरु�शिष्टः–pauruśiṣṭiḥ - Pauruśiṣṭi
तपो�नत्यः–taponityaḥ - who is ever austere. स्वाध्यायप्रवचनेव इ�त–

svādhyāyapravacaneva iti - To study and teaching of the scriptures alone (is the
highest duty) according to नाकः–nākaḥ - Nāka, मौद्गल्यः–maudgalyaḥ - the son of
Mudgala. तद् �ह तपः–tad hi tapaḥ - That alone is austerity. तद् �ह तपः–tad hi tapaḥ -
That alone is austerity.
(One should observe the following duties ---) study and teaching of the scriptures as
well as right understanding, truthfulness, austerity, sense control, mind control,
maintenance of sacrificial fires, performance of the agnihotra-ritual, hospitality,
service to humanity, begetting progeny, procreation, (and) begetting grandchildren.
Truthfulness (is the highest duty) according to Rāthītara whose words are ever
truthful. Austerity (is the highest duty) according to Pauruśiṣṭi who is ever austere.
To study and teaching of the scriptures alone (is the highest duty) according to
Nāka, the son of Mudgala. That alone is austerity. That alone is austerity.
With the previous section, the discussion on the five prescribed upāsanās is
complete. These upāsanās develop the qualities of citta śuddhi, citta ekagrata and
citta viśālata to make the mind ready to receive the teachings. No upāsanā can give
self-knowledge. and therefore, its mere practice does not give mokṣa.
In this Upaniṣad, we discussed the Vedic upāsanās. In Chāndogya Upaniṣad, very

peculiar upāsanās are discussed. Br̥ hadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad also prescribes many
upāsanās. The purāṇas and the itihāsas introduce many non-Vedic upāsanās.
Therefore, it is not compulsory to practice only Vedic upāsanās. Since our lifestyle
has changed, few are familiar with saṁhitā or vyāhr̥ ti and therefore, Vedic upāsanās

are not meaningful. These have been discussed for academic interest. To acquire
the qualities necessary for jñāna yoga, we can practice upāsanā on personal deities
(iṣṭa devatā) such as Krishna, Ganesha etc. Many beautiful dhyāna ślokas in various
languages are also available to assist the seeker in upāsanā.
Now the Upaniṣadwill discuss the importance of karma yoga, where the physical
body is actively involved. Mere karma can exist without upāsanā, but not vice versa.
A gr̥ hastha leads a lifestyle where karma is predominant. The Vedas advise that
upāsanā must be gradually included in a gr̥ hastha’s life. In Sandhyāvandanam, first
karma is practiced with argyam etc. and then upāsanā through Gāyatrī mantra
japa.Similarly, karma is emphasized early in life when the body is strong and capable
of performing physical activities. Then the emphasis gradually shifts to upāsanā later
in life when the body is weaker, but the mind is still active. Thus, the vānaprastha
āśrama is predominantly oriented towards upāsanā.
The Upaniṣadnow discusses karma yoga, which is the performance of actions that
contributes to the spiritual growth. Karmas are classified into three:
Para-upakāra karmāṇi(sāttvika karmāṇi) – actions that benefit large number of

people. These actions accelerate spiritual growth. To paraphrase Swami
Chinmayananda: it makes me a God-man.
Para-udāsīna karmāṇi(rājasa karmāṇi)– I am interested only in the welfare of myself

and my immediate family. I am not interested in the welfare of the others. This
indifference towards the others is called para-udāsīna. However, I do not harm the
others for my gain. These actions result in spiritual stagnation (I am man-man)
Para-apakāra karmāṇi(tāmasa karmāṇi)- these actions harmthe others while

seeking my own benefit. These lead to spiritual retrogression. I may gain enormous
material wealth by these actions, but will spiritually fall (I become an animal-man).
Having known this, the objective of a karma yogi is to increase the para-upakāra
karmāṇi(sāttvikakarmāṇi) to get spiritual growth, reduce rājasa karma and abstain
completely from tāmasa karma. The śastras recognize that it we cannot avoid some
tamāsa karma, which are called sūnā. The Vedas have built in remedies (prāyaścitta)
in our daily duties. For example, sandhyāvandanam has a mantra:

यद्रा�यापापमकाषर्म ्I मनसावाचाहस्ताभ्याम ्I पद्भ्यामुदरे ण�शश्नाI रा�त्रस्तदवलुम्पतुI

यित्कञ्चद�ु रतंम�यI इदमहं मामत
ृ -योनौI सय
ू �ज्यो�त�षजह
ु ो�मस्वाहाII
yadrātryā pāpamakārṣam / manasā vācā hastābhyām / padbhyāmudareṇa
śiśnā / rātristadavalumpatu / yatkiñca duritaṃ mayi / idamahaṃ māmṛta-
yonau / sūrye jyotiṣi juhomi svāhā
May the devatāsplease protect me from the sins I have committed through
mental, verbal and physical actions at night (there is a mantra for day time
sins also). I offer my purified self to the Lord in the form of the sun.
This section emphasizes the pañca mahā yajñas, which are integral part of karma
yoga. These five great yajñas are:
• Deva yajña– the regular worship of devatās (Īśvara)

• Pitr̥ yajña – regular worship of the ancestors, both living and the dead. Rituals
such as tarpaṇa and śrāddha must be performed regularly
• R̥ṣi yajña– this represents the study of the scriptures and transmitting to the next
generation so that this glorious tradition can be preserved . This is the way that
we fulfill the debts to the great r̥ ṣis for giving us this tradition. This is also called
Brahma yajña
• Manuṣya yajña – service to the community and humanity in general
• Bhūta yajña – protecting the non-human living beings and the environment in
general
In this section, the Upaniṣad specifically emphasizes the study of the scriptures.
Most people may engage in these yajñas in some form or the other, but they neglect
the systematic study of the scriptures. People disparage it as a mere academic
exercise without knowing their importance. Knowledge is power and the humans are
powerful because of knowledge. Spiritual knowledge is more powerful than material
knowledge because it can give us the infinite strength against the onslaught of
prārabdham from all directions. Along with pañca mahā yajñas, the Upaniṣad also
emphasizes daivī sampat, which is the acquisition of values that can reveal the
divine nature in us. To discover God in me, I must be divine in character. Before
installing the deity, elaborate purification rituals are performed to make the temple
fit for installing the Lord. Through the Vedānta jñāna, I am installing the Lord in my
heart and therefore, I must acquire divine character. Without that, the Vedānta will
only be an academic exercise. Therefore, the values are emphasized:

स्वाध्याय प्रवचने च - svādhyāya pravacane ca – this expression will be repeated in

every sentence. Svādhyāyaḥ means the study of the scriptures. In brahmacarya
āśrama (student life), dharmaśāstra is studied along with professional science
aligned with the role in society. For example, the king will learn administration and
warfare. A person from the business family will learn business. Although the
professions are different, dharmaśāstra is compulsorily studied by everyone.
Dharmaśāstra is learned in brahmacarya āśrama, lived in gr̥ hastha and vānaprastha
āśramas. The precept and practice should be in alignment. Brahman is then learned
in the sannyāsāśrama. Thus, per the Vedas, svadhyāya means study the
dharmaśāstra first and then the brahamśāstra.
Pravacanam – means sharing. The self-study from the Vedic books may give you the
incorrect understanding. Vedas must be learned under a qualified guru – this is
emphasized by verse 4.34 of the Bhagavad Gītā. You can learn because the guru is
generously sharing his knowledge with you. Similarly, you have the responsibility to
share your knowledge generously with the next generation. You have the obligation
not to right to break the long paraṁaparāthat has no beginning (eternal). In the
Vedic society, sharing was done according to the capability and conditions. The
minimum requirement is to share with your children; begin the process when they
are very young. Although everyone should propagate these teachings according to
their capability, the Vedas also ask a specific segment of the society to exclusively
dedicate their time for this. These people are calledkarma brāhmaṇas. They should
not demand money for their services; whatever gurudakṣiṇā is offered, they should
accept and maintain their livelihood. Since they must live on voluntary offerings,
they should lead a simple life. It is also advantageous not to have a big
infrastructure that demand maintenance, so that they can spend all the time on
research of various commentaries and śāstras. Thus, their only objective in life is to
learn and share, while leading a simple lifestyle.
ऋतम ् –r̥ tam – Sankarācārya defines r̥ tam as the knowledge regarding life in
alignment with teachings of the śāstras (yathā śāstraṁ jñānam). We should not
confine our knowledge only to direct perception (pratyakṣa) and inference
(anumāna). The material knowledge is very useful, but it is incomplete and
insufficient. Our knowledge should be augmented by the the scriptural knowledge
(apauruṣeya jñānam) also. In a materialistic society, the goals are centered around

entertainment and enjoyment even at the age of 80! With mere material knowledge,
one may not even know the real goals of life. Only theśāstrasteach that there are
two more puruṣārthas, dharma and mokṣa in addition to artha and kāma and that
they are far more important and significant. Therefore, the scriptural knowledge is
necessary and important.
सत्यम ् - satyam – means practice in according to r̥ tam, the knowledge gained from
the śāstras. My life must be in alignment with the scriptural teaching. Satyam in this
context means that I should try to reduce the gap between what I know and what I
do (yathā jñānam anuṣṭhānam which is expressed by the word ācāraḥ).The Vedas
expect a sincere attempt to perform the prescribed karmas, even if we are unable to
accomplish all of them. [An ounce of practice is better than a pound of theory].
तपः–tapaḥ - means austerity or discipline. It is the willful self-denial to gain mastery

over the sense organs (jñānendriyāṇi), organs of action (karmendriyāṇi), mind and
intellect (antaḥkaraṇam). The kartā (doer) uses the organs as instruments
(karaṇam) to conduct transactions in this world. The karaṇams should be under the
control of the kartā and not vice versa. How do I know whether I am the master? I
think I am the master, but by the time I discover that I am really the slave, the
situation has become irreversible. An addict does not realize that he has become an
addict until it becomes irreversible. Periodically, I should deny the things I do or use
and examine the impact on my mind. If the mind becomes disturbed and dwells only
on the object that is denied, I have lost my control. Willful denial is important. If it is
forced by external factors (the śāstras or guru), it becomes suppression. Suppression
is not discipline; it is oppression and causes depression. Then, it looks for expression
elsewhere (that is how secret indulgences begin).
The common vratams(vows) are upavāsa(fasting) and maunam(silence). The tongue

is the most powerful and disobedient organ. It is the only organ that is both a
jñānendriya and a karmendriya. The śāstras say that if you can manage the tongue,
you can control the other organs (hitaṁ sarvaṁ hite rate). In Tamil, there is a
saying: nāvaḍaṅgināl nālum aḍaṅgum – when the tongue is controlled, the other
four indriyas (jñānendriyas and karmendriyas) will automatically come under control.
There many types of upavāsas; we will describe two of them here:

• Kr̥ cchram – this type of fasting is observed as a prāyaścittam (penance) for the
violation of a rule. Gandhiji often practiced this.
• Cāndrāyanam–in this type of fast, eat till you are full on paurṇami (full moon
day). Eat only 14/15th of the portion the next day and then 13/15thon the
following day and so on until amāvāsya (new moon day) and fast completely.
Then on the day after amāvāsya, eat 1/15th of the portion, then 2/15ththe
following day and so on and eat fully on paurṇami. The diet waxes and wanes
with the moon.
• If you are unable to fast because of a stomach ailment such as ulcers (the
śāstras have thought of this also), you can donate money to charity instead.
दमः–damaḥ – this means sensory discipline (indriya nigrahaḥ). Discipline means

regulation of the sense organs and not suppression. For example, I should know
what to see and what not to see. Volunarily avoid sense objects that stimulate the
six vices (kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and mātsarya), and voluntarily commit
to those that promotes the virtues (daivī sampat). Most of us succumb to the wrong
sense objects because going down is easy and natural, while going up is difficult.
शमः–śamaḥ – this means thought discipline. Thoughts become words, which in turn
become actions, which turns into habit. The habits define your character, which in
turn determines your destiny. Thus, your thought determines your destiny; God does
not. We take our thoughts for granted because the others cannot see them. Even in
our own homes, the drawing room is well maintained, while the other rooms inside
are filled with junk. We don’t bother about the latter because it is not visible to the
others. Thought is the source of words and actions and therefore we must be very
careful.
The following expression is in Sūryanamaskāra (Aruṇapraśna):
Tasmāt manasā yathā puruṣaḥ abhigaccati– when the mind gets saturated with the
thought, even without his knowledge,
Tad vācā vadati – he blurts out even if does not want to utter it. If the word comes
out without his knowledge, it is saturated in his thought personality. Even if the
termites come out of the walls in small number, you know it has already damaged
the inside.

Tad karmaṇā karoti – Ultimately, it becomes an action. Therefore, let your thoughts
be monitored. Let your mental life be worth publishing.
अग्नयः च–agnayaḥ ca – In this context, agni (fire) represents the Vedic rituals or
deva yajñaḥ. The rituals are called agni for technical reasons. The process of
ritualistically kindling the fire for the ritual is called agni ādhānam. The gr̥ hasthawho
kindles this fire is called āhitāgniḥ. The ritualistically kindled fire is called gārhapatya
agniḥ – agnithat is the master of the house. This gr̥ hastha must maintain this fire
throughout his life. Per the Vedic rule, the gārhapatya agniḥ must only be used for
cremation. For rituals, he kindles two types of agnis out of gārhapatya agniḥ:
āhavanīya agniḥ and dakṣiṇāgniḥdepending on the type of ritual. After the rituals,
they must be merged again with gārhapatya agniḥ. Thus, these three agnis form an
integral part of the life of a Vedic ritualist. These three fires represent all forms of
rituals. For a gr̥ hastha, 26 such fire rituals are mentioned – saptapāka yajñaḥ,
saptahavir yajñaḥ, saptasoma yajñaḥ and pañca mahāyajña.
अिग्नहोत्रं च - agnihotram ca – may you continue to perform agnihotram,a

fundamental Vedic ritual. Both agnayaḥ and agnihotram refer to deva yajñaḥ.
अ�तथयः च – atithayaḥ ca - entertaining the guests accommodating and feeding

them. This can be taken asannadānayajñaḥ. This atithi yajñaḥ falls under the
category of manuṣya yajñaḥ.
मानुषं च–mānuṣam ca – the fulfillment of all the social obligations. Being a member
of the society, I am indebted to the society. I cannot survive without the help of the
other members of the society. Since I benefit from the society, I should also
generously contribute to it. All the social obligations will only end when I take up
sannyāsa. A sannyāsī cannot expect anything from the society, including food
(yaducchālābhaḥ santuṣtaḥ) and so, he has no obligations to the society. This also
comes under manuṣya yajñaḥ.
प्रजा च, प्रजनः च, प्रजा�तः च- prajā ca, prajanaḥ ca and prajātiḥ ca – these three put
together come under pitr̥ yajñaḥas your duty to your kulam(family or paraṁparā).
This defines your duty to forefathers by perpetuating the paraṁparā. This includes

your duty to get married and beget children. Therefore, even santati maintenance is
part of pitr̥ yajña. Three duties are highlighted here:
• Prajā – why does the Upaniṣad present begetting children as duty? Every living
being in every species naturally perpetuates the paraṁparā – we do not need
Upaniṣad to tell us that. The Vedas tell us the married couple must beget
children for spiritual progress. The uniqueness of our scriptures is that they
convert even a natural and instinctive process into a sacred sādhanā(a deliberate
worship). Breathing is most fundamental to all the living beings. The Vedas
convert this into say that even this fundamental process can be converted into
prāṇāyama sādhanā. Prāṇāyama, an instinctive process is converted into a
deliberate sādhanā by choosing the time and place, and the duration while
maintaining the appropriate attitude. The next most instinctive activity is eating.
Convert this instinctive eating process into prāṇāgnihotra sādhanā. Consider your
stomach as prāṇa agniḥ (vaiśvānara agniḥ) and convert whatever eat as an
oblation. This deliberate yajña consists of consuming appropriate quantity of food
at the appropriate time and place with the appropriate attitude. [Swami
Dayananda stopped giving talks in the open air because the food vendors distract
the listeners].
In marriage, dharma is emphasized while artha and kāma are incidental

[sahadharmacāriṇi and dharma abhivr̥ tyartha vivāhaḥ] – may you follow this as
saṁskāraḥ(sacrament). Begetting a child is also called a garbhādāna saṁskāraḥ.
When the child is born, a ritual called jātakarma saṁskāraḥ is performed. Naming
the child involves nāmakaraṇa samskāraḥ. When the child is fed solid food for
the first time, annaprāśana samskāraḥ is performed. The whole life including the
natural processes are converted into deliberate saṁskāra.
• Prajanaḥ - one must go through proper vedic processes even to beget a child.
These are called vivāha saṁskāra(wedding) and garbhādāna saṁskāra.
• Prajātiḥ – It is not enough that you have this proper attitude; you must make
sure that your children also have it. Let them know that marriage is for spiritual
growth and that the materialistic goals are secondary to dharma. Even in the
choice of spouses, dharma is the primary consideration over arthaand kāma. One
should choose the appropriate spouse for religious and spiritual progress and not
for frivolous reasons. When a flimsy reason brings the couple together, there is a
risk that another flimsy reason will separate them. On the other hand, when a
profound reason is used for coming together, the relationship will last forever.
The literal meaning of the word prajātiḥ is to get grandchildren. Śaṅkarācārya

interprets Prajātiḥas: make your children also get married with proper attitude.
The śāstras say that one should refrain from marriage only if he has a higher
purpose in life. Thus, one should either become a gr̥ hastha or a sannyāsī –
otherwise, the idle mind becomes a devil’s workshop. This comes under
pitr̥ yajña.
Bhūta yajña, which is the worship of “lower beings” such as animals, plants etc. In
modern language, it translates to respecting the ecological balance, i.e. being
environment friendly. It is not mentioned here, but we will supply. In summary, we
must perform pañca mahāyajña and observe values.
In this anuvāka, the Upaniṣadconducts a comparative study and highlights one

sādhanā. It says that Brahma Yajña, which it calls as svādhyāya pravacana, the
study and propagation of scriptures, is the greatest yajña. Just as all vitamins are
important for the physical health of the body, all values are important for spiritual
health. Depending on the deficiency, a specific vitamin may be given more
importance. Similarly, a specific sādhanā may be stressed for some people. The
scriptures may appear to criticize the other values to glorify a certain value, but it
must be understood correctly that it is only to highlight the importance of that value
and not to disparage the others. In Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, satyamis highlighted in verse
3.1.6as the most important value. In the third chapter of this Upaniṣad, tapasis
highlighted to such an extent that the Upaniṣad says that tapas itself is Brahman
(tapo brahmeti). In this anuvāka, svādhyāyaḥ or scriptural study is highlighted and
repeated many times, which indicates that the Upaniṣad is stressing its importance.
The Upaniṣad presents the opinion of three r̥ ṣisas to which sādhānā is the most
important. It then presents its own verdict on the best one.
सत्यम ् इ�त सत्यवचाः रातीतरः- satyam iti satyavacāḥ rātītaraḥ – Rātītaraḥ is the name
of a r̥ ṣi who espoused the value of satyam by taking the vow of speaking only the
truth. As result, he received the title satyavacāḥ – the one who always speaks the
truth. He says that truthfulness alone (satyam iti) is the highest value. In the context
of dharmaśāstra (ethics and morality), satyam means speaking the truth. Śīkṣāvallī
deals with dharmaśāstra and therefore, satyamhere means the verbal discipline of
speaking the truth. The very word satyam will occur in Brahmānandavallī, the
philosophical chapter of this Upaniṣad (satyam-jnana-anantam-Brahma) and there it
should be translated as Reality, the pure Existence.

तपः इ�त तपो�नत्यःपौरु�शिष्टः–tapaḥ iti taponityaḥ pauruśiṣtiḥ – A r̥ ṣi by the name

Pauruśiṣtiḥ espoused the life of austerity (tapaḥ)and therefore, he was called
taponityaḥ. In this anuvāka he says that austerity alone (tapaḥ iti) is the highest
sādhanā.
स्वाध्यायः प्रवचनः एव इ�त नाकः मौद्गल्यः–svādhyāyaḥ pravachanaḥ eva iti nākaḥ

maudgalyaḥ – The third r̥ ṣi is known by the name Maudgalyaḥ. He also has another
name Nākaḥ. He says that svādhyāya pravacana (study and propagation of
scriptures) is the highest discipline (uttama sādhanā).
The Upaniṣad passes the verdict:
तद् �ह तपः –tad hi tapaḥ – tat means the third one – svadhyāya pravacana is the real
tapas or the highest sādhanā.
तद् �ह तपः –tad hi tapaḥ– repeated for emphasis
The Vedas’ first instruction is to study the scriptures. If one studies the scriptures,
the other instructions can be received through the scriptures (what an intelligent
instruction!) during all the āśramas throughout the life. Make scriptures the
permanent guide (svādhyāyaḥ advetavyaḥ is the Vedic instruction). Even Patañjali’s
Aṣṭāṅga Yoga, which emphasizes meditation says that meditation should be tried
only after the study of scriptures – meditation is the seventh of the eight steps while
svādhyāya is part of Niyama which is the second step. Scriptural study is
fundamental, based on which we can learn the theory of all the sādhanās. Without
learning the theory how can one practice a sādhanā without knowing its significance
and role?
Other notes:
1. In this anuvāka, brahmayajña is highlighted (svādhyāyaḥ and pravacanam). The
word pravacanamalso means brahmayajña as a ritual. It is a thanksgiving to the
scriptures and the authors and their wives, with the first one being Vyasācārya
(Kr̥ ṣṇadvaipāyana). It should be performed everyday, but these days, people
perform it once a year on the āvaṇi avittam day.
2. The gr̥ hastha is required to do five things daily:

• svaśāka Upaniṣad – study a portion of the Upaniṣad in the branch of the Vedas
he belongs to.
• Bhagavad Gītā – pārāyaṇam of the entire Gītā at least a portion. If no time, at
least chant verse 18.66.
• Viṣṇusahasranāmam – If no time, at least chant:śrīrāma rāmeti rame rāme
manorame, sahasranāma tattulyam rāma nāma varānane.
• Śri Rudram
• Puruṣasūktam
Anuvāka 10
अहं व�
ृ स्य रे �रवा I क��तर्ः पष्ृ ठं �गरे �रव I ऊध्वर्प�वत्रो वािजनीव स्वमत
ृ मिस्म I द्र�वण�सवचर्सम ् I
सुमेधा अमत
ृ ोऽ��तः I इ�त �त्रशङ्कोव�दानुवचनम ् II
ahaṃ vṛkṣasya rerivā / kīrtiḥ pṛṣṭhaṃ gireriva / ūrdhvapavitro vājinīva svamṛtamasmi
/ draviṇagṁsavarcasam / sumedhā amṛto'kṣitaḥ / iti triśaṅkorvedānuvacanam
इ�त–iti- The following वेदानव

ु चनम ्–vedānuvacanam - is the declaration after the
attainment of knowledge �त्रशङ्कोः–triśaṅkoḥ - by Triśaṅku – अहं रे �रवा–ahaṁ rerivā -
“I am the sustainer व�
ृ स्य–vr̥ kṣasya - of the tree (of the universe). क��तर्ः–kīrtiḥ - My
fame इव–iva - is (as high) as पष्ृ ठं �गरे ः–pr̥ ṣthaṁ gireḥ - the peak of the mountain.
ऊध्वर्प�वत्रः–ūrdhva pavitraḥ - I am absolutely pure. अिस्म–asmi - I am स्वमत

ृ म ्–
svamr̥ tam - auspicious and immortal इव वािजनी–iva vājinī - like (the effulgence) in
the sun. सवचर्सं द्र�वणम ्–savarcasaṁ draviṇam - (I am) the effulgent wealth. सुमेधाः–
sumedhāḥ - (I am) omniscient अमत

ृ ः अ��तः–amr̥ taḥ akṣitaḥ - and free from death
and decay.
The following is the declaration after the attainment of knowledge by Triśaṅku – “I

am the sustainer of the tree (of the universe). My fame is (as high) as the peak of
the mountain. I am absolutely pure. I am auspicious and immortal like (the
effulgence) in the sun. (I am) the effulgent wealth. (I am) omniscient and free from
death and decay.
This is a small section. In the previous nine sections, the Upaniṣad has discussed
karma and upāsanā – the physical (kāyika) and mental (mānasa) activities
respectively. Depending on the motive of the performer, they produce two types of
benefits:

• Material benefits (iha loka and para loka puṇya), such as progeny (prajā), wealth
(paśuḥ), magnetic personality (brahmvarcasam), great fame (mahān kīrtyā) etc.
are obtained through sakāma karma sādhanās.
• The seeker also can get spiritual puṇya (sādhana catuṣṭaya sampattiḥ) through
niṣkāma karma sādhanās. With sādhana catuṣṭaya sampattiḥ, the seeker can
seek guru and the eligibility to pursue jñāna (guruprāptḥ, adhikāraprāptih and
śravaṇaprāptiḥ).
If a person is interested only in jñāna and mokṣa and not in material benefits (like
Naciketas in Kaṭhopaniṣad), the Upaniṣad gives him a special mantra to accelerate
the spiritual journey for jñāna-prāptiḥ. [We have previously studied a mantra for
jñāna yogyatā prāptiḥ in the fourth anuvāka]. In this anuvāka, the Upaniṣadquotes
Triśaṅkur̥ ṣi (not the same Triśaṅkuwho was stuck in the interspace), who after
attaining jñāna (veda anuvacanam), declares that the glories of Brahman are my
glories. After attaining jñāna, I discover that I am Brahman. Then, instead of saying
Brahman is satyam-jñānam-anantam, I will claim that I am satyam-jñānam-
anantam. Instead of claiming that Brahman is jagat-kāraṇam, I will claim that I am
jagat-kāraṇam as stated in Kaivalya Upaniṣad:
मय्येवसकलंजातं, म�यसव� प्र�तिष्ठतम ् I

म�यसव� लयंया�त, तद्ब्रह्माद्वयमस्म्यहम ् II १९ II
Mayyeva sakalaṁ jātaṁ, mayi sarvaṁ pratiṣṭhitam I
Mayi sarvaṁ layaṁ yāti, tad brahmādvayamasmyaham II 19 II
Everything is born in me alone; everything is based on me alone; everything

resolves into me alone. I am that nondual Brahman.
In chapter 10, Krishna said that all the glories of the world belong to Īśvara. This r̥ ṣi
says that all the glories belong to me. I must repeat the declaration of Triśaṅku. If I
have not known that I am Brahman, making this claim may appear meaningless.
However, training (or rehearsal) prepares me.
The advaitin said soham (I am He) and a dvaitin said that it was blasphemous and
added the letter dā, making it dāsoham meaning that I am only a humble servant of
God. Then the advaitin added another letter sa, making it sadāsoham, meaning that
I am always He (not just after mokṣa). The dvaitin added another dā making it

dāsadāsoham,which means that I am a humble servant of servant of God. The

advaitin added another sa, making it sadāsadāsoham. The argument is still going on!
How long do you want to continue as a slave? Come to the scriptures to free
yourself from slavery. Slavery is a bondage whether you are a slave of an ordinary
person or God. Slavery is saṁsāra whether you are a jīva-dāsa or Īśvara-dāsa. You
must from jīva-dāsa to Īśvara-dāsa first and then eventually strive to claim: Īśvara
aham asmi. This is a rehearsal mantra; by repeating it, we will find it easier to
discover it as a fact (after śravaṇam and mananam). Once the discovery is made, we
will find that it is not arrogance, sacrilege or a false claim, but it is the ultimate truth.
If it is otherwise, the Upaniṣads would not have prescribed this.
अहं रे �रवा –aham rerivā – I am the activator – the one who enlivens. I am the
energizer and life giver.
व�
ृ स्य–vr̥ kṣasya – in this context vr̥ kṣaḥ means the universal tree (saṁsāra vr̥ kṣaḥ). I
am the very of root of the universal tree (described as ūrdhva mūlaḥin Kaṭhopaniṣad
and Chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gītā). Without my support, the world cannot exist.
Mithyā dream cannot exist without the waker, and thus, this mithyā universe cannot
exist without I, the satyaṁbrahma.
The universe has no independent existence. I support the universe by lending

existence to it just as I lend existence to the dream world. The proof is, when I
wake up, the dream world loses its existence. Without the Consciousness, the world
cannot have its existence. The body is conscious only by borrowing Consciousness
from Ātmā. The body-mind-complex (BM), the reflecting medium (RM) enjoys only
the reflected Consciousness (RC) lent by me, the Original Consciousness (OC). [I am
sattā caitanya pradātā and viśvādhāram].
क��तर्ः–kīrtiḥ– means fame and glory. I have the greatest glory. In Chapter 10 of the
Bhagavad Gītā, Krishna says that all glories belong to Him and that you are only the
pipeline through which His glory is flowing. Can the pipe claim that he is the provider
of water? The tank above it is the source of water. The glory of Bhagavan expresses
through different people. Here, Triśaṅku says: I have all the glories of the universe.
�गरे ः पष्ृ टम ्इव– gireḥ pr̥ ṣṭam iva – (my glory) is as high as the peak of a mountain.

ऊध्वर् प�वत्रः अहम ् अिस्म–ūrdhva pavitraḥ aham asmi – I am the purest of the pure. I
can remove some of my pāpam through remedial actions (prāyaścitta karma). I can
attain only relative purity in this manner. However, jñāna gives me absolute purity
(ūrdhvaṁ pavitram)
अमत
ृ म ् अिस्म–amr̥ tam asmi – I am immortal or eternal.
वािजनी इव- vājinī iva – like the (light of the) sun. My immortality is eternal like the
sunlight (sūryasya nitya prakāśavat). Vājī means Sūryaḥ. Vājammeans food or
annam [this is the first thing asked in camakam after praising the Lord through
namakam). Sūryaḥ is called Vājī because by his grace, he nourishes annam.
Triśaṅku says that this was attained through
द्र�वणम–् draviṇamwealth. I have this greatest wealth which is
सवचर्सम-् savarcasam – brilliant (ātmajñānam). Jñānam is brilliant because it removes

the darkness of ignorance. When a student has a great capacity for absorbing
knowledge, we call him brilliant student. This wealth is never destroyed or depleted
by giving freely to the others. Infact, it increases by giving to the others
[vidyādhanaṁ sarvadhanāt pradhānam].
सुमेधा - sumedhā – I am the omniscient Brahman [sarvajñaṁ brahma aham asmi]. I

alone illuminate every mind and I know everything through all the minds. Minds are
many, but the Consciousness is one. All knowledge belongs to me alone.
अमत
ृ ो��तः–amr̥ tokṣitaḥ – amr̥ taḥmeans eternal and akṣitaḥ means free from decay
[other words in Sanskrit: kṣayarahitaḥ or apakṣaya rahitaḥ]. I am free from decay
and death. Another meaning is: amr̥ tena ukṣitaḥ asmi which means I am soaked in
the nectar of immortality [ukṣitaḥ = soaked]. I am soaked in immortal wisdom.
The essence is: I am Brahman (ahaṁ brahma asmi)
इ�त �त्रशङ्कोः वेदानुवचनम-् iti triśaṅkoḥ vedānuvacanam– this has been declared by
Triśaṅku after gaining knowledge.

If we repeat this mantra, it may not mean much now, but it will be meaningful after
we gain knowledge. It will be easier to own up the identity of Brahman.

Anuvāka 11
वेदमनच्
ू याचाय�ऽन्तेवा�सनमनश
ु ािस्तI सत्यंवदI धम�चरI स्वाध्यायान्माप्रमदःI
आचायार्य�प्रयंधनमाहृत्य प्रजातन्तंम
ु ाव्यवच्छे त्सीःI सत्यान्नप्रम�दतव्यम ्I धमार्न्नप्रम�दतव्यम ्I
कुशलान्नप्रम�दतव्यम ्I भूत्यैनप्रम�दतव्यम ् I स्वाध्यायप्रवचनाभ्यांनप्रम�दतव्यम ् I
दे व�पतक
ृ ायार्भ्यांनप्रम�दतव्यम ् I मातद
ृ े वोभवI �पतद
ृ े वोभवI आचायर्देवोभवI अ�त�थदे वोभवI
vedamanūcyācāryo'ntevāsinamanuśāsti / satyaṃ vada / dharmaṃ cara /
svādhyāyānmā pramadaḥ / ācāryāya priyaṃ dhanamāhṛtya prajātantuṃ mā
vyavacchetsīḥ / satyānna pramaditavyam / dharmānna pramaditavyam / kuśalānna
pramaditavyam / bhūtyai na pramaditavyam / svādhyāyapravacanābhyāṃ na
pramaditavyam / devapitṛkāryābhyāṃ na pramaditavyam / mātṛdevo bhava /
pitṛdevo bhava / ācāryadevo bhava / atithidevo bhava
अनच्
ू य वेदम ्–anūcya vedam - Having taught the Vedas, आचायर्ः अनश
ु ािस्त–ācāryaḥ
anuśāsti - the teacher instructs अन्तेवा�सनम ्–antevāsinam - the student thus – वद
सत्यम ्–vada satyam - Speak the truth. चर धमर्म ्–cara dharmam - Follow dharma. मा
प्रमदः–mā pramadaḥ - May you not deviate from स्वाध्यायात ्–svādhyāyāt- the study of
the scriptures. आहृत्य–āhr̥ tya - After offering �प्रयं धनम ्–priyaṁ dhanam - the desired
wealth आचायार्य–ācāryāya - to the teacher, मा व्यवच्छे त्सीः–mā vyavacchetsīḥ - may
you not break प्रजातन्तुम ्–prajātantum - the family-lineage. न प्रम�दतव्यम ्- na
pramaditavyam - May you not deviate सत्यात ्–satyāt - from the truth. न प्रम�दतव्यम ्–
na pramaditavyam - May you not deviate धमार्त ्–dharmāt - from dharma. न
प्रम�दतव्यम ्–na pramaditavyam - May you not deviate कुशलात ्–kuśalāt - from (your
own) well-being. न प्रम�दतव्यम ्–na pramaditavyam - May you not deviate भूत्यै–
bhūtyai - from your propitious activities. न प्रम�दतव्यम ्–na pramaditavyam - May you
not deviate स्वाध्यायप्रवचनाभ्याम ्–svādhyāyaprvacanābhyām - from the study and
teaching of the scriptures. न प्रम�दतव्यम ्–na pramaditavyam - May you not deviate
ृ ायार्भ्याम ्–devapitr̥ kāryābhyām - from the worship of gods and ancestors. भव
मातद
ृ े वः–bhava mātr̥ devaḥ - May (your) mother be a god to you. भव �पतद
ृ े वः –bhava
pitr̥ devaḥ - May (your) father be a god to you. भव आचायर्देवः–bhava ācāryadevaḥ -
May (your) teacher be a god to you. भव अ�त�थदे वः–bhava atithidevaḥ - May (your)
guest to be a god to you.

Having taught the Vedas, the teacher instructs the student thus – Speak the truth.
Follow dharma. May you not deviate from the study of the scriptures. After offering
the desired wealth to the teacher, may you not break the family-lineage. May you
not deviate from the truth. May you not deviate from dharma. May you not deviate
from (your own) well-being. May you not deviate from your propitious activities. May
you not deviate from the study and teaching of the scriptures. May you not deviate
from the worship of gods and ancestors. May (your) mother be a god to you. May
(your) father be a god to you. May (your) teacher be a god to you. May (your) guest
to be a god to you.
The preceding ten sections have discussed all the preparatory disciplines required for
Brahmavidyā: karma yoga consisting of the pañcamahā yajñas, various upāsanās,
and values (daivī sampat) such as r̥ tam, satyam, tapaḥ, damaḥ etc. The Upaniṣads
prescribed two important japas: one for jñāna-yogyatā prāptiḥ(4thanuvāka) and
another for jñāna-prāptiḥ (10thanuvāka). The Upaniṣad will now conclude Śīkṣāvallī
in the 11thanuvāka where all the previous discussions are reiterated and reminded in
a summary form (upasaṁhāra anuvāka).
In this anuvāka, the Upaniṣad is condensing the dharmaśāstra, which is part of the
Veda-pūrva bhāga, that deals with the religious way of life. The religious life is
necessary to attain jñāna-yogyatā. Thus, the process is to adopt with religion first in
the family life and then transcend it. Sannyāsa āśrama represents the transcendence
of the religious way of life. When a person takes up sannyāsa, he transcends the
religious life by physically removing everything associated it – the sacred thread, the
tuft and the family life.
Dharmaśāstra, the analysis on Veda-pūrva has been done elaborately by Jaimini

Mahar̥ ṣi through a set of 2000 + sūtras known as pūrva-mīmāṁsā sūtrāṇi, also
known as dharma-jijñāsā sūtrāṇi. This work is very voluminous work, nearly four
times the size of Brahmasūtra, which has 555 sūtras. Brahmsūtra has four chapters,
while pūrva-mīmāṁsā has 12 chapters. Jaimini Mahar̥ ṣi calls it dharmaśāstra, which
begins with athāto dharmajijñāsā. It is very elaborate consisting of numerous
prominent rituals. It describes what our attitude should be towards life, our body,
family members and this creation. How should we look at the rain, the sun, the
moon, the earth and even the insects? Br̥ hadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad discusses what our
attitude should be towards heath, wealth, strength and even ants! Ethics or morals
make up the third component of dharmaśāstra. Thus, dharmaśāstra consisting of the

three components, rituals, attitude and ethics has been analyzed by Jaimini through
the mīmāṁsā sūtrāṇi. Only aftering mastering the dharmaśāstra, can one become fit
for Brahmaśātra. Without the dharma puruṣārtha, mokṣa puruṣārtha is impossible,
just as it is not possible to secure a graduate degree without a Bachelor’s. The
Upaniṣadsummarizes the dharmaśāstra in the 11thanuvāka (dharmaśāstra saṅgrahaḥ
or pūrva-mīmāṁsā saṅgrahaḥ).
When should one study dharmaśāstra? Is it of any value to study this at the fag-end
of life when one is unable to do much? Since the dharmaśāstra consists of
preparatory disciplines, it must be studied before theVedānta. The students in
schools and colleges do not require the study of the Vedānta, but they do of
dharmaśāstra. Teaching the Vedānta to them is counterproductive and may even be
dangerous. The children are not ready for jīva-Īśvara aikyam. They need to be
taught that Īśvarais the swāmi(master) and that they are the servants. The Upaniṣad
says that dharmaśāstramust be studied in the brahmcarya āśrama (the student life).
The study cannot be in the gr̥ hastha āśramabecause one is so busy with activities
that he cannot spend quality time on the study. Furthermore, a gr̥ hastha must apply
dharmśāstra in life; it becomes difficult to learn as he performs intense actions.
Study requires a relaxed mind; where there is responsibility, there will be stress and
strain. Responsibility without stress is possible only for a jñānī. Therefore, it is
prescribed that all studies be done in an āśramaother than gr̥ hasthāśrama. A
sannyāsī, has no relationship and therefore, has no responsibility like a brahmacāri.
Thus, sannyāsāśrama also provides an ideal condition for study.
According to the Vedic vision, the study in the brahmacarya āśrama is divided into
two stages:
• Veda adhyayana: In this first stage, the student learns to chant the Vedas by
learning the words correctly. In this stage, the meaning of the words is not
taught. (artha-rahita-śabda-grahaṇam). Although the mind of the child cannot
think in a mature way, it can memorize very quickly (absorbs like a sponge).
Therefore, one must be very careful of any conversation in front of a child
because the child will absorb and repeat it and create uncomfortable moments.
In Veda-adhyayanam, the student learns to chant mantras in both Veda-pūrva ad
Veda-anta.
• Veda mīmāṁsā – Learning the meaning of the Vedas. This is restricted to the
study of the meaning of Veda-pūrva(veda-pūrva-mīmāṁsā).

The study of dharmaśāstram - religious way of life, healthy attitude and healthy
values – is not merely for academic interest, but for the implementation later in life.
The brahmacāri has limited contact in the world, i.e. only with his parents, guru and
the fellow students. He has a very limited scope for implementation in the
Brahmacarya āśrama. The concentration is only on theory (adhyayana-pradhānam).
They will be practiced when he enters the gr̥ hastha āśrama, which is anuṣṭhāna-
pradhānam. The gr̥ hastha will acquire sādhana catuṣṭaya sampattiḥ when he
implements successfully what he learned in the brahmacarya āśrama. Per the Vedic
design, the only purpose of gr̥ hasthāśrama is to acquire sadhana catuṣṭaya
sampattiḥ. Once a person is successful, gr̥ hasthāśrama is no longer relevant. It is
like taking the juice out of sugarcane – the cane loses its relevance. That is why it is
called āśrama; it is only a stage in life and not the destination. Family life is only an
intermediate stage in life and not the destination.
ऋणानु बन्धरूपेण पशुपत्नी सुतालयाः ऋण�ये �यं यािन्त तत्रता प�रदे वना I
R̥ṇānu bandharūpeṇa paśupatnī sutālayāḥ; r̥ ṇakṣaye kṣayam yānti tatratā
paridevanā
Because of various r̥ ṇams(debts)of karmas, spouse and children come together.

When the adhesive karma is gone (r̥ ṇakṣaye), this association ends in dissociation –
either they or I leave. Once sādhana catuṣṭaya sampattiḥ is acquired, one must exit
gr̥ hasthāśrama by either gradually withdrawing mentally or taking up sannyasa. All
the responsibilities must be handed over to the next generation so that the seeker
can take up the second student life. Once the responsibilities are gone, the relaxed
and detached mind can focus on Veda-anta-mīmāṁsā (brahmasūtrāṇi-Upaniṣad
paṭhanam). This Vedic design is pointed out in the 11thanuvāka.
वेदम ् अनूच्य - vedam anūcya – The guru teaches vedic chanting to the student
(vedaṁ śabdaṁ pāṭhayitvā). This is just chanting correctly following the rules
without learning the meaning in the first part of brahmacarya āśrama. In the next
part,
आचायर्ः–ācāryaḥ – the guru who teaches the students according to their needs – the
basic vedic chanting for all and then the skills specific to their profession. For
example, archery will be taught to a kṣatriya and arthaśāstra (commerce) to a
vaiśya. Thus, an ācārya is one who collects the śāstras (ācinoti), persuades the

student to rigorousy follow (ācāre sthāpayatyati)and more importantly, practices

what he preaches(svayam ācarate yastu). The student learns more from observation
of the teacher, the role model than his words. He teaches the dharmaśāstra
consisting of the religious rituals, attitude and ethics. This is called anuśāsanam.
Whom does he teach?
अन्तेवा�सनम ्- antevāsinam – a resident student. In the gurukulam, the student lived

with the guru so that he had a role model to observe and learn. In the formative
years, the child needs role models in the form of mother, father and guru. If they do
not serve as models, other dubious personalities in the society will; the society will
be gradually destroyed. Ante means near or intimate (samīpe). The guru hasa
tremendous responsibility because many eyes are watching. He needs to be always
extremely careful with behavior [he only has privacy in the bathroom!]. The guru felt
comfortable because he was already naturally leading such a life.
अनुशािस्त–anuśāsti– The guru teaches the student dharmaśāstram after Veda-

adhyayanam. Some interpret this anuvākaas a convocational address, but
Saṅkarācārya says that it is not because it is not given at the end of brahmacarya
āśrama, but between Veda-adhyayanam and dharmaśāstra adhyayanam. The
chanting part is complete and the meaning part begins now. This section is a
summary - the salient features are mentioned here.
सत्यं वद- satyam vada – be truthful – maintain harmony between thought and
speech. Satyam represents the harmonized whole. The integration of thought and
speech indicates the integration of all organs, namely, sense organs (jñānendriyāṇi),
organs of action (karmendriyāṇi), the physiological systems (pañcaprāṇas), and the
mind and intellect (antaḥkaraṇa). In aṣṭāṅga yoga, these are trained by prtayāhāra,
āsanā, prānāyāma and dhyāna respectively. Violation of satyam causes the
distintegration of personality, which in turn causes strain and stress. This will
weaken a person both physically and spiritually. In verse 3.1.6, Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad
says satyameva jayate– one can win mokṣa only with integration (satyam).
धम� चर –dharmaṁ cara – Jaimini’s pūrva mīmāṁsā sutra defineds dharma as all
religious – śrauta and smārta – activities enjoined or commanded by the scriptures.
Caraisācara, which means follow or perform. Dharma is not for talking, but for

doing. [If you merely talk dharma – dharmaṁ vada - it will become dharmaṁ
vadha(destroy)!]. A few of these karmas are mentioned are here; these are just
reminders of what has been mentioned before:
स्वाध्यायात ् मा प्रमदः- svādhyāyāt mā pramadaḥ – never neglect scriptural study. Even

if you are in gr̥ hasthāśramawith a very busy schedule, you should allot some time,
even if only a couple of hours a week for the study of scriptures. Śravaṇammust be
followed by mananam through contemplation and discussion.
To implement dharmaśāstra, an appropriate infrastructure is necessary because

pañcamahā yajñarequires resources such as house, priests, wife, food etc. Only
gr̥ hasthāśramacan provides this. Brahmacaryāśramaand sannyāsāśramaprovide the
infrastructure for the intellectual study of theory, but they lack the resources for
practice and service to the society. To provide service, a sannyāsīmust become a
form of gr̥ hasthaby establishing and managing institution with a trust to collect
money. So, the teacher says that after learning the dharmaśāstra, one must enter
gr̥ hasthāśrama by getting married. However, he asks the student to first give the
gurudakṣinā before he gets married, so that the needs of the family do not present
an obstacle to fulfill that obligation.
आचायर्�प्रयं धनमाहृत्य –ācāryapriyaṁ dhanmāhr̥ tya – after completing the studies, the
brahmacārī displayed his knowledge of the Vedas in front of a king or some
philanthropists and earned money. He then offered the wealth desired by the ācārya
(ācāryapriyam) as gurudakṣinā. This wealth will be used to fund the next generation
of students. In our tradition, knowledge is always given free; the funding is done by
the outgoing students.
After offering gurudakṣiṇā (dhanam āhr̥ tya), the brahmacārīshould get married.
What is the purpose of marriage?
प्रजातन्तुं मा व्यवच्छे त्सीः–prajātantuṁ mā vyavacchetsīḥ – may you not break your

kulaparaṁparā, which alone can propagate and maintain dharmaśāstrain the future
generations.This was discussed in detail in verse 1.40 of the Gītā. A child can imbibe
the basic values and the faith in the Vedas only from the religious way of life taught
by the parents. The faith cannot be cultivated through logic because we cannot
logically prove that the Vedas are valid. Therefore, before logical thinking starts, the

parents must expose the child to the atmosphere in which the Vedas, mahātmās,
sannyāsīs, temples are etc. are respected. Children observe and learn these and this
must be done within the first 5 years. It is very difficult to inculcate later. Between 5
to 7 years of age, the child’s mind is pliable like wet clay. What cannot be logically
proven must be imbibed in those years. Only the strong family can give religious
value to the child. Therefore, in every society, for the religious life to thrive, the
family must be strong. When the family life is broken, religious life breaks down. The
teacher says that the student should get married for the perpetuation of religious
life. [tantum means paraṁparā or lineage).
Once the graduate enters gr̥ hasthāsrama, he should not forget the values he has
learned. He is reminded:
सत्यात ् न प्रम�दतव्यम ्- satyāt na pramaditavyam – May you not neglect your

commitment to values. Satyamis the speaking of the truth, which, in this context
represents all values and attitudes. This is satyam of dharmaśāstra. Satyam of the
Vedāntaśāstra is Brahman.
धमार्त ् न प्रम�दतव्यम ् - dharmāt na pramaditavyam – May you not neglect the religious
way of living. The religious discipline starts with waking up before sunrise. Our
scriptures say that the sun represents God and he arrives each day to bless us. We
should wake up and be ready to pray when he comes. Prayer before eating is
another important religious activity (ācāraḥ). The mark on the forehead is the
reminder that God is in us. By touching the palms when greeting someone, we
indicate that both the jīvās are essentially the same (Īśvarasvarūpam).
कुशलात ् न प्रम�दतव्यम ् –kuśalāt na pramaditavyam – May you not neglect your own
well-being. In the name of serving the society, you need not and should not neglect
your own personal interests. The Vedas do not recommend that you fast and give
the food to the others. Just as you have the duty to the society, you also have duty
to your own body. Therefore, take care of the body first – eat, rest etc.
In the name of service to the world, you need not neglect or torture your body.
Bhagavan has given this manuṣya janma to attain mokṣa. The body is not given
merely to serve the society. Service to society is part of your own growth
(cittaśuddhi). After acquiring cittaśuddhi, you should withdraw from social service

also. If you are going to serve the society all your life, when are you going to get
self-knowledge? In the name of service, don’t forget the duty to yourself. Only after
getting jñāna and mokṣa, you no longer have the duty to yourself (Tamil:
அவ�ழ்த்�வ�ட்டமா�மாதி�– free like a cow let loose). After getting mokṣa, you can
again dedicate the entire life for the society (loka-sangrahaḥ). Until you get
ātmajñānam, you have the duty to yourself. The Vedas say this: being selfish is not
wrong; it is only wrong to be selfish at the expense of the others. It is your duty to
take care of your well-being and your family’s first.
भत्ू यैः न प्रम�दतव्यम ् –bhutyaiḥ na pramaditavyam – bhūtiḥ means prosperity. Never

neglect the acquisition of wealth. Money (Lakshmi Devi) is very important. Through
Lakshmi alone, you reach Sarasvati. Earn plenty, but give in plenty also. We are
never against earning, but if giving is not proportional to the earnings, it is called
greed (lobhaḥ). There is nothing wrong in desiring wealth and ambition. The more
you earn, the more you should share. The other three āśramas are dependent on
gr̥ hasthāśrama’s earnings and therefore, they will never object to your earnings!
Earn, but also give - what a beautiful Vedic vision! When discussing āvahanti homa,
four points were highlighted regarding wealth:
Dhanaṁ dharmārtham – the money is meant for noble service (pañca mahā yajña)
and not for private entertainment only
Dharmaḥ cittaśuddhyartham – only when you do dharma through wealth, you will
get purity. [The teacher will discuss charity (dānam) shortly].
Cittaśuddhiḥjñānārtham– only with cittaśuddhi can one gain jñāna.
Jñānam mokṣārthaḥ – Through jñāna, you attain mokṣa [mokṣa ātmānandārtham

(ātmanyeva ātmanā tushtih). Ānanda is Paramapuruṣārtha.
स्वाध्याय प्रवचानाभ्यां न प्रम�दतव्यम ् - svādhyāya pravacanābhyām na pramaditavyam –

Scriptural study is very important. Otherwise, you will only earn and never spend.
Anything stagnant is sickening. Stagnant food produces extra weight. Stagnant
money will cause problems in the society. The scriptures encourage you to give and
therefore, one should keep in touch with the scriptures. These are reminders of
pañcamahāyajña:

ृ ायार्भ्यां न प्रम�दतव्यम ् –devapitr̥ kāryābhyāṁ na pramaditavyam – Worship of
God is essential. Bhagavatam gives a nice example: to nourish a tree, pour water
only at the root even though you want to water every cell of the tree. You know that
water from the root will reach every cell in an invisible manner. Similarly, the
universe is huge tree with many needy people. It is impossible for you to help every
individual in the world. Therefore, the Vedas prescribe a method: serve or contribute
to the universal tree whose root is Īśvara. [Verse 15.1 of the BhagavadGītā].
Offering a spoonful of water, regularly worship Īśvara (root of the tree)asking for the
welfare of the enire world:
सव� भवन्तु सु�खनः

सव�सन्तु�नरामयाःI
सव�भद्रा�णपश्यन्तु
माकिश्चद्दुःखभाग्भवेत ्II
sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ
sarve santu nirāmayāḥ
sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu
mā kaścid duḥkha bhāgbhavet
It is a simple and deep prayer that will reach everyone in the entire universe. It is
invisible just like the water reaching the cell from the root. The world is full of
calamities such as war, terrorist attacks, earthquake etc. where people suffer and
die. You cannot individually help everyone, but devayajñaḥwill. Therefore, never give
up daily worship. Devayajña gives two benefits: the prayers will help the world and
in the process, you will purify the mind [it is our tendency to ask, “what is in it for
me?”]. Two-minute pūjā for the sake of every living being (not just human beings) is
sufficient and in the process, your mind gets ready for Brahmānandavallī, the second
chapter of Taittirīya Upaniṣad.
Simialrly, pitr̥ kāryam, the worship of the ancestors in the form of śrāddha, tarpaṇa
etc. is also extremely important. If they are reborn in any form, it will reach them in
an appropriate way. Even if they are not reborn, (because they have attained videha
mukti), the benefit will go to the ancestors who had no children to make that
offering. Even if we do not believe in this, we must perform this karma to attain

cittaśuddhi. Whether the ancestors(pitr̥ ) require śrāddha and tarpaṇais immaterial;

do not neglect them at the expense of your own spiritual growth.
Thus, the ethics and values and pañca mahā yajña have been addressed so far. In
the following portion, the Upaniṣaddiscusses the attitude (bhāvanā) towards other
beings starting from your own parents. The child is exposed to the parents in the
beginning years. If he/she does not have the right attitude at this stage, how will
he/she succeed in the later years?
मात ृ दे वःभव –mātr̥ devaḥ bhava – May you look upon your mother as God. May you
invoke Īśvara in your mother. Mother is not God (even though essentially, she is, as
everybody else is), because she has her own personal limitations, weaknesses etc.
Irrespective of the nature of the mother, she deserves worship (namskāra).
Namaskāra is offered to Īśvara who is invoked in the mother; it is like offering
namaskāra to the temple idol, which is made of an inert stone. This is also like
invoking the country when we salute the flag. The child has the first relationship
with the mother because the contact starts in the womb and therefore, she deserves
a reverential attitude.
�पत ृ दे वः भव –pitr̥ devaḥ bhava – May you develop a reverential attitude towards your
father also in spite of his limitations. Most fathers have rāga-dveṣas, weaknesses,
deficieny etc; we Very rarely do we find a jñānī father. Never judge, argue and
complain that your father has not brought you up properly. Most fathers are sincere
and they try their best to raise their children. This sincerity alone deserves a
reverential attitude.
आचायर्देवः भव –ācāryadevaḥ bhava – May you treat your ācārya as God. In the first
few years, the intense contact is with the mother. In the next few years, it is with
the father. The healthy relationship with the mother and the father in the early years
develops a healthy mind. The next significant relationship is between the child and
the teacher. In psychology, the person who contributes to the psychological well-
being it is called “significant other” – mātā, pitā and guru. If these three
relationships are healthy, the child will grow up to be a mature adult. If there is a
deficiency in any of these relationships, the child may face psychological problems.
In our tradition, when we do namsakāra (abhivādaye), we introduce ourselves giving
our gotra to present our background. When arranging marriage, we carefully check

the background (kula and gotra) to see how one has been brought up. The stability
of the family reflects the stability of the mind of a person. Verse 1.1.17 of
Kaṭhopanisad says that a mature human being is one who has had these relationship
in an ideal manner.
Therefore, you develop a proper attitude towards your teacher – ācārya devaḥ
bhava (gurur brahma gurur viṣṇuḥ, gururdevo maheśvaraḥ).
अ�त�थदे वः भव –atithidevaḥ bhava – may you consider the guest (atithi) as Īśvara.
This attitude was very relevant and prevalent in the Vedic society. This is no longer
the case today. However, you should appreciate it from the point of view of the
Vedic society. In the Vedic times (even as late as two generations ago), people
travelled long distances for weeks and months on pilgrimage to places such as Kāśi,
Badrinath etc. They took leave of their families because they were not sure if they
would even return. On such long travels, the pilgrims needed boarding. The Vedic
society discouraged the sale of food; it must be given free of charge. Restaurants
were not prevalent then. The pilgrims took shelter in some house or the other in
some village on the way. The homes were build with verandas (Tamil: திண்ைண–
tiṇṇai), which were neither inside nor outside the house. There was a shelter without
disturbing the privacy of the family. That family fed the guests/visitors. A pilgrim was
a total stranger, the first qualification for an atithi. The second characteristic was
that he arrived without a prior notice. When something happens without our
planning, we view it as God’s will. The pilgrim also did not deliberately choose the
host. Therefore, the śāstrassay that only Īśvara’s will brought the guest and the host
together. Therefore, the host is obligated to feed the guest and give him shelter.
The host also need not worry because the guest is on a pilgrimage and so, he will
leave soon. He is on the move and he is likely not to stay more than one night [na
vidyate dvitīyāt tithiḥ yasya]. In the Vedic society, when the guest stayed for a night,
the host was urged to treat him like Īśvara. This practice comes under manuṣya
yajñaḥ.
Nowadays, it is neither necessary nor practical to host an unknown guest. An

unknown person is viewed suspiciously and rightfully so for the sake of safety.
Moreover, we need not become an atithi because facilities are available today. We
need not go unannounced because communication facilities are available. Safety is
also a consideration to be careful with people who are unknown atithis. In general,

staying more than a day is a torture (hiṁsā) to the host. The only place that you are
welcome for more than a day is your father-in-law’s place. Even there, you wear out
your welcome after five or six days. Therefore, do not unnecessarily become
someone’s atithi without proper notice. Atithi devo bhava is only for the Vedic
society and not for the present one.
Other notes
1. Chanting is puṇya karma. This was described as svādhyāya yajñaḥin Chapter 4 of
the Gītā. Chanting has the capacity to purify the mind of the chanter as well as
the ones who listen to it. The society and the nation get benefit out of Vedic
chanting. The loud chanting of a large group of vaidikas is called Veda-ghoṣaḥ.
The ghoṣaḥcan purify the environment; even the plants and the trees are
believed to grow better when they listen to Veda-śabda.
2. Satyam vada - In most religions, God is divine and the world is secular – a clear
division is maintained. There is no such dividion in the Vedic religion, which
teaches that God Himself manifests as the visible world. Therefore, everything in
this world is divine. Swami Dayananda Saraswati beautifully said: we don’t have
secular-sacred division at all because everything is sacred for us. We must make
a life-long attempt to cultivate this most fundamental attitude. This bhāvanā
(attitude) along with the values (daivī sampat)is represented by the word
satyam.
3. There should be a balance between religious life and ethics. Those who follow
the values, criticize the rituals and those who only follow the rituals neglect the
values. The Upaniṣads say that both are equally important.
4. To maintain the inspiration, keep contact with the scriptures. Maintain direct
contact with satsang and mahātmās or read their words on the scriptures.
5. If you receive benefit out of an activity without dakṣiṇā, it is considered a
tāmasik activity (refer: verse 17.13 of the Gītā). Copying the CD without buying
is a tāmasik activity because you are illegally copying it without proportionately
compensating (it is an adakṣiṇā CD). Adakṣiṇā is an incomplete karma because
dakṣiṇā is a part (aṅga) of an activity. You should not receive anything free. If
you do receive a gift, you must give the value of the gift as donation to some
institution. The śāstras declare that a mind with r̥ ṇam(debt) is an impure mind.
You must give what the ācārya will be pleased with - generally he will be pleased
with anything you give. You must give according to your capacity.
6. Per the śāstras, a person must belong to one āśramaor the other (anāśramī na
tiṣṭhet). If he is outside the fold of the four āśramas, he does not have a
designation. Without a designation, his duty cannot be identified (just like in a
company). The śāstrasallow a person to continue to be a brahmacārī, provided

he stays in the gurukulam permanently and serves the ācāryaand help him in the
āśramaaffairs. For that, he must take a vow called naiṣṭhika
brahmacaryamvratam. Bhīṣma and Āñjaneya are examples. Otherwise, he must
choose one of the three other āśramas. If he decides to take up sannyāsa, he
must go to gurukulaagain for Vedānta-vicāra. This is an exceptional course; the
general course is to enter gr̥ hasthāśrama. The Upaniṣad considers it the general
course because only gr̥ hasthāśramahas the resources to maintain the
infrastructure for religious activities.
यान्यनवद्या�न कमार्�ण I ता�न से�वतव्या�न I नो इतरा�ण I यान्यसमाक�सुच�रता�न I ता�न

त्वयोपास्या�न I नो इतरा�ण I ये के चास्मच्छ्रे या�सोब्राह्मणाः I तेषां त्वयासने न प्रश्व�सतव्यम ् I
yānyanavadyāni karmāṇi / tāni sevitavyāni / no itarāṇi I yānyasamāka�sucaritāni /
tāni tvayopāsyāni / no itarāṇi / ye ke cāsmacchreyā�so brāhmaṇaḥ / teṣāṃ tvayāsane

na praśvasitavyam
ता�न कमार्�ण–tāni karmāṇi - Those actions (of ours) या�न अनवद्या�न–yāni anavadyāni
- which are not unbecoming से�वतव्या�न–sevitavyāni - should be followed; नो इतरा�ण–
no itarāṇi - not the others. ता�न अस्माकम ्–tāni asmākam - Those (actions) of ours
या�न सुच�रता�न–yāni sucaritāni - which are noble उपास्या�न–upāsyāni - should be
followed त्वया–tvayā - by you; नो इतरा�ण–no itarāṇi - not the others. तेषाम ्–teṣām -
When those ये के ब्राह्मणाः च–ye ke brahmaṇaḥ ca - who are cultured and
श्रेयांसःअस्मत ्–śreyāṁsaḥ asmat - superior to us आसने–āsane - are in session, त्वया
नप्रश्व�सतव्यम ्–tvayā na praśvasitavyam - may you not even breathe (a word).
Those actions (of ours) which are not unbecoming should be followed; not the
others. Those (actions) of ours which are noble should be followed by you; not the
others. When those who are cultured and superior to us are in session, may you not
even breathe (a word).
Here the teacher gives an important piece of advice. There are three sources of
knowledge (pramāṇa) for dharmaśāstra (dharmajñānam):

• Śruti granthās(The Vedas) – these are the original and primary source of dharma
(vedochilodharmamūlam). The Veda-pūrva especially is the dharmamūlam
(mūlam means pramāṇam).
• Smr̥ ti granthās– these are the secondary scriptures written by various r̥ ṣis and
ācāryas based on the śrutis. The r̥ ṣis were not the original creators of these
teachings; they merely paraphrased, elaborated and concretized the abstract
themes of śruti through stories and commentaries. Common people understand
the concepts through stories. The values are hidden the śrutislike butter in milk.
Butter must be extracted by churning the milk. Similarly, ācāryas churned the
Vedas to bring out the teachings.
• Śiṣṭa ācāraḥ - the lifestyle of those who have assimilated the śrutiand smr̥ ti.Their
lifestyle is no longer governed by personal rāga-dveṣa; by long practice, they
have transformed their lives to align with dharmaśāstra. Their lifestyle becomes
the open book of the śāstras; it is not in a written format, but is available for all
to see. This may also be studied indirectly the form of the biographies of
mahātmās.
If a statement in the smr̥ iti or an action by a śiṣṭa-puruṣaḥ is contradictory to the

teaching in śruti, the latter overrules the former two. Durvāsa r̥ ṣiwas short-
tempered, but when śrutitells us to be peaceful (kṣamā), which one should we
follow? Śrutioverrules the r̥ ṣi’s actions. Follow a mahātmā’s actions so long as they
are not contradictory to the dharmaśāstra in śruti. Thus, the scriptures give an
important lesson that no human being can be 100% perfect – even r̥ ṣisand the
human avatārashave certain weaknesses and imperfections. None other than Īśvara
is perfect. Guru advises the the students who view him as God (ācārya devo bhava)
that after learning the śāstras from him, they should rely more on the śāstras and
less upon him as a role model. He further says that if his actions are defective,
although he is the guru, his students should follow the śāstras (and not his actions).
At the same time, it is also important to understand that we should not judge the
guru because we do not know why he performed an action contradictory to the
śāstras. It is natural for these questions to arise in our mind: why was Durvāsa
angry all the time? Why did Viśwāmitra, great r̥ ṣi, lose his self-control? Why did
Dharmaputra, a great mahātmā, bet his own wife in gambling? Why did Paraśurāma,
an avatāra of Vishnu, decapitate his own mother? Why did Droṇa, a great ācārya,
take Ekalavya’s thumb as the gurudakṣiṇā? Why did Rama, an avatāra of Vishnu,
banish his pregnant wife to the forest? [Many ladies can never forgive him for that].

There are many such actions that we are unable to reconcile with the śāstras. We
should filter these out and take only the right actions to follow. We should not use
the mahātmās as role models for the wrong actions, but at the same time, we
should not judge them. Sometimes, compromises may be required for a larger
benefit because there are gray areas in values. For example, Lord Krishna
compromised many values to win the Mahabhārata war. Almost every great warrior
was killed because of Krishna’s tricks. Values are not absolute; the mahātmās may
have compromised them in some situations because it was necessary. A question
may arise in our mind that if a mahātmā has compromised the values, why can I
not? We must to be careful to understand that we have no right to compromise any
value until we have mastered it through practice for a long time. We must be free of
rāga-dveṣa before we can think of compromising the values. Otherwise, we will
interpret the values based on rāga-dveṣa and selfishness. When we reach that stage
of mastery over rāga-dveṣa, the scriptures themselves give you the right to re-
interpret the rules (vidhi and niṣedha).
G.D. Birla, a wealthy Indian industrialist gave the checkbook to Gandhiji giving him
the authority to spend any amount he liked. After a year, he found that Gandhiji
used only one rupee. Is there a reason to wonder why Birla gave the checkbook to
Gandhiji and not to anyone? Freedom is given to a person only when it is known
that he is responsible and mature. Until we become mature, we must follow the
commandaments of the Vedas.
Therefore, the guru gives a very important advice here:
अनवद्या�न कमार्�ण –anavadyāni karmāṇi - (our) dhārmic actions – the ones that do
not deviate from the path recommended by the śāstras
ता�न से�वतव्या�न –tāni sevitavyāni – you should follow those alone.
नो इतरा�ण - no itarāṇi – Do not follow any other actions (adharmic) that the śāstras
do not support. Do as Rama did, but as Krishna said. Krishna did many things that
were not in line with dharma (like stealing butter starting early in life!).

या�न अस्माकं सुच�रता�न - yāni asmākaṁ sucaritāni – (follow) all our noble actions. In
the Mahabhārata, the characters have wonderful virtues as well as weaknesses. Our
general tendency is to only look at their weaknesses. When learning the purāṇas,
the children always ask why a character did what he did. Teach them to look at the
positive side and imbibe. Mīmāṁsā is filtering the negative aspects of any story and
taking only the positive aspects. Out of the story of Paraśurāma decapitating his
mother, one should focus on the lesson of obedience to the father and not
decapitation. In the story of Droṇa and Ekalavya, the lesson should not stress the
meanness of the former, but the greatness of the latter who was willing to give
anything as gurudakṣina; even his thumb [ācāryaya priyam dhanamāhr̥ tya]. Rama
sent Sita to the forestbecause of the comment of a concerned citizen. The lesson to
be learned is that the king should always put the concerns of his citizens first [prajā
rañjataḥ rājā; rañjayati iti rājā]. Here, the focus should be on Rama as a king, and
not as a husband. The Pāṇḍavas shared a wife. The lesson to be learned is
obedience to the mother (mātr̥ vākya paripālanam ) and not sharing a wife. Every
story has a positive and negative side; focus only on the positive and follow in life
ता�न त्वया उपास्या�न - tāni tvayā upāsyāni – you should diligently follow only that
(positive action). Prahlāda disobeyed his father because his command was against
the injuction of the śāstras. He violated pitr̥ devo bhava and then became the cause
of his father’s destruction. Yet, he is lauded as one of the greatest bhaktas. What
does this mean? When the pitr̥ vā kyam(father’s words) and śāstravākyam(śāstra’s
words) contradict, the latter always wins [śruti smr̥ tyo param vāde śrutireva
garīyati].
Unlike the other religions, the Vedic tradition is not person-centered. Only the Vedas
are great; no human is above the Vedas. Even if Krishna was found to contradict the
Vedas, he would have been ruled out. Although Buddha is respected as an avatāra,
Buddism did not survive in India because he contradicted the Vedas. Until you learn
the śāstras, follow the guru; once you have learned it, the guru will hand over the
responsibilities to you.
नो इतरा�ण -No itaraani – do not follow the other things
As we have seen before, śruti(Vedas) overrules smr̥ ti and śiṣṭācāra when there is a
conflict. Patañjali has given the yoga system that consists of the physical aspect

which develops one’s personality and a philosophical one. The physical aspect is
accepted, but the philosophical aspect is rejected because it is contradictory to the
Vedas. We accept the tarka śāstrathat teaches the method of thinking, but we reject
the nyāya vaiśeṣika philosophy because it is contradictory to the Vedas.
Sureṣvarācārya even questioned Saṅkarācārya, his guru on the things he
contradicted the Vedas on. Everything is analyzed with intellectual honesty based on
śruti and yukti. Here, the guru himself is telling the śiṣya: if you see me violating the
Vedas, reject me and follow the Vedas. What a great statement!
येकेब्राह्मणाः च –ye ke brāhmaṇāḥ ca - when themahātmās who are scholars in

scriptures come to you, make use of their presence and learn from them. Keep an
open mind. These scholars in the Vedas are called brāhmaṇāḥ[brahma yaḥ jānāti
saḥ brāhmaṇaḥ].
अस्मत ् श्रेयांसः –asmat śreyāṁsaḥ - (the brāhmaṇas) who are superior to us in terms
of knowledge, age and experience (vayovr̥ ddhaḥ, jñānavr̥ ddhaḥ and śīlovr̥ ddhaḥ).
We respect an elderly person in our tradition because he is more experienced.
Experience teaches that no book can teach. An elderly illiterate person may be more
knowledgeable than a literate youngster. The people who have known and lived per
the injuctions of the Vedas for a long time are called śīlovr̥ dhāḥ (experienced
people). You welcome them:
त्वया आसने न प्रश्व�सतव्यम ्- tvayāāsane na praśvasitavyam – this can be interpreted

in two ways:
• First provide them the seat (āsanā) and relieve them of their weariness
(praśvasitavyam)
• Once they are seated in the āsanās do not keep bragging about yourself. You will
lose the opportunity to learn from them. The mahātmās generally are not
talkative. They generally remain in silence. Do not give in to the temptation of
filling this silence by bragging about yourself. Ask the question to clear your
doubts and make them talk. This can be interpreted also as “do not breathe a
word” (na praśvasitavyam)
Other notes:

Our tradition is scripture-centric. No individual, be it Śaṅkara, Gauḍapāda or Vyāsa,

is greater than the tradition.If the disciple creates a cult with the guru as the center,
then the latter has not taught the former properly. The Vedic ācārya says that he
has taught student the scriptures and how to interpret them correctly. Hereafter, the
student should give more importance to the scriptures than him. If his actions and
lifestyle are contradictory to the scriptures, follow the scriptures.
श्रद्धया दे यम ् I अश्रद्ध्यादे यम ् I �श्रया दे यम ् I �ह्रया दे यम ् I �भया दे यम ् I सं�वदा दे यम ् I

śraddhayā deyam / aśraddhyādeyam / śriyā deyam I hriyā deyam / bhiyā deyam /
saṃvidā deyam
दे यम ्–deyam - Charity should be given श्रद्धया–śraddhayā - with respect (for the
receiver). अदे यम ्–adeyam - Charity should not be given अश्रद्धया–aśraddhayā - with
disrespect. दे यम ्–deyam - Charity should be given �श्रया–śriyā - in plenty. दे यम ्–deyam
- Charity should be given �ह्रया–hriyā - in modesty. दे यम ्–deyam - Charity should be
given �भया–bhiyā - with concern.दे यम ्–deyam - Charity should be given सं�वदा–

saṁvidā - with understanding.
Charity should be given with respect (for the receiver). Charity should not be given
with disrespect. Charity should be given in plenty. Charity should be given in
modesty. Charity should be given with concern, Charity should be given with
understanding.
Our scriptures discuss numerous sādhanās, but reduce them into three basic and
fundamental ones (yajña-dāna-tapāṁsi). This has been said in the Brhadāraṇyaka
Upanisad, which Lord Krishna borrows in verse 18.3 of the Gītā.
• Yajñas – prayerful lifestyle in which every activity is converted into a worship.

Work is workship.
• Dānam– sharing whatever you have with the others. The natural cycle will be
complete only when taking is followed by giving. There should not be stagnation
anywhere. The knowledge should flow from the guru to the disciple and then to
the next generation. The water rises from the ocean to form clouds, then rain,
which then flows from the mountains as river and then flows back to the ocean.
If we fail to understand this, there will be stagnation, which will lead to ill-health.
The energy that you take from food must be balanced with what you spend or, it

will lead to ill-health. This must be extended to the pañcakośas (the five sheaths
of personality). This applies to money also. Superficially, giving dānamappears to
be a loss, but the śāstras say that you never lose because it ultimately comes
back to you.Only what you give comes back to you: love, compassion, hatred
etc. This is the basic principle. Therefore, give good things in plenty.
• Tapaḥ– moderation in everything (ati sarvatra varjaye) – the golden middle path,
golden mean etc. You must be the master of your organs. You must control what
you do and not the sense object you seek or indulge in. Moderation is tapaḥ – no
overindulgence.
श्रद्धया दे यम ् - śraddhayā deyam – May you give to charity with śraddhā (faith) that
whatever you give will benefit you. It will come back to you in the form of puṇya,
the invisible gain (ādhyātmika purogatiḥ, cittaśuddhi, inner growth, adr̥ ṣṭam etc.).
Even though you appear to be materially losing, you are gaining spiritually. This faith
must be there when giving.
अश्रद्धया अदे यम ्- aśraddhayā adeyam – may you not give without the faith. If you do
not have the faith, you will only see the loss and consequently, you will give with a
heartburn. There is another interpretation for this- aśraddhyā deyam: Even of you
don’t have the faith, you should still give. In other words, giving is important
whether with faith or not.
Even giving without faith is better than not giving. By the grace of the Lord,
eventually, faithless giving will be converted to faithful giving. Therefore, both
interpretations are acceptable.
�श्रया दे यम ्- śriyā deyam – give in abundance at least proportional to what you have.
The Vedas donot fix the amount because possessions will vary from individual to
individual. The śāstras, no doubt, ask us to give bhūdānam (land), svarṇadānam
(gold), go-dānam (cow and other animals), but it also says that if you cannot afford
it, offer atleast patram (leaf), puṣpam (flower) or toyam (water). The important
thing is that one should not select the latter as the first choice. Give according to
your capacity.
�ह्रया दे यम ्–hriyā deyam – hrīḥ means humility or modesty. Donot think you are
superior because you are the giver. Do not disparage or insult the receiver. Dānam

given with arrogance is either rājasa or tāmasa dānam (Chapter 17 - Gītā). Give with
the attitude that you are fortunate to be in the position to give to the others.
�भया दे यम ्–bhiyā deyam – may you have the concern (empathy). It can be
interpreted in two ways: normal and śāstric. The regular concern is that what is
given should be useful to the receiver. One must have the empathy that it will fulfill
the need of the receiver.
There is also a śāstric meaning. Dānamis considered a compulsive duty like paying
taxes. You should share your possessions with the others without expecting anything
in return. It need not be just money; it can be knowledge, time, sweet words etc.
The trees give more than what they receive and therefore, we want to increase the
number of trees. Human beings take more than what they give and that is why no
one wants to increase the human population (bhūbhāraḥ – burden to the earth).
You must give to avoid being a burden. Giving is not a kāmya karma (action of
choice), but a nitya karma, a compulsory action.
Failure to pay taxes will result in penalty and punishment. In the Vedic sense, the
punishment for not performing a nitya karma is the acquisition of pratyavāya pāpam,
the sin of omission. [bhiyādeyam= pratyavāya pāpa bhayena deyam – give for the
fear of pratyavāya pāpam]. By giving, you are not doing additional good, but merely
fulfilling a prescribed duty. We may take pride in giving a lot, but the śāstras say
that you are human being only if you give.
सं�वदा दे यम ्–saṁvidā deyam – may you give with the understanding of deśa (where),
kāla (when) and pātram(who) [Tamil saying: பாத்திரம்அறிந்�ப�ச்ைசெகா� – pātram
arindu piccai kodu – know who you are giving to]. Give at the right time in the right
place to the right person [do not give a woolen shawl to one in May in Chennai after
he has returned from a once in a lifetime trip to Kedarnath]. If the receiver does not
have the right credentials, you need not feel bad to say no. You need not feel bad
about saying no to the beggars at the traffic signal because it is the most
inappropriate way of asking for alms.It is also not right to feel that no one has
credentials and say no to everyone. There are many wonderful institutions that you
can support.

This is dāna sādhanā.
अथ य�द ते कमर्�व�च�कत्सा वा वत्ृ त�व�च�कत्सा वा स्यात ् I ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संम�शर्नः I यक्

ु ता
आयक्
ु ताः I अल�
ू ा धमर्कामाः स्यःु I यथा ते तत्र वत�रन ् I तथा तत्र वत�थाः I अथाभ्याख्यातेषु I ये
तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संम�शर्नः I युक्ता आयुक्ताः I अलू�ा धमर्कामाः स्युः I यथा ते तेषु वत�रन ् I तथा तेषु
वत�थाः I एष आदे शः I एष उपदे शः I एषा वेदोप�नषत ् I एतदनुशासनम ् I एवमुपा�सतव्यम ् I एवमु
चैतदप
ु ास्यम ् II
atha yadi te karmavicikitsā vā vṛttavicikitsā vā syāt / ye tatra brāhmaṇāḥ
saṃmarśinaḥ / yuktā āyuktāḥ / alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ / yathā te tatra varteran /
tathā tatra vartethāḥ / athābhyākhyāteṣu / ye tatra brāhmaṇāḥ saṃmarśinaḥ / yuktā
āyuktāḥ / alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ / yathā te teṣu varteran / tathā teṣu vartethāḥ
/ eṣa ādeśaḥ / eṣa upadeśaḥ / eṣā vedopaniṣat / etadanuśāsanam /
evamupāsitavyam / evamu caitadupāsyam
अथ य�द–atha yadi - Suppose ते स्यात ्–te syāt - you have कमर्�व�च�कत्सा वा–
karmavicikitsā vā - a doubt regarding a course of action वा वत्ृ त�व�च�कत्सा–
vāvr̥ ttavicikitsā - or a doubt regarding the conduct in life. स्युः–syuḥ - There would be
ब्राह्मणाः–brāhmaṇāḥ - brahmins तत्र–tatra - in that place ये संम�शर्नः–yesaṁmarśinaḥ -
who are discriminating, युक्ताः–yuktāḥ - experienced, आयुक्ताः–āyuktāḥ - impartial,
अल�
ू ाः–alūkṣāḥ - considerate, धमर्कामाः–dharmakāmāḥ - and committed to dharma.
वत�थाः–vartethāḥ - May you act तत्र–tatra - in that situation तथा–tathā - in such as
manner यथा ते वत�रन ्–yathā te varteran - as they would act तत्र–tatra- in that
situation. अथ–atha - Suppose (there is a doubt regarding yoru conduct)
अभ्याख्यातेष–ु abhyākhyāteṣu- with respect to the accused people. स्यःु –syuḥ - There
would be ब्राह्मणाः–brāhmaṇāḥ - brahmins तत्र–tatra - in that place ये संम�शर्नः–ye
saṁmarśinaḥ - who are discriminating, युक्ताः–yuktāḥ - experienced, आयुक्ताः–
āyuktāḥ - impartial, अलू�ाः–alūkṣāḥ - considerate धमर्कामाः–dharmakāmāḥ - and
committed to dharma. वत�थाः–vartethāḥ - May you conduct yourself तेष–ु teṣu - with
respect to them तथा–tathā- in such a manner यथा ते वत�रन ्–yathā te varteran - as
they would conduct themselves तेषु –teṣu - with respect to them. एषः आदे शः–eṣa
ādeśaḥ - This is the injunction (of śruti). एष उपदे शः–eṣaupadeśaḥ - This is the
injunction (of smr̥ ti). एषा वेदोप�नषत ्–eṣā vedopaniṣad - This is the essence of the
Vedas. एतद् अनश
ु ासनम ्–etad anuśāsanam - This is the commandment (of the Lord).

उपा�सतव्यम ्–upāsitavyam - Life must be led एवम ्–evam - in this manner; उपास्यम ्–
upāsyam - life should be led एतद् एवम ् उ च–etad evam u ca - in this manner alone.
Suppose you have a doubt regarding a course of action or a doubt regarding the
conduct in life. There would be brahmins in that place wh are discriminating,
experienced, impartial, considerate, and committed to dharma. May you act in that
situation in such as manner as they would act in that situation. Suppose (there is a
doubt regarding yoru conduct) with respect to the accused people. There would be
brahmins in that place who are discriminating, experienced, impartial, considerate
and committed to dharma. May you conduct yourself with respect to them in such a
manner as they would conduct themselves with respect to them. This is the
injunction (of śruti). This is the injunction (of smr̥ ti). This is the essence of the
Vedas. This is the commandment (of the Lord). Life must be led in this manner; life
should be led in this manner alone.
Previously we saw that the Vedas are the primary source of knowledge on dharma
and adharma – essentially the guide on how to live. The Vedas may not discuss
every possible situation in life because it cannot visualize all of them.Therefore, they
give only broad guidelines. We must extract the meaning from them, appropriate to
the situations we face in life. Therefore, the interpretation of the Vedas become
important; we cannot blindly follow the words as is. As the society and lifestyle
change, modifications (compromises) to certain laws are required. Anything rigid
cannot survive. Our scriptures allow us the flexibility to interpret and modify the laws
according to the situation. It is exactly like the constitution of the country. The
founders would not have visualized all the possible situations.
We recently faced a question whether a governor can appoint a person as a Chief

Minister (CM), if he/she is not qualified to contest the election. The constitution is
silent on this matter. It only gives the power to the governor to appoint the CM, but
it is unclear whether those disqualifications apply to that candidate for CM. So, there
is a constitutional crisis. Interpretation is required based on the intention of the
authors. We must know what is letter and what is spirit. In Sanskrit, we call it
vivakṣā or tātparyam - what is not explicitly said, but intended by the author. The
Indian constitution is only 70 years old and the authors could not visualizea this
situation. The Vedas have no beginning; how could they possibly have visualized all
the situations? Therefore, interpretation is required. If interpretation is required and
discretion is to be used, who will do that? The political parties, if asked to interpret,

will do it the way it suits them. Therefore, interpretation should be allowed, but it
should be specified who is qualified to interpret the laws. Otherwise, democracy will
be a mess. Therefore, a constitutional bench is appointed with people who are
constitutional scholars with integrity and who look out for the welfare of the country
and not just their immediate family and circle of friends.
In the same way, Vedas will have to be interpreted as the society changes. You will
come across new situations where you will face confusions. When you refer to the
Vedas, you may either find that the Vedas have not dealt with your specific situation
or it is impractical to follow the Vedas to the letter. Therefore, you must understand
the spirit (spirit is always invisible!). Therefore, we need a very subtle intellect
(sūkṣma buddhi) which must be used to extract, interpret and present. Therefore,
the interpreters should have certain qualifications – the Vedas themselves give them
in this section. What a far-sighted teaching!
अथ य�द ते कमर्�व�च�कत्सा –atha yadi te karmavicikitsā – suppose you have a doubt

(vicikitsā) regarding a religious activity (karma)
वत्ृ त�व�च�कत्सा –vr̥ ttavicikitsā – vr̥ tta means personal conduct (in the society). Hindus
are all over the world. In India, the Vedic background still exists, but there will be
doubt in the minds of the Hindus living in the other countries. Vr̥ ttam = social
behavior. If I interpret, I may do it according to my rāga-dveṣa. Therefore, the
Vedas say:
ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः- ye tatra brāhmanāḥ–you go to (guṇa) brāhmaṇās who have sattva

guṇa and are selfless in nature. They have the following qualifications:
संम�शर्नः –saṁmarśinaḥ – they have the capacity to interpret the scriptures. They are
experts on the rules of interpretation (mīmāṁsā śāstram – hermeneutics). Once the
interpretation is done, we must accept it. Otherwise, we need to appoint the
interpreters of interpreters. The whole exercise will be meaningless. The ultimate
authority should not be questioned. If the Supreme Court is questioned and
disobeyed, one will be cited for contempt of court. In the Vedic society, the person
who questions the verdict is called a nāstika, who is in contempt of the Vedic court.

युक्ताः –yuktāḥ– those who have lived the dhārmic and Vedic lifestyle. They are
soaked in dharma. It is like the Supreme Court judge who has gone through sso
many layers of positions in the justice system that we have the trust in his
judgement.
आयुक्ताः –āyuktāḥ - those who are impartial. They do not have political or selfish
leanings. They are incorruptible. [what will happen to the nation if a Supreme Court
judge is corrupt?]
अल�
ू ाः –alūkṣāh– those who are considerate; who have compassion and empathy.
The mind should have expanded to consider the benefit of the vast society
[sarvabhūta hite ratatvam]. Alūkṣāḥmeans arūkṣāḥ, which means non-cruel (rūkṣāḥ
means cruel).
धमर्कामाः –Dharmakāmāḥ – they should not be artha-kāma or kāma-kāma. They do

not seek position, possessions aor power. Only such people will be impartial to the
rich and the poor and courageous enough to pass the verdict. They should value
dharma puruṣārtha more than artha and kāma. That is why the scriptures prescribe
voluntary life of poverty to those interested in teaching and interpreting the Vedas.
Swami Dayananda said: the traditional brāhamaṇahas nothing to lose except
kuḍumi(tuft) and pūṇal (thread). There is no fear of anything or anyone.
Until one acquires these qualifications, he should seek the help of the wise in times
of crisis.
यथा ते तत्र वत�रन ् तथा तत्र वत�ताः - yathā te tatra varteran tathā tatra vartetāḥ – act in
the manner that they (brāhmaṇāḥ) would in that situation. You can trust their
discretion even if their action compromises the Vedic injuction. You can also
compromise the Vedas if they give you permission (only if they do). There is a story
about Śaṅkarācārya that illustrates this point:
Once a devotee offered liquor to Śaṅkarācārya and he drank it. According to the
śāstras, drinking is a pāpam. Confused by this, the disciples looked at each other,
but said nothing. Śaṅkarācārya, however, noticed it. He moved forward and reached
a shop of a blacksmith who was heating the metal in a pan in high heat.

Śaṅkarācārya drank that molten metal also. If the disciples thought that they could
drink alcohol because Sankarācāryadid, they should also drink the molten metal! He
indirectly hinted that he had reached a stage where nothing would affect him. Until
that time, they must follow the Vedas.
The mīmāṁsā sūtra itself says that some great people violate dharma (dr̥ ṣṭohi
dharma vyatikramaḥ), but they also show that they are superhuman through their
acts (sāhasa ca mahatām). Drink molten metal first before you drink alcohol! Krishna
violated the śāstras, but he also lifted the Govardhana mountain. Most of us cannot
even lift our own suitcase! So long as you are ordinary, do not violate the Vedic
injunctions.
We often hear the complaint from the Hindus themselves that Hinduism is the most
confusing religion in the world. They also state the other religions are far less
confusing than Hinduism. On enquiry, we find that there is some truth to it. There
are several reasons for that. However, the reasons presented to show Hinduism as
inferior, also make it superior! The reasons for dhūṣaṇam are really bhūṣaṇam. It is
important that we analyze these so-called weaknesses and understand how they
make Hinduism great.
• The scriptures are too voluminous compared to the other religions: Even if
you study them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, all your life, you will not
scratch the surface (Tamil: கற்ற�ைகமண்ணள�கல்லாத�உலகள�–kaṭradu
kaimaṇṇal̥ avu kallādadu ulagal̥ avu – what have you have learned is equivalent
to a fist full of dirt while what is yet to be learned is the size of the earth).
The Vedas present a story of Bharadwāja r̥ ṣi who continuously studies the
Vedas for 100 years:
At the time of death, he asked for a boon from Indra that he should be able
to do the same, also in the next birth. After studying intensely during the
second janma, he asked for the third to do the same. Then, he proudly asked
Indra how much he had covered in 300 years. Indra asked him to bring a
handful of mud from each of the three mountains nearby. When Bharadwaja
set the piles in front of him, Indra told him him that this was what had
learned in 300 years (muṣṭhinā ādade). Indra also said that the Vedas are
infinite (anantāvaidedāḥ).

Out of the 1080 branches (śākhāḥ) of the Vedas, only six have survived. We
will not able to complete even these six in our lifetime. In addition to śruti, we
havesmr̥ ti, purāṇas, itihāsas etc. with commentaries and sub-commentaries.
The Mahabhārata, alone has 100,000 verses. This can be taken as positive as
well as negative.
The size has a great disadvantage. To understand a part of the whole, it

requires the awareness of the whole. We can never separate the totality from
the study of the part. The medical community is beginning to realize that the
Allopathic system of medicine that takes the reductionist approach of treating
diseases only of the physical body is incomplete. The body has five kośas
(sheaths) and this system of medicine only treats the annamaya kośa (the
physical sheath). The diseases are psychosomatic in nature and so, the doctor
should know not only anatomy and physiology, but also, psychology,
sociology etc. The problem is, to know the whole, you must study it part by
part! To learn a verse, you must know the background of the whole Gītā, but
to know the whole of Gita, you must learn it verse by verse. This is a mutual
dependence problem – a classic Catch 22!
• One size does not fit all: The Vedas address the entire humanity and
therefore, the teaching varies according to the level of spiritual growth (varṇa
bhedaḥ, āśrama bhedaḥ etc.). Our scriptures cater to everyone; from the
spiritually grossest person to the subtlest and most spiritually evolved. If you
do not learn at the right level, the teaching will be highly confusing. What is
food for one is poison for another. A positive advice for one is a negative
advice for another. For example, a doctor who advises patient to eat well may
ask another to fast. A patient cannot take a medicine prescribed for another;
he must have his own unique prescription. Since the Vedic teaching is
directed to various adhikārīs (eligible seekers), it appears contradictory. Pūjā
is glorified in one place, but is criticized in another. Verse 1.2.7 of Muṇḍaka
Upaniṣad describes the people attached to karma as indiscriminate
(mūdhāḥ)and that they will be stuck in the cycle of birth and death. However,
Taittirīya Upaniṣad asks us never to give up karma in the statement -
devapitr̥ kāryābhyāṁ na pramditavyam - where pūjā and śrāddhā are
emphasized. In Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, Gaudapāda calls those committed to
Īśvara upāsanā as unfortunate. This is a dangerous statement. That is why I
do not recommend the study of Māṇḍūkya in isolation – the student must
train first with the other Upanisads. Otherwise, this statement may sound
blasphempus to the untrained.

When looked at superficially, the seemingly contradictory teaching is the

negative point for Hinduism. It is also a positive point because Hinduism
caters to a tribal as well the most spiritually evolved. God can be viewed as a
person as well as the impersonal Reality. Depending on your level, you may
worship ekarūpa Īśvara (personal God),anekarūpaĪśvara (the universe as
God) and arūpaĪśvara (formless God).
• Our scriptures are vague: dharma is relative and not absolute: We can only
superficially categorize the ethical and unethical. When you get deeper, there
is more gray than black or white. We encounter conflict (dharma-saṅkata)
because we play multiple roles simultaneously. The duty for the role of a
husband may contradict that of the son. The scriptures cannot cover all the
possible situations, although they do illustrate many situations of conflict
through stories. Even though the scriptures give different situations, the
decision becomes subjective; there is no fatwa from some cleric to make the
decision for you. Some of the situations of conflict are illustrated here:
 Rama as the king had the responsibility to listen to the concerns of the
citizens and act accordingly, while he had the duty as a husband to
protect his wife. Should he banish his wife to the forest or ignore the
citizen’s concern?
 A person with limited funds faces the medical treatment for his parent,
which will wipe out his savings intended for his child’s college expenses.
Should he treat his parent or educate his child? If the old parent declines
the treatment, there is no conflict, but he/she expects it, what should he
do?
 Rāvaṇa’s brother Vibhīṣaṇa left him because of adharma committed by the
former. However, his other brother Kumbhakarṇa felt family loyalty was
more important and stood by his brother until his end. If we hold a
debate on this, there definitely will be two sides because this is a gray
area.
 Krishna says that ahiṁsā is the greatest value (ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ)
in 3 places in the Gītā. Then, he adds, “Therefore Arjuna, fight!” [tasmād
yudyasva bhārata]. Is ahiṁsā the greatest value or can I compromise that
value?
 Satyam is taught as the only means for spiritual victory as stated by verse
3.1.6 of Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, but Krishna violated it throughout the
Mahābhārata. What should one do?

Thus, our scriptures bring out a lot of gray areas that require interpretation.
• Our scriptures require interpretation:It is believed that our scriptures are as old
as the universe itself. Even the non-believers acknowledge that they are at least
thousands of years old. They anticipated many situations of conflict, but not all of
them. Pūjya Swāmi Dayānanda Saraswati gave this example of driving a car: The
driving teacher can only teach you some possible traffic situations. From this, you
must discern the spirit of driving and deal with new situations. You cannot accuse
the driving school of not teaching you the situation you encountered. Life gives
us infinite number of situations; many are covered by the Vedas and many are
not. Therefore, interpretation is required. For example, the śāstras say that the
toilet should be 80 ft away from the kitchen. Today the houses are as small as
20X20. Manu never thought of this! The bathroom (śaucālaya) and the toilet
(aśaucālaya) are in the same unit. No śastra could anticipate it and therefore,
interpretation is required.
We can never interpret the scriptures arbitrarily with our own intuition or
intelligence. A systematic method called mimāṁsā (also known as sampradāya)
must be applied, but most of us do not study it. We read the translations of
Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata, especially of western authors, who have no
intimate knowledge of our tradition. In the olden days, printed material was not
available and so, one learned from a guru, who presented the material in an
appropriate manner. The interpretation of the scriptures was built in the guru’s
teachings. When we self-study the purāṇas from these translations, they appear
terrible and even disgusting, losing respect for our scriptures. The scriptures
often use the method of exaggeration. I call it a cartoon method: if a politician
has a slightly long nose, it is exaggerated in the cartoon.
 In some places in the scriptures, it is mentioned that if you utter Rama

nāma (name), you will get moksha. We literally take this to be true and
blame the scriptures.
 In another story , King Ajāmil̥ a perpetrated atrocities throughout his life,
but got mokṣa because he uttered Nārāyaṇa as the last word before
death. If we don’t interpret it correctly, we will misunderstand it.
 It is said that in Kali Yuga, Bhagavan nāmawill give mokṣa and that no
other sādhanā is required. These types of scriptural statements are made
to highlight a specific sādhanā and downplay the others. This method is
called arthavāda. These statements should not be literally taken as true.
To add to this confusion, these untrue statements have been popularized
by religious leaders.

The only way to avoid these confusions is to study under a qualified guru who has
the holistic vision of the Vedas. His interpretation will not be based on his rāga-
dveṣa, but will be objective. Such a guru has studied the Vedas and has a lifestyle
that is aligned with dharmaśāstra. You will then find that Hinduism is not confusing,
but very enriching with the most comprehensive teaching available. TheUpaniṣad
gives the qualifications of such a guru in this anuvāka: ye tatra brāhmanāḥ
saṁmarśinaḥ yuktaḥ, ayuktāḥ, alūkṣaḥ, dharmakāmāḥ etc. Once you have followed
them for a length of time, you will develop the maturity and then you can act
according to your conscience. Follow the dharma for 12 years under a guru’s
guidance and your conscience will become the śāstras. You can then set aside the
śāstras and act according to your conscience alone. A trained musician who has
sung in his śruti (pitch) for decades, can sing exactly in that śruti even without the
accompaniment (tānpurā) because he is soaked in music. Start with “in-tuition” and
then graduate to intuition.
अथा अभ्याख्यातेषु –athā abhyākhyāteṣu – We always have our doubts about rituals
(karma) and conduct (vr̥ ttam). For example, if I come to know through other
sources that my close friend is enagaged in immoral activies (which I have not
witnessed personally), should I continue the friendship? The śāstras declare that one
should never have a relationship with an immoral person (duṣsaṅgaḥ sarvadā
tyājyaḥ). Such an association (adharma saṅgaḥ) is a type of adharma. On the other
hand, it is very difficult to end such a relationship especially when he has only been
accused and not personally witnessed by me [abhyākyātaḥ= he is only accused; I
have not personally witnessed] What should I do? The teacher repeats the same
path to clear the doubt:
ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संम�शर्नः I युक्ता आयुक्ताः I अलू�ा धमर्कामाः स्युः I यथा ते तेषु वत�रन ् I तथा
तेषु वत�थाः I
Ye tatra brāhmanāḥ saṁmarśinaḥ / yuktā āyuktāḥ / alūkṣa dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ /
yathā te teṣu varteran / tathā teṣu vartetāḥ
In that society also, there will be cultured, informed, non-selfish and dhārmic
brāhmaṇās; seek their advice on how they would handle such a conflict and follow
it. Where the Vedas do not give direct advice, take the advice of the Vedic people.

This is the guidance with regards to dharmśāstram. This is the summary of

dharmaśāstra.
एषः आदे शः–eṣaḥ ādeśaḥ– this is the commandment of the Vedas for our benefit
(śrauta vidhiḥ). If we do not follow, it will adversely affect us. It is like violating the
health rule – only we will suffer.
एषः उपदे शः– eṣaḥ upadeśaḥ – This is the instruction from the smr̥ itis, the secondary
Vedic literature also (smārta vidhiḥ)
एषा वेद उप�नषद्– eṣā veda upanisad - This is the essence (upaniṣad) of the Vedas. [It
is the sāraḥ – veda-pūrva-bhāga rahasyam]. This statement refers to the
11thanuvāka. If one understands and follows this, it is equivalent to following the
entire dhamaśāstra.
एतद् अनश
ु ासनम ्–etad anuśāsanam – this is the teaching (instruction or
commandments) of śiṣṭas (mahātmās) beginning from the Lord. The Vedas came
from the Lord Himself through various r̥ ṣis such as Padmabhuvaḥ, Vaśiṣṭa etc. If you
violate them, saṁsāraḥ will be the punishment. Life itself will become the life
imprisonment (saṁsāra kārāgr̥ haḥ).
एवम ् उपा�सतव्यम ्–evamupāsitavyam – one should follow as instructed here. It is not

optional instruction
एवम ् उ च एतद् उपास्यम ्–evam u ca etad upāsyam – in this manner alone (as described
in the 11thanuvāka), one should lead his life. The letters u (उ) andca(च)give the
emphasis here.
With this, the emphasis on dharmaśāstra in the first chapter is complete.

Dharmaśāstra is the stepping stone for brahmaśāstram given in the next chapter.
Now the śānti pāṭha is repeated as the Thanksgiving śānti pāṭha (the śānti pāṭhain
the beginning was a prayer).

Anuvāka 12
ॐ शंनो�मत्रःशंवरुणःI शंनोभवत्वयर्माI शंनइन्द्रोबह

ृ स्प�तःI शंनो�वष्णुरुरुक्रमःI नमोब्रह्मणेI
नमस्तेवायोI त्वमेवप्रत्य�ंब्रह्मा�सI त्वामेवप्रत्य�ंब्रह्मावा�दषम ्I ऋतमवा�दषम ् I सत्यमवा�दषम ्I
तन्मामावीत ्I तद्वक्तारमावीत ् I आवीन्माम ्I आवीद्वक्तारम ्I ओंशािन्तःशािन्तःशािन्तःII
oṃ śaṃ no mitraḥ śaṃ varuṇaḥ / śaṃ no bhavatvaryamā / śaṃ na indro bṛhaspatiḥ
/ śaṃ no viṣṇururukramaḥ / namo brahmaṇe / namaste vayo / tvameva pratyakṣaṃ
brahmāsi / tvāmeva pratyakṣaṃ brahmāvādiṣam / ṛtamavādiṣam / satyamavādiṣam
/ tanmāmāvīt / tadvaktāramāvīt / āvīnmām / āvīdvaktāram / oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
�मत्रः भवतु–mitraḥ bhavatu - May Mitra be शं नः–śaṁ naḥ - a source of auspiciousness
to us. वरुणः–varuṇaḥ - May Varuṇa (be) शम ्–śam - a source of auspiciousness (to
us). अयमार्–aryamā - May Aryamā (be) शं नः–śaṁ naḥ - a source of auspiciousness to
us. इन्द्रः बह
ृ स्प�तः–indraḥ br̥ haspatiḥ - May Indra and Br̥ haspati (be) शं नः–śaṁ naḥ -
a source of auspiciousness to us. �वष्णःु उरुक्रमः–viṣṇu urukramaḥ - May Viṣṇu, the
Lord of long stride (be) शं नः–śaṁ naḥ - a source of auspiciousness to us. नमः
ब्रह्मणे–namaḥ brahmaṇe- Prostrations to Hiraṇyagarbha. वायो–vāyo - Oh Vāyu!नमः
ते–namaḥ te - Prostrations to you. त्वं एव अ�स–tvam eva asi - You alone are प्रत्य�ं
ब्रह्म–pratyakṣaṁ brahma - the perceptible Brahman. अवा�दषम ्–avādiṣam - I declared
त्वाम ् एव–tvām eva – Yourselfप्रत्य�ं ब्रह्म–pratyakṣam brahma - to be the perceptible
Brahman. अवा�दषम ्–avādiṣam - I declared ऋतम ्–r̥ tam - (You to be) right
understanding. अवा�दषम ्–avādiṣam - I declared सत्यम ्–satyam - (You to be)
truthfulness. तद् आवीद् माम ्–tad āvīd mām - He protected me. तद् आवीद् वक्तारम ्–tad
āvīd vaktāram - He protected the teacher. आवीद् माम ्–āvīd mām - He protected me.
आवीद् वक्तारम ्–āvīd vaktāram - He protected the teacher. ओं शािन्तः शािन्तःशािन्तः–om
śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ - Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!
May Mitra be a source of auspiciousness to us. May Varuṇa (be) a source of

auspiciousness (to us ). May Aryamā (be) a source of auspiciousness to us . May
Indra and Br̥ haspati (be) a source of auspiciousness to us. May Viṣṇu, the Lord of
long stride (be) a source of auspiciousness to us. Prostrations to Hiraṇyagarbha. Oh
Vāyu! Prostrations to you. You alone are the perceptible Brahman. I declared
Yourself to be the perceptible Brahman. I declared (You to be) right understanding.

I declared (You to be) truthfulness. He protected me. He protected the teacher. He

protected me. He protected the teacher. Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!
This is almost a repetition of the first śānti pāṭhawith only some slight changes. In
the first portion, the student glorified and sought the blessing of the Lord
(Hiraṇyagarbha).
Here, he says, O Lord, I glorified you seeking your protection in the beginning of
Śīkṣāvallī (past tense). Then, I asked for your protection and you blessed me. You
blessed the teacher also. The proof is that the teacher could teach this section
completely and we were able to attend the classes successfully. For your anugrahaḥ,
I am expressing my gratitude. Here also, Om śāntiḥ is chanted three times seeking
the removal of obstacles. Even though śravaṇam is successfully completed, it is not
the final sādhanā. We are yet to complete mananam and nididhyāsanam. We are
asking for the removal of obstacles for dharmajñāna nṣṭhā and subsequently,
brahmajñāna niṣṭhā. May you bless us all.
इ�त शी�ावल्ल�
Thus ends Śīkṣāvallī

Summary
Of the three chapters of this Upaniṣad, the first and the last concentrate on the
preparatory disciplines (jñāna yogyatā prāptiḥ) which will make the mind fit for
brahmajñānam. The second chapter focuses on jñāna praptiḥ - the attainment of
brahmajñānam. Without jñāna yogyatā, one can never get jñana. There is some
discussion of the Vedānta in the third chapter, but none in the first.
The first chapter begins with the śānti pāṭha like the other Upaniṣads. With the śānti
pāṭha, the seeker asks for freedom from obstacles. He also praisesthe respective
adhiṣṭhāna devatās to bless all the organs with fitness – jñānendriya, karmendriya,
prāṇa and antaḥkaraṇa - so that they are ready to pursue jñāna. The obstacles may
manifest because of our prārabdha karma (pūrva janma prārabdha doṣaḥ). We may be
able to handle known obstacles, but how do we handle the unknown and invisible
ones? The only method is to produce an invisible force that can negate them. Prayer
produces that invisible force. Therefore, the support for pursuit and the removal of
obstacles are sought through the well-known śānti pāṭha.
Since the Upaniṣad is in the prose form, the mantras are presented in paragraphs
known as anuvāka. Śīkṣāvallī has 12 anuvākas with the 1st and the 12th ones as the
śānti pāṭhas. The chapter can be broadly classified into four portions: karma yoga,
upāsanā, homa-sādhanā (homaḥ) and japa-sādhanā (japaḥ).
Karma Yoga Sādhanā

In simple language, we can call it the dhārmic or religious lifestyle. Karma yoga consists
of three disciplines which are all equally important:
• Mahā yajñas – the five-fold spiritual activities or refining exercises known as pañca
mahā yajñas:
o Deva yajña – spend time exclusively for prayer and worship in any form – it can
be as simple as offering flower and doing namskāra
o Pitr̥ yajña – the worship of the forefathers – living and the dead. If they are
alive, treating them properly, respecting them and offering namaskāra. If they
are not alive, worship them in the form of rituals such as śrāddha,tarpaṇa etc.

o Brahma yajña – express gratitude by worshipping the scriptures and their

authors. It can be in the form of ritual called Veda yajña or r̥ ṣi yajña, but should
not be limited to that. We must study the scriptures and align our lifestyle with
their instructions. Above all, the knowledge must be shared with the others.
StudyPracticeShare.
o Manuṣya yajña – this consists of all forms of social service
o Bhūta yajña – environmental protection with a reverential attitude. Mere
scientific activity cannot be called yajña;when we take care of the animals and
plants with reverence, it becomes yajña.
• Depending on the individual, the emphasis may vary. Depending on the personality
and resources, some may focus more on rituals, while some others on social service.
However, all yajñas must be performed at a minimum level. These yajñas are called
sāttvika karmāṇi, uttama karmāṇi, niṣkāma karmāṇi, nitya and naimittika karmāṇi.
• The second part of karma yoga is the acquisition of all the virtues (sadguṇaḥ
prāptiḥ). Chapter 16 of the Gītā describes it as daivī sampat – in simple language, it
is called sadgunāḥ. Śīkṣāvallī enumerates a few of them:
o Satyam – integrity – speaking the truth

o Śamaḥ – mental or thought discipline
o Damaḥ – the sensory discipline
o Tapaḥ – moderation in everything
o Dakṣiṇā – never take any services or goods for free. Even if you get something
free, the equivalent amount should be spent on a noble cause – that money
should not remain with you. Always give gurudakṣiṇa when you learn anything
from a teacher whether he/she requires it or not (ācāryapriyam dhanamāhr̥ tya).
Dakṣiṇā establishes the sense of fairness – if I get something, I should also give
something.
o Dānam – give to charity. Per our scriptures, at the time of death, our balance
sheets should show that we have given more than we have taken.
o Kuśalam – while doing good for the society, do not neglect your personal life and
family. The children of the neglected families crave for the attention of the
parents who are never available for them. Such negligence is an error (doṣa)
even if they are performing a great social service. If one wants to dedicate his
life to service, it is better that he remains a bachelor or takes upsannyāsī. If you
choose gr̥ hasthāśrama, you must allot quality time for the family. Financial

obligations to the family also must be first met before going for social service.
Charity begins at home. Be pragmatic.
The details for these are available in Chapters 13, 16, 17 and 18.
• Sad bhāvanā – healthy attitude towards everything in the creation:
o The general rule is that we should have reverential attitude towards everything
in the creation as the manifestation of God. This attitude starts with pañca mahā
bhūtāni, which extends to all the living beings and especially, mother, father and
guru. This is not stated in the Upaniṣad, but I am telling you: During Navarātri,
we worship the three Devis that represent three forces – Durgā stands for
health, Lakshmi for wealth and Saraswati for knowledge. We cannot enjoy any
two without the third one. Therefore, may you develop reverential attitude
towards your own health, wealth and books.
o Reverential attitude towards scriptures – they are valid sources of knowledge. If
we follow them, we will be the beneficiaries, but if we don’t, we will be the
losers. The scriptures do not lose anything. This attitude towards the scriptures
is called prāmāṇya bhāvanā. The three pramāṇas are:
 Śruti– the Vedas, which are believed to have been handed to us by God
 Smr̥ ti – the secondary scriptures created mahātmās to elaborate the Vedic
teaching through commentaries and stories
 Śiṣṭa ācāraḥ - the cultured way of life led by the enlightened people.
When there is a conflict between these pramāṇas, śrutī overrules the other two. When
there is a conflict betwēn smr̥ ti and śiṣṭa ācāraḥ, the former overrules the latter.
Karma Yoga will lead to the spiritualization of the mind. This means that the mind will
value spiritual goals over the material ones.
Upāsanā
Five types of Vedic meditation are prescribed in Śīkṣāvallī. All these upāsanās could be
easily practiced by the Vedic students of the past. The times have changed now. These
upāsanās need not be practiced by us because our mental make up is totally different.
We are studying this now only with academic interest. They can be replaced by purāṇic
upāsanās, which are in the form of meditation on Rama, Krishna, Devi etc. The five
upāsanās are:

• Saṁhitopāsanā – invoke various devatās on the combination of Vedic letters –

pūrvarūpam, uttararūpam, sandhiḥ and sandhānam. This is a group upāsanā where
20 devatas are invoked.
• Vyāhr̥ ti upāsanā – in which vyāhr̥ ti mantras are taken: bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, suvaḥ and
mahaḥ. Devatās are invoked in these four vyāhr̥ ti mantras. This is a group upāsanā
in which 16 devatās are invoked upon vyāhr̥ ti
• Hiraṇyagarbha upāsanā – meditation on the total mind using the individual mind as
the symbol (ālambanam). Sankaracarya points out that this upāsanā should be done
together with vyāhr̥ ti upāsanā; They should not be done separately. They are aṅga-
aṅgī upāsanās.
• Pāṅkta brahma upāsanā, wherein macrocosmic world was divided into three groups
of five members each. The individual (microcosmic) was also divided into three
groups of five members each. Fifteen macrocosmic members will be invoked upon
the 15 microcosmic ones. In this upāsanā, since each group has five members, it is
called pāṅktam (pāṅktam = pancānām samūhaḥ).
• The fifth is the popular oṅkāra upāsanā. Here Īśvara (Hiraṇyagarbha) is invoked.
The macro is invoked upon oṅkāra.
In general, upāsanā means meditation on God with attributes (saguṇa dhyānam

upāsanā). For any saguṇa dhyānam, we use a symbol, which is called ālambanam
(ekasmin ālambane saguṇadhyānam upāsanam iti ucyate).
The benefits of these upāsanās depends upon our motive (saṅkalpa). Religion can be
used for materialistic as well as spiritual purposes. We should remember that religion
and spirituality are different. Every religious person need not be spiritual, but every
spiritual person in our culture is religious. Rāvaṇa, Kaṁsa, Hiraṇyakaśipu etc. used
religion for power and control. When religion is used to acquire siddhi or miraculous
powers, it is a materialistic application. Never value religion associated with miracles or
vice versa. A materialistic person, religious or non-religious is a saṁsārī. Here, we are
interested in using the upāsanās for spiritual (inner) growth – citta ekāgrata (the
capacity to focus on the spiritual goal of life). If Bhagavan appears and grants me only
one boon, I should, without conflict, be able to choose moksa. If I can say that, my
priorities are clear [citta-ekāgratā sampādanārtham]. In addition to enhancing the
capacity to focus, these upāsanās are also used to expand the mind through thought on
the totality or samaṣṭi (citta-viśālatā)

HomaSādhanā
A special homa or fire ritual is prescribed in Śīkṣāvallī. It is a very popular homa, which
is practiced widely even now. It is called āvahantī homaḥ because the mantra begins
with the word āvahantī. Through this homa, the student asks for these fourbenefits:
• Dhana-prāptiḥ - Wealth
• Śuddhiprāptiḥ (jñāna-yogyatā-prāptiḥ) – Purity through wealth. Generally, people
think that money will sully the mind. The Vedas say that money by itself is neither
pure nor impure. Purity or impurity depends upon how the money is used. Using
money for gambling or other addictions causes impurity and thus, harmful to our
personality. Money used for pañca mahāyajña promotes purity. Any ritual or service
requires money. [Tamil: கல்லைறவைரசில்லைர ேதைவ - kallarai varai cillarai tevai –
money is needed till death]. Even for cremation, there is a lot of corruption, further
distressing the already grieving family. Never say that money will pollute. It will be
an insult to Lakshmi Devi if we say that money is evil. Money properly used will lead
to purity.
• Jñānaprāptiḥ - Puribty should lead to jñānam – jivātma-paramātma-aikya-jñānam.
[anuvāka 4: prativeśo’si pramā bhāhi pramā padyasva].
• Śiṣyaprāptiḥ - Once I have the knowledge, I seek śiṣyāḥ (disciples) with whom I can
share the knowledge. With this I perpetuate the paraṁparā, that started from
Sadāśiva and has continued up to my guru. Therefore, every śiṣya must play the
role of a guru. You must share whatever you know to perpetuate the tradition. The
student is praying that many students may come to him (āmāyantu brahmacāriṇaḥ
svaha). This brāhmaṇa had only one profession – i.e. learning and teaching and
therefore, this prayer is very relevant to him.
Japa Sādhanā
Japa means repetition of a mantra (mantra-āvr̥ ttiḥ japaḥ). If you chant it once, it is
pārāyaṇam. It can be a mantra or a nāma(name) of the Lord; repetition makes it a
japa. When this repetition of mantra is verbal (vācika), it is called japa, and when itis
mental, it is called dhyānam (this point is not in Śīkṣāvallī). Two japa-mantras are
prescribed in Śīkṣāvallī:
• Jñāna yogyatā prāptiḥ (anuvāka 4) - This is for the overall fitness of the body-mind-
sense complex – physical (śarīraṁ me vicarṣaṇam), sense organs (jihvā me

madhumattamā, karṇabhyām bhūri viśruvam) and most importantly, mental health.

If a personal has a sharp intellect, but emotionally unstable, a small disturbance will
irritate him. A person with a high IQ should have an EQ (emotional quotient) also. If
a person is emotionally healthy, but intellectually weak, (rational thinking capability),
he is not totally fit. The student is seeking medhā śakti - both emotional and
intellectual health - through this japa(samendrā medhayā spr̥ ṇotu).
• Jnāna prāptiḥ (anuvāka 10) –Mere repetition will not produce knowledge. Japa will
produce conditions for knowledge and opportunity for śravaṇam by providing the
guru, śāstras, time etc.
The above are the four main pre-requisites to brahmajñānam. The student expresses
gratitude to the Lord. The śānti pāthaḥfrom anuvāka 1is repeated with slight
modification in anuvāka 12 as Thanksgiving. With this,Śīkṣāvallīconcludes.

Class Notes on Brahmānandavallī
(Based the Classes of Swami Paramarthananda
Saraswati)
Transcribed by Madduri Rajyasri
Edited by V. Badrinath
Note: Swami Paramathananda has not verified the transcription of these talks.
The transcriptions have been done with Swamiji’s blessings by his discipeiples
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction and Śāntipāthaḥ ............................................................................................................... 1
2. Anuvāka 1.............................................................................................................................................. 8
3. Anuvāka 2............................................................................................................................................ 31
4. Anuvāka 3............................................................................................................................................ 42
5. Anuvāka 4............................................................................................................................................ 52
6. Anuvāka 5............................................................................................................................................ 61
7. Anuvāka 6............................................................................................................................................ 73
8. Anuvāka 7.......................................................................................................................................... 101
9. Anuvāka 8.......................................................................................................................................... 119
10. Anuvāka 9...................................................................................................................................... 146
11. Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 152

Swami Paramarthananda’s Classes on Taittirīyopaniṣad- Brahmānandavallī 1
1. Introduction and Śāntipāthaḥ
Introduction
The first and the third chapter of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad deal only with the preparatory
disciplines to obtain sādhana chatuṣṭaya sampattiḥ, only with which the student can get
the benefit of the study of the second chapter. The second chapter is the main chapter
wherein a comprehensive teaching of the Vedānta śāstra is given. Śaṅkarācārya has
given a beautiful commentary on this chapter.
The second chapter is known by three different names:
Brahmavallī – Each chapter of this Upaniṣad are named after the first word in it. The
chapter begins with the word Brahma and therefore, it is called Brahmavalli. The first
chapter starts with the word śīkśā and the third with bhr̥ gu and therefore, they are called
Śīkṣāvallī and Bhr̥ guvallī respectively.
Ānandavallī – A beautiful analysis of the nature of ānanda is given this chapter. This
analysis known as ānanda-mīmāṁsā answers the questions: What exactly is happiness?
What is the means of getting happiness? Thus, this chapter gets the name Ānandavallī.
Brahmānandavallī - Since this chapter begins with Brahma and it deals with ānanda
elaborately, it is called Brahmānandavallī.
Generally, the Upaniṣads have only one śāntipāṭhaḥ, but in this Upaniṣad, the
śāntipaṭhaḥ in the second chapter is different from that of the first. The śāntipāthaḥ of
the second chapter is repeated in the third also.
Introduction and Santipathah www.arshaavinash.in

शािन्तपाठः
Śāntipāthaḥ
ओं सह नाववतु I सह नौ भुनक्तु I सह वीय� करवावहै I तेजस्वी नावधीतमस्तु मा �वद्�वषावहै I ओं
शािन्तः शािन्तः शािन्तः II
oṃ saha nāvavatu / saha nau bhunaktu / saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai / tejasvī

nāvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai / oṃśāntiḥśāntiḥśāntiḥ
अवतु– avatu - May He protect नौ – nau - us both सह – saha - together (by giving
knowledge). भुनक्तु – bhunaktu - May he protect नौ – nau - us both सह – saha -
together (by giving the fruit of knowledge). सह करवावहै – saha karavāvahai - May we
both put forth वीयर्म ् – vīryam - (sufficient) effort. नौ अधीतम ् अस्तु – nau adhītamastu -
May our learning be तेजिस्व – tejasvi - effective. मा �वद्�वषावहै – mā vidviṣāvahai - Let us
not distance each other. ओं शािन्तः शािन्तः शािन्तः – om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ - Let there be
peace, peace, peace.
May He protect us both together (by giving knowledge). May he protect us both
together (by giving the fruit of knowledge). May we both put forth (sufficient)
effort. May our learning be effective. Let us not distance each other. Let there be
This śāntipāṭhaḥ has already been discussed in detail in Kaṭhopaniṣad and so, we will
present only the essence here. For the detailed explanataion refer to the lectures/notes
on Kaṭhopaniṣad.
This is a beautiful śāntipāṭhaḥ is specifically geared for a Vedāntic student. Unlike the
other śāntipāṭhaḥs which are general prayers, this one is designed specifically for
studying (the Vedānta).

Here, the student is praying to the lord, seeking five factors that are extremely important
for a Vedāntic student. They are rearranged for the sake of convenience.
Prayatnaḥ– Effort
सह वीय� करवावहै - saha vīryaṁ karavāvahai–mokṣa is not determined purely by the will of
God or fate, but obtained by my own sincere effort. So, strong faith in the free will is
required. Mokṣa is a puruṣārthaḥ which means that which is accomplished by one’s own
effort.
First, I ask the Lord to give me the knowledge.Then, effort is required to accomplish my
goal. I will put forth my effort only when I am convinced that my free will is required.
Otherwise, I may think erroneously that God knows what I need and He will give me
mokṣa when He thinks I am ready. The Upaniṣad says whether God knows or not, you
should know what is important for you. Otherwise, if you do not know, you will reject it
even if God is willing to give it to you. In other words, if you do not know what you
want, God will be helpless. Therefore, even before God decides, I must know what I want
and decide to work for it.
Then, I ask for the Lord for self-confidence and faith in myself so that I can put it in the
best effort (prayatnaḥ). Verse 6.5 of the Gītā teaches the importance of this self-faith.
This is more important than faith in God himself.
उद्धरे दात्मानात्मानंनात्मानमवसादयेत ्।
आत्मैवह्यात्मनोबन्धःु आत्मैव�रपुरात्मनः॥६.५॥
Uddharēd ātmanatmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayēt|
ātmaiva hyātmanōbandhuḥ ātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ||6.5||
One should uplift oneself by oneself. One should not lower oneself. For, the self
alone is the friend of oneself; the self alone is the enemy of oneself.
This faith in oneself is more important than the faith in God.

In summary, I ask the Lord to give me the knowledge that effort is required and the self-
confidence to put forth my effort.

Medhā Śakti – Grasping and Retention Power (grahaṇa-dhāraṇa śakti)
तेजिस्व नौ अधीतम ् अस्तु–tejasvi nau adhītam astu - A vedāntic student must study the
Vedānta for a length of a time because the teaching is given step by step in a systematic
fashion. It is like building a house: each brick must be laid one after another
systematically and cemented properly.The Vedānta can never be studied in one or two
classes. The length of the study depends on many factors.
To understand tat tvam asi (You are That), the central teaching of the Vedānta, one must
first study and understand the true nature of the individual (jīva), the universe (jagat)
and God (Īśvara) and their relationship. This is a gradual and step by step process where
concepts such as pañcakośa viveka, avasthātraya viveka etc. are tied with jīva;
sr̥ ṣṭi,pañcīkaraṇam etc., the jagat and the cause of the creation, Īśvara. Each class is built
on the concepts taught in the previous classes. Therefore, the student must be able to
remember what has been taught in the previous classes.
We call it class, and not lecture or discourse. A lecture or discourse can be on a stray
topic without a link to another lecture. One lecture may be on japa, another on
prāṇāyāma, and yet another on meditation without linking them. Since there is no
continuity in the topics discussed, one may choose to attend some lectures and skip the
others. From these, the knowledge is gained on disparate single topics.
In a class, every lecture is linked to the previous one. This means that the student must
grasp and retain the topics discussed in previous classes before he attends the next
class. For example, Taittirīyopaniṣad must be listened to after gaining the background in
Muṇḍaka, Kena, Kaṭha and Kaivalya.
Thus, a student must have the grahaṇa-dhāraṇa śakti, which is otherwise called medhā
śakti. We saw a prayer in Śīkṣāvallī in the 4thanuvāka asking for medhā śakti:
यश्छन्दसामष
ृ भो�वश्वरूपःI छन्दोभ्योऽध्यमत
ृ ात्सम्बभव
ू I समेन्द्रोमेधयास्पण
ृ ोतुI
yaśchandasāmṛṣabho viśvarūpaḥ / chandobhyo'dhyamṛtātsambabhūva / sa
mendro medhayā spṛṇotu
Through this śāntipāṭhaḥ, the student asks for medhā śakti: may whatever I have learned
be fresh and green in my memory.

Healthy Relationship
मा �वद्�वषावहै –mā vidviṣāvahai- The healthy relationship between the guru and the śiṣya
involves śraddhā and bhakti. The guru communicates the teaching with love and the
śiṣya receives it with faith and respect. Even if the student is unable to accept a certain
part of the teaching, he should give the benefit of the doubt to the teacher. He should
have the faith that the teacher is right and the inability to accept the teaching is due to
the deficiency in his own grasping power. He must set his doubts aside and address it
later at the appropriate time. This open-mindedness is called śraddhā.
Knowledge - Jñānam
सह नाववत-ु saha nāvavatu–The above three – effort, memory power and the healthy
relationship with the guru - must culminate in jñānam. Oh Lord! Let my effort, memory
power, guru-śiṣya-sambhanda - all culminate in jñānam (Jñāna pradhānena saha īśvaraḥ
mām avatu).
In a football game, the ability to pass the ball is important, but not sufficient; it must be
converted into a goal. Similarly, śraddhā, medhā śakthi, and relationship are important,
but not sufficient; they must culminate in knowledge. The student prays: please give me
jñānam.
The Benefit of Knowledge -Jñānaphalam
सह नौ भुनक्त-ु saha nau bhunaktu –Thisknowledge is not merely for academic interest,
but must result in a transformation in life. This knowledge will give me equanimity of
mind (samatvam) with which I can withstand the onslaught of prārabdha karma that
brings both positive and negative experiences in life. Samatvam is jñānaphalam.
Between jñānam and phalam, there are many obstacles. Obstacles are in the form of
negative emotions such as lust, anger, greed, delusion, arrogance and jealousy – kāma,
krodha, lobha, moha, mada and mātsaryam respectively. Gītā calls this group āsurī
sampat. In technical language, these are called kaṣāya, which means subtle or
subconscious rāga-dveṣas. With these obstacles, the knowledge will remain only at the
intellectual level and not absorbed into the emotional personality. The conversion of this
knowledge into emotional stability is called jñāna phalam or jñānaniṣṭhā. The water

from the tank does not flow until the “block” is removed by opening the tap. The
student prays: ‘Oh Lord! let me enjoy by helping me remove these emotional blocks.’
The śānti-pāṭhaḥ concludes.
The Upaniṣads are broadly divided into two categories: mantra Upaniṣads and
brāhmaṇa Upaniṣads. Mantra Upaniṣads are generally in metrical form, while brāhmaṇa
Upaniṣads are in prose form. Muṇḍaka and Īśāvāsya are mantra Upaniṣads while Praśna,
Br̥ hadāraṇyaka and Taittirīya are brāhmaṇa Upaniṣads. Since this is in a prose form, it is
presented in paragraphs called anuvāka. There are nine anuvākas in Brāhmānandavallī.

2. Anuvāka 1
ब्रह्म�वदाप्नो�त परम ् I तदे षाभ्यक्

ु ता I सत्यं �ानमनन्तं ब्रह्म I यो वेद �न�हतं गह
ु ायां परमे व्योमन ् I
सोऽश्नुते सवार्न ् कामान ् सह I ब्रह्मणा �वपिश्चते�त I
brahmavidāpnoti param / tadeṣābhyuktā / satyaṃ jñānamanantaṃ brahma / yo veda

nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ parame vyoman / so’śnute sarvān kāmān saha / brahmaṇā vipaściteti
ब्रह्म�वत–् brahmavit - The knower of Brahman आप्नो�त परम–् āpnoti param - attains the
infinite. तत–् tat - In this regard, एषा–eṣā - the following R̥g mantra अभ्युक्ता–abhyuktā - is
quoted – ब्रह्म– brahma - Brahman is अनन्तम–् anantam - infinite सत्यम–् satyam -
Existence �ानम–् jñānam - (and) Consciousness. सः यः वेद–saḥ yaḥ veda - The one who
knows (that Brahman) �न�हतम ् – nihitam - (which) resides गह

ु ायाम–् guhāyām - in the
intellect परमे व्योमन–् parame vyoman - within the supreme space (of the heart) अश्नुत–े
aśnute - fulfills सवार्न ् कामान–् sarvān kāmān - all (his) desires सह–saha - at once, �वपिश्चता
ब्रह्मणा इ�त–vipaścitā brahmaṇā iti - as the omniscient Brahman
The knower of Brahman attains the infinite . In this regard , the following R̥g
mantra is quoted – “Brahman is infinite Existence (and) Consciousness. The one
who knows (that Brahman which) resides in the intellect within the supreme space
(of the heart) fulfills all (his) desires at once, as the omniscient Brahman”
The Upaniṣad is divided into three portions:
Sūtra Vākyam–This is the first sentence that summarizes the entire teaching. Sūtra
vākyam means a pithy or an aphoristic statement in which the whole teaching is
condensed: ब्रह्म�वद्आप्नो�तपरम–् brahmavid āpnoti param
www.arshaavinash.in
Vr̥ ttiḥ - In the next portion, the capsule statement is slightly elaborated through a brief
commentary: तदे शाभ्यक् ु ता........�वपिश्चते�त–tadeṣābhyuktā…..vipaściteti
Vyākhyānam - The rest of the Upaniṣad is an elaborate commentary on the Vr̥ itti
Vākyam.
Sutra Vakyam–ब्रह्म�वद् आप्नो�त परम ् - brahmavid āpnoti param
ब्रह्म�वद् - brahmavid – Brahma jñānī - the knower of Brahman. Vid means jñānī, derived
fromthe root vid= to know.
आप्नो�त- āpnoti - a brahma jñānī attains. Attains what?
परम ्- param - the highest goal called parama puruṣārtha, otherwise called mokṣa.
The knower of Brahman attains mokṣa, which is the highest puruṣārtha. It is otherwise
called pūrṇatvam. He attains fulfilment and self-sufficiency in life; becomes free from all
of wants and misses nothing in life. Thus, param can be translated as purṇatvam or
mokṣa.
In simple English: brahmavid āpnoti parammeans brahma jñānī attains mokṣa.
From this we should derive the corollary that only a brahma jñānī attains mokṣa. All the
other people, however great they are, will only be saṁsārīs. Even the religious people
who perform elaborate rituals, if they do not obtain brahma jñānam, will remain as
ignorant, religious saṁsārīs (as opposed to irreligious saṁsārīs). Even a great upāsaka,
who meditates on various devatās and gains miraculous powers, will remain a upāsaka
saṁsārī if he does not obtain brahma jñānam.
There are infinite paths for the purification of mind - rituals, social service, pārāyaṇa,
bhajan, prāṇāyāma etc., but for but for mokṣa, knowledge is the only path (jñānāt eva
kaivalyam).
This capsule statement (brahmavid āpnoti param) leads to three questionswhich will be
answered in the following portion:
www.arshaavinash.in
What is Brahman?– kiṁ tad brahma? – If I should know Brahman for liberation, I should
know what it is.
How can I know Brahman?– kathaṁtasya vedanam? - What is the method of knowing
Brahman (brahma vedaḥ prākāraḥ)?
What do you mean by pūrṇatva or mokṣa prāptiḥ?- kā para prāptiḥ? - Unless I know
what is mokṣa, I will not seek it. Only because of ignorance of mokṣa, people seek
everything else. Few want mokṣa, and even among these, it is at the bottom of their
priority list. Even in the purāṇas, some bhaktas claim, ‘Oh Lord! I don’t want mokṣa. I
want to worship your feet permanently.”
These questions are answered by the vr̥ tti section.
Vr̥ttiḥ - Brief Commentary
सत्यं �ानम ् अनन्तं ब्रह्म–satyaṁ jñānam anantam brahma – the Upaniṣad answers the first
question (what is Brahman?) by giving this definition for Brahman. This is called lakṣaṇa
vākyam (lakṣaṇa means definition). It is a very important and popular definition.
यो वेद �न�हतं गह
ु ायां परमे व्योमन–् yo veda nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ parame vyoman – The
Upaniṣad answers the second question (how to know Brahman?). Brahman must be
known within oneself and not outside. Turn your search inward. Verse 2.1.1 of
Kaṭhopaniṣad says:
परािञ्चखा�नव्यतण
ृ त्स्वयम्भःू ,
तस्मात्पराङ्पश्य�तनान्तरात्मन ् I
किश्चद्धीरःप्रत्यगात्मानमै�द्,
आवत्ृ तच�ुरमत
ृ त्व�मच्छन ् II
Parāñci khāni vyatṛṇatsvayambhūḥ
tasmātparāṅ paśyati nāntarātman I
kaściddhīraḥ pratyagātmānamaikṣad,
āvṛttacakṣuramṛtatvamicchan II
www.arshaavinash.in
The Lord destroyed the sense organs (by making them) extrovert. Therefore, everyone
perceives outside, not the Ātmā within. Desiring immortality, a rare discriminative one
with withdrawn eyes sees the Ātmā within.
सोऽश्नुते सवार्न ् कामान ् सह Iब्रह्मणा �वपिश्चते�त - so’śnute sarvān kāmān saha / brahmaṇā
vipaściteti – The Upaniṣad answers the third question – what is mokṣa. It says that mokṣa
is equivalent to experiencing all sense pleasures simultaneously. A brahma jñānī attains
this.
तदे षाभ्यक्
ु ता –tadeṣābhyuktā - The Upaniṣad gives these answers by quoting a mantra
from R̥g Veda – satyam jñānam…..vipaściteti. Iti in the end means quotation.
Analysis of Lakṣaṇa Vākyam - Satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ brahma
Śaṅkarācārya writes a very elaborate commentary on this and the other commentators
such as Ānandagiri, Vanamāla, Acyuta, Tīrthānanda, Sureśvarācārya etc. have written
elaborate sub-commentaries. The essence of Śaṅkarācārya’s commentary is given here:
Brahman is satyaṁ jñānam anantam. The word Brahman means the big one. It is
derived from the root br̥ h - to be big. What does big mean? The word big is an adjective
and a relative term. The meaning of the adjective depends on the type of noun that
follows. In the words such as “a big mosquito” and “a big mountain”, there are diferent
dimensions. Not only the adjective governs the noun, the noun also governs the
adjective. They are mutually dependent. The Upaniṣad does not qualify Brahman with a
noun to indicate how big It is and and so we have to understand that It is infinitely big.
Anantam- Anantam (un-antam!) means the limitless one or infinite. The limitation can
be in three ways:
- Spatial limitation -deśa paricchedaḥ

- Timewise or temporal limitation -kāla paricchedaḥ
- Object-wise or attribute-wise limitation -vastu paricchedaḥ
Brahman is free of all these limitations – deśa-kāla-vastu-pariccheda-rahitam
www.arshaavinash.in
Spatial limitation - if an object is ina place, it cannot be in another place. If I am in this

hall, I cannot be at home. The presence in one place naturally means the absence in
another. Brahman is free from boundaries (deśa paricchedaḥ). It is not limited to a
location; It is all-pervading (sarva vyāpakam Brahma).
Timewise limitation - An object exists only in a finite time frame – for example, a person
is born on a specific date and dies on another specific date. Swami Chinmayananda
nicely said that everyone is dashing from womb to tomb. He did not exist before his
birth and will not exist after his death. Brahman is anantam - there was no time when
Brahman was not, and there is no time when Brahman will not be. In short, Brahman is
eternal (kāla paricchedaḥ rahitaḥ).
Objectwise limitation - Brahman is not limited by another object. It is a subtle idea. A clip
is an object and a clock is another object. The clip is not a clock, and the clock is not a
clip. This means that clip enjoys only clip-ness, the clock only clock-ness. Thus, the clip
has a limitation because it can only enjoy clip-ness only and not clock-ness or any “ness”
that belongs to a man, chair or a table.The man-ness in a man deprives him of all the
other “nesses”. Therefore, enjoying a “-ness” is a limitation. This limitation (vastu
paricchedaḥ) will be existent so long as there is a second object. For Brahman to be free
of this limitation, there must not be a second object. In other words, Brahman must be
non-dual (advitīyam). Thus, Brahman is without a second because It is free of objectwise
limitation (vastu pariccheda rahitatvam means advitīyam).
Satyam: Before analysing the meaning of Satyam, let us understand the general
meaning of the word “word”. Each word reveals a specific object. The word “chair” or
“pen” immediately brings the respective image in our mind. Thus, a word and the
corresponding object are interconnected. Since the Vedas use many words to
communicate, the analysis of verbal communication is important in the śāstras.
Every word has a primary meaning (mukhya arthaḥ), which is commonly understood. A
word can also have various secondary or implied meanings (lakṣya arthaḥ) depending
on the context. There are various types of secondary meaning, but we will address a
type that is popularly used:
If I ask you, “what is the length of Ganga?”, you will reply, “it is 2000 or 2500 miles”. So,
our understanding here is that Ganga is a lengthy river that originates from the
Himalayas beyond Gomukh and flows through the northern part of India towards east
and reaches the ocean (Ganga sāgaram). The entire range of the river is understood
www.arshaavinash.in
here. That is the primary meaning of the word.If I say, “I took a bath in Ganga” you don’t
imagine that I took a dip all over Ganga. Here, contextually, Ganga means a part of the
river (ekadeśaḥ) in Kāśī or R̥ ṣīkeś etc. In the context of the length, we take the meaning
to be the whole of Ganga (pūrṇa padārtha) and in the other context, we only take a part
(ekadeśa padārtha).
Let us further analyze the following sentences:
I bought a mango – here, the meaning is – I bought the whole mango with seed, pulp,
skin etc.
I ate a mango– I ate only the edible part of the mango.
What is the cost of constructing the hall? – It means the whole hall.
He is sitting in the hall - he only occupies a small place in the hall.
Normally the word “I” means the whole individual consisting of the physical, subtle,
causal bodies, jñānendriyas, karmendriyas, Ātmā etc. Let us analyze the following
sentences:
I saw a movie- refers only to my jñānedriyas (eyes and ears) and the mind
I am fat - refers only to the physical body.
I am happy- refers only to the mind.
I was born - refers only to the physical body (mind is never born, we carry with us from
birth to birth)
The above sentences take the secondary meaning of “I” as a part of the whole (ekadeśa
aham). The general rule for arriving at the right meaning is – first, weapply the primary
meaning and if it does not fit, we remove the part that does not apply. In the sentence,
“I ate a mango”, we mentally knock off the seed, but we include it in the sentence, “I
bought a mango. We do not require elaborate teaching for when the seed should be
included or excluded; our intellect filters it according to the context. If mukhyārthaḥ
does not fit in, use lakṣyārthaḥ. This method of implication where we take only a part of
the whole object is called bhāga-tyāga-lakṣaṇaḥ.
www.arshaavinash.in
With this concept in mind, let us analyze the word satyam. If the primary meaning fits,
we will take it; if not, we will try the secondary meaning.
Primary meaning: Satyam means an existent object – watch, book, hall etc. In fact, the
entire waking world (jāgrat prapañcaḥ) is satyam. The dream object (svapna padārthaḥ)
is asatyam because it is not existent. Satyam Brahma means that any existent object is
Brahman. This is the primary meaning.
However, when we take the primary meaning, we run into some contradictions. Any
existent object is limited by time and space, but the Upaniṣad has defined Brahman as
limitless (anantaṁbrahma).The primary meaning does not seem to fit properly.
Therefore, we apply the bhāga-tyāga-lakṣaṇa method to find the appropriate secondary
meaning. We do this effortlessly every moment – for example, leave out the seed in “I
ate mango”, but take the seed in “I planted a mango”. We should apply the same logic
in analyzing the word satyam:
Every existent object consists of three components:
• Name (nāma) - table, chair, pen etc.

• Form (rūpa) - shape or form or a specific property that defines that object.
• Existence (satta) – we normally consider only the above two in defining an object.
This component is generally ignored because it is invisible. This should be an
adjective – a man is existent man, a fan is existent fan etc. With this adjective, every
object has three components.
Here, the word satyam primarily means the composite object (vastu) with all three
attributes – nāma, rūpa and satta. The primary meaning will not apply here because
nāma is limited timewise and spatially and rūpa has attribute-wise limitation. They are
both not limitless (anantam) and so, we need to find the appropriate secondary
meaning.By removing these limiting components, we are left with satta which is present
in a pot, a man, the moon, the stars and every object in the creation. Therefore, satta is
anantam – it is nāma-rūpa-rahita in every object; nāma and rūpaparts (aṁśa) are
filtered out in the secondary meaning. In short, an existent object is the primary
meaning of satyam and existence part is its secondary meaning.
Per the Vedānta, satyam has the following features (same as Consciousness):
www.arshaavinash.in
• Existence is not part, product or property of an object

• Existence is an independent entity that pervades the object and makes it existent
• Existence is not limited by the boundaries of the object
• Even if the object is destroyed, Existence continues to exist.
• The continuing Existence cannot be recognized because there is no medium to
manifest it. In our light example, when the hand is removed, the light continues
to exist, but there is no medium for manifestation.
Therefore, the word satyam means pure, independent Existence which is eternal and all-
pervading. Ananta satta is the meaning of satyam.
To indicate that this Existence is not polluted by nāma and rūpa, we will use the capital E
in Existence. This is also to indicate that it is not a property, but an independent entity
which is very difficult to conceive. Ultimately, when you understand Existence as a noun
instead of as an adjective, you will understand the Vedānta.
In summary, anantaṁ satyaṁ brahma is limitless Existence:
Lakṣaṇa used: bhāga-tyāga lakṣaṇa

Rejected parts: nāma and rūpa
Retained part: satta (Existence)
The same idea Sankaracharya conveys in the first line of Verse 3 of Dakṣiṇāmūrty Stotra:
यस्यैव स्फुरणं सदात्मकमसत्कल्पाथर्कं भासते

yasyaiva sphuraṇaṃ sadātmakamasatkalpārthakaṃ bhāsate
By This Throb Alone, which is of the Nature of Eternal Underlying Awareness,

the Unreal Forms get their Meanings and Appear over the Mind
Everybody experiences Brahman all the time in the form of Existence because It is all-
pervading: the “is-ness” is Brahman. We must have the orientation towards the Vedānta
for a length of time before we can assimilate this abstract concept of Existence as a
noun.
www.arshaavinash.in
Jñānam - The primary meaning of jñānam is knowledge which implies the knowledge
of an object or another – eg; pot, table, man, womanetc. The word knowledge is
followed by the question – knowledge of what? Also, the knowledge exists in our mind
in the form of thought. Knowledge occurs when we cognize an object in the form of
thought (vr̥ tti), which is mental modification. When I look at a clock, it enters my mind
through the eyes, and cognition (vr̥ tti) occurs through a mental modification. When
there is no mental modification, no cognition takes place – the sense organs will be
open, the mind does not have the required thought modification (vr̥ tti parimāṇaḥ).
Knowledge (jñānam) in the form of thought is limited in nature and therefore, it cannot
be called the the limitless Brahman. Pot knowledge is limited because it is not cot
knowledge. The knowledge is limted time-wise, location-wise and attribute-wise.
Location-wise means it happens only in one mind. If it is not so, if one person in a family
learns something, it should be sufficient; the rest of them need not learn anything. Thus,
the primary meaning does not fit in this context and therefore, we must find a
secondary meaning to arrive at limitless knowledge.
Before we apply the bhāga-tyāga-lakṣaṇa method, we will first understand what

constitutes knowledge. Knowledge in mind also has three components:
• Name (nāma) – same as we saw in object

• Form (rūpa) – same as we saw in object
• Awareness or the Consciousness principle (cit or caitanyam)– while we understand
the first two components, we generally recognize this third component. When I say
that I have pot knowledge, I am conscious of the pot. When I say I have man
knowledge, I am conscious of the man.
Thus, the object has nāma, rūpa and satta, while the knowledge has nāma, rūpa and
caitanyam. To arrive at caitanyam as the meaning for jñāna, we must filter out nāma
and rūpa which are finite. We will retain Consciousness (caitanyam) because it is infinite
(anantam) because many cognitions come and go, but Consciousness always remains.
Many thoughts arrive and depart, but I, the conscious being remain being aware of each
thought. That Consciousness is eternal (anantam).
Consciousness also has the following features:
• Consciousnessis not part, product or property of an object
www.arshaavinash.in
• Consciousness is an independent entity that pervades the object and makes it

existent
• Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of the object
• Even if the object is destroyed, Consciousness continues to exist.
• The continuing Consciousness cannot be recognized because there is no medium
to manifest it. In our light example, when the hand is removed, the light
continues to exist, but there is no medium for manifestation.
To summarize,
Jñānam– pure Consciousness – nāma-rūpa-rahita caitanyam

Satyam–pure Existence – nāma-rūpa-rahita satta
Therefore, Brahman is satyam Jñānam anantam (sat-cit-anantam) - limitless, Existence,

Consciousness principle.
How to know Brahman? - Yo veda nihitaṁ guhāyām parame vyoman
We know electricity is present in all the cables, but to know whether there is power, one
can to test it only in the electrical outlet. Similarly, Brahman is limitless and all pervading,
but must be recognized in the mind. In whose mind? I can recognize It only in my mind
and not someone else’s. Therefore, the Upaniṣad says:
गह
ु ायां �न�हतं ब्रह्म वेद- guhayaṁ nihitaṁ brahma veda - Brahman must be known as
available (nihitam) in the mind (guhā). Where is this mind located? Per the scriptures,
the mind that belongs to sūkṣma śarīram resides in the physical heart of the sthūla
śarīram (hridaye manaḥ vartate).
परमे व्योमन-् parame vyoman–the inner space (vyoman) in the sacred (parame) heart –
the mind pervades this space. Brahman resides in the mind. The heart is sacred because
it is the residence of Brahman (brahma stānatvat) just as a temple is holy because of the
presence of the deity. One must recognize Brahman in them in the mind.
A seeker can have a crucial question: How should I know that Brahman in my mind?
Many meditate for a long time and learn to arrive at the blank mind devoid of thoughts.
After that they do not know what to do – they wait for Brahman to appear (and give
darśanam). The Upaniṣad says that you will never get Brahma darśānam because It is
www.arshaavinash.in
not an object of knowlege. Brahman is ever the subject (experiencer) and never an
object of experience.
Negate everything that you experience starting with all the sense objects that you
experience because they are all limited by time, space and attribute – they are not
Brahman. Negate your own body because it also has the same limitations – therefore, it
is not Brahman. Negate the thoughts in the mind because they are also limited. After
negating everything, what is left is Brahman. The mistake we commit is, that after
negating everything, we look for Brahman to be the residual object. What is left after
negating everything is the observer, the one who is aware of the blank mind. In reality,
themind is really not blank; it is pervaded by me, the Consciousness principle.
Thus, I, the witness, am satyam-jñānam-anantam. I am the witness of the presence as

well as the absence of thoughts.
What do you mean by attaining the greatest? - so’śnute sarvān kāmān

saha / brahmaṇā vipaściteti
सः–saḥ - means the brahmajñānī, one who knows Brahman. He knows that he is
Brahman (aham brahma asmi iti jānāti).
सवार्न ् कामान ् सह अश्नुत-े sarvān kāmān saha aśnute – kāmaḥin this context means the
material or worldly happiness (viṣaya ānanda or anātma sukham). The brahmajñānī
gains (aśnute)all the material happiness.
When we encountervarious sense objects (viṣaya),we experience the corresponding

pleasures. When we eat nice things, smell a perfume or hear music, we experience
pleasure. These are called viṣaya ānanda which is refrerrd to as kāma here. This
brahmajñānī attains all sense pleasures (sarvān kāmān) possible in the world. The
Upaniṣad seems to give an unbelievable promise because it is impossible for one to
experience in his lifetime, all the sense pleasures - śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa, and gandha
– available not only in bhūloka but in the other six higher lokas (bhuvarloka, suvarloka
etc.). Even if all the pleasures are available to him, one cannot experience each distinct
pleasure because there is not enough time in his life to experience each pleasure
individually one at time.
www.arshaavinash.in
सह –saha–The Upaniṣaddrops another bombshell. It says that the brahmajṇānī

experiences all these pleasures simultaneously (saha). The experience is not sequential
(kramataḥ). One commentator calls this akramataḥ. How is it possible?
ब्रह्मणः- Brahmaṇaḥ - The Upaniṣad says that he gets all the pleasures in the form of
brahmānanda (brahmānanda rūpeṇa sarvān viṣayānandān prāpnoti) which means
infinite ānanda. Thus, he gets all the finite worldly pleasures in the form of infinite
ānanda. Through brahmajñānam, he gets brahmānanda (ātmānanda) in which all the
finite viṣayānandas are included. This means that any fulfillment he may receive through
viṣayānanda, he gets it through brahmānanda. The Upaniṣad implies that by achieving
brahmānanda, the craving for viṣayānanda goes away. The Bhāgavad Gītā presents it
nicely in verse 2.46:
यावानथर्उदपानेसवर्तःसम्प्लुतोदके|
तावान्सव�षुवेदेषुब्राह्मणस्य�वजानतः|| २- ४६||
yāvānarta udapānē sarvataḥ samplutōdakē |
tāvān sarvēṣu vēdēṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ || 2.46 ||
For a wise Brāhmin (the benefit available) in all the Vedās is the same as the
benefit (available) in a pond when there is flood everywhere
When he can get a lake full of pure water, why should he run after the Corporation
water?
What is the proof that brahmānanda includes viṣayānanada? Lord Krishna borrows from
this Upaniṣad (sarvān kāmān) and gives the answer in verse 2.55 of the Gītā that
vairāgyam is the indication of pūrṇa ānanda prāpti:
श्रीभगवानुवाच।
प्रजहा�तयदाकामान्सवार्न्पाथर्मनोगतान ्।
आत्मन्योवात्मनातष्ु टःिस्थतप्र�स्तदोच्यते॥२ -५५॥
śrībhagavānuvāca
prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha manōgatān |
ātmanyēva''tmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadōcyatē || 2.55 ||
www.arshaavinash.in
The Lord Answered – Oh Arjuna! satisfied in himself by himself, when one

gives up all the desires obtaining in the mind, then, he is said to be (a man)
of firm knowledge.
Thus, I get the fulfillment (tr̥ pti) that includes all tr̥ ptis (saha saṁpūrṇaḥ bhavati, tr̥ ptaḥ
bhavati, santuṣṭaḥ bhavati). This pūrṇatvam(fulfilment) is para prāpti.
ब्रह्मणा �वपिश्चत–brahmaṇā vipaścita - Vipaścita means all-illuminating Consciousness

(sarva prakāśakam). It illumines the entire world. Through this all-illuminating
Consciousness, one attains total fulfillment and subsequently, the freedom from all
expectations in the world (sarva kāma nivr̥ tti). This will be explained more later.
इ�त- iti - indicates the end of R̥gveda mantra and the end of vr̥ tti.
Hereafter, the elaborate commentary (vyākhyāna granthaḥ) will be given on all the three
questions.
Other notes:
1. Tadeṣābhyuktā–this is neither sūtra vākyamnor vr̥ tti. It is an introduction to vr̥ tti.

The Upaniṣaddeclares that it is going to quote a R̥gmantra in the form of a brief
commentary on the sūtra vākyam.
2. The witness of the presence as well as the absence of thoughts is called vr̥ tti
bhāva abhāva sākṣī – this witness must be recognized as Brahman in one’s own
mind. This sākṣi caitanyam is not objectively experienced; it must be claimed as I
am – sākṣi caitanya rūpa aham eva brahma asmi.
3. After a full meal (“eaten up to the neck”), even the sight of food will give nausea.
Even though the amount of food consumed is not visible, the vairāgyam for food
indicates that the person is full. Extend it to the mind also – when one gets
fulfillment in the form of brahmānanda, viṣayānanda will look trivial to him.
तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः संभूतः I आकाशाद्वायुः I वायोरिग्नः I अग्नेरापः I अद्भ्यः प�ृ थवी I
प�ृ थव्या ओषधयः I ओषधीब्योऽन्नम ् I अन्नात्पुरुषः I स वा एष पुरुषोऽन्नरसमयः I तस्येदमेव �शरः I
अयं द��णः प�ः I अयमुत्तरः प�ः I अयमात्मा I इदं पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
www.arshaavinash.in
tasmādvā etasmādātmana ākāśaḥ saṃbhūtaḥ / ākāśādvāyuḥ / vāyoragniḥ / agnerāpaḥ /

adbhyaḥ pṛthivī / pṛthivyā oṣadhayaḥ / oṣadhībyo’nnam / annātpuruṣaḥ / sa vā eṣa
puruśo’nnarasamayaḥ / tasyedameva śiraḥ / ayaṃ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ / ayamuttaraḥ
pakṣaḥ / ayamātmā / idaṃ pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā / tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
आकाशः – ākāśaḥ - Spaceसंभत

ू ः–saṁbhūtaḥ - is born. आकाशाद् वायःु –ākāśāt vāyuḥ - From
space, air (is born). वायोः अिग्नः–vāyoḥ agniḥ - From air, (fire is born). अग्नेः आपः–agneḥ
āpaḥ - From fire, water (is born). अद्भ्यः प�ृ थवी–adbhyaḥ pr̥ thivī - From water, the earth (is
born). प�ृ थव्याः–pr̥ thivyāḥ - From the earth, ओषधयः–oṣadhayaḥ - plants (are born).
ओषधीभ्यः–oṣadhībhyaḥ - From plants, अन्नम–् annam - food (is born). अन्नात ् पुरुषः–annāt
puruṣaḥ - From food, the human being (is born). सः पुरुषः–saḥ puruṣaḥ - That human
being, अन्नरसमयः–annarasamayaḥ - made up of the essence of food, वै एषः–vai eṣaḥ - is
indeed this (body). इदम ् एव तस्य�शरः–idam eva tasya śiraḥ - This is its head. अयं द��णः
प�ः–ayaṁ dakṣiṇah pakṣaḥ - This is the right side. अयम ् उत्तरः प�ः–ayam uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ
- This is the left side. अयम ् आत्मा–ayam ātmā - This is the Ātmā (the central part). इदं
पुच्छम–् idaṁ puccham - This is the lower part प्र�तष्ठा–pratiṣṭhā - which is the support. तद्
अ�प–tad api - In this regard, भव�त एषः श्लोकः–bhavati eṣaḥ ślokaḥ - there is the following
R̥gmantra.
Space is born. From space, air (is born). From air, (fire is born). From fire, water (is
born). From water, the earth (is born). From the earth, plants (are born). From
plants, food (is born). From food, the human being (is born). That human being,
made up of the essence of food, is indeed this (body). This is its head. This is the
right side. This is the left side . This is the Ātmā (the central part). This is the lower
part which is the support. In this regard, there is the following R̥gmantra.
www.arshaavinash.in
We will now go through the vyākhyāna granthaḥ which gives elaborate answers
to the three questions.
What is Brahman?
Brahman is satyam-jñānam-anantam – limitless Existence-Consciousness
This definition itself is further clarified in this portion through the discussion of creation
or cosmology (sr̥ ṣṭi prakaraṇam). The Upaniṣad re-introduces Brahman as the cause of
the creation. Brahman was introduced before as satyaṁ jñānam anantam and now it is
being introduced as jagat kāraṇam. The previous portion is called svarūpa lakṣaṇam and
this portion is called tatsta lakṣaṇam.
Brahman is the cause of the universe. This means that everything in the creation, without
exception, is born out of Brahman. The Upaniṣad gives Brahman a new name Ātmā. It
says Brahmātmā is the cause of universe (jagat kāraṇam).
Generally, the creation of a product (kārya) requires a material cause (upādāna kāraṇam)
as well as an intelligent cause (nimitta kāraṇam). To produce a piece of furniture, the
material cause wood as well as the intelligent cause carpenter is required. However, only
satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ Brahman was existent before creation according to Chāndogya
Upaniṣad (2.2.1):
सद्एव सौम्य इदमग्र आसीत ् एकमेवद्वतीयम ्

Sad eva saumya idamagra āsīt ekamevadwitīyam
My dear boy, there was only a single Reality existing in the beginning
Then what type of cause is Brahman?
Verse 1.1.7 of Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad clarifies this with the statement that Brahman uniquely
both the material and the intelligent cause (abhinna nimitta upādāna kāraṇam):
यथोणर्ना�भःसज
ृ तेगह्
ृ णतेच, यथाप�ृ थव्यामोषधयःसंभविन्त I
यथासतःपुरुषात्केशलोमा�न, तता�रात्सम्भवतीह�वश्वम ् II
www.arshaavinash.in
yathorṇanābhiḥ sṛjate gṛhṇate ca, yathā pṛthivyāmoṣadhayaḥ saṃbhavanti yathā

sataḥ puruṣātkeśalomāni, tatākṣarātsambhavatīha viśvam
Just as the spider creates and withdraws (its web), just as trees are born on the
earth, just as the hairs on the head and the body (grow) from a living person, in
the same manner, the universe is born here out of Brahman.
Though not mentioned here, we have to note that in this context, we are focusing only
on Brahman as the material cause. This aspect alone is relevant to this context. Brahman
is the material cause from which the universe emerges, rests, and into which it resolves.
This is akin to the material cause gold, from which the ornament emerges, rests, and
into which it resolves. Although Brahman is mentioned as kāraṇam, Its creative power is
called śakti, which is inseparable from It, just as our power to create a dream world is
intrinsically with us. This śakti (vikṣpa śakti or sr̥ ṣṭi śakti) is called māyā. We do not
separate māyā from Brahman because they are not. Power is non-separate from the
powerful (We donot say Swamiji and his talking power are coming; the latter is included
in the former).When we say Brahman is jagat kāraṇam, it means māyā śakti yukta
brahma (Ātmā) is the jagat kāraṇam.
Brahman created the five elements (bhūta sr̥ ṣṭi) first and then the elementals (bhautika
sr̥ ṣṭi). The five elemets also were also created in a specific: the subtlest element ākāśa
(space) to the grossest pr̥ thivī (earth). The order of creation is: ākāśa (space), vāyu (air),
agni (fire), jalam (water) and pr̥ tihivī (earth). Perceptibility by the sense organs is the
measure of the subtlety of the element. Pr̥ thivī is the grossest element because it has all
the five properties (pañca guṇāni) that can be perceived by all the sense organs through
śabda (sound), sparśa (touch), rūpa (sight), rasa (taste) and gandha (smell). The following
is the order from the grossest to the subtlest:
Pr̥ thivī - śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa and gandha-5 guṇas

Jalam - śabda, sparśa, rūpa, and rasa - 4 guṇas
Agni - śabda, sparśa andrūpa - 3 guṇas
Vāyu – śabda and sparśa - 2 guṇas
Ākāśa – śabda - 1 guṇa
तस्माद्वा - tasmādvā- from that Brahman that we defined as satyaṁjñānam anantam,
एतस्माद आत्मन- etasmād ātmana – which is none other than sākṣi caitanyam (Ātmā)
www.arshaavinash.in
आकाशः संभत
ू ः–ākāśaḥ saṁbhūtaḥ - the space element with one guṇa is born. Thus, it is
very clear that Brahman is even subtler than ākāśa because Brahman has no guṇa as
stated by verse 1.3.15 of Kaṭhopaniṣad:
अशब्दमस्पशर्मरूपमव्ययं,
तथारसं�नत्यमगन्धवच्चयत ् I
अनाद्यनन्तंमहतःपरं ध्रव
ु ं,
�नचाय्यतन्मत्ृ युमुखात्प्रमुच्यते II
aśabdamasparśamarūpamavyayaṃ,
tathārasaṃ nityamagandhavacca yat
anādyanantaṃ mahataḥ paraṃ dhruvaṃ,
nicāyya tanmṛtyumukhātpramucyate
This (Brahman) is soundless, touchless, colorless, tasteless, smell-less,

beginningless, endless, decayless, deathless, changeless, and beyond mahat.
Having clearly known that (Brahman), one is totally freed from the jaws of death.
Thus, Ātmā or Brahman is attribute-less (nirguṇa). Therefore, it is subtler than the

subtlest. If I can appreciate space, the subtlest element, then I am ready to appreciate
Consciousness. Per the Vedānta, ākāśa is a positive entity. It is not the absence of matter
because an absent thing need not originate.
If Brahman was there even before ākāśa, what is Its location? It is a mind-boggling
concept. Location pre-supposes space; in other words, location is possible only with the
existence of space. When we cannot conceive of the location of space itself, how can we
conceive of something subtler than space? There is no answer to the question: where is
Ātmā?
आकाशाद्वायःु - ākāśad vāyuḥ - from space (ākāśa), , air (vāyu) is born. Vāyu has two guṇas
- śabda and sparśa – and therefore, it is grosser than ākāśa. Vāyu can be felt by the
body(when you sit under the fan).
www.arshaavinash.in
वायोरिग्नः –vāyoragniḥ - from the vāyutattvam, agni, the fire principle is born. It has three
guṇas - śabda, sparśa and rūpa.
अग्नेरापः –agnerāpaḥ - from the fire principle water (āpaḥ) is born. Āpaḥhas four guṇas
with the addition of taste to the other three guṇas. Water has got its own taste – the
tasteless taste. Only by tasting it, we can say it is tasteless.
अद्भ्यः प�ृ थवी–adbhyaḥ pr̥ thivī - from āpaḥ, pr̥ thivī is born. Pr̥ thivī literally means the
earth, but in this context, pr̥ thivī is the generic representation of (upalakṣaṇam) for all
solid matter.
We have discussed pañca bhūta sr̥ ṣṭi up to this point. Per Tattva Bodha, the creation of
subtle elements took place first and then through pañcīkaraṇam (grossification), the
gross elements were created it. Subtle elements are responsible for the creation of the
subtle body and the gross elements for the gross body. Thus, the above must be read
twice – once for subtle and again for gross creation.
प�ृ थव्याः ओषधयः–pr̥ thivyāḥ oṣadhayaḥ - Now we will see the creation of the elementals.
From the earth (gross elements) where the atmosphere is conducive to origination of
life, the plant kingdom is born.
ओषधीभ्यः अन्नम–् oṣadībhyaḥ annam - out of the plant kingdom, food is born. From this
it becomes clear that according to the Upaniṣad, food is vegetarian. It is therefore,
advisable to be a vegetarian.
अन्नात ् परु
ु षः- annāt puruṣaḥ - the physical body (puruṣaḥ) is born from the food.
Puruṣaḥhas several meanings including Ātmā. Therefore, the Upaniṣad clarifies that it is
the physical body in the next statement:
स वा एष पुरुषः अन्न रसमयः- sa vā eṣa puruṣaḥ annarasamayaḥ - in this context puruṣaḥ

means the physical body born out of anna rasam. How does annam produce the body?
It enters the male body and becomes the seed (śukram). It enters the female body and
becomes the egg (śoṇitam). At the time of conception, the seed (śukra-rūpa-annarasaḥ)
and the egg (śoṇita-rūpa-annarasaḥ) jointo produce the body. The child’s body is the
product (mayaḥ) of these two annarasams and therefore, it is called anna rasamayaḥ.
www.arshaavinash.in
Thus, the Upaniṣad has discussed the process of the creation of elements (pañca
bhūtāni) and the physical body (bhautika śarīram). Of course, many more things are
created, but they are not relevant for us in the context of this discussion.
Corollaries
Some ideas are hidden and not explicitly mentioned; they must therefore be extracted.
Brahman is satyam–We can say that the kāraṇamis inherent in all the kāryams -
kāraṇam kārye anusyūtataya. Gold is inherent in all the ornaments, Wood in all
furniture, clay in all earthenware etc. Thus, it means that when we perceive a kāryam, we
have no choice but to perceive the kāraṇam. For example, the perception of an
ornament presupposes the perception of gold. Swami Dayananda Saraswati nicely said
that people have inherent wisdom that wood is inherent in all furniture when they say,
“touch wood” [example, his elderly father is healthy). They touch any available furniture
without going in search of wood.
Thus, since Brahman is the kāraṇam and the whole creation is kāryam, when I appreciate
the kārya prapañca (creation), I should appreciate the inherent kāraṇa Brahma also.
Let us analyze what is inherent in all the creation. Swami Vidyāraṇya begins with this
topic in Pañcadaśi. There is only one thing that is inherent in all things. When we say“fan
is”, or “table is” or “man is”, the inherent thing us “is”, which Existence. Thus, we arrive at
an important law: the kāraṇam appears in the kāryam as the existence of kāryam -
kāraṇam kārye satta rūpeṇa pratīyate.Gold expresses in all the ornaments in the form of
“is-ness”. How do you prove that? Remove the gold, ornament loses its existence.
Remove the wood, furniture loses its existence. Therefore,kāraṇam alone lends existence
to kāryam. This is how Brahman is appreciated in everything.

yasyaiva sphuraṇaṃ sadātmakamasatkalpārthakaṃ bhāsate
By This Throb Alone, which is of the Nature of Eternal Underlying Awareness,

the Unreal Forms get their Meanings and Appear over the Mind
www.arshaavinash.in
What is the best definition of Brahman? That which is available in the form of existence
in and through all the kāryam. Therefore, Brahman, the kāraṇam is satyam,the pure
Existence (kāraṇam = sat) – kāraṇatvāt brahma satyam.
Brahman is jñānam - We can never talk about the existence of a thing without being
conscious of that thing. Pot existence presupposes pot knowledge. We cannot talk
about the existence of anything at any time if we we do not know about it. Therefore,
Existencepre-supposes Consciousness:
- Pot-existencepresupposes pot-consciousness
- Man-existence presupposes man-consciousness
- Pure Existencepresupposespure Consciousness
If Brahman is satyam, it must be jñānam. Being the kāraṇam, it is satyam and being
satyam, it is jñānam.
Brahman is anantam–The ornament is not a substance separate from gold. Otherwise,

we can separate an ornament from gold. Ornament is a new name of gold just as
furniture is just a new configuration of wood. Therefore, no product has substantial
existence; it can exist only in name and form. In other words, kāraṇam alone is the
substance and kāryam is not. Chāndogya Upanisad states in 2.1.4:
वाचारम्भणं �वकारो नामधेयम ्

vācārabhanam vikāro nāmadheyam
Any product is only a name; no new substance can ever be created. Even scientifically,
matter can never be created. Creation is nothing but configuration or reshaping of the
existing substance. Therefore, there is no substance other than Brahman. Since there is
no second limiting substance, Brahman is anantam brahma. (dvitīyasya vastunaḥ
abhavat brahmaṇaḥ advitīyavat brahma anantam bhavati).
Thus, through sr̥ ṣṭi, we have established that Brahman is satyaṁjñānam anantam.
How to know Brahman?– The brief answer given in the vr̥ tti portion: Yo veda nihitaṁ
guhāyām parame vyoman - Brahman must be recognized as the witness Consciousness
in one’s mind.
www.arshaavinash.in
Even though Brahman is all pervading, for recognition it is available in one’s own mind,
not in the form of fleeting thoughts, but as the non-arriving, non-fluctuating
Consciousness which illumines the arrivals and departures of all thoughts. The
Consciousness principle is aware of even the gap between the departure of a thought
and the arrival of another. This witness Consciousness is Brahman which is in the mind
of all. I should not search for the witness Consciousness in my mind, because I, the
searcher am the searched witness Consciousness. The only way to know Brahman is to
understand that I, the ātmā am the witness Consciousness -sākṣi caitanya rūpa ahaṁ
brahma asmi.
Elaborate Commentary
This section elaborates the answer to the question: How to know Brahman as I, the sākṣi
caitanyam?
स वा एष परु
ु षोऽन्नरसमयः I तस्येदमेव �शरः I अयं द��णः प�ः I अयमत्ु तरः प�ः I अयमात्मा I इदं
पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
sa vā eṣa puruṣo'nnarasamayaḥ / tasyedameva śiraḥ / ayaṃ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ /

ayamuttaraḥ pakṣaḥ / ayamātmā / idaṃ pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā / tadapyeṣa śloko
bhavati
Upto savā eṣa puruṣo’nnarasamayaḥ, is sr̥ ṣṭi prakāraṇam. The next topic starts from
tasyedameva śiraḥ.The next topic is: How to know Brahman - brahma vedana prakāraḥ.
The Upaniṣad is presenting a method of knowing Brahman (brahma vedana prakāraḥ). It

is called Pañca-kośa viveka prākriya.Pañca-kośa viveka means the discrimination of the
five sheaths of personality (pañca kośa).Prākriya means method. Taittirīya Upaniṣad
which is well known for this method will present this in detail from the 1st through the
5th anuvāka.
Methodology used
Brahman can never be objectified and therefore, we have only one method to know
Brahman, i.e. to know Brahman as I am – ahaṁ brahma asmi. The word “aham” does not
refer to the body-mind complex. We must raise the level of “I” to the subtlest and the
www.arshaavinash.in
most abstract witness Consciousness: I am Brahman in the form of the witness

Consciousness – sākṣi caitanya rūpa ahaṁ brahma asmi.
This witness Consciousness is the most abstract thing. It is not a part, product or
property of a body.It is not limited by the dimensions of the body. Therefore, it is an
inconceivable and intangible entity that formless, odorless, colourless, tasteless and
touchless. The challenge is to raise the level of the current identification with grossest
physical body to the subtlest Consciousness. I cannot raise this level in one sweep, just
as I cannot climb the dais in one step. To reach the dias, one must climb one step at a
time.Similarly, to reach a higher goal, one must set intermediary goals and then achieve
them one at a time until the final goal is achieved. The mind must be raised in this
manner from the grossest level to the subtlest level. Pañca-kośa prākriya provides the
method for the incremental refinement of the mind.
This method is analogous to a popular method known as Arundhati darśana nyāya. It is

said that sage Vaśiṣṭa and his wife Arundhati were an ideal couple. In a Vedic wedding,
the newly married bride must see the star Arundhati so that this couple can also be ideal
like Vaśiṣṭa and Arundhati. It is not easy to see Arundhati because it is a very small and
subtle star. The priest first directs the bride’s attention to the moon first, then a smaller,
but a grosser star and then to Arundhati. Pañca-kośa viveka applies the same method to
refine the mind.
Imagine there are five steps to reach the top of the dais. The intermediary goal is the
first step. Although the top of the dais is the destination, his focus must not be on it, but
must be 100% on the first step. After stepping on first rung and stabilizing himself, his
goal now is the second rung (not the top of the dias). He must now give full attention to
the second step. Now the first step is no longer the goal (sādhyam), but is the means
(sādhanam) for the goal of the second step. Repeating this process, in the final stage,
the fifth step becomes the sādhanam for the top of the dias, which is the ultimate
sādhyam.
In the same way, the pañca kośaswill be taken as intermediate goals in this sequence:
annamaya kośa, prāṇamaya kośa, manomaya kośa, vijñāmaya kośa and ānandamaya
kośa. Beyond the pañcakośas is Ātmā, the destination. The Upaniṣad first presents
annamaya kośa, the first intermediate goal, as Ātmā. Once you have focused completely
and stabilized in this stage, it asks you to focus on the next goal, prāṇamayaas Ātmā.
Now, annamaya is no longer Ātmā, the destination, but becomes anātmā, the means.
When manomaya becomes Ātmā, prāṇamaya becomes anātmā.Thus, each kośa is made
www.arshaavinash.in
Ātmā first and then negated as anātmālater. Using this process, the mind becomes more
and more refined from the ability to grasp only the gross and tangible to grasp the
abstract and intangible. When we reach ānandamaya, everything is reduced to
potentiality (kāraṇatattvam or avyaktatattvam) – it is no more tangible. It must now be
understood as the subtlest and unmanifest form of matter (avyaktatattvam). Once this is
achieved, you areready for the introduction of the Consciousness principle, which is
different from matter. It is the witness of the ever-changing matter principle.
तस्य –tasya - means annamayaĀtmā (not annamaya kośa). We are experts in this
because all our transactions are based on this assumption. There are so many features,
but be aware of your physical features.The Upaniṣad says that there are five distinct
features:
इदम ् एव �शरः- idam eva śirah - that which is on the top, above the shoulders. This is the
head of annamayaĀtmā (imagine the teacher pointing to the head)
अयं द��णः प�ः–ayaṁ dakṣinaḥ pakṣaḥ - (the teacher shows that) this is the right hand or
the right side of Ātmā.
अयम ् उत्तरः प�ः- ayam uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ - this is the left hand side.
अयम ् आत्मा–ayam ātmā – means the central part or torso - below the head and above
the navel between the two hands. This is the annamayaĀtmā.
इदं पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा–idaṁ pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā - idam means below the naval - the hip down to
the feet, which provides support (pratiṣṭhā) for the body. Pucchamliterally means the tail
(which hangs below the body).
Thus,śiraḥ, dakṣiṇaḥpakṣaḥ, uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ, ātmā and pratiṣṭhā are the five features of
annamayaĀtmā. Focus on yourself as annamayaĀtmā.
तद् अ�प एषः श्लोकः भव�त- Tad api eṣaḥ ślokaḥ bhavati - thefollowing R̥gmantra writes
notes upon the annamayaĀtmā. This is useful for steadying our vision. It prescribes a
form of upāsanā in which we visualize and understand our annamaya Ātmā well.With
this we can steady ourselves. Śloka means R̥gmantra.
www.arshaavinash.in
3. Anuvāka 2
अन्नाद्वै प्रजाः प्रजायन्ते I यः काश्च प�ृ थवी��श्रताःI अथो अन्नेनैव जीविन्त I अथैनद�पयन्त्यन्ततः I
अन्न��ह भूतानां ज्येष्ठम ् I तस्मात ् सव�षधमुच्यते I सव� वै तेऽन्नमाप्नुविन्त I येऽन्नं ब्रह्मोपासते I
अन्न��ह भत
ू ानां ज्येष्ठम ् I तस्मात्सव�षधमच्
ु यते I अन्नाद्भत
ू ा�न जायन्ते I जातान्यन्नेन वधर्न्ते I
अद्यतेऽित्त च भूता�न I तस्मादन्नं तदच्ु यत इ�त I
annādvai prajāḥ prajāyante / yaḥ kāśca pṛthivīgṁśritāḥ / atho annenaiva jīvanti /

athainadapiyantyantataḥ / annagṁhi bhūtānāṃ jyeṣṭham / tasmāt sarvoṣadhamucyate /
sarvaṃ vai te'nnamāpnuvanti / ye'nnaṃ brahmopāsate / annagṁhi bhūtānāṃ jyeṣṭham
/ tasmātsarvoṣadhamucyate / annādbhūtāni jāyante / jātānyannena vardhante /
adyate'tti ca bhūtāni I tasmādannaṃ taducyata iti I
प्रजाः–prajāḥ - (All) beings, याः काः च –yāḥ kāḥ ca - which are �श्रताः–śritāḥ - based on
प�ृ थवीम–् pr̥ thivīm - the earth, वै प्रजायन्ते –vai prajāyante - are indeed born अन्नात–् annāt -
out of food. अथो–atho - Moreover, जीविन्त–jīvanti - they live अन्नेन एव –annena eva - by
means of food alone. अथ अन्ततः –atha antataḥ - And finally, अ�पयिन्त–apiyanti - they
merge एनत–् enat - into this (food alone). अन्नं�ह–annaṁ hi - Food is indeed ज्येष्ठम–्
jyeṣṭham - the first भत

ू ानाम–् bhūtānāmamong the beings. तस्मात–् tasmāt - Therefore,
उच्यते–ucyate - it is said to be सव�षधम–् sarvauṣadham - the medicine for all. ते–te - Those
ये उपासते –ye upāsate - who meditate on अन्नं ब्रह्म –annaṁ brahma - food as Brahman वै
आप्नुविन्त –vai āpnuvanti - certainly attain सवर्म ् अन्नम ् –sarvam annam - all food. अन्नं �ह–
annaṁ hi - Food is indeed ज्येष्ठम–् jyeṣṭham - the first भूतानाम–् bhūtānām - among the
beings. इ�त–iti - Thus (ends the R̥gmantra ). भूता�न जायन्ते –bhūtāni jāyante - (All) beings
areborn अन्नात–् annāt - out of food. जाता�न–jātāni - Those that are born वधर्न्ते–vardhante
- grow अन्नेन– annena - by food. अद्यते–adyate - (Food) is eaten (by the beings) च अित्त –
www.arshaavinash.in
ca atti - and (food) eats भूता�न – bhūtāni - the beings. तस्मात ् – tasmāt - Therefore, तद्
उच्यते – tad ucyate - it is said to be अन्नम ् – annam - annam. इ�त – iti - Thus (ends the
R̥gmantra).
(All) beings, which are based on the earth, are indeed born out of food. Moreover, they live
by means of food alone. And finally, they merge into this (food alone). Food is indeed the
first among the beings . Therefore, it is said to be the medicine for all . Those who meditate
on food as Brahman certainly attain all food . Food is indeed the first among the beings .
Thus (ends the R̥gmantra ). (All) beings are born out of food . Those that are born grow by
food. (Food) is eaten (by the beings ) and (food) eats the beings . Therefore, it is said to be
annam. Thus (ends the R̥gmantra).
In this anuvāka, the R̥gmantra talks about annamayaĀtmā (not kośa). The Upaniṣad says
that the physical body is known as annamayabecause it is a product of annam. Maya
means a product. Svarṇamaya ābharaṇammeans an ornament made of svarṇam (gold) -
maya is kāryam and svarṇam is kāraṇam (material cause).
Material cause+ maya = the effect
The intelligent cause (goldsmith) is not relevant here [it is not

“goldsmithmaya”ābharaṇam]. The suffix maya is added only to the material cause and
not the intelligent cause. Thus, annamayaĀtma means that the body is born out of
annam, the material cause.
Annam literally means food, but here, it means matter. The gross universe with five
elements (pañca bhūta prapañca) constitute matter, which alone is the cause of the
product pañca bhautika śarīram. If the gross universe is comparable to the ocean, the
body is comparable to a wave. The body is made up of elements and chemicals and so
is the universe of matter. Thus, the body is born of annam (the universe), survives in it
and ultimately goes back to it after death. Therefore, the gross universe is called annam
and the gross body is called annamaya.
प्रजाः–prajāḥ - all the physical bodies - the annamayaĀtmās
www.arshaavinash.in
अन्नात ् प्रजायन्ते- annāt prajāyante - are born out of gross matter. For iron deficiency,
you cannot directly eat iron to overcome it; the iron content must come in the form of
food. The gross matter must be converted into consumable food. In that form, the body
is born. What type of being?
यः काश्च प�ृ थवी��श्रताः–Yaḥ kāśca pr̥ thivīgṁśritāḥ - all the beings - insects, plants, animals,
human beings - which reside on the earth are born out of annam. Therefore,annam is
the sr̥ ṣṭi kāraṇam for annamaya.
अथो अन्नेनैव जीविन्त- atho annenaiva jīvanti - the body survives only because of the
gross universe. After sr̥ ṣṭi (atho), annam becomes sthiti kāraṇam also (annena eva
jīvanti).
Thus,annam is the sr̥ ṣṭi, sthiti and laya(upādāna) kāraṇam and annamayaĀtmā is the
kāryam.
What is the uniqueness to be appreciated here? Kāryam and upādānakāraṇam are

essentially one and the same. Gold, the kāraṇam and the ornaments, the kāryam are
essentially one and the same even though we use different names like bangle, ring,
chain etc. Thus,annamayaĀtmā(viśva) and annam, the virāt śarīram (universe) are
essentially one and the same. The microcosm and the macrocosm are one and the same.
The wave and the ocean are essentially one and the same. The Upaniṣad then glorifies
annam:
अन्नम ् �ह भूतानां ज्येष्ठम-् annam hi bhūtānām jyeṣṭham - annam (virāt śarīram), being the
kāraṇam, existed before all the bodies were born. Kāraṇam existed before the arrival of
kāryam and therefore, kāraṇam is called jyeṣṭham, which means the elder one. In a
family jyeṣṭha putra (eldest son) existed before the arrival of others. Annam, the
kāraṇam (infinite) must pervade annamaya (kāryam) that is finite. Therefore, it is called
annam brahma (virāt śarīram) – brahma means all-pervading. Therefore, one must
meditate upon the glory of annam. Therefore, in our tradition, food is respected.
[Jyeṣṭha bhrātā pitr̥ samaḥ - the elder brother is equal to the father]
तस्मात ् सव�षधम ् उच्यते- tasmāt sarvauṣadham ucyate - annam is called sarva oṣadham.
Oṣaḥ means fire; it is derived from the word uṣwhich means to burn. Oṣaḥ is that which
burns (things). There are two types of agni – external and internal. The internal fire is
hunger; it is called by different names in Sanskrit: vaiśvānaraagni, jaṭhara agni, samāna
www.arshaavinash.in
agni etc. Therefore, food is offered as oblation to this agni (prānāyaḥ svāhā). If the
hunger is not quenched with food, inner stomach will be burned with this agni, leading
to ulcer. Hunger is also called āśaḥ, the inner fire, the digestive juices that consists of
acids such as hydrochloric acid. Without food, these acids will burn the protective lining
of the stomach. Oṣadham (food) quenches or satisfies the jaṭharāgni (dham means
extinquisher) – oṣaṁdhāyati it oṣadham - that which extinguishes the inner fire in all
living beings. Therefore, annam is sarva oṣadham.
In summary, in this anuvāka, the Upaniṣad is leading us to meditate upon annam, the
kāraṇam (kāraṇa-anna-dhyānam or samaṣṭi-anna-dhyānam). It first glorifies annam
because we can meditate on something with reverence only when we understand its
glory. May you meditate upon annam with these four glories (caturvidha vibhūti yukta
anna brahma upāsanam kuru):
o Kāraṇatvam – the cause of all beings - sarva annamaya kāraṇam

o Brahmatvam- the material cause (kāraṇam) is inherent in all the products
(kāryam). Therefore, kāraṇam is all pervading. Therefore, annam is sarvagatam.
In Sanskrit, sarvagatam is called Brahma
o Jyeṣṭhatvam - since annam is the kāraṇam, it must have existed before the arrival
of all kāryam. Therefore, chronologically, annam is elder to all the
annamayaĀtmā. In our tradition, the elder brother is equal to father (jyeṣṭha
bhrātā pitr̥ samaḥ).
o Sarvauṣadhatvam–without food, the inner fire (vaiśvānara agni) will burn away
the stomach. Thus, annam “heals” by satisfying the hunger
How can I visualize this all-pervading matter or annam? My mind is too small to
visualize this samaṣṭi annam (also called Virāt Īśvara or Vaiśvānara Īśvara) and therefore,
I require a symbol (ālambanam).
The Upaniṣad suggests the use of your own physical body (annamaya) as the symbol for
the samaṣṭi annam. The individual body (vyaṣṭi annamaya) is called Viśva and the
samaṣṭi annam is called Virāt. May you visualize Virāt upon Viśva(viśva-virāt-aikya-
upāsanam kuruor annamaya-aikya-upāsanam kuru)
ये उपासते अन्नं ब्रह्म–ye upāsate annaṁ brahma–those who meditate upon annam
brahma (with annamaya as the symbol)
www.arshaavinash.in
ते वैसवर्म ् अन्नम ् आप्नुविन्त–(they) will definitely get plenty of food; they will never starve.
Through thismeditation, we get two types of benefits (phalam) depending on the

motive:
Sakāma upāsanā–This meditation done with materialistic motive produces materialistic

phalam. The benefit that the meditator will receive is plenty of food. He will never
starve in life.
Niṣkāma upāsanā–with spiritual progress as the goal of this meditation, you wil refine
the mind. When you visualize the totality, your mind expands and the narrow
divisiveness of state, country, continent etc. departs. You arrive at the correct vision: I am
a being. Viewing samaṣṭi, not as mere matter, but as Brahman, the Lord, gives focus,
purification and expansion of the mind (citta-ekāgratā, citta-śuddhi and citta-viśālatā). In
short, it results in jñāna-yogyatā-prāptiḥ, which is the necessary qualifications for
brahmajñānam.
The Upaniṣad now concludes this anuvāk:
अन्नं �ह भूतानां जयेष्ठम ्–annaṁ hi bhutānāṁ jyeṣṭham - so annam is the eldest among all
the living beings. Puruṣasūktam says:
तस्मात ् �वराडजायतI �वराजो अ�धपरु

ू षःI
सजातो अत्य�रच्यतI पश्चात्भ�ू ममथो परु ःI
tasmāt virāḍajāyata / virājo adhipūruṣaḥ
sajāto atyaricyata / paścātbhūmimatho puraḥ.
Puraḥ means all the bodies; only after the birth of Virāt, all the other bodies (beings) are
born.
तस्मात ् सव�षधमुच्यते- tasmāt sarvauṣadam ucyate–therefore, it is called sarvauṣadham.
अन्नात ् भूता�न जायन्ते- annāt bhūtāni jāyante - these are repetitions for confirmation. All
beings are born out of annam. Bhutānimeans the physical bodies (sthūla śarīram).
Annam is sr̥ ṣṭi kāraṇam.
www.arshaavinash.in
जाता�न अन्नेन वधर्न्ते- Jātāni annena vardhante - the physical bodies grow only because
of annam. So annam is also sthiti kāraṇam.
अद्यतेइ�तचभूता�न- adyate iti ca bhūtāni - finally the derivation of the word annam is
given. It is derived from the word ad which means to eat or to consume (bhakṣaṇe). Why
is food called annam? Annam is the eater as well as the eaten. What does it mean? In
the initial stages, we consume matter (earth or annam) in the form of food to grow.
After death, the physical body is buried in or cremated on the earth. Thus, the physical
body mingles into the earth. Thus, the earth becomes the eater of the body. We, the
eater of the earth (converted into food) will eventually be eaten by the earth after death.
Therefore,adyate iti annam - that which is consumed by people is annam; adi ca- that
which is the consumer of the living beings. Thus,annam is also the laya kāraṇam.
तस्मात ् तद् अन्नम ् उच्यते- tasmāt tad annam ucyate– therefore, the entire world of matter
is called annam.
इ�त- iti - indicates the end of the R̥gmantra.
Other notes
- Annam is entire physical matter or the physical universe and annamaya is only a
transformed version of the physical universe.
- Annam, the macrocosm (upādāna kārṇam) and annamaya, the microcosm
(kāryam) are essentially the same because the elements and chemicals that
constitute them are the same. Thus, there is a kārya-kāraṇa sambandha (vyṣṭi-
samaṣṭi sambandha) between them.
तस्माद्वा एतस्मादन्नरसमयात ् I अन्योऽन्तर आत्मा प्राणमयः I तेनैष पूणःर् I स वा एष पुरुष�वध एव I
तस्य पुरुष�वधताम ् I अन्वयं पुरुष�वधः I तस्य प्राण एव �शरः I व्यानो द��णः प�ः I अपान उत्तरः
प�ः I आकाश आत्मा I प�ृ थवी पच्

ु छं प्र�तष्ठा I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
tasmādvā etasmādannarasamayāt / anyo'ntara ātmā prāṇamayaḥ / tenaiṣa pūrṇaḥ / sa
vā eṣa puruṣavidha eva / tasya puruṣavidhatām / anvayaṃ puruṣavidhaḥ / tasya prāṇa
eva śiraḥ / vyāno dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ / apāna uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ / ākāśa ātmā / pṛthivī
pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā / tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
www.arshaavinash.in
वै–vai - In fact, प्राणमयः आत्मा –prāṇamayaḥ ātmā - prāṇamaya is the Ātmā अन्तरः–
antaraḥ - which is interior to अन्यः–anyaḥ - (and) different तस्माद् एतस्माद् अन्नरसमयात ् –
tasmād etasmād annarasamayāt - from this annamaya. एषः पूणःर् –eṣaḥ pūrṇaḥ - This
(annamaya) is filled तेन–tena - by that (prāṇamaya). सः एषः वै –saḥ eṣaḥ vai - This
(prāṇamaya) also पुरुष�वधःएव–puruṣavidha eva - is of human form only. अयं पुरुष�वधः –
ayaṁ puruṣavidhaḥ - This (prāṇamaya) is of human form अनु–anu - in keeping with
पुरुष�वधताम ्–puruṣavidhatām - the human formतस्य–tasya - of that (annamaya). प्राणः एव
–prāṇaḥ eva - Prāṇa indeed तस्य �शरः –tasya śiraḥ - is its head. व्यानः द��णः प�ः –
vyānaḥ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ - Vyāna is the right side. अपानः उत्तरः प�ः–apānaḥ uttaraḥ
pakṣaḥ - Apāna is the left side. आकाशः आत्मा –ākāśaḥ ātmā - Samāna is the central part.
प�ृ थवी पुच्छम ् –pr̥ thivī puccham - Udāna is the lower part प्र�तष्ठा–pratisṭhā - which is the
support. तद् अ�प –tad api - In this regard, भव�त एषः श्लोकः–bhavati eṣaḥ ślokaḥ - there is
the following R̥gmantra.
In fact, prāṇamaya is the Ātmā which is interior to (and) different from this
annamaya. This (annamaya) is filled by that (prāṇamaya). This (prāṇamaya) also
is of human form only. This (prāṇamaya) is of human form in keeping with the
human form of that (annamaya). Prāṇa indeed is its head. Vyāna is the right side.
Apāna is the left side. Samāna is the central part . Udāna is the lower part which is
the support. In this regard, there is the following R̥gmantra.
So far, we have seen that annamayam, the individual body and annam, the universe
outside itare essentially the same; they are both made of matter. Both are
pañcabhautikam. In the body as well as outside it, there is earth, fire, air, water and
space. Once I practice this meditation for some time, I come to know that, really
speaking, there is no death for the body. The physical body is born out of the pañca
bhūtas, is made up of pañca bhūtas during its life and then, ultimately goes back to
pañcabhūtas after death. When the wave is destroyed, it continues to exist in the form of
www.arshaavinash.in
the ocean. Therefore, there is temporarily a seeming separation. Before its birth and
after its destruction, the wave is the ocean. Even during its existence as a wave, it is still
non-different from the ocean, only with a distinct name and form. Therefore, there is no
such thing called destruction.
The fear of death is born out of delusion. It is because of over-identification with the
form to such an extent that I miss the truth that only form varies, but the content
continues to be eternally present. The variation of form is the law of nature, because
nothing can remain in the same shape all the time. In the last several decades, my
physical body has not remained in the same shape. The more I meditate upon the
content, the matter, the less I will be concerned with the destruction of the form. With
the nāma-rūpa dr̥ ṣṭi, fear of death will be present and with the content dr̥ ṣṭi, the fear of
death will diminish. Stronger the identification with the body (deha-abhimāna), the
stronger will be the ego and stronger the ego, the greater will be the fear of death. With
the content dr̥ ṣṭi, my ego becomes weaker and hence, my fear of death. Thus,
annamaya-anna-aikya-upāsanā helps in losing the deha-abhimāna, which is a great
obstacle to Ātmajñānam. Verse 12.5 of the Bhagavad Gītā says:
क्लेशोऽ�धकतरस्तेषाम ्अव्यक्त्तासक्तचेतसाम ्।
अव्यक्त्ता�हग�तदर् ःु खंदेहव�द्भरवाप्यते॥१२.५॥
klēśō'dhikatarastēṣām avyaktāsaktacētasām|
avyaktā hi gatirduḥkhaṃ dēhavadbhiravāpyatē || 12.5 ||
Difficulties are more for those people whose minds are committed to (the pursuit
of) the unmanifest (Brahman), for the goal of unmanifest (Brahman) is attained
with difficulty by the people of bodily attachment.
If the deha-abhimāna is strong, visualize the death also (maraṇa upāsanam kuru). When
the wave resolves into ocean, we do not grieve for thirteen days. It is one of the most
natural events that do not require sorrow. So long as the delusion (bhrānti) is there, all
these become big events. Even when I am not worried about my death, I am worried
about that of the people around me. We should see the death of every physical body as
the most natural event that requiresno adverse reaction. Death itself does not cause
disturbance, but it is I who empowers death to cause disturbance. If I can clearly
assimilate that, then I am ready to put my foot on to the second step of the staircase.
We are in the first step of annamaya ātmā. How long should I be here? It depends upon
www.arshaavinash.in
the person. For some, it may take many births. The Vedānta says: take your own time,
but attempt to drop the deha-abhimāna.
The Upaniṣad said in the previous anuvāka, annamaya is the Ātmā. Now it says that it is
not and that it is something different from annamaya:
तस्माद् वा एतस्माद् अन्नरसमयात ्अन्यः – tasmād etasmād annarasamayāt anyaḥ - it is

different from annamaya
अन्तरःआत्माप्राणमयः –antaraḥ ātmā prāṇamayaḥ - prānamaya is the Ātmā that is within

the annamaya. It is subtler than annamaya and interior to it. Annamaya is gross and
tangible; it is the anatomy of the body. Prāṇamaya is the physiological system that is
subtler than the body. It deals with the functions that are not tangible. It is a power
(śakti) that is always subtler than the object that exhibits the power.
Now we have put our foot on the second step of the staircase. Once on the second step,
we should leave the first. If we continue to keep a foot on the first step, we will never
fully be on the second. This journey is not physical, but intellectual in the form of
understanding.
Let us analyze what our understanding is:
Anātma - Once prāṇamayabecomes the Ātmā, annamayaceases to be Ātmā. I then give

it a new name: anātmā (annamayasya anātmā niścayaḥ). Now, we use the word kośa.
Anātmā and kośaare synonymous.
Kāryam–In thefirst anuvāka, the Upaniṣad mentioned that the everything in the creation
is born out of Ātmā: tasmāt etasmād ātmana ākāśa sambhūtaḥ. This means every
anātmā is a product of Ātmā. If annamaya is anātmā, it is also a product of Ātmā.
Thus,annamaya is kāryam (kāryatva niścayaḥ)
Nāma-rūpa - Any kāryam is only a name and form and not a substance. The ornament
isonly a name and form, while gold is the substance. The weight of the ornament is the
weight of gold. A goldsmith can never produce an ounce of matter – he only
reconfigures the already existent gold into an ornament:
yat kāryam tat nāma rupatkam
www.arshaavinash.in
vācārambhanaṁ vikāro nāmadheyam
Thus, annamaya is anātmā; therefore,it is kāryam and therefore, it is nāma-rūpa (nāma-

rūpatva niścayaḥ).
Mithyā–Since a kāryam is only a nāma-rūpa, it does not have an independent existence.

A bangle nāma-rūpacannot exist independently from gold. The dependently existent
nāma-rūpa is called mithyā (mithyātva niścyaḥ).
Pravilāpanam–Anything that is not independently existent is as good as non-existent. If

a person is beautiful because of make-up, he/she is not truly beautiful without the
make-up (borrowed beauty= no beauty). Seeing this absence of intrinsic existence is
called the resolution of mithyā.
When I have the vision of clay in a pot, the vision of the pot is lost. I am no longer
absorbed in the nāma-rūpa aspect. When I see the wood in the wooden elephant,the
elephant is as good as being absent. Therefore,the kārana dr̥ ṣṭi resolves the kāryam. This
is called pravilāpanam. Thus, annamaya is resolved by me, by the understanding that
there is no substance called annamaya (annamayāya pravilāpanam prāṇamaye).
To summarize: annamayasya anātmā niścayaḥ, kāryatva niścayaḥ, nāma-rūpatva

niścayaḥ, niścayaḥ, mithyātva niścayaḥ and pravilāpanam niścayaḥ.
I have swallowed annamaya and now prāṇamaya is the Ātmā. Now, I mustmeditate on
prāṇamaya for a length of time, chasten my intellect further and then take the next to
manomaya as Ātmā (prāṇamaya nāma-rūpatva niścayaḥ, mithyātva niścayaḥ and
pravilāpana). Similarly, manomayais also eventually swallowed just as the dream world is
swallowed when you wake up. By following this process for all the five kośas (pañca kośa
viveka), the entire creation must be swallowed and in the end, only you must remain.
This is a big voyage.
Now we are in prāṇamayaĀtmā. Where does this prāṇamayaĀtmā reside? It resides

within the annamaya kośa. Therefore,annamaya is the container and prāṇamaya is the
content (annamaya is the śarīram and prāṇamaya is the śarīri;annamaya is the dehaḥ
and prāṇamaya is the dehiḥ).
www.arshaavinash.in
एष पूणःर् तेन–pūrṇaḥ eṣatena–this (annamaya), the container is filled with that

prāṇamayaĀtmā, the content. Prāṇamayais Ātmā in this stage and will become a kośa
only when you make manomaya, the Ātmā in the next stage. The Upaniṣad says that
annamaya, the solid physical body has its own shape (puruṣa akāraḥ). Prāṇamaya being
the physiological function (energy body), does not have its own shape. It takes the
shape of the physical body it is in – i.e. puruṣa or manuṣya akāraḥ.
सवाएषपुरुष�वधएव- sa vā eṣa puruṣavidha eva - prāṇamaya also has the manuṣya akāraḥ.
So long as prāṇaremains within this body, it will have this shape. After death, prāṇamaya
will take the shape of the next body. Thus, its shape is determined by annamaya.
तस्यपुरुष�वधताम ्अनु- tasya puruṣavidhatām anu–In conformance with (anu) the human
shape of the container, the content prāṇamaya also takes the human shape.
The prāṇamayain the human shape has five parts - the head, the right side, the left side,
the middle and the lower portion.
तस्य प्राणःएव�शरः- tasya prāṇa eva śiraḥ - for the prāṇamayaĀtmā, the prāṇa, the
respiratory system takes the place of the head because it is the most prominent and
important function among the five components of prāṇamaya: prāṇa, apāna (the
excretory system), vyāna (the circulatory system), samāna (the digestive system) and
udāna (the reversing system).
व्यानः द��णः प�ः –vyānaḥ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ- vyāna is the circulatory system (viśvak
gamanavān vāyuḥ vyānaḥ). The circulatory system must take various materials to every
nook and corner of the body. This wonderful transport system vyānaḥ is the right side.
अपानः उत्तरः प�ः –apānaḥ uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ - Apānaḥ disposes off waste from the body.
After various materials are circulated and consumed by the body, the remnants must be
disposed. Apānaḥ is the left side.
आकाशः आत्मा –ākaśaḥātmā -Here ākāśarepresents samānaḥ, the digestive system (udara
ākaśaḥ). It occupies the central part of the body because it performs the central function
of manufacturing various nutrients from the food, the raw material. Thus, samānaḥ is
ātmā.
www.arshaavinash.in
Udānaḥhas been left out because becomes active on rare occasions and especially at
the time of death.
प�ृ थवी पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा –pr̥ thivī pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā–the pr̥ thivī devatā is the lower part of the
body that acts as its support. Pr̥ thivī retains prāṇa (air) within the body through its
gravitational force. Our body is like a balloon with many holes (navadvārapuram – the
Gītā calls it a city with nine gates and Kaṭhopaniṣad calls it with eleven gates –
ekādaśadvāram). Such a body is precariously balanced to keep the prāṇa in the body.
Pr̥ thivī devatā is connected to our prārabdham; when prārabdha is exhausted,prāṇa
leaves the body.
तद् अ�पएषःश्लोकःभव�त- tad api eṣaḥ ślokaḥ bhavati–The Upaniṣad (which belongs to
Yajurveda) quotes a R̥gmantra (śloka) that glorifies prāṇamaya and introduces the
prāṇamaya-samaṣṭi-prāṇa-aikya-upāsanā.
4. Anuvāka 3
प्राणं दे वा अनुप्राणिन्त I मनुष्याः पशवश्च ये I प्राणो �ह भूतानामायुः I तस्मात्सवार्युषमुच्यते I सवर्मेव त
आयय
ु िर् न्त I ये प्राणं ब्रह्मोपासते I प्राणो �ह भत
ू ानामायःु I तस्मात्सवार्यष
ु मच्
ु यत इ�त I तस्यैष एव
शार�र आत्मा I यः पूवस्

र् य I
prāṇaṃ devā anuprāṇanti / manuṣyāḥ paśavaśca ye / prāṇo hi bhūtānāmāyuḥ /

tasmātsarvāyuṣamucyate / sarvameva ta āyuryanti / ye prāṇaṃ brahmopāsate / prāṇo hi
bhūtānāmāyuḥ / tasmātsarvāyuṣamucyata iti / tasyaiṣa eva śārīra ātmā / yaḥ pūrvasya
ये दे वाः –te devāḥ - All gods, मनष्ु याः–manuṣyāḥ - human beings च पशवः–ca paśavaḥ - and
animals प्राणिन्त–prāṇanti - live अनु प्राणम–् anu prāṇam - depending on prāṇa, �ह–hi -
because प्राणः–prāṇaḥ - prāṇaआयुः–āyuḥ - is the life भूतानाम–् bhūtānām - of the beings.
तस्मात–् tasmāt - Therefore, उच्यते–ucyate - (prāṇa) is said to be सवार्युषम–् sarvāyuṣam - the
life of all. ते–te - Those - ये उपासते- ye upāsate - who mediatate प्राणम–् prāṇam - on
prāṇaब्रह्म–brahma - as Brahman यिन्त–yanti - attain सवर्म ्एव आयुः–sarvam eva āyuḥ - the
www.arshaavinash.in
full span of life. प्राणः �ह–prāṇaḥ hi - Prāṇa is indeed आयुः–āyuḥ - the life भूतानाम–्
bhūtānām - of the beings. तस्मात–् tasmāt - Therefore, उच्यते–ucyate - (prāṇa) is said to be
सवार्यष
ु म–् sarvāyuṣam - the life of all. इ�त–iti - Thus (ends the R̥gmantra ). एषः–eṣaḥ - This
(prāṇāyāma) is एव आत्मा–eva ātmā - indeed the Ātmā यःशर�रः–yaḥ śarīraḥ - which is in
the body तस्य पव

ू स्
र् य–tasya pūrvasya - of that previous (annamaya).
All gods, human beings and animals live depending on prāṇa, because prāṇa is the
life of the beings. Therefore, (prāṇa) is said to be the life of all. Those who
mediatate on prāṇa as Brahman attain the full span of life. Prāṇa is indeed the life
of the beings. Therefore, (prāṇa) is said to be the life of all . Thus (ends the
R̥gmantra). This (prāṇāyāma) is indeed the Ātmā which is in the body of that
previous (annamaya).
The R̥gmantra starts with prāṇaṁ devāand ends with sarvāyuṣam ucyata iti. In Sanskrit,
there were no punctuation marks - iti indicates the end of quotation.The Vedas were
never written. They were traditionally communicated orally and the listener (the student)
memorized it. The punctuations were introduced only later.
This R̥gmantra states that the vyṣṭi prāṇamayais the product of the samaṣṭi prāṇa, which
is called Hiraṇyagarbha or sūtrātmā.Only one life principle pervades the whole universe.
Nothing is destroyed by death – there is only a separation of a prāṇamaya from an
annamaya. The vyaṣṭi annamaya will merge into the samaṣṭi annam and vyaṣṭi
prāṇamaya into samaṣṭi prāṇa [annamaya-prāṇamaya-saṁyogaḥ janma and
annamaya-prāṇamaya-viyōgaḥmaraṇam].
This samaṣṭi prāṇa is the sr̥ ṣṭi, sthiti, and laya kāraṇam of the prāṇamaya in all the
animals. Therefore, all the animals are surviving only because of the prāṇamaya. This
prāṇamaya is the gift of Hiraṇyagarbha, the samaṣṭi prāṇa. Therefore, we are all
indebted to theHiraṇyagarbha. In Śīkṣāvallī’s ṣāntipāṭha, we saw that Vāyu was glorified
as the representation of Hirṇyagarbha:
नमो ब्रह्मणे Iनमस्ते वायो I त्वमेव प्रत्य�ं ब्रह्मा�स I

Namo brahmaṇe / namaste vāyo / tvameva pratyakṣaṁ brahmāsi
www.arshaavinash.in
The vyaṣṭi prāṇa exists in the body as prāṇamaya because of Vāyu. In fact, I breathe only
Vāyu in and then breathe the air out to Vāyu. When I breathe the last,
prāṇamayamerges with Vāyu.
दे व मनष्ु यः पशवश्च प्राणम ् अनप्र

ु ाणिन्त- deva manuṣyaḥ paśavaśca prāṇam anuprāṇanti - All
the gods, human beings and animals survive only by the blessing of
samaṣṭiprāṇa(anuprāṇanti). Prāṇam means the macrocosmic (samaṣṭi) prāṇic energy; all
the prāṇic healing, Reiki etc. are based upon this principle which trace all the diseases to
a disturbance in the prāṇic energy. It is said that the healers absorb the samaṣṭiprāṇam
in their hand and direct that energy to the patient. The śāstras say that Sūrya devatā (the
sun) is the abode of total prāṇa.
अथा�दत्य उदयन्यत्प्राचीं �दशं प्र�वश�त तेन प्राच्यान्प्राणान ् रिश्मषु सिन्नधत्ते । यद्द��णां यत ्

प्रतीचींयदद
ु �चींयदधो यदध्ू व� यदन्तरा �दशो यत ् सव� प्रकाशय�ततेन सवार्न ् प्राणान ् रिश्मषु सिन्नधत्ते
athāditya udayanyatprācīṁ diśaṁ praviśati tēna prācyān prāṇān raśmiṣu sannidhattē |

yaddakṣiṇāṁ yat pratīcīṁ yadudīcīṁ yadadhō yadūrdhvaṁ yadantarā diśō yat sarvaṁ
prakāśayati tēna sarvān prāṇān raśmiṣu sannidhattē
When the sun rises, it sends out pranic energy through its rays and it blesses al the
living beings with the life energy.
The prāṇic healers say that the devotee is charged with prāṇic energy when he does
namaskāra to a mahātmā because the latter is a huge repository of prāṇic energy
because he meditates upon the samaṣṭi.
In summary, the living beings live because of the blessings of the prāṇatattvam.
प्राणो �ह भूतानाम ् आयुः–prāṇo hi bhūtānām āyuḥ - Hiraṇyagarbhablesses every living with

life and functions as its longevity. In āyuṣya homa also, we are invoking the
samaṣṭiprāṇa. There are a couple of wonderful sandhyāvandana mantras:
पश्येम शरदश्शतं, जीवेम शरदश्शतं, नन्दाम शरदश्शतं मोदाम शरदश्शतं, भवाम शरदश्शतं,
शण
ृ वामशरदश्शतं, प्रभ्रवाम शरदश्शतम ् अजीतास्याम शरदश्शतं, ज्योक् च सूय� दृशे II
www.arshaavinash.in
य उदकान ् महतोणर्वात ् �वभ्राजमानः स�ररस्य मध्याद्समा वष

ृ भो लो�हता�स्सूय� �वपिश्चन ्
मनसा पन
ु ातु II
paśyema śaradaśśataṁ, jīvema śaradaśśataṁ nandāma śaradaśśataṁ, modāma

śaradaśśataṁ, bhavāma śaradaśśataṁ, śr̥ ṇavāma śaradaśśataṁ, prabhravāma
śaradaśśataṁ, ajītāsyāma śaradaśśataṁ, jyo ca sūryaṁ dr̥ śe
ya udakān mahatorṇavāt vibhrājamānaḥ sarirasya madhyād samā vr̥ ṣabho

lohitākṣassūryo vipaścin manasā punātu
May we live a hundred years (long) by bowing to the pure Sūrya devatāwho rises
in the east and enjoy our lives with our relatives and friends, fame; speak sweet
words and overcome all the obstacles. We want to enjoy a long life this way
watching Sūrya Bhagavān
May Sūrya Bhagavān who rises in the east in the morning from the ocean and
who shines in all directions and gives whatever the devotee wants, purify me
whole-heartedly.
Thus, by worshipping and invoking the sun, the prāṇatattvam, I am charging my battery
of life through sandhyāvandanam. Therefore, it is said:
तस्मात ् सवार्यष
ु म ् उच्यते –tasmāt sarvāyuṣam ucyate - Hiraṇyagarbhais given the title of the
longevity (sarvāyuṣam)in every living being (samaṣṭi annam was given the title
sarvauṣadhamin anuvāka 2.
The Upaniṣad will now discuss the upāsanā that there is no vyaṣṭiprāṇamaya separate
from the samaṣṭiprāṇa, just as there is no wave separate from ocean. So, at the time of
death nothing is lost just nothing is lost when a wave dissolves. The water continues to
exist not as a wave, but but as the ocean – what is lost only the name and form (nāma-
rūpa). Death is not a tragedy and that is why a Vedic mantra is chanted at the time of
death, which means:
Let the vyaṣṭiprāṇa merge into the samaṣṭiprāṇa

Let the vyaṣṭi apāna merge into the samaṣṭi apāna
Let the vyaṣṭi vyāna merge into samaṣṭivyāna
Let my beloved vyaṣṭi udāna merge into samaṣṭi udāna
www.arshaavinash.in
Let the vyaṣṭi samāna merge into samaṣṭi samāna

As the river merges into the ocean.
Death is a natural process just as the river must ultimately merge into the ocean. We
travel to enjoy the sight of (darśan) of the Ganges merging with the ocean (gangā-
sāgara-saṅgama) and not to grieve over it. Similarly, death is the most sacred event
wherein the vyaṣṭi is going back home. The more I practice this meditation, my
identification (abhimāna)with the vyaṣṭiprāṇamaya will weaken. Therefore, one should
practice prāṇamaya-prāṇa-aikya-upāsanā.
Since the prāṇa pervades every living being, the samaṣṭiprāṇa is called prāṇam- brahma.
The word brahma means macrocosm. Therefore, may you practice prāṇa-brahma
upāsanā upon the vyaṣṭiprāṇamaya.
What is the phalam?
ये प्राणं ब्रह्म उपासते- ye prāṇam brahma upāsate - whoever practices prāṇa-brahma-

upasānā (daily sandhyāvandanam involves samaṣṭi-prāṇa-upasānā and a special
prāṇayāma)
सवार्युषम ् उच्यते–sarvāyuṣam ucyate - will get a full life. They will enjoy a long and healthy
life because prāṇa will be favorable to them. They will not suffer a premature death (full
life is said to be 100 years). This is the phalam for sakāma upasānā.
If a person performs niṣkāma upasānā, he attain the purification (citta śuddhi) and
expansion (citta viśālatā) of the mind. The more the mind dwells on the totality, the
more it will expand. The respect for life increases; it becomes difficult to kill any living
being. As a result, ahiṁsā becomes natural. Vegetarianism becomes natural to you
because you cannot imagine the violent killing of animals. You also receive another
benefit: your identification with prāṇamaya will weaken (abhimāna tyāga). This is very
important because only if you disidentify with prāṇamaya, you can go to the next step
of manomaya. If you fall in love with this second step of the ladder, how can you get to
the third step?
प्राणो �ह भूतानाम ् आयुः – prāṇo hi bhūtānām āyuh - the Upaniṣad is now concluding this
topic, by repeating the same idea that prāṇa alone expresses in the form of life in every
living being.
www.arshaavinash.in
तस्मात ् सवार्यष
ु म ् उच्यते- tasmāt sarvāyuṣam ucyate – prāṇa= life; life = prāṇa.
Therefore,prāṇa is given the title sarvāyuṣam. With this the R̥gmantra, the quotation is
over.
Now the Yajurveda takes over and it is winding up the second stage of discussion.
To recap the discussion so far: annamayais the container, and prāṇamaya is Ātmā, the
content. Therefore, annamaya is called śarīram and prāṇamaya is called śārīra ātmā
(Ātmā within the śarīram):
तस्य एषः एव शार�र आत्मा- tasya eṣaḥ eva śārīra ātmā- prāṇamaya, the inner self (śārīra
ātmā) is the resident of the body (śarīra) which is nothing but
यः पव
ू स्
र् य–yaḥ pūrvasya - the annamaya which was discussed before. Pūrvasya means
said before.
We have now practiced the prāṇamayaupasānā and therefore, the prāṇamaya

abhimāna is gone. We are now more mature and ready to enter manomaya.
तस्माद्वा एतस्मात्प्राणमयात ् I अन्योऽन्तर आत्मा मनोमयः I तेनैष पूणःर् I स वा एष पुरुष�वध एव I
तस्य पुरुष�वधताम ् I अन्वयं पुरुष�वधः I तस्य यजुरेव �शरः I ऋग्द��णः प�ः I सामोत्तरः प�ः I
आदे श आत्मा I अथवार्ङ्�गरसः पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
asmādvā etasmātprāṇamayāt / anyo'ntara ātmā manomayaḥ / tenaiṣa pūrṇaḥ / sa vā

eṣa puruṣavidha eva / tasya puruṣavidhatām / anvayaṃ puruṣavidhaḥ / tasya yajureva
śiraḥ / ṛgdakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ / sāmottaraḥ pakṣaḥ / ādeśa ātmā / atharvāṅgirasaḥ pucchaṃ
pratiṣṭhā / tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
वै –vai - In fact, मनोमयः आत्मा–manomayaḥ ātmā - manomaya is the Ātmā अन्तरः–antaraḥ
- which is interior अन्यः –anyaḥ - (and) different तस्माद् एतस्मात ् प्राणमायात–् tasmād
etasmāt prāṇamayāt - from this prāṇamaya. एषः पूणःर् –eṣaḥ pūrṇaḥ - This (prāṇamaya) is
www.arshaavinash.in
filled तेन –tena - by that (manomaya). सः एषः वै–saḥ eṣaḥ vai - This (manomaya) also
पुरुष�वधः एव–puruṣavidhaḥ eva - is of human form only. अयं पुरुष�वधः–ayaṁ puruṣavidhaḥ
- This (manomaya) is of human form अनु –anu - in keeping with परु

ु ष�वधताम ् –
puruṣavidhatām - the human form तस्य –tasya - of that (prāṇamaya). यजुः एव–yajuḥ eva -
Yajurveda indeed तस्य �शरः–tasya śiraḥ - is its head. ऋग ् द��णः प�ः–r̥ g dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ -
R̥gveda is the right side. साम उत्तरः प�ः–sāma uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ - Sāmaveda is the left side.
आदे श आत्मा–ādeśa ātmā - The brāhmaṇa-portion is the central part. अथवार्ङ्�गरसः–
atharvāṅgirasaḥ - Atharvaveda पुच्छम–् puccham - is the lower part प्र�तष्ठा–pratiṣṭhā -
which is the support. तद् अ�प–tad api - In this regard, भव�त–bhavati - there is एषः श्लोकः–
eṣaḥ ślokaḥ - the following R̥gmantra.
In fact, manomaya is the Ātmā which is interior (and) different from this
prāṇamaya. This (prāṇamaya) is filled by that (manomaya). This (manomaya)
also is of human form only. This (manomaya) is of human form in keeping with
the human form of that (prāṇamaya). Yajurveda indeed is its head . R̥gveda is the
right side. Sāmaveda is the left side. The brāhmaṇa-portion is the central part .
Atharvaveda is the lower part which is the support . In this regard , there is the
following R̥gmantra.
The Upaniṣad says that until now it has referred to prāṇamaya as the Ātmā, but now it is
letting the cat out of the bag: prāṇamaya also is not your real nature. It is not Ātmā.
अन्योन्तर आत्मा मनोमयः- anyontara ātmā manomayaḥ - Ātmā is something other than
prāṇamaya. It is manomayaḥ and it is accessible within prāṇamaya (antaraḥ).
Hereafter,manomayaḥ is the new hero. It becomes the Ātmā and prāṇamaya becomes
the anātmā or kośa. Once you know prāṇamaya is anātmā, we go through the analayis:
anātma-niścayaḥ, kāryatva niścayaḥ, nāma-rūpatva niścayaḥ, mithyātva niścayaḥ and
pravilāpanam.
www.arshaavinash.in
तस्माद् वा एतस्माद्- tasmād vā etasmād - from ākāśa onwards, everything is born out of
Ātmā. Every anātmā is born out of Ātmā and therefore, is an ātma-kāryam. Thus,
prāṇamaya is a kāryam – ānātma-niścaya should lead to kāryatva-niścaya.Prāṇamaya is
kāryam and therefore, it is only nāma-rūpa. Thus, it leads to nāma-rūpa niścaya. Once
this is established, we can conclude that prāṇamaya is non-substantial; it has only a
borrowed existence. Thus, it also leads to mithyātva niścaya.
Once prānamaya is understood as mithyā, it does not have intrinsic existence. Therefore,
it is as good as non-existent. This understanding is called pravilāpanam – dissolution of
mithyā vastu in the satya vastu. In this stage, manomaya is the Ātmā, the satyam.
Prāṇamaya, the mithyā anātmā dissolves into manomaya, the satya Ātmā.Annamaya is
dissolved into prāṇamaya, which in turn is dissolved into manomaya.
We most note a very important point that Śaṅkarācārya particularly mentions in his
commentary. The micro, no doubt resolves into the macro – vyaṣṭi annamya into
samaṣṭi annam and vyaṣṭi prāṇamya into smaṣṭi prāṇa. In addition to this, the samaṣṭi
annam also resolves into samaṣṭi prāṇa which in turn resolves into manah, the mind.
The resolution not only occurs between vyaṣṭi and samaṣṭi, but also of the lower level
samaṣṭi into the higher level samaṣṭi.
What is the nature of manomaya?
तेन एषः पण
ू ःर् - tena eṣaḥ pūrṇaḥ - (this manomaya), the content fills up the prāṇamaya,
the container (kośa). Prāṇamaya is now the kośa – it was Ātmā, the content previously
(eṣah =prāṇamaya; tena = manomayena;pūrṇaḥ bhavati).
Manomaya, the product of the mind is subtle and therefore, it doesn’t have a shape of
its own. Only the physical body has a shape (and it goes out of shape also). When the
subtle prāṇamayadoes not have its own intrinsic shape, how can the subtler manomaya
have one? Prāṇamaya takes the shape of annamaya, the physical body and therefore,
manomaya, the content of prāṇamaya also takes the shape of the physical body.
सवा एषः पुरुष�वधः एव- savā eṣaḥ puruṣavidhaḥ eva–the manomaya Ātmā (savā eṣaḥ)
takes the shape of the human being (puruṣavidhaḥ). In fact, it takes the shape of any
living being that the manomaya Ātmā is in. Here the Upaniṣad refers to the shape of the
human being (manuṣya akāra) because the students are humans.
www.arshaavinash.in
What type of akāra (shape)? It is not an intrinsic akāra, but a borrowed one.
तस्य पुरुष�वधताम ् अनु अयं पुरुष�वधः- tasya puruṣavidhatām anu ayaṁ puruṣavidhaḥ - the
container’s human shape (manuṣya akāra) gives that shape to the content (manomaya).
[तस्य प्राणमयस्य मनुष्य अकारतम ् अनु मनोमयः अ�प मनुष्य अकारः भव�त I प्राणमयस्य कथं मनुष्य
अकारः? अन्नमयोस्य मनुष्य अकारतम ् अनु प्राणमयः मनुष्य अकारः I अन्नमयोस्य अकारः कथं
�सद्ध्य�त? स्वथः I]
Annamaya is of the shape of the human intrinsically by birth, whereas prāṇamaya and
manomaya have borrowed shape. Once we have accepted that manomaya has the form
of the human being, we must examine the five factors: śiraḥ, dakṣiṇapakṣaḥ, uttara
pakṣaḥ, ātmā and pratiṣṭhā.
तस्य यजुः एव �शरः- tasya yajuḥ eva śiraḥ - For the manomayaĀtmā (tasya), Yajurmantra is
in the position of the head. Yajurveda has a prominent position in the rituals. All the
āhutis are determined only by the Yajurvedic injunctions.
ऋग ् द��णः प�ः–r̥ g dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ- R̥gveda is also very important in rituals and so, it is
the right side. Literally,dakṣiṇaḥ means south - right side is south because the karmas
are performed facing the east.
साम उत्तरः प�ः- sāma uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ - Sāmaveda mantras represent the left side.
आदे श आत्मा–ādeśa ātmā – ādeśaḥ means the Vedic injunctions (vidhi niṣeda rūpa vākyāni
ādeśaḥ). These commandments are the central part because in karma kāṇḍa, our life is
controlled by these rules (vidhi-niṣeda). All other Vedic statements (veda vākya)are there
only to support these injunctions. Therefore, these represent the ātmā.
अथवार्ङ्�गरसः पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा–atharvāṅgirasaḥ puccham pratistha–The Aharvaṇa Veda

mantras are called atharvāṅgirasaḥ. These mantras were revealed by Atharvaṇa and
Aṅgirasa r̥ ṣis. Per Śaṅkaracārya, these mantras are the support because Atharvaṇa Veda
prescribe practices meant for benefits in this world (iha-loka sukham) such as health,
wealth, peace of mind etc. (śāntika-pauṣtika karmāṇi).
www.arshaavinash.in
The emphasis is on the physical and mental health without which one cannot attain any
of the goals – artha, kāma, dharma or mokṣa in life (śarīra madhyam khalu dharma
sādhanam). We have seen in the Atharva Veda śānti pātha in Muṇdaka Upaniṣad:
िस्थरै रङ्गैःतुष्टुवा�सस्तनू�भःI व्यशेमदे व�हतंयदायुःI

Sthirāiraṅgaiḥ tuṣtuvāgṁsastanūbhiḥ / vyaśema devahitaṁ yadāyuḥ
Glorifying (You) through the Vedas with healthy limbs, may we enjoy our full life
as allotted by the Lord.
Śaṅkarācārya says that before you seek adr̥ ṣṭa phalam (puṇya), you must seek the dr̥ ṣṭa
phalam of health and wealth, the foundation for all pursuits.
In annamaya, the five factors – śiraḥ, dakṣiṇa pakṣaḥ, uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ, ātmā and pratiṣṭhā
– are represented by the physical parts of the body. In prāṇamaya, these five parts are
represented by the components of prāṇa. However, the components of manomaya are
represented by the Vedas and the Vedic injuctions which are external to the body. These
are components are in the form of sound (śabda rūpa). Śaṅkarācārya raises the question:
how can these represent the internal manomaya? He answers the question in this
manner:
The Vedas means knowledge and therefore, represents wisdom, which is in the form of
thoughts (manovr̥ tti). Therefore, every Vedamantra represents a thought (vr̥ tti). The
external sound of the Vedas (śabdātmaka veda) is only a symbol invented by us to
communicate the thought that is in the mind (mananātmaka mantra). Thus, the thought
is converted to a sound, which is again converted to a thought by the listener.
It is like the transmission of music from a TV station. The sound is converted into electro-
magnetic waves, which is again received by your set. The receiver set again converts it into
sound (music).
Thus, the Vedas in the form of thought belongs to manomaya. Thus, there is no
contradiction here.
तद् अ�प एषः श्लोकः भव�त- Tad api eṣaḥ ślokaḥ bhavati - with regard to this
manomayaĀtmāalso (should not say kośanow), there is the following R̥g mantra.
www.arshaavinash.in
Other notes
• Pañca kośa viveka is used for sensitizing the mind so that the mind can grasp the
subtlest Ātmā. We require a sensitive instrument to do a sensitive job. When we want
to cut a tree, we use an ax as the instrument. To shave the beard, we use the razor
which is a subtler instrument than an ax. When performing a micro surgery on the
eyes, laser is used. The sensitivity of the instrument depends upon the subtlety of the
operation.
• Ātmā is freeof all attributes and therefore, it is inconceivable and unobjectifiable. To

recognize this Ātmā, the mind must be very subtle. The subtlety or sensitivity of the
mind must be developed very gradually. For this, the Upaniṣad is lifting our mind
first to the tangible physical body, annamaya(anatomy) as the Ātmā. Then it lifts us
gradually to prāṇamaya(physiology).
• The technique is like the one used by an eye doctor who wants to assess the
functioning of the eye. He directs the patient to read the letters on the board from
larger to smaller letters. He is able to infer the power of the eye because he cannot
determine the power by looking at the physical eye.
5. Anuvāka 4
यतो वाचो �नवतर्न्ते I अप्राप्य मनसा सह I आनन्दो ब्रह्मणो �वद्वान ् I न �बभे�त कदाचने�त I तस्यैव
एव शार�र आत्मा I यः पूवस्

र् य II
yato vāco nivartante / aprāpya manasā saha / ānando brahmaṇo vidvān / na

bibhetikadācaneti / tasyaiva eva śārīra ātmā / yaḥ pūrvasya
यतः–yataḥ - (Hiraṇyagarbha is that) from which वाचः–vācaḥ - the words सह मनसा–saha
manasā - along with the mind �नवतर्न्ते–nivartante - return अप्राप्य–aprāpya - without
reaching. �वद्वान ्–vidvān - The one who meditates on आनन्दं ब्रह्मणः–ānandaṁ
brahmaṇaḥ - the ānanda-nature of Hiraṇyagarbha न �बभे�त–na bibheti - does not fear
कदाचन– kadācana - at any time. इ�त–iti - Thus (ends the R̥gmantra ). एषः–eṣaḥ - This
www.arshaavinash.in
(manomaya) एव आत्मा–eva ātmā - is indeed the Ātmā यः शार�रः –yaḥ śārīraḥ - which is in
the body तस्य पूवस्

र् य –tasya pūrvasya - of that previous (prāṇāyāma).
(Hiraṇyagarbha is that) from which the words along with the mind return without
reaching. The one who meditates on the ānanda-nature of Hiraṇyagarbha does not
fear at any time . Thus (ends the R̥gmantra ). This (manomaya) is indeed the Ātmā
which is in the body of that previous (prāṇāyāma).
The fourth anuvākabegins with R̥gmantra quotation related to manomayaĀtmā. It is

smaller than the previous mantras. Iti means the end of quotation mark.
Now, the Upaniṣad wants prescribes the manomaya vyaṣṭi-samaṣṭi-aikya-upāsāna,

exactly like the two previous ones prescribed for annamaya and prāṇamaya. The total
mind (samaṣṭi manaḥ) is called Hiraṇyagarbha. In Śīkṣāvallī (anuvāka 6),Hiraṇyagarbha
was called manomaya, prāṇamaya etc.:
स य एषोऽन्तहृर्दय आकाशः I तिस्मन्नयं परु

ु षो मनोमयः I
sa ya eso’ntarhr̥ daya ākāśaḥ / tasminnayaṁpuruṣo manomayaḥ
Hiraṇyagarbha, the samaṣṭi is glorified in every stage so that it will generate interest in
the seeker to practice this upāsānā.
यतः वाचः �नवतर्न्ते–Yataḥ vācaḥ nivartante- Hiraṇyagarbha, being samaṣṭi, the total,
cannot be conceived by an individual mind. Individual mind cannot conceive of
omniscience (sarvajñatvam). To paraphrase Swami Dayananda: we are doubtful even
about the spelling of omniscience; where is the question of knowing everything in the
creation? It is inconceivable.[vācaḥ nivartante = words fall off when they try to conceive
of the total knowledge].
अप्राप्य मनसा सह–aprāpya manasā saha - Hiraṇyagarbhais inaccessible even to the mind.
It is impossible to conceive him in the mind fully. It is like using a spoon to measure the
ocean. Thus, Hiraṇyagarbha is inaccessible to mind and words (sarva pramāṇa agocaraḥ)
www.arshaavinash.in
आनन्दं ब्रह्मणः- ānandaṁ brahmaṇaḥ - the nature of Hiraṇyagarbha-ānanda, which is

the embodiment of the highest worldly ānanda. It is Brahmānanda, which encompasses
the pleasures of all the worlds - bhūloka, bhuvarloka, suvarloka, maharloka, janaloka,
tapoloka andsatyaloka.One must meditate on this ānanda and its indescribability.
�वद्वान-् vidvān–upāsaka, the meditator of manomaya (not a jñānī) invokes the samaṣṭi
Hiraṇyagarbha in the vyaṣṭi manomaya. By this, he gets a two-fold benefit.
With sakāma upāsanā, he becomes one with Hiraṇyagarbha and enjoys the same power
as we saw in anuvāka 6 of Śīkṣāvallī:
आप्नो�त स्वाराज्यम ् I आप्नो�त मनसिस्पतम ् I वाक्प�तश्च�ुष्प�तः I श्रोत्रप�त�वर्�ानप�तः I

एतत्तत्तो भव�त I आकाशशर�रं ब्रह्म I सत्यात्म प्राणारामं मनआनन्दम ् I शािन्तसमद्ध
ृ ममत
ृ म्
I
Āpnotisvārājyam / āpnoti manasaspatim / vākpatiścakṣuṣpatih /
śrotrapatirvijñānapatiḥ / etattato bhavati / ākāśaṣarīraṁ brahma / satyātma
praṇārāmaṁ mana ānandam / śāntisamr̥ ddhamamr̥ tam
He attains sovereignty. He attains lordship over all minds. He becomes the lord of
speech, lord of eyes, the lord of ears, and the lord of intellects. In addition to this,
the following (attributes) are also there. Hiraṇyagarbha has a body which is all-
pervading like the space and which consists of the entire universe with and
without form. He has all the prāṇas as the sporting ground. He has a mind which
is an embodiment of ānanda. He is all peace and prosperity and eternal.
In addition to this,
न �बभे�त कदाचन इ�त- na bibheti kadācana iti - that person will not have any fear at all,
because the world of Hiraṇyagarbha has the maximum security. In Chapter 8 of the Gītā,
the life of Hiraṇyagarbha is calculated to be 315.36 trillion human years. There is no fear
of old age or death soon. This is the sakāma-upāsana-phalam.
The niṣkāma-upāsana-phalam is threefold as we saw with the other upāsanās: citta

śuddhi, citta ekāgrata and citta viśālatā. The mind becomes sensitive enough to go to
the next rung of the ladder.
www.arshaavinash.in
With this, the R̥gmantra concludes and Yajurveda takes over.
तस्य एषः एव शर�रः आत्मा यः पूवस्

र् य- tasya eṣaḥ eva śarīraḥ ātmā yaḥ pūrvasya - This
manomaya is called śarīra ātmā because it fills up the prāṇamaya śarīram.
Now we enter the discussion of vijñānamaya.
तस्माद्वा एतस्मान्मनोमयात ् I अन्योऽन्तर आत्मा �व�ानमयः I तेनैष पूणःर् I स वा एष पुरुष�वध एव I
तस्य परु
ु ष�वधताम ् I अन्वयं परु
ु ष�वधः I तस्य श्रद्धैव �शरः I ऋतं द��णः प�ः I सत्यमत्ु तरः प�ः I
योग आत्मा I महः पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
tasmādvā etasmānmanomayāt / anyo'ntara ātmā vijñānamayaḥ / tenaiṣa pūrṇaḥ / sa vā

eṣa puruṣavidha eva / tasya puruṣavidhatām / anvayaṃ puruṣavidhaḥ / tasya śraddhaiva
śiraḥ / ṛtaṃ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ / satyamuttaraḥ pakṣaḥ / yoga ātmā / mahaḥ pucchaṃ
pratiṣṭhā / tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
वै–vai - In fact, �व�ानमयः आत्मा –vijñānamayaḥ ātmā - vijñānamaya is the Ātmā अन्तरः –
antaraḥ - which is interior to अन्यः –anyaḥ - (and) different तस्माद् एतस्मात ् मनोमयात ् –
tasmād etasmāt manomayāt - from this manomaya. एषः पूणःर् –eṣaḥ pūrṇaḥ - This
(manomaya) is filled तेन –tena - by that (vijñānamaya). सः एषः वै –saḥ eṣaḥ vai - This
(vijñānamya) also पुरुष�वधः एव–puruṣavidhaḥ eva - is of human form only. अयं पुरुष�वधः –
ayaṁ puruṣavidhaḥ - This (vijñānamaya) is of human form अनु –anu - in keeping with
पुरुष�वधताम ् –puruṣavidhatām - the human form तस्य –tasya - of that (manomaya). श्रद्धा
एव –śraddhā eva - Faith indeed तस्य�शरः –tasya śiraḥ - is its head. ऋतं द��णः प�ः –r̥ taṁ
dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ - Right understanding is the right side. सत्यम ् उत्तरः प�ः –satyam
uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ - Truthfulness is the left side. योगः आत्मा–yagaḥ ātmā - Concentration is
the central part. महः पुच्छम ्–mahaḥ puccham - Hiraṇyagarbha is the lower part प्र�तष्ठा–
www.arshaavinash.in
pratiṣṭhā - which is the support. तद्अ�प–tad api - In this regard, भव�त–bhavati - there is
एषः श्लोकः–eṣaḥ ślokaḥ - the following R̥gmantra.
In fact, vijñānamaya is the Ātmā which is interior to (and) different from this
manomaya. This (manomaya) is filled by that (vijñānamaya). This (vijñānamaya)
also is human form only. This (vijñānamya) is of human form in keeping with the
human form of that (manomaya). Faith indeed is its head. Right understanding is
the right side. Truthfulness is the left side. Concentration is the central part.
Hiraṇyagarbha is the lower part which is the support . In this regard , there is the
The Upaniṣad is systematically shifting our attention to the next layer:
तस्माद्वा एतस्मान्मनोमयात ् - tasmādvā etasmānmanomayāt- This Ātmā is different from

manomayaḥ. Calling manomayaḥ the Ātmā was only a temporary compromise
(anuvādaḥ) to promote understanding.
अन्योऽन्तर आत्मा �व�ानमयः – anyo’ntara ātmā vijñānamayaḥ - Vijñānamayaḥ is the Ātmā

that is interior to manomayaḥ.
Once we understand vijñānamayaḥ as Ātmā, manomayaḥ becomes the anātmā or kośa.

Then the same conclusion of anātma-niścayaḥ, kāryatva-niścayaḥ, nāma-rūpa-niścayaḥ,
mithyātva-niścayaḥ and pravilāpanam follows. With this knowledge, we swallow the
whole universe. Just as a person wakes up from dream and resolves the dream world
(svapna prapañca), the seeker swallows the universe with this knowledge as Kaivalya
Upaniṣad states in verse 19:
मय्येवसकलंजातं, म�यसव� प्र�तिष्ठतमI्
म�यसव� लयंया�त, तद्ब्रह्माद्वयमस्म्यहमII

् १९ II
www.arshaavinash.in

resolves into me alone. I am that non-dual Brahman.
We should also remember that along with the resolution of vyaṣṭi manomayaḥ into the
vyaṣṭi vijñānamaya, the resolution of the samaṣṭi also takes place. With this resolution,
we will gradually come to Brahman, the substrate of the universe (jagat-adhiṣṭhānaṁ-
Brahma).
स वा एष पुरुष�वधः एव- sa vā eṣa puruṣavidhaḥ eva - Vijñānamaya also has the shape of
the human body (manuṣya akāraḥ). This shape is not intrinsic, but borrowed from that
of manomaya.
Once we know that vijñānamayaḥ has manuṣya akāraḥ, we must identify the five
components. Vijñānamayaḥ, stands for knowledge which is required for karma (action):
jānātiicchatiyatate (knowsdesiresacts)
Manomaya represents doubt (saṁśaya) while vijñānamaya represents knowledge

(jñāna). Of these two, jñāna is more powerful because it removes doubt. As Tattva
Bodha states:
संकल्प�वकल्पात्मकं मनः I �नश्चयाित्मका बु�द्धः I
Saṅkalpa vikalpakaḥ manaḥ / niścayātmikā buddhiḥ
Saṅkalpa vikalpakam means wavering (whether I should do it or not). Manaḥ stands for
the wavering mind and vijñāna stands for niścaya jñānam. Therefore, vijñānamaya is
subtler and more powerful than manomaya and is interior to it.
तस्य पुरुष�वधताम ् अनु अयं पुरुष�वधः- tasya puruṣavidhatām anu ayaṁ puruṣavidhaḥ -
Vijñāmaya has the human shape in conformance with the shape of manomaya. We now
analyze the five components: śiraḥ, dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ, uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ, ātmā and pratiṣṭhā.
तस्य श्रद्धा एव �शरः- tasya śraddhā eva śiraḥ - vijñānamaya is the knower (jñātā or
pramātā), who is endowed with knowledge. Only the knower becomes a doer because
every deliberate action is backed by knowledge.
Jānātiicchatiyatate
www.arshaavinash.in
Of the things he knows, a person he chooses one as his destination out of desire (icchā).
Once he thus chooses a goal, he applies effort to accomplish that.He can never choose
an unknown thing as his goal. Therefore, knowledge helps in fixing the goal, and then in
implementing the action.
Pramātā, the knower acts because of faith (śraddhā). Śraddhā means faith in the Vedas
as the means of knowledge (pramāṇa). To gain spiritual knowledge, one must have an
appropriate means.None of the material sciences will never help in getting spiritual
knowledge. Spritual knowledge requires the śāstras as the pramāṇam. A spiritual seeker
will follow the sādhanas prescribed by the śāstras, but an atheist or a materialist will
consider it a waste of time.
To lead an effective religious and spiritual life, one requires knowledge of the śāstras.
Physics will not teach sandhyāvandanam; Chemistry will not glorify Ramanāma-japam;
Economics will not teach mokṣa puruṣārtha. Therefore, the religious or spiritual pursuit
requires religious or spiritual knowledge, the śāstra pramāṇam. You can gain knowledge
from the śāstras only if you the faith in it. So, śraddhā becomes the most important part
of a spiritual seeker.
That there is a heaven or hell, science has never proved; that our forefathers survive their
death, science has never proved; that the śrāddha karma we do will reach the
forefathers, science has never proved; that there is something called ultimate reality,
science can never prove. Therefore, the only source of knowledge is the śāstrasif my life
should be governed by puṇya-pāpa, svaraga naraka etc. Science will accept only when
you show the precipitate of puṇya in the test tube!
In fact, science does not accept that mind is different from brain. It considers the mind
to be identical to the brain; which means the end of the brain is the end of the mind.
Only through śāstra pramāṇa, we come to know that mind is different from brain; brain
is sthūlam(gross) and mind is sūkṣmam (subtle). Science has never proved that only
sthūlam dies and sūkṣma mind survives and travels after death.
When the mind itself is in trouble, what is the fate of kāraṇa śarīram or pāpa-puṇya or
svarga-naraka? A materialist, who does not have the right attitude towards the śāstras
will consider these useless. Therefore, spiritual life requires jñāna derived from the
scriptures, which presupposes faith in their validity.
www.arshaavinash.in
Scientists are also governed by blind faith; they are believers in the validity of
perceptions. Their blind faith is that the sense organs are the only valid sources of
knowledge. Our approach is that just as the worldly knowledge depends upon the faith
in the sense organs, non- worldly knowledge depends upon the faith in the śāstras.
Withoutit neither the religion nor spirituality can exist. Therefore, the Upaniṣad says:
śraddhā eva śiraḥ - the roof and crown of spiritual pursuit is śraddhā.
गुरु वेदवाक्येषु�वश्वासःश्रद्धा
Guruvedavākyeṣu viśvāsaḥśraddhā
Is it blind belief? If a scientist can blindly believe in sense organs, why can’t we believe in
the śāstras? Any knowledge depends upon the faith in the validity of the corresponding
instrument of knowledge. To prove the validity of an instrument of knowledge, you
need another instrument. If you don’t believe in it, you should use another instrument.
Somewhere in this chain, one must accept the validity of some instrument with faith.
If one does not believe in the śāstras, we do not force him, but we insist that without the
faith in the eyes you can never work in the world.Even while walking, we put the next
step forward based on the assumption that eyes are reporting correctly.
That belief helps us. Thuus śraddhā eva śiraḥ= śāstra śraddhā eva śiraḥ.
ऋतं द��णः प�ः–r̥ taṁ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ - R̥tam means the right understanding of the
śāstras. Even the sensory perceptions must be interpreted properly; they can misleadif
they are not properly used. For example, our sense organs report that earth is stationary,
but the fact is that the earth rotates at 1000 miles per hour and revolves around the
earth at 60,000 miles per hour. We see small stars, but we know that they are thousands
of times bigger than the earth. We must interpret what we see because optical illusions
are many.
Similarly, scriptural illusions are also possible, if scriptures are not properly understood.
A wrong philosophy is a scriptural illusion. We must recognize the possibility and correct
it. The process of mananam after śravaṇam is meant to clear our doubts to avoid the
possible wrong interpretation of the scriptures. Thus, the right understanding is called
r̥ tam.
www.arshaavinash.in
सत्यम ् उत्तरः प�ः- satyam uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ - Mere knowledge is not sufficient; it must be
followed up with implementation in life. Dharma is not for speaking (vada), but for
practicing (cara). Dharma is like yogāsanā. If one watches yogāsanā on TV sitting on a
bean bag, munching cashew nuts, he will not derive any benefit. He must practice
yogāsanā to get any benefit. Knowledge is required, but it is incomplete without
practice. The practice of Vedic teaching is called satyam. We saw the statement in the
śānti pāṭha:
ऋतं व�दष्या�म I सत्यं व�दष्या�म I

r̥ taṁ vadiṣyāmi / satyaṁ vadiṣyāmi
ऋतम ् = यथा शास्त्रं �ानम ्; सत्यम ् = यथा �ानम ् अनुष्ठानम ्

ritam = yathāśāstraṁ jñānam; satyam= yathā jñānam anuṣṭhanam.
So, follow what you have leared from the śāstras. Right knowledge is one side, right
living is the other side and faith in the scriptures is the head.What is Ātmā, the central
portion?
योगः आत्मा–yogaḥātmā–among all of these, yogaḥ is the most important component.

Yogaḥ means life style focused on the final goal. We have a number of intermediate
goals such as education, job, married life, producing children, welfare of the family etc.
In all this busy life, one should never lose sight of these goals: the eligibility to gain
jñāna (jñāna-yogyatā-prāpti) and attaining it (jñāna-prāpti).
Bhajagovindam urges us to ask:
कस्य त्वं कः कुत आयातः

Kasya tvaḥ kaḥ kuta āyātaḥ
Of whom and from where have you come?
Krishna also mentions in verse 2.41 of the Gītā:
व्यवसायाित्मकाबु�द्धरे केहकुरुनन्दन|
बहुशाखाह्यनन्ताश्चबुद्धयोऽव्यवसा�यनाम ्|| २- ४१||
vyavasāyātmikā buddhirēkēha kurunandana|
bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayō'vyavasāyinām || 2.41 ||
www.arshaavinash.in
Oh Arjuna! (There is only) one clear understanding in this field. However, the
notions of those without clarity are many branched and endless.
Most people get lost in their complex life, but only some people constantly remember
their purpose of life and keep all the saṁskāras (41) and practice the appropriate rituals
at every stage of their life. Every event is observed with a ritual: when a child is born,
there is a ritual; when he/she eats the first food, there is annapraśāna ritual; the first day
in school is preceded by vidyārambha ritual etc. The purpose of these rituals is to
remind us constantly not to lose sight of our destination. This constant awareness is
called yogaḥ. Śaṅkarācārya translates it as citta-samādhānam. It is remembering our
priorities.
महः पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा–mahaḥ pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā– mahaḥ means Hiraṇyagarbha -the samaṣṭi
vijñānamaya isthe support. Every action must be supported by Īśvara.Without His
backing, a kartācannot function. Verse 18.14 of the Gītā says:
अ�धष्ठानंतथाकतार्करणंचपथ
ृ िग्वधम ्।
�व�वधाश्चपथ
ृ क्चेष्टाःदै वंचव
ै ात्रपञ्चमम ्॥१८.१४॥
adhiṣṭhānaṃ tathā kartā karaṇaṃ ca pṛthagvidham |
vividhāśca pṛthakcēṣṭā daivaṃ caivātra pañcamam || 18.14 ||
(The five factors for action are --) the body, the varied functions, various
instruments, the doer, and the presiding divinity which is the fifth among these.
Every organ and its functions are backed by the corresponding adhiṣṭhāna devatā. The
total of all these devatās is Hiraṇyagarbha. Thus,Hiraṇyagarbha is the support for - the
knower (jñātā) and the doer (kartā).
Thus, the discussion of the five factors for vijñānamayaĀtmā concludes.
तद् अ�प एष श्लोको भव�त- tad api eṣa śloko bhavati– There is this following R̥gmantra is for
this vijñānamaya also. It will glorify vijñānamya and discuss vyaṣṭi-samṣṭi-aikya-upāsanā
at the next level.
6. Anuvāka 5
www.arshaavinash.in
�व�ानं य�ं तनुते I कमार्�ण तनुतेऽ�प च I �व�ानं दे वाः सव� ब्रह्म ज्येष्ठमुपासते I �व�ानं ब्रह्म चेद्वेद
I तस्माच्चेन्न प्रमाद्य�त शर�रे पाप्मनो �हत्वा I सवार्न्कामान्समश्नुत इ�त I तस्यैष एव शार�र आत्मा I
यः पव
ू स्
र् य II
vijñānaṃ yajñaṃ tanute / karmāṇi tanute'pi ca / vijñānaṃ devāḥ sarve brahma

jyeṣṭhamupāsate / vijñānaṃ brahma cedveda / tasmāccenna pramādyati śarīre pāpmano
hitvā / sarvānkāmānsamaśnuta iti / tasyaiṣa eva śārīra ātmā / yaḥ pūrvasya
�व�ानम ् –vijñānam - (One with) knowledge तनुते –tanute - performs य�म ् –yajñam -
yajña. तनत
ु े –tanute - He performs कमार्�ण अ�प च –karmāṇi api ca - (other) actions also.
सव� दे वाः –sarve devāḥ - All gods उपासते –upāsate - meditate on �व�ानम ् –vijñānam -
vijñānamayaब्रह्म ज्येष्ठम ् –brahma jyeṣṭham - as Hiraṇyagarbha, the first. चेद् वेद –ced
veda - If one meditates upon �व�ानं ब्रह्म –vijñānaṁ brahma - vijñānamaya as
Hiraṇyagarbha चेद् न प्रमाद्य�त- ced na pramādyati - and if he does not deviate तस्मात ् –
tasmāt - from that, �हत्वा –hitvā - he leaves पाप्मनः –pāpmanaḥ - all the pāpasशर�रे –śarīre
- in the body समश्नुते –samaśnute - and attains सवार्न ् कामान ् –sarvān kāmān - all desires.
इ�त –iti - Thus (ends the R̥gmantra). एषः –eṣaḥ - This (vijṇānamaya) एव आत्मा –eva ātmā
- is indeed the Ātmā यः शर�रः –yaḥ śarīraḥ- which is in the body तस्य पूवस्
र् य–tasya
pūrvasya - of the previous (manomaya).
(One with) knowledge performs yajña. He performs (other) actions also. All gods
meditate on vijñānamaya as Hiraṇyagarbha, the first. If one meditates upon
vijñānamaya as Hiraṇyagarbha and if he does not deviate from that , he leaves all
the pāpas in the body and attains all desires . Thus (ends the R̥gmantra ). This
(vijṇānamaya) is indeed the Ātmā which is in the body of the previous
(manomaya).
www.arshaavinash.in
The R̥ gmantra quotation begins with the word vijñānam and ends at sarvān
kāmānsamaśnuta iti. Iti indicates the end of the R̥gmantra.
The Upaniṣad first points out that the vijñāmaya Ātmā is the kartā. The intelligent being
can know, judge and fix the appropriate goal.We are informed of many programs
through the newspaper (knowing). After careful evaluation, we sometimes may even
consider one to be better than the Vedānta class (judging) and choose it. Our intellect
(viveka cūḍāmaṇiḥ) knows, judges, chooses and makes us act. Verse 3.3 of
Kaṭhopaniṣad likens the intellect to the charioteer (who controls the reins, the mind,
which in turn controls the horses, the sense organs)
बु�द्धं तु सार�थ ं �व�द्ध

Buddhiṁ tu sārathiṁ viddhi
Buddhi (the intellect) determines and directs the movement of the individual. This
important vijñānamaya(sheath of intellect) makes the human being different from the
animals.
�व�ानं य�ं तनत

ु -े vijñānam yajñam tanute - here vijñānam means the vijñānamayaĀtmā –
the knower and doer (the pramātāand the kartā). Only the vijñānamperforms all the
vaidika yajñas. Only with the śraddhā in the scriptures, the scriptural karmas (dhārmika
or adr̥ ṣṭa-pradhāna karmas) will become relevant.For example, the family background
with appropriate gotram etc. will be relevant only when vaidika karmas are relevant.
Once the scriptural activities leave the society, the arranged marriages, gotrams etc. will
become irrelevant. When the focus is only on artha and kāma puruṣārthas, marriage
requires only personal compatability. When that compatibility is disturbed, the marriage
will break. When the focus of the marriage is on dharma and mokṣa, personal
compatibility will take the back seat to interests in the Vedic rituals. Only the
vijñānamayaĀtmā does all the vaidika activities.
Note:We should not say knowledge (vijñānam) performs rituals; the knowledgeable
(vijñānamayaĀtmā) performs actions.
कमार्�ण तनुते अ�प च–karmāṇi tanute api ca– in addition to the śāstriya karmas,
vijñāmayaĀtmāalso does the non-scriptural laukika karmas (worldly activities) such as
earning income for survival. Even in an atheist who doesn’t believe in scriptures, the
vijñānamayaĀtmā does his laukika activities. May one meditate upon this vijñānamaya.
www.arshaavinash.in
सव� दे वाः �व�ानम ् उपासते- sarve devāḥvijñānam upāsate - even gods meditate upon this
vijñānamayaĀtmā.How do the gods meditate?
ज्येष्ठं ब्रह्म- they meditate upon him as Hiraṇyagarbha, the first born because
Hiraṇyagarbha is the totality – samaṣṭi vijñānamayaḥ. Even gods meditate upon vyaṣṭi
vijñānamaya as identical with samaṣṭi vijñānamaya. Hiraṇyagarbha is called jyeṣṭhaḥ
because he (Brahmāji) was born first as declared by verse 1.1.1 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad:
ब्रह्मादे वानांप्रथमःसम्बभूव, �वश्वस्यकतार्भुवनस्यगोप्ता I
सब्रह्म�वद्यांसवर्�वद्याप्र�तष्ठां, अथवार्यज्येष्ठपुत्रायप्राह II [1.1.1]

Brahmā devānām prathamaḥ sambabhūva, vśvasya kartā bhuvanasya goptā
Sa brahmavidyām sarvavidyāpratiṣṭhām, atharvāya jyeṣṭhaputrāya prāha
Brahmā was born as the first and foremost among gods. He is the creator of the
universe (and) the protector of the universe. He imparted brahmavidyā, which is
the basis of all branches of knowledge, to Atharvā, the eldest son.
In the purāṇas, Brahmāji, the Hiraṇyagarbha emerges on a lotus from the navel of Īśvara
signifying that he is the first-born. Hiraṇyagarbhawas then made in charge of rest of the
creation. Then he was given an employment. What is that? Īśvara does not create the
whole world; He created Hiraṇyagarbha and put him in charge of the rest of creation.
Anyone can practice vyaṣṭi-samaṣṭi-vijñānamaya-aikya-upāsanā. The phalam (benefit) is

two-fold – sakāma and niṣkāma phalam. The Upaniṣad talks only about sakāma phalam.
We must supply the niṣkāma phalam in this context: citta śuddhi, citta ekāgratā and citta
viśālatā. The mind becomes pure (citta śuddhi) when the individual identity (vyaṣṭi) is
dropped while meditating on the totality (samaṣṭi). The more the wave meditates upon
ocean, the more it loses its attachment to its wave name and form.The dilution of ego
by visualizing the totality is citta śuddhi.
The ego (ahaṅkāra) can be diluted by visualizing the totality. If you visualize only your
family, ahaṅkārais thick, but if you visualize your village, it becomes thinner. Ahaṅkāra
becomes even thinner when you visualize the nation and then the continent. When you
can visualize the universe in your individual self, ahaṅkāravanishes.
www.arshaavinash.in
Thus, with niṣkāma upāsanā, one gains purity, focus and expansion of the mind. After
sufficient practice, one will be prepared to enter ānandamaya Ātmā.
If a person practices sakāma upāsanā, what is the benefit? The Upaniṣad discusses this:
�व�ानं ब्रह्म चेद् वेद- vijñānam brahma ced veda - veda here means upāsate (meditates).
The word brahma refers to the totality (samaṣṭi). If a person meditates on vijñānamaya-
vyaṣṭi-samaṣṭi-aikyam, (ced veda) life long, until death as verses 8.5 and 8.6 of the Gītā
declare:
अन्तकालेच्मामेवस्मरन्मुक्त्वाकलेवरम ्।
यःप्रया�तसमद्भावम्या�तनास्त्यत्रसंशयः॥८.५॥
antakālē ca māmēva smaranmuktvā kalēvaram |
yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṃ yāti nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ || 8.5 ||
Dropping the body at the time of death, one who departs remembering Me
alone attains My nature. There is no doubt in this regard.
यंयंवा�पस्मरन्भावंत्यजत्यन्तेकलेवरम ्।
तंतमेवै�तकौन्तेयसदातद्भावभा�वतः॥८.६॥
yaṃ yaṃ vā'pi smaran bhāvaṃ tyajatyantē kalēvaram |
taṃ tamēvaiti kauntēya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ || 8.6 ||
Oh! Arjuna, thinking of whatever object one gives up the body at the time of
death, that very object one attains, being always steeped in that thought.
Whatever you constantly think during your life including at the time of death, you will
attain that after death. Applying the Gītā’s decalartion:
तस्मात ् न प्रमाद्य�त- tasmāt na pramādyati–if a seeker does not stray away from this
upāsanā – i.e., his mind is not obsessed with vyaṣṭibecause he knows it is insignificant
and perishable. He sees the totality as more significant than the individuality and does
not lose sight of Hiraṇyagarbha, even at the time of death.
www.arshaavinash.in
In our culture, it is encouraged that we think more and more of God as we come close
to death. It is practiced even now by some very committed people. They are asked to
chant sahasranāma at the deathbed rather than gossip about other things. Even if the
dead was not committed, people chant karṇa mantra. The idea behind this is that one
should not be bothered about the temporary, ephimeral, and petty relationships - they
will come and go. Remember that the only worthwhile relationship is that with Īśvara
(Īśvara saṁbandhaḥ). Therefore, invoke the bhakta in you.
शर�रे पाप्मनो �हत्वा-śarire pāpmano hitvā–Such a person who remembers Hiraṇyagarbha

at the time of death, will drop all the pāpamsin this world itself, along with the physical
body (sthūla śarīram). The essence of this statement is that this upāsanāleaves all his
pāpa karmas behind.Then, the puṇyas alone will push the jīvātmā to Brahmaloka
(Hiraṇyagarbha-aikya-prāpti). Thus, the benefit of this upāsanā is Brahmaloka prāptiḥ.
This is the highest one can attain at the Vijñānamaya level. Mokṣa is not possible at this
stage because it requires (pañca kośa vilakṣaṇa) ātmajñānam.
सवार्न ् कामान ् समश्नुत-े sarvān kāmān samaśnute - Brahmaloka has all the possible
advanced material benefits. Here kāmameans sense pleasures. The sense pleasures are
superior and so are the sense organs and the environment. In short, the conditions are
ideal for enjoyment.
इ�त- iti - this is the benefit (phalam) of sakāma upāsanā of vijñānamaya-vyaṣṭi- samaṣṭi-
aikyam.With this quotation, the R̥ gmantra concludes and the Yajurveda Upaniṣad takes
over.
तस्य एषः एव शार�रः आत्मा- tasya eṣah śāriīaḥātmā–eṣaḥ means vijñānamaya. It is the inner
self, (śārīraḥātmā), the content (dehi) of the container, the physical body.
यः पव
ू स्
र् य–yaḥpūrvasya - the outer container is the manomaya kośa (pūrvasya). [ayaṁ
vijñānamaya ātmā bhavati]
This upāsanāmust be done until the mind gets refined. This means that this person
values knowledge more than annamaya, prāṇamaya and manomaya. The
vijñānamayaĀtmāis strong in people who are willing to even die for their ideology. They
are willing to sacrifice their family and everything even though it is painful. The freedom
fighters suffered heavily for gaining freedom for our country.
www.arshaavinash.in
The Upaniṣad now assumes that we are ready for ānandamaya which is the kāraṇa
śarīram.
तस्माद्वा एतस्माद्�व�ानमयात ्I अन्योऽन्तर आत्मानन्दमयः I तेनैष पूणःर् I स वा एष पुरुष�वध एव I
तस्य परु
ु ष�वधताम ् I अन्वयं परु
ु ष�वधः I तस्य �प्रयमेव�शरः I मोदोद��णः प�ः I
प्रमोदउत्तरः प�ः I आनन्दआत्मा I ब्रह्मपुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
tasmādvā etasmādvijñānamayāt / anyo'ntara ātmānandamayaḥ / I tenaiṣa pūrṇaḥ / sa

vā eṣa puruṣavidha eva / tasya puruṣavidhatām / anvayaṃ puruṣavidhaḥ / tasya
priyameva śiraḥ / modo dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ / pramoda uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ / ānanda ātmā /
brahma pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā / tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
वै –vai - In fact, आनन्दमयःआत्मा –ānandamayaḥ ātmā – ānandamaya is the Ātmā अन्तरः
–antaraḥ - which is interior to अन्यः –anyaḥ - (and) different तस्माद् एतस्मात ् �व�ानमयात ्
–tasmād etasmāt vijñānamayāt - from this vijñānamaya. एषः पूणःर् –eṣaḥ pūrṇaḥ - This
(vijñanamaya) is filled तेन –tena - by that (ānandamaya). सः एषः वै –saḥ eṣaḥ vai - This
(ānandamya) also पुरुष�वधः एव –puruṣavidhaḥ eva - is of human form only. अयं पुरुष�वधः –
ayaṁ puruṣavidhaḥ - This (ānandamaya) is of human formअनु –anu - in keeping with
पुरुष�वधताम ् –puruṣavidhatām - the human form तस्य –tasya - of that (vijñānamaya).
�प्रयम ्एव –priyam eva–Priya indeed तस्य�शरः –tasyaśiraḥ - is its head. मोदः द��णः प�ः –
modaḥ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ - Modais the right side. प्रमोदः उत्तरः प�ः –pramodaḥ uttaraḥ
pakṣaḥ - Pramodais the left side. आनन्दः आत्मा –ānandaḥātmā–Ānandais the central
part. ब्रह्म पुच्छम ् –brahma puccham–Brahman is the substratumप्र�तष्ठा –pratiṣṭhā - which
is the support. तद् अ�प –tadapi - In this regard, भव�त –bhavati - there is एषः श्लोकः –eṣaḥ
ślokaḥ - the following R̥gmantra.
www.arshaavinash.in
In fact, ānandamaya is the Ātmā which is interior to (and) different from this
vijñānamaya. This (vijñānamaya) is filled by that (ānandamaya). This
(ānandamaya) also is human form only. This (ānandamaya) is of human form in
keeping with the human form of that (vijñānamaya). Priya indeed is its head .
Moda is the right side . Pramoda is the left side . Ānanda is the central part .
Brahman is the substratum which is the support . In this regard , there is the
In this section, we are now entering the subtler layer:
तस्माद् वा एतस्माद् �व�ानमयात ् अन्यः आत्मा- tasmād va etasmād vijñāmayāt anyaḥātmā -

the Upaniṣad says that vijñānamaya is not the Ātmā, which is something different from
it. It says that ānandamayaḥ is the real Ātmā (for the time being).Where is that
ānandamayaĀtmā available?
अन्तरः –antaraḥ- It is within the vijñānamaya. You do need to be an extrovert looking for
it outside, but must turn more and more inward. We are not aiming at objectification,
but turning more and more towards ourselves.
The moment we say vijñānamaya is not the Ātmā, it becomes anātmā or kośa– then we
can repeat the analysis of anātmā niścayaḥ, kāryatva niścayaḥ, nāma-rūpatve niścayaḥ,
mithyātva niścayaḥ and pravilāpanam. In short vijñānamaya is resolved into
ānandamaya. The macro resolves simultaneously into macro along with the resolution
of micro into micro. In short,Hiraṇyagarbha is swallowed.
Sinceānandamaya is the content of vijñānamaya, it takes the shape of the latter. Since
the container has the shape of the human body (manuṣya akāraḥ), ānandamaya also has
the shape of the human (manuṣya).
तेनैष पूणःर् –tenaiṣa pūrṇaḥ - the container vijñānamayais filled with the content
ānandamaya and therefore,
स वा एष पुरुष�वध एव- sa vā eṣa puruṣavidha eva - ānandamayaĀtmāis also of the shape

of the human body.
www.arshaavinash.in
तस्य पुरुष�वधताम ् अनु पुरुष�वधः- tasya puruṣavidhatām anu puruṣavidhaḥ - The human
shape of ānandamayais not intrinsic, but borrowed from vijñānamaya, the container.
Remember that vijñānamaya itself has borrowed the shape from manomaya, which, in
turn has borrowed from prāṇamaya, which again has borrowed from annamaya. Only
annamaya has the intrinsic shape (svābhāvika akāraḥ).
The components of the body are:
तस्य �प्रयम ् एव �शरः- tasya priyam eva śiraḥ - for the ānandamayaātmā, the head is
priyam, which means happiness or pleasure.
मोदः द��णः प�ः–modaḥ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ - the right hand side is represented by modaḥ,
which means more happiness (comparative degree). Priyam is happiness and modaḥ is
priyataraḥ.
प्रमोदः उत्तरः प�ः–pramodaḥ uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ - the left hand side represented by
pramodaḥ, which is the highest happiness (superlative degree)–priyataratamyam.priya–
priyataraḥ - priyatamaḥ (happy, happier and happiest) are the three degrees.
How do we know which happiness comes under these categories? For this purpose, the
śastras give an explanation:
Priya - when you see any object that you love, the very perception of that object gives
you a joy (iṣṭa darśanajam sukham). For gross example, when you see your favorite dish
(say, gulab jamun) on the menu in a resturant, you feel the pleasure even as you see it.
You can order and enjoy it.
Modaḥ - this next level of happiness comes when you own it (iṣṭa-grahaṇajam-sukham).
You order the gulab jamun and wait for it (with some anxiety and expectation) – the
time of wait may be proportional to the number of stars that the restaurant is rated at.
When the waiter brings it to your table, it is yours. Accomplishing, attaining or owning is
called grahaṇajam. That happiness is more, because it is in your hand, but it is not the
greatest because there is many a slip between the cup and the lip.
Pramodaḥ - When you put the gulab jamun in your mouth, the subject and the object
become one; dvaitam is converted into advaitam. This is the greatest ānanda. It is called
anubhavaḥ, the experience. This iṣṭa-anubhavajam-sukham is the peak.
www.arshaavinash.in
These graded experiential (all the three words are important)arriving, departing pleasure
is ānandamayaḥ. The very word maya conveys that it is subject to communication –the
arriving, departing, graded, experiencial and conditional pleasure is ānandamayaḥ. In
the case of ānandamaya, there are only three parts while five components constitute the
other kośas.
Now the Upaniṣad says that ānandamayaḥ, the experiential pleasure, is also not the real
Ātmā. Then what is the real Ātmā?
आनन्दः आत्मा–ānandaḥātmā - Ānanda is the Ātmā. Ānanda means there is no “maya”

added to that. In Sanskrit grammar, the suffix -maya indicates fluctuations or
modifications (vikārārtha mayatu). Ānandamayaḥ is graded, fluctuating and experiential
pleasure whereas Ātmā is ānandaḥ, that is non - graded, non- fluctuating, non-arriving
and non-departing. I am this ānanda.
Once we know that ānanda is the Ātmā, ānandamayaḥthat consists of priyaḥ, modaḥ
and pramodaḥ is a kośa, the anātmā. All the experiential pleasures are time-bound and
finite. Then analysis of anātmā – anātma-niścayaḥ, kāryatva niścayaḥ, nāma-rūpatve
niścayaḥ, mithyātva niścayaḥ and pravilāpanam – applies.
What is ātmānanda? It is non - experiential ānanda. It not an object to be experienced,

but to be understood as I, the ānandaḥĀtmā.
ब्रह्म पुच्छं प्र�तष्ठा- brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā - this ātmānanda has the support in
Brahman.We should very carefully understand this as Brahmānanda “as though”
supports ātmānanda. The correct understanding is that ātmānanda is Brahmānanda.
Here, support means that they are identical. It is analogous to saying that the outer
space is the support of inner space (for example, in a pot). The former does not support
the latter because there is only one undivided space. Superficially, it appears that the
outer space supports the pot-space. Thus, although ātmānanda is seemingly supported
by Brahmanada, they are identical. This is supported by the statements in the beginning
of this chapter -
सत्यं �ानम ् अनन्तं ब्रह्म

Satyaṁ jnanam anantaṁ brahma
www.arshaavinash.in
Then,
तस्माद् आत्मन आकाशः संभूतः

Tasmād ātmana ākāśa saṁbhūtaḥ
Upaniṣad first says that Brahman is satyaṁ-jñānam-anatam and then says, from that
Ātmā, the creation is born. Here it is using the words Brahman and Ātmā
interchangeably. Thus, we know that they are identical.
The following are the differences between ānandamayakośa and Ātmā:
Kośānanda Ātmānanda
1 Experiential pleasure Non-experiential
2 An object Ever the subject
3 Subject to fluctuation Not subject to fluctuation
4 Subject to arrival and departure I, am never subject to arrival and
departure
How can I experience ātmānanda?Ātmānanda is never available for experience because

it is ever the experiencer and never the experienced. Anything that is experienced is
kośānanda. It is like asking how I can see my eyes? The only way to see my eyes is to use
a mirror. Even in the mirror, I only see the reflected eyes and not my original eyes. The
differences between the original eyes and the reflected ones:
www.arshaavinash.in
Reflected Eyes Original Eyes

1 Visible Imperceptible
2 Arrives and departs as the mirror Continues to exist regardless of the
arrives and departs presence or the absence of the
mirror
3 There are gradations – taratamyams – Unreflected and unobjectifiable. The
if the mirror is clear, the reflection is eyes do not have any gradation
bright and if it is dusty or dirty, the (taratamyam).
reflection is dull (degree of dullness
varies with the the amount of dirt)
If only the reflected eyes and can be seen and not the original eyes, what is the proof for
the existence of the original eyes? The very experience of the reflected eyes is the proof
for the the existence of the original eyes. Every experiential pleasure (kośānanada) is the
proof for the existence of the original ātmānanda. Whenever you enjoykośānanda, you
must remember that you are enjoying your own glory.
Who am I? I am satyam-jñānam-anantam-ānandaḥ. I am pure Existence = pure

Consciousness = the original ānanda (not experiential) which does not have any
limitations (anantam) and is not subject to fluctuations (ahaṁ satya-jñāna-ananta-
ānanda swarūpaḥ asmi]. This is how I experience all pleasures simultaneously as stated
earlier:
सोऽश्नुते सवार्न ् कामान ् सहIब्रह्मणा �वपिश्चते�त I

So’śnute sarvān kāmān saha / brahmaṇā vipaściteti
He fulfills all his desires at once, as the omniscient Brahman
Thus, through the pañca kośa viveka, the Upaniṣad has revealed that Brahman is
ānanda-svarūpaḥ free of the characteristics of the kośas (pañca kośa vilakṣaṇaḥ).
तद् अ�प एषः श्लोकः भव�त- tad api eṣaḥ ślokaḥ bhavati- then, the Upaniṣad quotes the
following R̥gmantra regarding the ānanda Ātmā.
www.arshaavinash.in
7. Anuvāka 6
असन्नेव स भव�त I असद् ब्रह्मे�त वेद चेत ् I अिस्त ब्रह्मे�त चेद्वेद I सन्तमेनं ततो �वद�ु र�त I तस्यैष
एव शार�र आत्मा I यः पूवस्

र् य II
asanneva sa bhavati / asad brahmeti veda cet / asti brahmeti cedveda / santamenaṃ
tatoviduriti / tasyaiṣa eva śārīra ātmā / yaḥ pūrvasya
चेत–् cet – Ifवेद–veda - one considers इ�त–iti - that ब्रह्म असत–् brahma asat - Brahman is
non-existent, सः भव�त–saḥ bhavati - he becomes असन ् एव–asan eva - irreligious indeed.
चेद् वेद–ced veda - If one considers इ�त–iti - that ब्रह्मअिस्त–brahma asti - Brahman is
existent, ततः–tataḥ - then, �वदःु एनम–् viduḥ enam - (the wise) consider him सन्तम ् –santam
- to be religious. इ�त –iti - Thus (ends the R̥gmantra). एषः –eṣaḥ - This (ānandamaya) एव
आत्मा –eva ātmā - is indeed the Ātmā यः शार�रः–yaḥ śārīraḥ - which is in the body तस्य
पूवस्
र् य–tasya pūrvasya - of that previous (vijñānamaya)
If one considers that Brahman is non-existent, he becomes irreligious indeed. If one

considers that Brahman is existent, then, (the wise) consider him to be religious.
Thus (ends the R̥gmantra ). This (ānandamaya) is indeed the Ātmā which is in the
body of that previous (vijñānamaya)
Through this R̥gmantra quotation, we are entering the sixth anuvāka. The quotation
ends with the word viduriti, which is split as viduḥ+iti. The end of the quotation of this
mantra is indicated by the word iti. Let us analyze what this mantra says.
This mantra addresses one of the serious problems of the Vedāntic student. He
understands all the kośānandas: annamaya (anatomy), prāṇamaya (physiology),
manomaya (emotions), vijñānamaya (knowledge) and even ānandamaya(experiential
pleasures), but has difficulty in understanding ātmānanda. Just as he experiences the
www.arshaavinash.in
various kośānandas, his tendency is to also experience ātmānanda. He looks for the
arrival of the infinite and eternal ānandawith no gradations. Anything you experience is
a state and therefore is subject to time, place and condition. If ātmānanda is eternal,
how can he expect to experience it? It is contradictory and illogical. A person in
nirvikalpaka samādhi experiences an extraordinary mystic pleasure. When he comes out
of the samādhi, that pleasure leaves him. In fact, some report and that the extraordinary
pleasure is replaced by an extraordinary pain. Thus, this highest mystic pleasure is not
infinite, but a finite kośānanda. Ātmānanda cannot be experienced because it is you, the
subject (tat tvam asi).
The student’s problem is this: unless he experiences something, he does not want to
accept its existence. His scientific attitude is that only experience of something validates
its existence. If we say that the infinite ātmānanda or Brahmānanda cannot be
experienced, he does not accept its existence. The universal tendency is to conceptualize
everything in the mind and try to experience it. So, he waits for the experience of
Brahmānanda. In the words of Swami Dayananda, he waits for Brahmānanda to surface
like a submarine when he quietens his mind. After years of meditation, he does not find
it and he asks the Swamiji what he should do. Swamiji can prescribe any sādhanā to
experience Brahmānanda, but only ask him to regularly attend the class so that his will
question will end!
The problem is, such people view the study of scriptures as an intellectual exercise, and
therefore,as useless. They consider meditation alone is the means to experience
Brahman. They meditate for a long time waiting for Brahmānanda to appear.
Aftersometime, they lose patience and conclude that Brahmānanda is non-existent
(asan). One with that approach becomes a nāstika – one who does not accept
Brahmānanda because we say it is not an object of experience. The Upaniṣad talks
about such a nāstika.
असद् ब्रह्म इ�त वेद चेत ् – asad brahma iti veda cet- If a person negates Brahman or
Brahmānandabecause it is not available as an object,
असन्नेव स भव�त - asanneva sa bhavati - it is equivalent to negating his own existence

because he is none other than Brahman. The most contradictory and illigical statement
is “I am non-existent” because to claim that I am non-existent, I must be existent!
Therefore, never negate Brahman. Then, what should you do?
www.arshaavinash.in
अिस्त ब्रह्म इ�त चेद् वेद- asti brahma iti ced veda - accept the existence of Brahmānanda
even though it is non - experiencable. Then your intellect will raise the question: if it is
non - experiencable, what is the proof of its existence? There is only one thing whose
existence is proved without objectification: I am.
सन्तम ् एनं ततो �वदःु - santam enaṁ tato viduḥ- if he accepts Brahmānanda, he indirectly is
accepting his own existence because he is Brahman. The wise (viduḥ) consider him to be
religious (santam).
There is another interpretation for this. If a person says that Brahman is non-existent, he
becomes an asat puruṣaḥ which also means adhārmic. Śaṅkarācārya explains this in his
commentary: Brahman can never be the goal in life for a person who does not believe in
Its existence. If he does not believe in Brahman, he also does not accept brahmajñānam
as the goal. If he does not accept jñānam, he does not accept the authority of the
Vedānta śāstras also. For that person, dharmaśāstra, which is prescribed for preparing
the mind for brahmajñānam also becomes redundant. For him, there is no need for citta
śuddhi and therefore, no need for karma yoga and upāsanā.
In a society which values only money and entertainment (artha and kāma), God is not
the goal. Then, the scriptures, religion, rituals, varṇāśrama dharma etc. will become
redundant. The Vedic liefestyle is relevant only when Bhagavan is the goal. In our
culture, it is understood that we can pursue arthaand kāmafor only 40 or 45 years. This
is the reason people married early so that they could pursue artha and kāma, follow
karma yoga, get their children settled and still have all their faculties in reasonable
shape to pursue God in the latter half of life. A person who does not accept God only
thinks of how to enjoy till he is 90 years old. Such a person is an asuraḥ
Asuraḥ:asun rati pālayati iti asuraḥ - one who wants to keep his sense organs fit only for
enjoyment. Even the medical science works for keeping the sense organs fit for sense
pleasures and not for Vedānta śravaṇam. He is asuraḥ becsuse asu means sense organs,
raḥ means protector. He is called asat in this mantra, which is the same as asuraḥ or a
materialistic person. On the other hand, Brahman becomes the goal for a person who
believes in It even if he cannot objectify it. When Brahman becomes important, citta
śuddhi and religious life become important, while money and pleasures become
subservient to the pursuit of Īśvara. Such a person is called a spiritual person.
www.arshaavinash.in
It must be understood clearly that the spiritual person does not reject money or
entertainment, but considers them as subservient to spiritual pursuit. Such a person is
called a suraḥ. In the sixteenth chapter of the Gītā, Krishna elaboratively discusses suraḥ
(daivī sampat) and asuraḥ (āsurī sampat). Even a family is relevant and important only
when there is spiritual pursuit. If the pursuit is merely for money and pleasure, family is
not very important. When a society values only artha and kāma,the families will break
down. In India, the family unity was strong because we believed in dharma and mokṣa;
artha and kāma were secondary.
In summary, the person who accepts the existence of Brahman is called sat puruṣaḥ
(santam). Initially accept Brahman because the scriptures say so and eventually, you will
clearly understand that Brahman exists not as an object, but as I, the very subject (ahaṁ
brahma asmi).Aham (I) is not any of the five kośas, but I, the witness to all the kośas
(pañca-kośa-sākṣi-rupeṇa-brahma- ahamasmi).
With this the R̥gmantra concludes. Now, the Yajurveda completes the pañca kośa viveka
here:
तस्यैष एव शार�र आत्मा–tasyaiṣa eva śārīra ātmā - ānandamaya is the content (śārīra ātmā)
of vijñāmaya, the container. Ānanda is the śārīra Ātmā of ānandamaya.Thus, the
ultimate content is ānanda Ātmā. All the others are the containers or the kośas.
यः पव
ू स्
र् य–yaḥ pūrvasya - as said before.
With this, the topic of pañca-kośa-vivekais complete. Let us recall the three questions
that we began the Upanisad with:
- What is Brahman?
- How to know Brahman?
- What is meant by paraprāpti (attaining the greatest)?
We have addressed the first two points through the pañca-kośa-viveka. The summary is
given below:
www.arshaavinash.in
Summary of Pañca-kośa-viveka
Limbs of the Kośas
Kośa Śiraḥ Dakṣiṇaḥ Uttara Ātmā Puccham

pakṣaḥ pakṣaḥ
Annamaya Head The right arm The left arm The trunk The legs
Prāṇamaya Prāṇa Vyāna Apāna Samāna Pr̥ thivī devatā
Manomaya Yajurveda R̥gveda Sāmaveda Ādeśa Atharva
Vijñānamya Śraddhā R̥tam Satyam Yogaḥ Mahaḥ
Ānandamya Priyam Modaḥ Pramodaḥ Ānanda Brahma
Pañca-kośa-viveka is the methodology for gaining Brahma jnanam. The method of

knowing Brahman was briefly presented in the beginning:
यो वेद �न�हतं गुहायां परमे व्योमन ्

Yo veda nihitaṁ guhāyām parame vyoman
Even though Brahman is all pervading, it must be known within one’s own mind (guhā)
only. In the mind, Brahman is to be recognised only in one way and that is as the
witness consciousness behind every thought:
सवर् वत्ृ तीनां सा�ी चैतन्य रूपेण ब्रह्म अन्तःकरण �ातव्यम ्

Sarvavr̥ ittinām sakṣī caitanya rūpeṇa brahma antaḥkaraṇa jñātavyam
This witness consciousness is not available for objectification. Therefore, Brahman must
be claimed as I, the observer, the witnessing consciousness, which experiences the
presence and the absence of thoughts in the mind. The Upanishad uses the word Ātmā
which is nothing but Brahman:
ब्रह्म सा�ी रूपेण �ातव्यं, ब्रह्म आत्मा रूपेण �ातव्यम ्

Brahma sākṣī rūpeṇa jñātavyaṁ, Brahma ātmā rūpeṇa jñātvyam
This was the brief answer given in the beginning. Turning the attention from the body to
the Consciousness cannot be accomplished suddenly because the body is extremely
gross, and Consciousness is extremely subtle.It is like climbing the Mount Everest
without getting acclimatized. The mountaineers gradually do this by setting up camps
www.arshaavinash.in
and wait in each camp for some time so that the body can get used to the height. The
Upaniṣad introduces us to a gradual process through a conducted tour from annamaya
to a subtler prāṇamaya; then to manomaya, our even subtler emotional personality. It
then takes us to the subtler vijñānamya, the intellect and then to ānandamaya kośa,
which is blankness. The śāstras say that even the blankness is the subtlest form of
matter. The witness of the subtlest matter must be subtler than that. It is ānandaĀtma
(brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā) – I, the witness Consciousness behind the five layers of
matter – the satyaṁ-jñānam-anantam brahma,who is also ānandaḥ.
The next section of the anuvāka will elaborately discuss the third topic: what is meant by
attaining the greatest?
Before the teacher goes to that topic, the student interrupts the teacher with questions
based on the teachings thus far. The questions relevant to the teachings are called
anupraśna. Other independent questions are simply called praśna.
अथातोऽनप्र
ु श्नाःI उता�वद्वानमंु लोकं प्रेत्य I कश्चन गच्छती३I आहो �वद्वानमंु लोकं प्रेत्य I
किश्चत्समश्नुता ३ उ I
athāto'nupraśnāḥ / utāvidvānamuṃ lokaṃ pretya / kaścana gacchatī 3 / āho

vidvānamuṃlokaṃ pretya / kaścitsamaśnutā 3 u
अतः–ataḥ - Therefore, अथ–atha - now follow अनुप्रश्नाः–anupraśnāḥ - the questions based
on the teaching. प्रेत्य –pretya - After leaving (this world), उत कश्चन अ�वद्वान–् uta kaścana
avidvān - does an ignorant person गच्छ�त –gacchati - reach अमुं लोकम–् amuṁ lokam -
that Brahman (or not)? प्रेत्य -pretya - After leaving (this world), उताहो किश्चद् �वद्वान ्–
utāho kaścid vidvān - does a wise person समश्नत

ु े –samaśnute - reach अमंु लोकम–् amuṁ
lokam - that Brahman (or not)?
Therefore, now follow the questions based on the teaching. After leaving (this
world), does an ignorant person reach that Brahman (or not)? After leaving (this
world), does a wise person reach that Brahman (or not)?
www.arshaavinash.in
अतः अथ अनप्र
ु श्नाः–ataḥ atha anupraśnāḥ- atha indicates a small diversion. Ataḥ means
therefore.Since the student has certain questions, which the teacher infered from the
face of the student, the latter decided to answer the questions first. Otherwise, the
student would be thinking of his doubts and not listen to the class. When the doubt
assails the mind, the mind is disturbed, and the listening is affected. Therefore, the
teacher decided to answer the two questions:
उत अ�वद्वान ् अमुं लोकं प्रेत्यकश्चन गच्छती ३–uta avidvān amuṁ lokaṁ pretya kaścana
gacchati 3 - avidvān means an ignorant person. In this context, amuṁ lokam means
Brahman. The word pretya means after death or destruction (maraṇa anantaram). The
elongation in gacchati 3 indicates doubt. Does an ignorant person merge into Brahman
or not (uta means “or not”)?
आहो �वद्वान ् अमुं लोकं प्रेत्य किश्चत ् समश्नुता३ उ- āho vidvān amuṁ lokaṁ pretya kaścit
samaśnutā 3 u- vidvān means the wise person and in this context also, amuṁ
lokammeans Brahman. The word samaśnutā should be split into samaśnute, which
means merge or reach and u, which stands for utā that means or not. The number 3
indicates doubt. Does the wise person reach Brahman after death (or not)?
The number 3 in these questions indicate that the word must be pronounced extra long.
Extra long vowel is called plūtiḥ
Short vowel - hraśvaḥ

ordinary long vowel - dīrghaḥ
extraordinary long vowel - plūtiḥ
The student is intelligently cornering the teacher with the questions on the wise as well
as the ignorant person. Earlier in the teaching, Brahman was presented as the cause for
everything:
तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः संभूतः I आकाशाद्वायुः I वायोरिग्नः I अग्नेरापः I अद्भ्यः

प�ृ थवी I प�ृ थव्या ओषधयः I ओषधीब्योऽन्नम ् I अन्नात्पुरुषः Iस वा एष पुरुषोऽन्नरसमयः I
www.arshaavinash.in
tasmādvāetasmādātmana ākāśaḥ saṃbhūtaḥ / ākāśādvāyuḥ /vāyoragniḥ

/agnerāpaḥ / adbhyaḥ pṛthivī / pṛthivyā oṣadhayaḥ / oṣadhībyo’nnam /
annātpuruṣaḥ / sa vā eṣa puruśo’nnarasamayaḥ
The five elements, the earth, the trees from the earth and even the human bodies
originate from Brahman. The student understands that Brahman is the kāraṇam (cause)
and all the things and being are kāryam (product).The student’s question is based also
on another principle: at the time of destruction all the products merge into the cause
just as the rivers merge back into the ocean (yataḥ udbhavanti, tasmin niyante). There is
no exception to this regardless of whether one is ignorant or wise or pious or irreligious.
Regardless of the spiritual level and understanding, everyone merges into Brahman.
Merging into Brahman is also defined as mokṣa or liberation. Based on this
understanding, he asks the question: will an ignorant person merge into Brahman or
not, at the time of death or after death?
The teacher will be in trouble with whatever answer he gives. If he says that the ignorant
person will not merge into Brahman, he will violate the rule that the product must
merge into the cause. This means Brahman cannot be the cause. If that is the case, the
wise person also will not merge into Brahman. If the teacher says Brahman is the cause
of everything and everyone including ignorant people will merge into Brahman, there
would be no need for any spiritual progress. Śaṅkarācārya solves this problem through a
grammatical analysis of the statement:
In Sanskrit grammar, the numbers are classified as singular, dual and plural. In English,
anything more than one is plural, while in Sanskrit plural is only when there are three or
more. If we take the word anupraśnaḥ, we have,
Singular Dual Plural

Anupraśnaḥ Anupraśnau Anupraśnāḥ
The introductory statement ataḥ atha anupraśnāh indicates that there are are at least
three questions, but the the student poses only two questions. Śaṅkarācārya reconciles
this in two different ways, but we will discuss only one which is relevant for our
discussion. He says that there is a third implied question that is hidden in the previous
statement:
असन्नेव स भव�त I असद् ब्रह्मे�त वेद चेत ् I अिस्त ब्रह्मे�त चेद्वेद I सन्तमेनं ततो �वद�ु र�त I
www.arshaavinash.in
asanneva sa bhavati / asad brahmeti veda cet / asti brahmeti cedveda /

santamenaṃ tato viduriti
Here, the Upaniṣad introduced two types of people: those who accept the existence of
Brahman and those who do not (brahma astivā vādinaḥ and brahma nāstivā vādinaḥ).
The disagreement exists only because Brahman is not available for objectification. The
disagreement is further intensified when the scriptures describe Brahman as formless,
attributeless and not available for any sense organ or the mind or the intellect. One
Upaniṣad describes Brahman as beyond all transactions. Naturally, a group of people
with rational intellect conclude that they know why it is not available for transaction,
because it is not there! [Nirguṇam brahma nāsti].Even the Indian philosophies such as
Viśiṣṭādvaita and Dvaita do not subscribe to nirguṇam Brahman.
Therefore, the two questions related to merger with Brahman are relevant only if
Brahman exists. Thus, before the student’s questions can be answered, another basic
third question must be answered: is there Brahman or not? [Brahma asti vā nāsti vā?].
Since no objective evidence can be presented to prove the existence of Brahman, some
may think that we are brainwashed through generations by ācāryas to believe that
Brahman exists.
The following prortion is the answer to the implied question. This elaborate discussion
continues through the 7th and the 8thanuvākas (up to mr̥ tyurdhāvati pañcama iti). The
Upaniṣad gives seven arguments to establish the existence of Brahman (brahma
astitvam).
सोऽकामयत I बहु स्यां प्रजायेये�त I स तपोऽतप्यत I स तपस्तप्त्वा I इद�सवर्मसज

ृ तI
य�ददं �कञ्च I तत्सष्ृ ट्वा I तदे वानुप्रा�वशत ् I तदनुप्र�वश्य I सच्च त्यच्चाभवत ् I �नरुक्तं चा�नरुक्तं च
I �नलयनं चा�नलयनं च I �व�ानं चा�व�ानं च I सत्यं चानत

ृ ं च सत्यमभवत ् I य�ददं �कञ्च I
तत्सत्य�मत्याच�ते I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
so'kāmayata / bahu syāṃ prajāyeyeti / sa tapo'tapyata / sa tapastaptvā /

idagṁsarvamasṛjata / yadidaṃ kiñca / tatsṛṣṭvā / tadevānuprāviśat / tadanupraviśya /
sacca tyaccābhavat / niruktaṃ cāniruktaṃ ca / nilayanaṃ cānilayanaṃ ca / vijñānaṃ
www.arshaavinash.in
cāvijñānaṃ ca / satyaṃ cānṛtaṃ ca satyamabhavat / yadidaṃ kiñca /

tatsatyamityācakṣate / tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
सः अकामयत–saḥ akāmayata - He desired इ�त–iti - thus – प्रजायेय–prajāyeya - “Let me be
born. स्याम–् syām - Let me become बहु–bahu - many.” सः अतप्यत–saḥ atapyata - He
performed तपः–tapaḥ - tapas. तप्त्वा–taptvā - Having performed तपः–tapaḥ - tapas, सः
ृ त–saḥ asr̥ jata - He created सवर्म ् इदम–् sarvam idam - all this – यत ् �कं च–yat kiṁ ca -
असज
whatever इदम–् idam - this is. सष्ृ ट्वा–sr̥ ṣṭvā - Having created तत–् tat - this, अनुप्र�वशत–्
anupraviśat - He entered तद् एव–tad eva - this itself. अनुप्र�वश्य–anupraviśya - Having
entered तत–् tat - this, अभवत–् abhavat - (He) became सत ् च–sat ca - he formed त्यत ् च–tyat
ca - and the formless, �नरुक्तं च–niruktaṁ ca - the defined च अ�नरुक्तम–् ca aniruktam -
and the undefined, �नलयनं च–nilayanaṁ ca - the supporter च अ�नलयनम–् ca anilayanam -
and the non-supporter, �व�ानं च–vijñānaṁ ca - the sentient च अ�व�ानम–् ca avijñānam -
and the insentient, च सत्यम–् ca satyam - as well as the real च अनत

ृ म–् ca anr̥ tam - and the
unreal. सत्यम ् अभवत–् satyam abhavat - Brahman became all this – यत ् �कं च–yat kiṁ ca -
whatever इदम–् idam - this is. आच�ते–ācakṣate - They declare तद् इ�त–tad iti - that
(Brahman) to be सत्यम–् satyam - (the absolute) Truth. तद् अ�प–tad api - In this regard,
भव�त–bhavati - there is एषः श्लोकः–eṣaḥ ślokaḥ - the following R̥gmantra.
He desired thus – “Let me be born. Let me become many.” He performed tapas.

Having performed tapas, He created all this – whatever this is. Having created this,
He entered this itself. Having entered this, (He) became the formed and the
formless, the defined and the undefined, the supporter and the non-supporter, the
sentient and the insentient, as well as the real and the unreal. Brahman became all
this – whatever this is. They declare that (Brahman) to be (the absolute) Truth. In
this regard, there is the following R̥gmantra.
www.arshaavinash.in
This portion gives three of the seven supporting arguments.
1. Brahman is existent as the intelligent cause of creation (brahma asti jagataḥ

nimitta kāraṇatvāt)
This idea is based upon the principle that any product that we see – a clock, a mic, a
desk, a carpet or a box – has a purpose and that it has been carefully visualized,
designed and manufactured by an intelligent being to meet that purpose. This
intelligent cause is called nimiita kāraṇam in Sanskrit. Even if the intelligent cause is not
visible, we infer that there is one.
If I extend this principle to the entire creation, I find that every sense object that I
experience with my sense organs has a purpose. Science keeps revealing the
purposefulness of every product in the creation. Many things that were thought to be
purposeless were later discovered to be purposeful.This universe is very well-designed
with innumerable components working in harmony. We can therefore infer that this is a
purposeful product designed and created by an intelligent principle. The chances of this
being an accident is almost zero.
The intelligence needs to be specific to a product: clip intelligence is required to design

and make a clip while computer intelligence is required to make a computer. [Once
Swamiji was asked to provide some points on someone and the software on the compter
would write a poem on that person. Swamiji gave some salient features of hero is Ādi
Śaṅkarācārya – compassionate, wise etc. – and the computer generated some poems on
him]. A computer even defeated Kasparov in Chess. That computer was created by a
human being. How great a computer is human brain! Can the computer be accepted as
a product of chance or accident? If it cannot be accepted so, how can this brain, which is
more complicated than the most complicated computer be a product of
chance?Therefore, we say that there is an organizing intelligence that we call sarvajñāna
Īśvaraḥ or Paramātmā(brahma asti jagataḥ nimitta kāraṇa rūpeṇa).
Once we accept that organizing intelligence, we can visualize the process of creation.In
any creation, the product does not suddenly appear; it is first visualized, then designed,
a blueprint is created and then produced. For example, before building a house, the
layout is first visualized, then designed and then built. All creations start with
visualization in the mind. The creation of the 14 lokas and their locations – heavens or
hells – require a plan that must be carefully laid out. This is planned in the total mind of
the intelligent principle. The Vedānta calls this total mind māyātattvam. The individual
www.arshaavinash.in
mind itself is a later product – we are talking about māyā, the mind that produces the
mind.
In the māyā screen of the intelligent principle, the design is visualized, but creation is
not possible without the desire to create. Visualization is useless without desire, desire is
useless without visualization. Therefore, that Brahman desired and visualized and then
came this wonderful creation. The Upaniṣad says:
सः अकामयत–saḥ akāmayata–saḥ means that Brahmātmā. We have to supply māyāsahita

Brahmātmā – Brahman along with māyā [For Sanskrit students: saḥ is masculine gender,
Brahman is neutral gender and Ātmā is masculine gender. Since saḥ is masculine, it must
mean Brahmātmā which is masculine].
Akāmayata means desired – He desired what? To create this universe. This is stage
number 1. How did He desire? I, as a living being, entertain desire in my mind. What is
the instrument of desire for Brahman? This instrument is called māyā that has the
desiring power (icchā śakti). Māyā-sahita-Brahman is Īśvara – a gr̥ hastha:
माता च पावर्�त दे वी �पता दे वो महे श्वरःI

बान्धवः �शव भक्तश्च स्वदे शो भुवनत्रयम ्II
Mātā ca pārvati devī pitā devo maheśvaraḥ

Bāndhavaḥśiva bhaktaśca svadeśo bhuvanatrayam
With the help of māyā, Brahman desired. Then the following questions arise:
Why should Brahman desire? –The creation (sr̥ ṣṭi) is the reason for saṁsāra. Had he not
created the universe, there would have been no saṁsāra. Everyone wonders: why did
God create the universe?
How can he have desire? - We learn in the Vedānta, that desire is a sign of saṁsāra.
Desire comes out of apūrṇatvam. I am not happy with myself and therefore to become
happy, I desire something or someone. Per the Vedānta, avidyā(ignorance) produces
kāma (desire),which in turn drives karma (action), which then produces phalam (result).
Phalam produces rebirth (punarapi jananam, punarapi maraṇam). That is why liberation
is defined as freedom from desire. Krishna gives the definition in verse 2.55 of the Gītā:
www.arshaavinash.in
श्रीभगवानुवाच।
प्रजहा�तयदाकामान्सवार्न्पाथर्मनोगतान ्।
आत्मन्योवात्मनातष्ु टःिस्थतप्र�स्तदोच्यते॥२ -५५॥
prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha manōgatān |
ātmanyēva''tmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadōcyatē || 2.55 ||
The Lord Answered – Oh Arjuna! satisfied in himself by himself, when one gives
up all the desires obtaining in the mind, then, he is said to be (a man) of firm
knowledge.
Verse 2.3.14 of Kaṭhopaniṣad also states:
यदासव�प्रमुच्यन्ते, कामायेSस्यहृ�द�श्रताः I
अथमत्य�Sमत
र्ृ ोभव�त, अत्रब्रह्मसमश्नुते II
yadā sarvē pramucyantē, kāmā yē’sya hr̥ di śritāḥ

atha martyō’rmr̥ tō bhavati, atra brahma samaśnutē
When all desires which are based on his heart wear off, then, the mortal becomes
immortal. He attains Brahman here (itself).
A person becomes free from samasara when all desires are gone. That means, desire is a
symptom of saṁsāra and avidyā. However, the Upaniṣad says here that Bhagavan
desired. So, we conclude: “I thought only I have saṁsāra, now He also has the problem”.
If the Lord is ever liberated, how can He have a desire?
We will answer these questions in the following manner:
Bhagavan desires with the help of māyāśakti.
Bhagavan’s desire is not born out of ignorance and apūrṇatvam. Only that desire born
out of ignorance will cause of saṁsāra. When desire is not born out of ignorance
www.arshaavinash.in
(avidyā), it is called a non-binding desire. It is a harmless desire that is not for

Bhagavan’s pūrṇatvam.
If Bhagavan does not have ignorance and apūrṇatvam, why should he desire? His desire
for creation is meant for the fructification of the karmaphalam of all the beings (jīvarāsi).
The actions (pāpa-puṇya) of the countless jīvas must produce phalam and this is
possible only if there is a world. Therefore, Bhagavan creates the world not for His sake,
but for the sake of the jīvas.
From where did these puṇya and pāpa that require fructification originate? They are the
result of karmas of the jīvas in the previous creation (sr̥ ṣṭi). The karmas of the present
sr̥ ṣṭi will be the cause for the creation of the next sr̥ ṣṭi. Thus, every sr̥ ṣṭi is based upon the
karmas of the jīvas.
Bhagavan must create the lower worlds (naraka) for the jīvas who have predominantly
acquired pāpa. He also must create the higher worlds for the jīvas who predominantly
have puṇyas to fructify. For those who have (nearly) equal mixture, He must create the
bhūloka (the earth). This means that Bhagavan should not only have the desire to create,
but also have the knowledge of all the karmas of all the jīvas. Also, he must visualize the
suitable environment for the jīvas to fructify based on their karmas. The type of body of
the jīva is also determined by karma.Therefore, the present sr̥ ṣṭi is because of the karma
of past sr̥ ṣṭi. How did the past sr̥ ṣṭi come? Because of its past sr̥ ṣṭi.
How did the first sr̥ ṣṭi come? There is no first sr̥ ṣṭi because the creation is not a linear
process. Until you grasp this principle, the mystery will haunt you. Your intellect should
get out of the linear thinking that the creation has a beginning and an end. The creation
process is cyclic. Once you see the cyclic process, the mind will get out of this tyranny. In
a circle, there is no beginning or end. If I draw a circle starting from a point, it is not a
circle until the beginning point merges with the ending point.
Therefore, you can never define a beginning or an end of a circle. The scientists can
never solve the problem of creation so long as they espouse linear thinking.
Thus, every sr̥ ṣṭi is an intermediary sr̥ ṣṭi. There was a sr̥ ṣṭi before the present one and
there will be one after also. Therefore, Bhagavan desires to create a sr̥ ṣṭifor the sake of
the fulfillment of the karmaphalam of its previous sr̥ ṣṭi. Thus, Bhagavan desired, not
because of his ignorance or apūrṇatvam, but for the benefit of jīvarāsi (loka
saṅgrahameva api). We can entertain any number of non- binding desires because they
www.arshaavinash.in
will not cause saṁsāra. Mokṣa does not mean freedom from all desires, but it means
freedom from binding desires. Śaṅkarācārya uses the terms śuddha kāmaḥ and aśuddha
kāmaḥ to describe non-binding and binding desires respectively. Bhagavan entertained
śuddha kāma. What was his desire?
बहु स्यां प्रजायेय इ�त- bahu syāṁ prajāyeya iti- Now I am the universal father and I am only
one; let me multiply to become many jīvas(living beings). Dayananda Swamiji beautifully
says: aham,avam andvayam (singular, dual and plural). As abrahmacārī, a person was
singular (aham). When he married, he and his spouse became dual (avam). When they
had a child, they became plural (vayam). Each child gets married and produces children,
who in turn produce more children and so on (ekaḥ anekaḥ bhavati).Thus, Brahman
multiplies through progeny (prajāyeya).
What is the uniqueness of Bhagavan? In the creation, aparent only reproduces a child of
its species. Man can only multiply as man; he will not produce a monkey. Humans
produce humans, buffaloes produce buffaloes, but Bhagavan is the cause of all the
species. Krishna mentions this in the verse 14.4 of the Bhagavad Gītā.
सवर्यो�नषक
ु ौन्तेयमत
ू य
र् ःसम्भविन्तयाः|
तासांब्रह्ममहद्यो�नरहं बीजप्रदः�पता|| १४- ४||
sarvayōniṣu kauntēya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ |
tāsāṃ brahma mahadyōnirahaṃ bījapradaḥ pitā || 14.4 ||
Oh! Arjuna, whatever forms are born in all the wombs – for all of them the
greatest prakriti is the womb. I am the father who provides the seed.
The universal father produces all the species because māyā has the potentiality to be all
the living beings (jivarāsis). So, He decided to multiply into plurality [iti indicates
quotation - bahusyām prajāyeya is in quotation]. It is the desire of the Lord.
Visualization comes after desire. For example,before we build a house, we need to first
visualize the layout to determine what room goes where. For the creation, Bhagavan
needs to visualize even mosquitoes. For this, the Bhagavan must be sarvajña
(omniscient); only then He can visualize a complex creation that must simultaneously
fulfil the karma of all.When a child is born to a parent, it is the simultaneous fulfillment
of the parent’s as well as the child’s karma. The parent’s puṇya-pāpa is responsible for
www.arshaavinash.in
the birth of such a child and vice versa. Similarly, this applies to the siblings, guru, śiṣya
etc. - every sambhanda(relationship) is a fructification of karma. This visualization is
called tapaḥ.
सः तपः अतप्यत–saḥ tapaḥ atapyata–it literally means the Lord did tapas (austerity). Here,
austerity is in the form of the very visualization. Bhagavan’s tapas is in the form of
jnanam. Verse 1.1.9 of Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad states:
यःसवर्�ःसवर्�वद्, यस्य�ानमयंतपः I
तस्मादे तद्ब्रह्मनाम, रूपमन्नंचजायते II
yaḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvavid, yasya jñānamayaṃ tapaḥ I

tasmādetad brahma nāma, rūpamannaṃ ca jāyate II
He is omniscient (in general) and is omniscient (in particular). His tapasis in the
form of knowledge. This Hiraṇyagarbha, name, form and food are born out of
him.
The Lord did tapaswith māyāas the instrument(māyayā saṅkalpa eva tapaḥ ityuccate).
Do not imagine that he sat in padmāsana and did tapas; to do this he requires hands
and legs. When the pañca bhūtas were not even created, where is the question of hands
and legs? Also, to do tapas in padmāsanam, he needs to sit in space. Space itself was yet
to be created(tasmād vā etasmād ātmana ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ). Therefore, Bhagavan’s
tapas is not a conventional one.
सः तपः तप्त्वा–saḥ tapaḥ taptvā - Bhagavan’s tapas is not for a minute or hours, but for
countless number of yugas, because it is at the cosmic level.Having done tapas for
sufficient time, what did he do?
इद�सवर्म ् असज
ृ त –idagṁ sarvam asr̥ jata - Bhagavan created the whole universe. This is the
third stage.
To summarize:
- Stage 1 - akāmayata– desired

- Stage 2 – tapaḥ atapyata– visualized
www.arshaavinash.in
- Stage 3 –idagṁ sarvam asr̥ jata - implemented
He created all of them. When Bhagavan and māyā are without a body, how can you
classify them as he or she? It is just the convention; if you want you can replace he with
she and vice versa.
Sarvam includes ākāśaḥ (space). Space and time were also created along with with
everything else.
यत ् इदं �कं च- yat idaṁ kiṁ ca–Īśvara has created everything that you experience in the
universe. Therefore, Īśvara is the intelligent cause of the universe (īśvaraḥ jagataḥ
nimitta kāraṇam).
Even though it is not discussed in the Upaniṣad, we need to note a point here.
Generally, after visualization, we must put in a lot of effort for implementation. After the
plan for a house is conceived, the construction of a house requires a lot of effort. If
constructing a simple house is so difficult, how much time and energy would the
Bhagavan have spent to construct the entire cosmos? The śāstras say that the Bhagavan
did not put forth any effort at all to create the universe. He created it by mere saṅkalpa
(visualization) [saṅkalpa mātreṇaidagṁ sarvam asr̥ ajata].
How is it possible to produce such a vast and complex universe, by mere saṅkalpa? Then
śāstras say that it is possible. In fact, we also have that capacity to create a world by
mere saṅkalpa and we do it regularly. Do you understand? By mere saṅkalpa, we
regularly create wonderful dream world with our mind and vāsanās. We do not carry any
material to create a dream house. In fact, the moment we close our eyes, the dream
world comes. It is an effortless process.
How can you give a dream example? Unreal dream universe dream can be created by
mere saṅkalpa, but how can you give you equate it to the real universe? The śāstras ask,
“who says that this universe is real?” The śāstrasgive the dream example because this
universe is also unreal - the unreal dream universe is created by your saṅkalpa, and this
unreal universe is created by Īśvara’s saṅkalpa.
In Verse 2 of Dakṣiṇāmūrti śatakam, Śaṅkarācārya says:
बीजस्यान्त�रवाङ्कुरो जग�ददं प्राङ्िग्न�वर्कल्पं पुनः
www.arshaavinash.in
मायाकिल्पतदे शकालकलना वै�च�य�चत्रीकृतम ्

मायावीव �वज्रम्
ु भयत्यपी महायोगीव यः स्वच्छे या
तस्मै श्रीगरु
ु मत
ू य
र् े नाम इदं श्री द��णामत
ू य
र् े II
bījasyāntarivāṅkuro jagadidaṃ prāṅgnirvikalpaṃ punaḥ

māyākalpitadeśakālakalanā vaicitryacitrīkṛtam
māyāvīva vijrumbhayatyapī mahāyogīva yaḥ svaccheyā
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nāma idaṃ śrī dakṣiṇāmūrtaye
The one who is a magician or a great yogi, creates this universe just out of his
own free-will the universe, which before creation remained unmanifest like the
tree in a seed, and has later projected himself out to be the universe of
diversities, due to the play of time and space, the products of māyā, to Him, the
divine teacher, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti, this salutation.
How do you call this universe unreal even though I feel this as very real? For that śāstras
say that you may feel many things, but you cannot take them seriously. During a dream
you never think that the things or events are unreal; they appear very real. On waking
up, you know that they were unreal. In the same way, this universe appears real. Verse
1.3.14 of Kaṭhopaniṣadsays:
उित्तष्ठत जाग्रत, प्राप्य वरािन्नबोधत
Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata, prāpya varānnibodhata
Wake up! Then you will understand that this universe also is unreal.
Thus, Īśvaracreated this unreal world through mere saṅkalpa. That saṅkalpa śakti is in
māyā. [Īśvaraḥsaṅkalpa mātreṇa idam mithyā jagat asr̥ jata ]. He is the intelligent cause
(Īśvara asti jagataḥ nimitta kāraṇavat).
2. After creating the universe, He enters the universe as jīvātmā (tat sr̥ ṣṭvā tad
eva anupraviśat)
तत ् सष्ृ ट्वा तद् एव अनुप्र�वशत-् tat sr̥ ṣṭvā tad eva anupraviśat - After creating the universe,
Bhagavan enters it. This statement is called anupraveśa vākyam.
www.arshaavinash.in
The story continues –first, Īśvara (Bhagavan, māyā sahita Brahma, or saguṇam Brahma)
created the universe. This universe will be meaningful and purposeful only when there
are jīvas, the sentientones to experience it. Mere inert world is purposeless. The house
that I build will be meaningful only if there sensient living beings to live in it. Therefore,
after creating the universe, Bhagavan enters it in the form of all the living beings
(jīvarāsis). The experiencer jīvas are none other than that creator Brahman.
How? We must carefully understand this. All these are significant portions of the
śāstra.This portion is called anupraveśa.Śaṅkarācārya wrote a very elaborate
commentary on this. The same portion occurs in the Br̥ hadāraṇyaka Upaniśad and there,
he wrote a still more elaborate commentary. Sub commentators have elaborated even
more.
To understand this, we go to our own dream example. After creating a dream world,
who goes there to experience the dream? If I analyse it, I find: I create the dream and I
myself enter the dream to experience the dream world. Therefore, the waker himself
becomes a member in the dream, experiencing the objects. That’s why when I create a
dream world, I create a tiger, I enter the dream world and get frightened also. Just as the
waker becomes the experiencer of the dream experiencer, the Lord becomes the
experiencer of this universe [Īśvara eva jīva rūpeṇa upalabhyate]. Thus,every jīvātmāis
none other than the Paramātmā.Therefore, the existence of jīvātmā is the proof for the
very existence of the Paramātmā.
Of course,the svapna sr̥ ṣṭi(creation of dream) is not 100% identical with the jagat
sr̥ ṣṭi(creation of the universe). If it were, it cannot be called as an example. However, they
are close enough to make a comparison. There are many common features between the
two. When an example is given, the student should focus upon the common features
and not on the differences. When a person is called the pillar of an organization, we
should see features common with the pillar that he is compared to. The person supports
the organization in the same way the pillar supports the building. The organization will
collapse if the person quits it in the same way the building will collapse of the pillar is
removed. One should not look to features of the pillar such as round, inert, made up of
brick etc. for comparison. Whenever svapna example is given, it is very important to
always look for the similarities and not the differences.
Just as Īśvara creates this world by mere saṅkalpa, we create our svapna (dream) by
mere saṅkalpa. The moment our head touches the pillow, svapna prapañca comes.The
various things projected in the dream are meant for experience.So, we require an
www.arshaavinash.in
experiencer of the dream world. Otherwise the dream world projection is useless. We,
the creators of svapna, ‘enter’ the svapna prapañca. We become the dream experiencer.
The waker creator creates the dream and becomes the dream experiencer.What is the
mechanism or process behind this event? Until the dream is created, I am identified with
this physical body as a waker, but the moment the svapna prapañca is created, I create a
special body for my transactions in the dream because I cannot use this physical body
for dream transactions. This dream body that is projected in my own mind is called
vāsanamaya śarīram or vr̥ ttamaya śarīram . I drop the vyāvahārika śarīram (physical
body) to take on this svapna śarīram(the dream body). Lord Krishna says in verse 2.22 of
the Gītā:
वासां�सजीणार्�नयथा�वहाय
नवा�नगह्
ृ णा�तनरोऽपरा�ण|
तथाशर�रा�ण�वहायजीणार्-
न्यन्या�नसंया�तनवा�नदे ह�|| २- २२||
vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya

navāni gṛhṇāti narō'parāṇi
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāni
anyāni saṁyāti navāni dēhī || 2.22 ||
Just as a person gives up worn out clothes and puts on other new ones, so also,
this Ātma gives up worn outbodies and attains into other new ones.
Just as I do when I take a rebirth, I leave the jāgrat prapañca and take a rebirth in the
svapna prapañca. The body is dropped like a dead body (I do not feel the mosquito bite
or the blanket slipping away). That’s why it is said that the first thing we should do is to
take a bath in the morning. During svapna and śuṣupti, thebody has become as though
a corpse and therefore, there is aśaucam (unclean).
You take the svapna śarīram along with the svapna sense organs. The forms and colors
in dream are seen with dream eyes and a pair of dream spectacles (you remove your
pair of spectacles before you go to sleep). Then you travel in your dream from Kāśi to
New York in the dream vehicle and eat dream food (even though you have gone to bed
after over-eating).The waker thus becomes a product within the dream world. The
interesting thing is even though I have created the dream time and dream space within
www.arshaavinash.in
the dream world, I myself am limited by dream time and dream space.As a waker,
identified with the body, I am the creator and as a dreamer; identified with the dream
body, I am no more the creator, but am the created (sthūla śarīram abhimānena
kāraṇaṁ bhavāmi; svapna śarīra abhimānena kāryaṁ bhavāmi).
I then experience the svapna prapañca. The experiencer of the dream, the conscious
principle, is not different from the conscious principle experiencing the world in the
waking stage. Therefore, the experiencer is one and the same; only the medium of
experience is different.As the waker experiencer, I was identified with sthūla śarīramand
as the dreamer experiencer, I was identified with svapnaśarīram.The body differs, but the
experiencer consciousness is one and the same.
How do you know that the waker alone has entered the dream world and is
experiencing the dream? If the waker creator is different from the dream experiencer,
what the dreamer experiences, the waker will never know. However, what is my
experience? After waking up, I tell the others, as the experiencer in the dream, that I had
a nightmare or Lord Bālāji’s darśan.Therefore, it is very clear, that the waker, the creator
and the dreamer, the created, are both one and the same.
When I am identified with the dream body, I never claim that I am the creator. I feel that
I am one of the individuals in the dream world interacting with the external world.I feel
that the world is giving me sukham and duḥkham (pleasure and pain); I am praised or
persecuted by the world etc. Therefore,so long as I am identified with the dream body, I
am an ordinary individual, but the moment I wake up, I disidentify with the dream body
and identify with this body.Then instead of being an individual within the dream, I now
claim that I am the creator, sustainer and destroyer! Whether I am kāryam or kāraṇam
depends upon whether I am identified with the dream body or the waker’s body.
Extending the same principle, the Vedānta says that so long as I am identified with the
waker’s body, I feel that I am an individual in this world. I am the jīvātmā, created to
experience sukham and duḥkham. I can never claim that the world is within me because
the world is very much outside me; I am limited by this body. The moment I disidentify
with this body, I am no more the jīvātmā located in this world. I can claim that I am the
Paramātmā and from me (not the one identified with the body) alone,with the help of
māyā, the whole creation has come. Thus, I have created this world and within the
world, this physical body is one of the creations and I have become an individual
identified with this body. When I disdentify with this body, I see that I am the creator
who is now in the form of jīvātmā.
www.arshaavinash.in
The Paramātmā alone has entered each and every body and is functioning as the
jīvātmā - imagine the dreamer arguing that there is no waker-creator in the dream!We
say, that the very experiencer, you, who are experiencing the dream world, are the
creator of the dream. If you want to discover the waker, wake up! Thus, the very
existence of the dreamer is the proof for the existence of the waker.In the same way, the
very existence of the jivātmā, the experiencer, is the proof for the existence of the
Paramātmā.Therefore the Upanishad says, tat śr̥ ṣṭvat - that Paramātmā is dreaming now
and is taking the role of the miserable jīvātmāby acquiring the sthūla-sūkṣma śarīramsin
this “dream” (waking) world. This is the explanation for tad eva anuparviśat. Śrī
Dakṣiṇāmūrti stotram states:
स्वप्ने जाग्र�त वा य एष पुरुषो मायाप�रभ्रा�मतः

तस्मै श्रीगरु
ु मत
ू य
र् े नम इदं श्रीद��णामत
ू य
र् े ॥८॥
Svapne jāgrati vā ya eṣa puruṣo māyāparibhrāmitaḥ

Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁśrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye II 8 II
In dream or waking state, He, the one Puruṣa is always present, and (as if) māyā
wanders over Him and gives rise to all these differentiations. Salutations to Him,
the personification of our inner guru who awakens this Knowledge through His
profound silence; Salutation to Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti.
Thus, the so called Paramātmā alone is now in the form of jīvātmā.
Now, you must see the reverse: the so called jīvātmāis none other than the Paramātmā.
तत ् अनुप्र�वश्य- tat anupraviśya - having entered the śarīram as the jīvātmā, the
Paramātmāperforms all the transactions as the jīvātmā. The Paramātmānow has
become the kartā or the pramātāidentified with the karmendriyāṇi and as the bhoktā
identified with the jñānendriyāṇi. Thus, the wonderful dream show is going on. So long
as you enjoy the dream, it is wonderful, but if becomes a nightmare, the only way out is
to wake up.
www.arshaavinash.in
When you wake up, the dream body is falsified and when you become wise, this physical
body is falsified (Brahma satyam jagat mithyā)– i.e., this body and the sense organs
(śarīram and indriyāṇi) are all mithyā from Brahman’s stand point.
The sentence tat anupraviśyamust be completed by us: brahmaiva jīvātmā rūpeṇa

vyavahārati - having entered the body, Brahman does all the transactions in the form of
jīvātmā. Mantra 14 of Kaivalya Upaniṣad says:
पुनश्च जन्मान्तरकमर्योगात ्, स एव जीवः स्व�प�त प्रबुद्धः I
पुरत्रयेक्र�ड�तयश्चजीवः, ततस्तुजातंसकलं�व�चत्रम ् I
आधारमानन्दमखण्डबोधं, यस�मँल्लयंया�त परु त्रयं चII१४ II
Punaśca janmāntarakarmayogāt, sa eva jīvaḥ svapiti prabuddhaḥ

Puratraye krīdati yaśca jīvaḥ tatsu jātaṁ sakalaṁ vicitram
Ādhāramānandamakhaṇḍabodhaṁ, yasmin layaṁ yāti puratrayaṁ ca II14II
Once again, that very jīva dreams or wakes up because of the association with
past karma. All this diversity is born out of that (jīvā) alone which jīva sports in
the three worlds of experience. Moreover, the three worlds resolve into that (jīvā)
which is indivisible consciousness and ānanda, the substratum (of all).
Wonderful sloka! This jagrat prapañca is only one of the fields of my

activity;svapnaprapañca is another field. I enter each field and play that role. In śuṣupti
avasthā, I remove both the jāgrat (waking) and svapna(dream) śarīrams; I am only
caitanyam (Consciousness). The very fact that the jāgrat role comes and goes indicates
that I am neither a waker nor a dreamer; both fields are play grounds only. However, I
enter the field and mistakenly take it as my real nature. Śaṅkarācārya says: since the
existence of jīvātmā is doubtless, the existence of the Paramātmā also is doubtless
because the Paramātmā alone plays the role of the jīvātmā.
3. Upādāna kāraṇam– the material cause
सच्च त्यच्चाभवत ् I �नरुक्तं चा�नरुक्तं च I �नलयनं चा�नलयनं च I �व�ानं चा�व�ानं च I सत्यं चानत
ृ ं
च सत्यमभवत ् I
www.arshaavinash.in
sacca tyaccābhavat / niruktaṃ cāniruktaṃ ca / nilayanaṃ cānilayanaṃ ca / vijñānaṃ

cāvijñānaṃ ca / satyaṃ cānṛtaṃ ca satyamabhavat
Previously we pointed out that Brahman is the intelligent cause (nimitta kāraṇam) of the
universe.As the nimitta kāraṇam, Brahman alone desired, visualized and created the
universe just as a carpenter desires, visualizes and creates the furniture. If Brahman is the
intelligent cause of the creation, what is the raw material out of which the creation is
produced? We know any creation requires a raw material: furniture requires wood,
ornaments require gold etc. The intelligent cause alone cannot create this world. Then,
what is the material cause of the universe?
Generally, the intelligent cause is different from the material cause; the carpenter is
different from wood. If Brahman is the intelligent cause, what is the material cause?
Unfortunately, you cannot find any material cause because even the five elements are
yet to be created. Thus, we are talking about the material cause of even the five
elements. There was nothing other than Brahman (ekam eva advitīyam) before creation
and therefore, he must be both the intelligent and the material cause. Therefore, the
Upaniṣad says that Brahman is the nimittaas well as upādāna kāraṇam. The Upaniṣad
says that in general, intelligent and material causes are different, for every general rule
(utsarga), there is an exception (apavāda). In exceptional cases, the intelligent and
material causes are the same. Verse 1.1.7 of Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad says:
यथोणर्ना�भःसज
ृ तेगह्
ृ णतेच, यथाप�ृ थव्यामोषधयःसंभविन्त I
यथासतःपुरुषात्केशलोमा�न, तता�रात्सम्भवतीह�वश्वम ् II
yathorṇanābhiḥ sṛjate gṛhṇate ca, yathā pṛthivyāmoṣadhayaḥ saṃbhavanti I

yathā sataḥ puruṣātkeśalomāni, tatākṣarātsambhavatīha viśvam II
Just as the spider creates and withdraws (its web), just as trees are born on the
earth, just as the hairs on the head and the body (grow) from a living person, in
the same manner, the universe is born here out of Brahman.
A spider is the intelligent cause behind the web and the raw material for the web is also
found within itself.Another example is you: you are the intelligent and material causes
behind another creation: your own dream world.When you create a dream building, the
raw material is in your own mind; to be precise, it is in your own vāsanās.
www.arshaavinash.in
Remember, dream is not non-solid, even though after waking up, dream becomes a
fuzzy thing. In the dream, everything is solid. That solid dream world is nothing but your
own abstract mind. In the dream, the non-solid mind and thought create a solid dream.
Similarly, the non-solid consciousness can create a solid creation. When the non-
tangible energy can appear as the tangible matter, why can non-tangible consciousness
not appear as tangible matter?Thus, just as you are the intelligent and material cause of
the dream world, Brahman is the intelligent and material cause of the universe. To create
the svapnaprapañca, you make use of mind and vāsanās. Īśvara uses māyā and karma to
create this universe. Our mind must be equated to māyāand our vāsanās to karmas at
the cosmic level.
When we refer to the material cause, the language slightly differs. When we use the
expression “the carpenter creates the furniture.” Thus, we refer to the intelligent cause as
the creator. When we refer to the material cause, we use the term “wood becomes the
furniture or gold becomes the ornament.” Thus, he material cause does not create, but
becomes.Similarly, when we refer to Brahman as the intelligent cause, we say Brahman
creates the world, but when we refer to Him as the material cause (because Brahman is
both), we say Brahman becomes the creation. You can extend this to the dream world
also: I createthe dream world and I myself become the dream world.
सच्च त्यच्चाभवत ् (सत ् च त्यत ् च अभवत ्) –sacca tyaccābhavat (sat ca tyat ca abhavat) - sat
means concrete and tyat means abstract (sat, in this context is not the Existence). Sat
means sthūla prapañcaand śarīram, while tyat means sūkṣma prapañca and śarīram.
Kāraṇa prapañca is not created because it is anādi (eternal) – it has been there with
Brahman in the form of māyā without beginning. As Tattva Bodha says,
Karana prapañca is
अ�नवार्च्य अना�द अ�वद्या रूपम ्

Anirvācya anādi avidyā rūpam
That which is inexplicable, beginningless, in the form of ignorance
The Upaniṣad says that as upādāna kāraṇam, Brahman becomes (abhavat) - sacca
tyacca (brahma) abhavat. Earlier it used the verb aṣr̥ jata which means (Brahman) creates
(to indicate nimitta kāraṇam).Now it says that Brahman becomes everything. In the
Viśvarūpadarśana Yoga (Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gītā), Krishna says: Arjuna, I alone
have become ākāśa. Therefore,ākāśa (space) is God for us. When we are contacting
www.arshaavinash.in
ākāśa, we are contacting God.When we are contacting ornaments, we are contacting

gold, the material cause. Each time you handle the effect, you handle the cause only.
Each time you handle (a transcation in the) universe, you are in touch with God. Where
to see God? You are seeing the Viśvarūpa Īśvara all the time.
When you see sun in the morning, do namaskārams to him because he is not just the
sun, but sun-god; the very raw material behind the sun is Īśvara. Similarly, when you
take bath in the river, don’t put your feet first because water is God (apovā idagṁ
sarvaṁ viśva bhavati), but take some water with your hand, sprinkle water on your head
and then enter. What type of world does Brahman become? He becomes both the
tangible and intangible world - sthūla sūkṣma prapañca rūpeṇa brahma abhavat.In an
individual, the physical body is the tangible, whilethe mind, thoughts, emotion
knowledge etc., which are integral part of the individual are nontangible.
�नरुक्तं च अ�नरुक्तं च–niruktaṁ ca aniruktaṁ ca - niruktam is another word for sthūla

prapañca. It means it is clearly definable and it is concrete with specific features like the
physical body. Niruktam - niścaya yuktam or nirvacanīyam - nir means clearly definable
(niścayena vastuṁ sakyam). Sūkṣma prapañca is called aniruktam, because it is not
clearly definable. That’s why our inner personality is not clearly known to us.
�नलयनं च अ�नलयनं च - nilayanam ca anilayanam ca - nilayanam means the supporter,

while anilayanam means the supported entity. The tangible is the support for intangible
or abstract. For example, gas for cooking needs a container to hold it. The container is
mūrtam (tangible), while the content (gas) is amūrtam (intangible). [The physical body is
called āyatanam, the enclosure].
Thus three pairs of words are used – sat/tyat, niruktam/aniruktam and

nilayanam/anilayanam - they refer to sthūla and sūkṣma prapañca. We must carefully
note the verb used - the Upaniṣad does not say that Brahman created, but says that
Brahman has become the world.
�व�ानं च अ�व�ानं च–vijñānaṁ ca avijñānaṁ ca - Brahman became vijñānam - the

sentient world (cetana prapañca) and avijñānaṁ, the insentient world (acetana
prapañca). Technically, they are both insentient, but can be classified into two
categories. The first kind consists of objects like table or stone which are truly inert. The
second category is our mind. The mind is also insenstient, but it is subtle and has the
unique capability to borrow or reflect the Consciousness. Because of the borrowed
www.arshaavinash.in
Consciousness, the inert mind appears sentient. Thus, the sentiency of the mind is not
intrinsic, but is borrowed (cidābhāsa). Thus, the two types are – the set of matter without
cidābhāsa (the reflected Consciousness) like the table and the other wiith cidābhāsa like
our body. When our body dies, it becomes matter without cidābhāsa – cidābhāsa sahita
matter becomes cidābhāsa rahita matter. Brahman became both.
सत्यं च अनत
ृ ं च–satyaṁ ca anr̥ taṁ ca - This is the final pair.The creation itself is divided
into two - the jāgrat and svapnaprapañca (the waking and dream worlds respectively).
Jāgrat prapañca is called vyāvahārika satyam or the relative reality. Svapnaprapañca is
called prātibhāsika satyam, the subjective reality, mithyā or unreal.From the stand point
of svapnaprapañca, the jagrat prapañca is more real and therefore,it is called satyam.
Svapnaprapañca, the unreal is called anr̥ tam. Brahman is called pāramarthika satyam.
The beauty is, when a person wakes up to the pāramarthika satyam(the absolute reality),
this world also becomes mithyā or unreal from the stand point of Brahman
Thus,we have three levels of satyam:
Prātibhāsika satyam Svapna Subjective reality Dream

Vyāvahārika satyam Jāgrat Objective/empirical Waking
Pāramārthika satyam Brahman Absolute Reality Brahman
Prātibhāsika satyam (svapna) appears to be real until you know jāgrat, the vyāvahārika
satyam: the former becomes mithyā when you wake up to the latter. Then, the
vyāvahārika satyam is real until you wake up to the pāramārthika satyam and once you
wake up to the absolute reality, it becomes mithyā. Pāramārthika satyam never
becomes mithyā (That is why it is called pāramārthika satyam).
The Absolute reality alone appears as empirical reality (jāgrat prapañca or vyāvahārika
satyam) as well as the subjective reality (svapnaprapañca or prātibhāsika satyam). When
you wake up to Brahman, both are falsified.
यत ् इदं �कं च - Yat idaṁ kiṁ ca - whatever else is there in the creation is all Brahman’s
appearance, just as gold appears as ornaments and wood appears as furniture.
तद् इ�त सत्यम ् आच�ते–tad iti satyam ācakṣate -Brahman is now called by a new name -
tad satyam - That Brahman is the absolute reality.
www.arshaavinash.in
Now we have to extract the third reason for Brahman’s existence.What is that reason?
Brahman is existent because It is the upādāna kāraṇam, the material cause for the
creation (brahma asti jagataḥupādāna kāraṇatvat).
It can be presented in another language also. Let’s see an example. When gold has
become an ornament, we experience the existence of the ornament. The very existence
of the ornament is the proof for the existence of the gold. How? It is because gold alone
is existent in the form of ornament. Extend this to Brahman. Brahman alone is existing in
the form of the world and therefore the very existence of the world is the proof for the
existence of Brahman:
Kāraṇam eva kārya rūpeṇa asti

The cause exists in the form of the effect
Kārya astitvam eva kāraṇa astitva hetuḥ

The existence of the effect is the reason (proof) for the existence of the cause
Therefore, the third reason can be presented in a different format:
Brahma asti jagat rūpeṇa vartamānatvat

Brahman exists in the present form of the universe
When we say“the ornament is”, the very “is-ness” of the ornament is borrowed from the
gold only. How do you prove? If the ornaments have their own existence, it would be
possible for us to remove the gold from them. Our experience shows, it is not possible.
Remember, the existence of the product depends on the cause alone. When we are
appreciating the existence of the ornament, we are experiencing the existence of gold.
Extending this principle, when we are appreciating the existence of earth, sky, water etc.,
the –“isness” of these things belongs to Brahman.

सा�ात्तत्त्वमसी�त वेदवचसा यो बोधयत्या�श्रतान ् ।
Yasyaiva sphuraṇaṁ sadātmakamasatkalpārthakaṁ bhāsate
Sākṣāttattvamsīti vedavacasā yo bodhayatyāśritān
By this Throb alone which is of the Nature of Eternal Underlying Awareness,

the unreal forms get their meanings and appear over the mind.
www.arshaavinash.in
This knowledge of the Ātman spoken of in the Vedas as "Tat-Tvam-Asi" is imparted by

our inner guru as a direct Experience when we surrender whole-heartedly to Him.
Śaṅkarācārya reveals this truth just in one line of Dakṣiṇāmūrti stotram.When you
experience the existence of anything, it is the experience of Brahman. You are asking for
the proof of Brahman! [Brahma asti jagat rūpeṇa vartamānatvat or Brahma asti jagataḥ
upāndāna kāraṇatvat]
तद अ�प एषः श्लोकः भव�त -Tad api eṣaḥślokaḥ bhavati -with regard to this idea also, that
Brahman alone has become the creation, there is the following R̥g mantra.
8. Anuvāka 7
असद्वा इदमग्र आसीत ् I ततो वै सदजायत I तदात्मान�स्वयमकुरुत I तस्मात्तत्सुकृतमुच्यत इ�त I
यद्वै तत्सक
ु ृ तम ् I रसो वै सः I रस�ह्येवायं लब्ध्वानन्द� भव�त I को ह्येवान्यात्कः प्राण्यात ् I यदे ष
आकाश आनन्दो न स्यात ् I एष ह्येवानन्दया�त I
asadvā idamagra āsīt / tato vai sadajāyata / tadātmānagṁ svayamakuruta /

tasmāttatsukṛtamucyata iti / yadvai tatsukṛtam / raso vai saḥ / rasagṁhyevāyaṃ
labdhvānandī bhavati / ko hyevānyātkaḥ prāṇyāt / yadeṣa ākāśa ānando na syāt / eṣa
hyevānandayāti
इदम–् idam - This (universe) आसीद् वै–āsīd vai - was indeed असत–् asat - the unmanifest
(Brahman) अग्रे–agre - in the beginning. ततः वै–tataḥ vai - From that alone सद् अजायत –sad
ajāyata - the manifest (universe) was born. तद् अकुरुत –tad akuruta - That (Brahman)
created आत्मानम–् ātmānam - itself स्वयम–् svayam - by itself. तस्मात–् tasmāt - Therefore,
तद् उच्यते –tad ucyate - it is said to be सुकृतम–् sukr̥ tam - the self-creator. इ�त–iti - Thus
(ends the R̥gmantra ). सः वै–saḥ vai - That (Brahman), यद् वै–yad vai - which is indeed तत ्
सुकृतम ् –tat sukr̥ tam - the self-creator, रसः–rasaḥ - is ānanda. लब्ध्वा–labdhvā - Having
attained रसं �ह एव –rasaṁ hi eva - this ānanda alone, अयम–् ayam - one भव�त आनन्द� –
www.arshaavinash.in
bhavati ānandī - becomes happy. कः �ह एव –kaḥ hi eva - Who will indeed अन्यात–् anyāt -
inhale कःप्राण्यात–् kaḥ prāṇyāt - and who will exhale, यद् एषः आनन्दः –yad eṣaḥ ānandaḥ - if
this ānanda न स्यात ् –na syāt - were not there आकाशे–ākāśe - in the (inner) space? एषः �ह
एव –eṣaḥ hi eva - This (Brahman) alone आनन्दया�त–ānandayāti - pleases (all).
This (universe) was indeed the unmanifest (Brahman) in the beginning . From that
alone the manifest (universe) was born . That (Brahman) created itself by itself .
Therefore, it is said to be the self -creator. Thus (ends the R̥gmantra ). That
(Brahman), which is indeed the self-creator, is ānanda. Having attained this
ānanda alone, one becomes happy. Who will indeed inhale and who will exhale, if
this ānanda were not there in the (inner) space? This (Brahman) alone pleases (all).
Now the teacher gives the R̥g mantra quotation. It does not give any new teaching. It is
given in support of what is already said. It begins with asad vā and goes upto ucyata iti
in the second line - ucyate is the end of the quotation and iti indicates the quotation
mark.Essentially, the R̥ g mantra says that Brahman is both the intelligent and material
cause of the universe (brahma-abhinna-nimitta-upādāna-kāraṇam-jagataḥ).
The Veda says that the whole creation was existent even before its arrival. That means,
really speaking, the creation was not created. In fact, the most confusing expression in
any language is creation.That word should never exist in the dictionary because nothing
can be created by anyone, including God. Why? It is because, science has clearly proved
that matter cannot be created or destroyed. It is proved by our śāstrasmillennia before
science did. It is called satkārya vādaḥ. It essentially means the same thing: matter
cannot be created or destroyed. That means the creation was already existent before.
Why do we use the word creation? Even though it existed before its arrival, it was not in
this current form. It existed in a potential form - dormant or non-manifest form (avyakta
rūpeṇa asti).Anything in the potential form can manifest. This manifestation is falsely
called creation. Therefore, the word creation must be replaced by manifestation. Thus,
the universe is always there either in the unmanifest or manifest form. When it
transforms from unmanifest to manifest form, it is called creation. When it transforms
from manifest to unmanifest form, it is falsely called destruction. Therefore, both
creation and destruction are mere forms of transformation of the ever-existent universe.
www.arshaavinash.in
Our śāstras define both birth and death as forms of transformation (vikāraḥ): janma
vikāraḥ (birth modification) and maraṇa vikāraḥ (death modification). Thus, the universe
in the potential form before manifestation as māyā (or prkr̥ ti or avyaktam etc.) in
Brahman just as the dream world potentially exists in me, the waker. Tattva Bodha says:
ब्रह्माश्रयासत्त्वरजस्तमोगण
ु ात�मकामायाअिस्तI
Brahmāśrayā sattvarajastamoguṇātmikā māyā asti
Depending on Brahman, Māyā exists, which is of the nature of the three qualities
of sattva, rajas and tamas.
Before the universe came, it was potentially existing as maya in Brahman.
इदम ् अग्रे आसीद् असत ् वै- idam agre āsīd vai- this universe, before its arrival, manifest was
existent in the form of unmanifest. This word again gives problem. The Upaniṣad should
have used the word avyaktamfor the unmanifest form, but instead, it uses the word asat
whose dictionary meaning is non-existent.How can the Upaniṣad use the word non–
existent, when it was potentially existent? Śaṅkarācārya has written wonderful
commentary where he says that whatever is potentially existent is as good as non-
existentbecause it is not available for our utility or transaction (avyavahāryam).
For example, butter is potentially existent in milk but when someone asks for butter, you
say that you don’t have it. You do not consider butter to be existent because it is not
available for use until it is extracted out of milk.Similarly, all pots are potentially existent
in clay, we don’t say that all pots are available until we make the pots. Therefore, for
practical reasons, the Upaniṣaduses the term asat meaning that before manifestation,
the creation was unmanifest and therefore, as good as non-existent.
असद्वा (असत ् + वै) –asadvā (asat + vai) - Vai means indeed. The creation was (definitely)
in the potential form in Brahman. This is called māyā-sahita Brahma or Īśvara.
ततः वै सद् अजायत–tataḥ vai sad ajāyata - What did that Īśvara do? We are now vāsanā-
sahita wakers. The moment we sleep, the svapna prapañca is generated from the
vāsanās in us. Out of that māyā-sahita Brahma (tataḥ), indeed (vai), the manifest world
www.arshaavinash.in
emerged (sad ajāyata). In the vāsanā(potential) form, the dream objects are intangible,
but in dream everything becomes tangible.
4. Brahma asti sukr̥ta prasiddhe - Brahman is existent as he is well known as the

self creator.
तद् आत्मानं स्वयम ् अकुरुत -tad ātmānam svayam akuruta - The manifest world emerged
from Īśvara and therefore, the conclusion is the Īśvara converted himself into the
creation. The waker with the vāsanā converts himself into the dream world as the
subject, object and the instrument without using taking any extraneous matter. Similarly,
Īśvara converted himself into the subject, the object and the instrument world.Svayam
means by himself, and ātmānam means himself.
So, he converted himself by himself into this Universe.What is the significance of himself
by himself?
आत्मानम ् - ātmānam - Himself means he did not use any material cause separate from
him (like the waker who creates a dream).
स्वयम ् -svayam - by himself means that he did not use any instrument for this conversion
unlike a carpenter who uses instruments to create furniture.
I am the creator, the raw material and the instrument all packed into one. This is not the
case in general with other products such as a desk, where the kartā (creator), the
karaṇam (instrument) and kāraṇam (raw material) are distinctly different. One Īśvara is
all the three. Therefore, Brahman is given the title:
सक
ु ृ तम ् –sukr̥ tam - self creator - su means swayam and kr̥ tam means kartā.He multiples
himself into everything, enjoys the drama and then withdraws.The only difference is
when Īśvara creates, He is aware of His nature, while when I create, I get into a problem:
after entering the dream, I forget that it is a dream. The Dakṣiṇāmūrti stotram (verse 2)
says:
मायाकिल्पतदे शकालकलना वै�च�य�चत्रीकृतम ् ।

मायावीव �वजम्
ृ भयत्य�प महायोगीव यः स्वेच्छया
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूतय
र् े नम इदं श्रीद��णामूतय
र् े ॥२॥
www.arshaavinash.in
Māyākalpitadeśakālakalanā vaicitryacitrīkr̥ tam

Māyāvīva vijr̥mbhayatyapi mahāyogīva yaḥ svecchayā
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye || 2 ||
Space and time, and the endless varieties of pictures over it are all due
tothe creation of Māyā. This unfolding of the world (from the seed) which is Like a play
of a magician, happens to one who is like a mahāyogī out of His own free will (i.e. a
mahāyogī can enter the state of samādhi out of his own free will and witness the
unfolding of the world when he comes out of samādhi). Salutations to Him,
the personification of our inner guru who awakens this knowledge through His
profound silence. Salutation to Sri Dakṣiṇāmūrti.
तस्माद् उच्यते सक
ु ृ तम ् इ�त- Because he is versatile, he is given the titlesukr̥ tam - He is a
self creator without the assistance of any extraneous factor. Iti signifies the end of
quotation
5. Ānanda Pradāta – Brahman is the source of ānanda
यद् वै तत ् सुकृतं रसो वै सः- yad vai tat sukr̥ taṁ raso vai saḥ - In this line, the teacher says
Brahman is very much existent as the source of ānanda. In this context, rasam means
ānandaḥ. The very fact that ānanda is experienced in the world gives a clue for the
existence of Brahman (ātman). This is explained in two stages:
Stage 1 - In this stage we say that Brahman is the source of ānanda for all the jñānīs
who never go after the external world for ānanda. Thus, in this stage, we are classifying
the ānanda of the humanity into two:
- Viṣayānanda - the ordinary ignorant wordly people who get the ānanda from
spouse, children, house, good food, television etc.
- Vairāgya-janya-ānanda–a jñānī, especially a sannyāsī jñānī, who has renounced
all the regular conventional sources of ānanda must logically be unhappy. He
does not have realtionships and other comforts. Many sympathize with a
sannyāsī, but, when we see wise one, we find him to be happy. As
Bhajagiovindam says:
सुरमिन्दरतरुमूल�नवासःशय्याभूतलमिजनंवासःI
www.arshaavinash.in
सवर्प�रग्रहभोगत्यागःकस्यसुखन
ं करो�त�वरागः II
Sura mandira taru mūla nivāsaḥ śayyā bhūtala majinaṁ vāsaḥ
Sarva parigraha bhoga tyāgaḥ kasya sukhaṁ na karoti virāgaḥ
Live in a temple or under a tree, wear the deer-skin for the dress, and sleep with
mother earth as your bed. Renounce all your possessions and enjoyments.
Blessed with such dispassion, could any fail to be happy?
He does not have any possession - a house, bank balance, relation etc., and
hence, his happiness is ānanda is vairagya-janya-ānanda.
What is the source of ānanda, for such a jñānī who doesn’t have viṣayānanda? The
Upaniṣad says that if there is no external source of ānanda, his source of ānanda must
be internal. Ātmā, otherwise called Brahman, is the source of ānanda for every jñānī by
this rule (pariśeṣana nyāyena): the wise man is happy; his happiness does not come from
outside and therefore, it must come from inside.Inside does not mean that the internal
organ like pancreas produce happiness. It is from beyond the gross, subtle and causal
bodies: sthūla-sūkṣma-kāraṇa-śarīrat-vyatiriktaḥ. It must be ānandaĀtmā - brahma
pucchaṁ pratiṣṭha.Therefore, Brahman exists as the source of ānanda for the wise
people.
Stage 2–Even the ignorant people get ānanda from Brahman only. However, because of
thier confusion, they erroneously think that they are getting ānanda from house, wife,
children, movie etc. For this, the śastragives the example called dog logic:
The dry bone does not have even a drop of blood in it. When the dog bites the bone, its
sharp edge wounds the mouth causing the blood to flow. The dog uses the anvaya
vyatireka: before biting the bone, there was no blood;after biting the bone, there is blood
and therefore, the bone is the source of blood! When dog thinks this we laugh at it. Really
speaking,the bone is not the cause. Similatly deha (the physical body) creates a condition
for the emergence / manifestation of the “blood” which is already within. The contribution
of the bone is in the manifestation of dog’s own blood, but not in the production of the
blood.
We think we are wise and laugh at the dog logic. The Vedānta says that we are also
using the dog logic when we think that the world is giving us ānanda. The fact is that no
object in the world contains a droplet of sukham (pleasure). It is a very difficult thing to
swallow, but according to the Vedānta, even the dearest person in the world does not
have a droplet of ānanda.The simple logic is this: if an object should have ānanda, then
www.arshaavinash.in
that object should give ānanda to all the people. The children enjoy noisy music, while
the mother enjoys gentle Carnatic music. The mother does not see even a droplet of
ānanda in the noisy music, but the children are jumping with joy. So, the source of
ānanda for one is not the source of ānanda for another. It indicates that ānanda
depends upon our perspective and attitude. We are responsible for ānanda. Without
knowing this, we attribute ānanda to the people.
What does the Vedānta say? The external object creates a mental condition called śānta
vr̥ tti which is otherwise called priya, moda and pramodavr̥ ittis.Whenthese
vrittis(thoughts) are generated, in that finer and subtler mental state, no new ānanda is
produced, but my own ānanda svarūpam becomes manifest. Therefore, even worldly
people are enjoying Brahmānanda only, without knowing that it is Brahmānanda; just as
the dog is tasting its own blood without knowing it. The only difference between a jñānī
and an ajñānī is that the former knows he is enjoying his own ānanda, while the latter
does not know. Whether one knows or not, Brahman alone is the source of ānanda.
How do you prove that Brahman alone is the source of ānanda and anātmā is not the
source? The Chāndogya Upaniṣad in the chapter BhūmāVidyā gives a logic: happiness is
the emotional expression of pūrṇatvam or freedom from want. Unhappiness is the
emotional expression of apūrṇatvam. That’s why, whensomeone is unhappy, it is
because he is missing something.
A person bought a raffle ticket in a fair for five rupees and won a wristwatch worth 400
rupees. When Swamiji congratulated him for winning it, this person was not happy. When
asked why, he replied that the prize next day for the same five-rupee ticket was a scooter.
This person could not enjoy the watch he got for five rupees, instead, he was unhappy that
he missed the scooter that he never won. In fact, he felt that he lost the scooter!
[apūrṇatvaṁ duḥkham, pūrṇatvam ānandaḥ].
So Upaniṣad says infinite alone is ānanda, and there is no sukham in small things (na
alpe sukham asti). It is a fake sukham like the mirage. If you go by this definition,
Brahman alone is anantam orpūrṇam. Therefore, Brahman alone is the source of
ānandafor the wise as well as the otherwise. No person, object, or situation in the world
is a source of happiness. Therefore, the Upaniṣad says that every smile on your face,
whenever it comes, is the proof for the existence of Brahma [brahma asti ānanda
prasiddhe or rasa prasiddhe]
www.arshaavinash.in
Yat vai tat sukr̥ tam saḥ rasaḥ vai ānanda svarūpaḥ - that Brahman which is called
sukr̥ tam in the R̥g mantra is called rasaḥ vai. It is full of juicy ānanda. The more you
crush Brahman (through knowledge),the more joy it gives you.
Satyaṁ-jñānaṁ-anantaṁ-brahma - When it expresses in your mind through

knowledge, it is called sat-cit-ānandaḥ. Satyam is sat, jñānam is cit, and ananta is
ānandaḥ.
रसं �ह एव लब्ध्वा अयम ् आनन्द� भव�त –rasaṁ hi eva labdhvā ayam anandī bhavati -
ayamhere means this human being. He becomes happy only by contact with Brahman.
Rasam labdhvā means ānanda rūpaṁ Brahma labdhva (attaining Brahman, who is
ānanda). The ānanda reflects in the mind as śāntam (peace). We will analyse the
Brahmānanda expressed in a quiet mind very elaborately in section 8. That section is
called Ānanda mīmāṁsā. Now, note this much: Brahmānanada is expressed in a quiet or
desireless mind. Ānanda manifests in a contented mind.
Ayam refers to both jñānī and ajñānīpuruṣaḥ. The ony difference is: the wise person
knows that it is his ānanda that is reflected while the ignorant person thinks that it is
external ānanda.
After two lines there is one sentence. We will read that in this context:
एषः �ह एव आनन्दया�त –eṣaḥ hi eva ānandayāti - Ātmā alone (eṣaḥ hi eva) gives ānanda
to everyone. The word eva, which means alone is very important. Generally, in the
beginning of the study of the Vedānta, we introduce two ānandas: viṣayānanda, finite or
the external ānanda and Ātmānanda, infinite or the internal ānanda. Now, we say that
really speaking, there is no such thing called viṣayānanda (sense pleasure); there is only
Ātmānanda. Due to wrong thinking, we say that this food or music is giving joy. The
spouse, children, money etc., create a mental condition in which joy manifests. To create
that mental condition, I may require those people. The Vedānta helps you make that
mental condition without requiring a wife, children etc. The Vedānta doesnot tell you to
give up the family members. It tells you to have family members to give them joy. If you
seek them for taking joy, you are not a jīvanmukta. This is the fifth argument for the
existence of Brahman; it is experienced regularly as ānanda (Brahma asti ānanda rūpeṇa
/ rasa rūpeṇa sarvatra vartamānatvat).
6. Caitanya pradātā–The giver of sentiency to the inert body
www.arshaavinash.in
The physical body is made up of matter only. It is scientifically proved that the body is
made up of variety of elements.This is proved also by the śastra which discusses five
elements that are inert in nature. The body that is made up of inert chemicals is inert.
However. In pure experience. we find the body to be sentient. While the table and the
body are both made of matter, there is a difference between the two: the latter is
sentient. It means that sentiency must have been borrowed from some other source.
Therefore, the law is: an inert thing cannot function intelligently without the backup of a
sentient principle (cetanasahāyaṁvināacetanaṁ na ceṣṭate). Similarly, all the inert
organs functionbecause of Brahman, the cetana-tattvam (śrotrasya śrotram, manaso
manaḥ cakṣusa chakṣuḥ).
Therefore, the sixth argument is that Brahman makes the inert body function. If I don’t
see it, it is an invisible factor. The fan cannot move by itself; if is moving, it means that
an extraneous factor, the invisible electricity, is making it move. Similarly, the body has
an extraneous factor Brahman beyond it (sthūla-sūkṣma- kāraṇa-śarīrāt vyatiriktaḥ,or
avasthātraya sākṣī orpañcakośa vilakṣaṇaḥ- sat-cit-ānanda-svarūpahaṁ tiṣṭhati
saḥātmā). In summary, the Upaniṣad says that if the ātmatattvamis not there, the body
will be a decaying matter.
यद् एषः आनन्दः आकाशो न स्यात ् –yad eṣaḥ ānandaḥ ākāśo na syāt – if this ānanda
(brahmatattvam) is not present in the space (ākāśa), which is the heart (hr̥ dayam),
कः �ह एव अन्यात ् कः प्राण्यात–् kaḥ hi eva anyāt kaḥ prāṇyāt – who will inhale and who will
exhale?
In the previous portion it was shown that Brahman is ānanda svarūpa.Therefore, the
Upaniṣad replaces the word Brahman with ānandaḥ (it means ānanda-svarūpa
brahma).Though Brahman is all pervading, hr̥ dayam (the heart) is taken as the sanctum
sanctorum in which Brahman is installed. God is all pervading, but he is installed in the
temple for the sake of worship (yo veda nihitaṁ guhāyām parame vyoman)
If Ātmā is there, no one will inhale or exhale, andthere will be no life. Therefore, the very
life principle is the manifestation of Brahman. Without understanding Brahman, life will
be a mystery.That is why the scientists are unable to explain life or death. Brahman is a
mystery without the Vedāntaśāstra. Thus, the intelligent activity in the inert body is the
www.arshaavinash.in
proof for the existence of Brahman – this is the sixth argument for the existence of
Brahman (brahma asti acetana sarira ceṣta darśanāt)
Krishna gives the same idea in verse 15.10 of the Bhagavad Gītā:
उत्क्रामन्तंिस्थतंवा�पभञ्
ु जानंवागण
ु ािन्वतम ्।
�वमढ
ू ानानप
ु श्यिन्तपश्यिन्त�ानच�ुषः॥१५.१०॥
utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṁ vā'pi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam

vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ ||15.10 ||
The deluded ones do not recognise (Him) who leaves (the body), who resides in
the body), who experiences (objects), (and) who has guṇas. Those who have the
eye of wisdom recognise (Him).
Every movement of yours is a proof for the existence of Brahman, just as every
movement of the fan is a proof for electricity. Krishna says that one with unrefined
intellect does not appreciate the presence of Lord in every breath (vimūdhaḥ nānu
paśyanti)
Other notes:
- Brahman as the cause of the creation refers to māyā-sahita brahma (Īśvara).Kevala

brahma (pure Brahman) is neither the cause nor effect. We do not consider māyā as
the second entity because it is the power (śakti) that does not exist separate from
Brahman. It is like the śakti of a person, which does not exist separately. When we
speak of a person, we include his speaking, listening and understanding powers.
Therefore, wherever we say Brahman is kārāṇam, we mean māyā-sahita brahma.
- Here, māyā-sahita Brahman is refrerred to as asat. The world is nothing but

Consciousness + matter. When it is available, itis useful for transaction and therefore,
it is sat:
Īśvara = Consciousness + matter = asat(unmanifest form)

World = Consciousness + matter = sat (manifest form)
www.arshaavinash.in
यदा ह्येवैष एतिस्मन्नदृश्येऽनात्मयेऽ�नरुक्तेऽ�नलयनेऽभयं प्र�तष्ठां �वन्दते I
अथ सोऽभयं गतो भव�त I यदा ह्येवैष एतिस्मन्नुदरमन्तरं कुरुते I अथ तस्य भयं भव�त I तत्त्वेव भयं
�वदष
ु ोऽमन्वानस्य I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
yadā hyevaiṣa etasminnadṛśye'nātmaye'nirukte'nilayane'bhayaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ vindate /

atha so'bhayaṃ gato bhavati / yadā hyevaiṣa etasminnudaramantaraṃ kurute / atha
tasya bhayaṃ bhavati / tattveva bhayaṃ viduṣo'manvānasya / tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
यदा �ह एव–yadā hi eva - When indeed एषः–eṣaḥ - one �वन्दते–vindate - attains अभयं
प्र�तष्ठाम ्–abhayaṁ pratiṣṭhām - fearless oneness एतिस्मन ्–etasmin - in this (Brahman)
अदृश्ये–adr̥ śye - which is invisible, अनात्मये–anātmaye- bodyless, अ�नरुक्ते–anirukte -
undefinable अ�नलयने–anilayane - (and) supportless, अथ–atha -then, सः गतः भव�त–saḥ
gataḥ bhavati - he attains अभयम ्–abhayam - fearlessness. यदा �ह एव–yadā hi eva - When
indeed एषः कुरुते–eṣaḥ kurute - one projects उदरम ् अन्तरम ्–udaram antaram - even the
slightest division एतिस्मन ्–etasmin - in this (Brahman), अथ–atha - then, भव�त भयम ्–
bhavati bhayam - there will be fear तस्य–tasya - for him. तत ् तु एव–tat tu eva - That
(Brahman) itself भयम ्–bhayam - is the source of fear �वदष

ु ः–viduṣaḥ - for one who is
learned, अमन्वानस्य–amanvānasya - (but) ignorant (of Brahman). तद् अ�प–tad api - In
this regard, भव�त–bhavati - there is एषः श्लोकः–eṣaḥ ślokaḥ - the following R̥gmantra.
When indeed one attains fearless oneness in this (Brahman) which is invisible, bodyless,
undefinable (and) supportless, then, he attains fearlessness. When indeed one projects
even the slightest division in this (Brahman), then, there will be fear for him. That
(Brahman) itself is the source of fear for one who is learned , (but) ignorant (of Brahman).
In this regard, there is the following R̥gmantra.
www.arshaavinash.in
In this portion, the teacher says that only by knowing that I am Brahman (ahaṁ brahma
asmi), the sense of insecurity will totally go away. Insecurity is the fundamental
expression of saṁsāra. It is a constant tanpura śruti for an ignorant person. The
insecurity begins the moment the child leaves the mother’s womb: The child seeks
seciurity by always clinging to the mother and knows the difference between mother’s
lap and another’s.
7. Brahma asti bhaya-abhaya kāraṇatvat - Brahman is the source of fear and

fearlessness for an ignorant and wise person respectively.
When there is insecurity, there is no deliberate undertaking. Every undertaking is driven

by the sense of insecurity; it is not an action, but a struggle.A deliberate action is called
līlā (sport). When I act in the world with security, it is a game accompanied by pleasure.
When there is a sense of insecurity, every action is a struggle.In fact, most of our
reactions are driven by our insecurity. As children, we seek security from parents;as we
grow old, we seek security from children! Many of the domestic quarrels are because of
the fear that the son is lost to the daughter- in-law.
A daugher-in-law said that the mother-in-law used to go to another room just before her
son’s arrival from office just to check to whom he went first. Why couldn’t they make it
easier on the son by being together? She wanted to test the anvaya- vyatireka logic [if he
goes to his wife, he must love her and not the mother].The sense of loss would turn into
anger on the daughter-in-law.Of course, this may not be the case everywhere.
This insecurity can never go away, because everything in the creation is finite and is
subject to loss or separation.The only thing that cannot be lost is the Infinite Brahman. It
can never go away from me because, it is me. Where is the question of me getting
separated from myself?
यदा �ह एव एषः –yadā hi eva eṣaḥ - when indeed someone (I)
अदृश्ये अनात्मये अ�नरुक्ते अ�नलयने–adr̥ śye anātmaye anirukte anilayane–(established in

my)Brahmasvarūpam,
www.arshaavinash.in
अभयं प्र�तष्ठां �वन्दते–abhayaṁ pratisṭhāṁ vindate - there is no more insecurity. I give
security to all others. I continue to be in the family not for gaining security, but for
giving security to others.
Brahmajñānam alone removes insecurity (abhaya kāraṇam).What type of

Brahmajñānam should it be? The jñānam that there is Brahman is of no use - it should
be that I am ever the secure Brahman. Just knowing that Brahman is ever secure does
not improve my lot. If I am suffering from poverty and I know that Tata or Bill Gates is
the richest man, will it remove my poverty? My poverty will go only when I discover my
richness.In whichever locus the richness is discovered, only in that locus, poverty is
displaced. If there is a darkness in this room, only when the light comes into this room,
the darkness will be removed.
Similarly, the knowledge that Brahman is ever secure will not solve the problem. Irequire
the knowledge that I am ever secure.I can claim that I am ever secure only when I know
aham Brahma asmi.Can you see the steps? I am Brahman; Brahman is ever secure;
therefore, I am ever secure. A =B, B = C, and so A = C. Without this advaita jñānam,
insecurity will never go away (advaita jñānam vinā bhaya nivr̥ ttiḥ na bhavati).
What type of Brahman?
अदृश्ये– adr̥ śye - means invisible or unobjectifiable Brahman. The unobjectifiable

Brahman can exist only in one form – i.e., as the subject I.
Adr̥ śye brahmaṇi dr̥ k svarūpa brahman–adr̥ śyam means dr̥ k svarūpam , which means I,
the observer (or the experiencer or the objectifier). Why is it invisible?
अनात्मये–anātmaye - It is because it is formless. Anātmyam means formless (rūpa rahite).
अ�नरुक्ते –anirukte - that which is undefinable. It that which is beyond verbal description
(vācām agocaram). Why is it indescribable? Description is possible only when a thing has
attributes. Brahman is indescribable because it is attributeless (nirguṇam).
अ�नलयने - anilayane - that which is not the support of anything. Nilayanam means
support and therefore, analiyanam means non-support.This statement is to negate
duality. So,anilayanam means advaitam (ādhāra ādheya bheda rahite brahmaṇi)
www.arshaavinash.in
Here also we must note that in the initial stages of teaching the Vedānta, Brahman is
presented as the supporter of the world, the kāraṇam of the world.But when we present
Brahman as the supporter of the universe (viśva ādhāram), our mind will get an idea of
duality.The word support implies the existence of a supported entity (vastu). This implies
duality. The word parent implies the existence of children.Thus, there are certain relative
words which reveal relationship which in turn, implies duality. Although we use the word
support in the initial, we say in the ultimate stage that It is not even a support. It is not
even a kāraṇam. It is not even a subject because the very word subject implies the
presence of an object. So anilayane means without the duality of the characteristics of
the support and the supported (ādhāra ādheya dvaita vilakṣanam advaitam).
In Māṇdukya Upaniṣad, Gauḍapāda goes to the extent of saying there is not even
advaitam, because the term advaitam again presupposes the concept of dvaitam.Then
what shoud we say?Mauna vyākhya – it is wordless; it is silent. In that Brahman one must
get established (iti vindate) through knowledge. What is that knowledge? Such a
Brahman I am:
Adr̥ ṣyam brahma aham asmi

Anātmayam brahma aham asmi
Aniruktam brahma aham asmi
Anilyanam brahma aham asmi
What will he get out of it?
अथ सः अभयं गतः भव�त- atha saḥ abhayaṁ gataḥ bhavati - as a result of this knowledge
(atha), such a wise person (saḥ) discovers security and emotional self-dependence
(abhayaṁ gataḥ bhavati). We are born with dependence on the world - upon family
members, neighbours, positions, possessions etc. Then the scriptures ask us to change
from the world dependence to God dependence. That’s what Krishna says repeatedly.
Don’t depend upon any perishable object of the world. Later God must be discovered in
our heart itself (yo veda nihitam guhayam).Then God-dependence becomes equal to
self-dependence which means discovering the security in myself. Instead of seeking
security from the world, I lend security to everything (mayyeva sakalaṁ jātam, mayi
sarvaṁ pratiṣṭhitam).
www.arshaavinash.in
When I claim I am a wave, my security depends upon ocean. See the beauty! When I
claim, I am water, the ocean’s security depends upon me, the water, because ocean cannot
exist without the support of water. How the tables are turned! Meditate upon this!
Remember,bhayam represents saṁsāra, which is emotional insecurity. That is the

tānpura śruti behind all forms of music. All my activities are because of this tānpura
śruti:I go to school because of insecurity because I want to get educated to get a good
job with a six-figure salary to feel secure. Often, we get children, to get security in old
age. Even religion is for the sake of security alone. With this knowledge, that bhayam is
gone.
If you refuse to get this knowledge (ahaṁ brahma asmi) thinking that it is only
academic gymnastics, what will happen?
यदा �ह एव एषः एतिस्मन ् उदरम ् अन्तरं कुरुते- yadā hi eva eṣaḥ etasmin udaram antaraṁ
kurute–If (an ignorant) person sees the slightest (udaram) difference (antaram) between
himself and Brahman (jīva and Īśvara),
Jīva-Īśvara bheda implies jīva-jagatand jīva-jīva bhedam also. Udaram is split into ut +
aram: aram means alpam, and ut means even; thus, udaram means even a little bit. It is
not the dictionary meaning. What do you mean by little difference?
It indicates two systems of philosophy:
- I am totally different from God - mahā bheda–dvaitam

- I am not totally different from God, but I am part of God - alpa bheda–Viśiṣta
advaitam
अथ तस्य भयं भव�त - atha tasya bhayaṁ bhavati–The Upaniṣad threatens us that even
with the slightest bhedam, there will be fear for that ignoramus person. If you see God
different from you, even God becomes a souce of fear. The very Rudram begins with:
नमस्ते रुद्र मन्यव उतोत इषवे नमः

Namaste rudra manyava utota iṣave namaḥ
Oh Lord, we first offer our namaskārams to your anger.
www.arshaavinash.in
Even the namaskāram is backed by fear. Iṣuḥ means a sharp arrow.So, it is a

namaskaram to the arrow. The entire anuvākam(paragraph) is a namaskāram to the
arrow requesting it not to destroy us.
Now is God a source of fear when He is a sr̥ ṣṭi-stithi kartā?The Vedānta says that the
very same Lord is laya kartā also. So long as you are in the field of duality, Bhagavan is
not only the creator and sustainer, but also the destroyer. Lord Krishna says in verse
11:32 of the Gītā:
श्रीभगवनुवाच।
कालोऽिस्मलोक�यकृत्प्रवद्ध
ृ ो
लोकान्समाहत�ुर् महप्रवत्ृ तः
ऋतेऽ�पत्वांनभ�वष्यिन्तसव�
येऽविस्थताःप्रत्यनीकेषुयोधाः।।११.३२॥
kālō'smi lōkakṣayakṛt pravṛddhō

lōkān samāhartumiha pravṛttaḥ |
ṛtē'pi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarvē
yē'vasthitāḥ pratyanīkēṣu yōdhāḥ || 11.32 ||
The Lord said – I am the mighty Time, the destroyer of the world. I am
proceeding to destroy the people here. All the warriors who are arrayed in both
the armies will cease to exist even without you.
Although Arjuna asked for and received the viśvarūpa darśana, he eventually did not
want it – he asked Bhagavan to take it back. So, even Bhagavan can be a cause of fear if
you see him as different from you. Bhagavan will be the source of fearlessness only
when He is non-different from me. Advaitam is very clear about it. If one doesn’t believe
in it, the Vedānta says try duality (As someone nicely said, “if you say education is
expensive, try ignorance.”) – it will be more expensive. Verse 2.1.11 also warns:
मत्ृ योः स मत्ृ युं गच्छ�त, य इह नानेव पश्य�त

www.arshaavinash.in
mr̥ tyōḥ sa mr̥ tyuṁ gacchati, ya iha nānēva paśyati
One who sees here plurality, as it were, goes from death to death.
तत ् तु एव भयम–् tat tu eva bhayam–For the ignorant person, the very same Brahman is the
source of bhayam also. Very interesting observation! For the wise person, Brahman is
the source of security, but for an ignorant person, the very same Brahman is the very
source offear.
To put it differently: The known Brahman is the source of fearlessness (jñātuṁ brahma
abhaya kāraṇam) and the unknown Brahman is the source of fear (ajñātuṁ brahma
bhayakāraṇam). How?
Let’s see the well-known example of rope and the snake. The rope that is clearly visible
is never the cause of fear; it is an inert thing that cannot cause any harm. Known rope is
not a source of fear. When the very same rope is unknown, it is mistaken for a snake and
becomes the source of fear. Ignorance leads to mistake. The Vedānta replaces the word
‘snake’ by ‘unknown rope.’ So, snake = mistaken rope = unknown rope = cause of fear.
Similarly, known Brahman is advaitam, which never causes fear. It ispūrṇam and
abhayam – so, nothing can frighten you. Unknown Brahman is mistaken – i.e., dvaita
Brahman, which is called jīva, jagat and Īśvara.When we call it the world, but the
Vedānta calls it mistaken Brahman. The mistaken Brahman creates the persecution
complexion in you. Thus, ajñātam brahma alone is the cause of bhayam for an ignorant
person.
�वदष
ु ः –viduṣaḥ - The Upaniṣad calls an ignorant person viduṣaḥ. This creates confusion.
The dictionary meaning of viduṣaḥis a wise person, but the Upaniṣad uses viduṣaḥa for
an ignorant person. How do you explain it? It can be explained in three different ways:
- It is used as a sarcastic expression (viparīta lakṣaṇa). We call a foolish person

Br̥ haspati (or Einstein) sarcastically even though Br̥ haspati is the brilliant and wise
deva-guru.
- Viduṣaḥ means a learned person in all sciences other than the Vedic śāstram.
There is a story to illustrate this:
www.arshaavinash.in
A Brahmin was crossing a river riding in boat. He struck a conversation with the
boatman. He asked the boatman, “Do you know Sanskrit?” When the boatman
answered in the negative, he said, “One quarter of your life is gone.’’ He then
asked, “Do you know Paṇīṇi Grammar?’ When the boatman again answered in the
negative, he said, “Another quarter of your life is gone.’’ Then,he asked, “Do you
know mīmāṁsa śāstra?” The boatman said, “I know meen (fish) and māṁsam
(meat).’’ The pandit said, “Three-fourth of your life is gone.’’ As they were having
this conversation, the boat sprung a leak at the bottom. The water began to gush
inside. The boatman knew there was no way out. So, he asked the brahmin, “Do
you know how to swim? It is called taraṇa vidyā.’’ When the brahmin said he did
not know it, the boatman said, “Your whole life is gone.’’ Likewise, we might have
mastered various sciences, but they are not the taraṇa vidyā to cross the river of
saṁsāra.This vidyā is Brahma Vidyā.
- This person has done the śravaṇam and received Brahma vidyā, but has not done
mananamto develop the conviction. This knowledge is useful ony when you are
convinced.
अमन्वानस्य –amanvānasya - means the one who has not developed conviction through
mananam. When there is crisis in the family, he does not know how to use this
knowledge.He puts on a sad face and says,”TheUpaniṣad says I am ānanda svarūpa -
what to do?’’ It means he is a prajñaḥ, but not a stithaprajñaḥ. For that person, Brahman
becomes a source of fear.
Thus, this section means Brahman is a source of fear as well as a source of fearlessness.
In the world we see both. There are wise who are fearless, even though they don’t
possess anything. Śaṅkarācārya conveys this verse 2 of Kaupīna Pañcakam:
मूलं तरोः केवलमाश्रयन्तः

पा�णद्वयं भोक्तुममन्त्रयन्तः I
कन्था�मव श्रीम�प कुत्सयन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः II
Mūlaṁ taroḥ kevalamāśrayantaḥ

Pāṇidvayaṁ bhoktumamantrayantaḥ
Kanthāmiva śrīmapi kutsayantaḥ
Kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ
www.arshaavinash.in
Sitting at the foot of the tree for shelter,

Eating from his hands his meagre portion,
Spurning wealth like a patched-up garment,
Blessed indeed is the wearer of the loin-cloth
There are secure people without any possession. There are infinitely insecure people
with lot of possessions.Thus, Śaṅkarācārya argues that the very existence of bhayam and
abhayam reveal their source and that is Brahman.
Thus, the implied first question whether Brahman is existent ornot is answered in seven
ways.
तदप्येष श्लोकः भव�त –tadapyeṣa ślokaḥ bhavati - with regard to the point Brahman is
cause of fear also, there is a R̥g mantra.
9. Anuvāka 8
भीषास्माद्वातः पवते I भीषोदे �त सूयःर् I भीषास्मादिग्नश्चेन्द्रश्च I मत्ृ युधार्व�त पञ्चम इ�त I
सैषानन्दस्य मीमा�सा भव�त I युवा स्यात्साधय

ु ुवाध्यायकः I आ�शष्ठो दृ�ढष्ठो ब�लष्ठः I तस्येयं प�ृ थवी
सवार् �वत्तस्य पूणार् स्यात ् I स एको मानुष आनन्दः I
bhīṣāsmādvātaḥ pavate / bhīṣodeti sūryaḥ / bhīṣāsmādagniścendraśca / mṛtyurdhāvati

pañcama iti / saiṣānandasya mīmāgṁsā bhavati / yuvā syātsādhuyuvādhyāyakaḥ /
āśiṣṭho dṛḍhiṣṭho baliṣṭhaḥ / tasyeyaṃ pṛthivī sarvā vittasya pūrṇā syāt / sa eko mānuṣa
ānandaḥ
भीषा–bhīṣā - Out of fear अस्मात ् –asmāt - of this (Brahman), वातः पवते–vātaḥ pavate - the
wind blows. भीषा–bhīṣāOut of fear (of Brahman), सूयःर् उदे �त–sūryaḥ udeti - the sun rises.
भीषा अस्मात–् bhīṣā asmāt - Out of fear of this (Brahman), अिग्नः च–agniḥ ca - the fire,च
इन्द्रः–ca indraḥ - and Indra (do their duty). मत्ृ युःपञ्चमः–mr̥ tyuḥ pañcamaḥ - The lord of
www.arshaavinash.in
death, the fifth (deity), धाव�त –dhāvati - runs (because of fear of this Brahman). इ�त–iti -
Thus (ends the R̥gmantra). सा एषा–sā eṣā - The following भव�त मीमांसा–bhavati mīmāṁsā -
is the analysis आनन्दस्य–ānandasya - of ānanda. स्याद् यव

ु ा–syād yuvā - Suppose there is a
young man – साधय

ु ुवा–sādhuyuvā - anoble youth अध्यायकः–adhyāyakaḥ - who is learned
in scriptures, आ�शष्ठः–āśiṣṭhaḥ - the most dynamic, दृ�ढष्ठः–dr̥ ḍhiṣṭhaḥ - the most
resolute ब�लष्ठः–baliṣṭhaḥ - and the strongest. स्यात–् syāt - Suppose इयं सवार् प�ृ थवी–iyaṁ
sarvā pr̥ thivī - this entire earth, पूणार् �वत्तस्य–pūrṇā vittasya - full of resources, तस्य –tasya
- is his. सः–saḥ - That (happiness enjoyed by him) एकः मानुषः आनन्दः–ekaḥ mānuṣaḥ
ānandaḥ - is one unit of happiness.
Out of fear of this (Brahman), the wind blows . Out of fear (of Brahman), the sun
rises. Out of fear of this (Brahman), the fire and Indra (do their duty ). The lord of
death, the fifth (deity), runs (because of fear of this Brahman ). Thus (ends the
R̥gmantra). The following is the analysis of ānanda. Suppose there is a young man
– anoble youth who is learned in scriptures., the most dynamic, the most resolute
and the strongest. Suppose this entire earth, full of resources, is his. That
(happiness enjoyed by him) is one unit of happiness.
The Upaniṣad presents this R̥g mantra in a poetic or peculiar way. It says that the whole
world is frightened of the Lord; not just the human beings, but also the devatās. The
devatās represent the various presiding deities who are responsible for various universal
laws of creation.
Sūrya devatā presides over those universal laws that he is responsible for, while various
devatās preside over the laws governing the rain. Similarly, all the devatās represent the
natural forces or laws.
Here the Upaniṣad says that all the devatās are functioning without shirking from their
duties. The sun rises and sets, and the earth goes around regularly in its axis. The
harmony of the creation is that proof that the universal laws function perfectly. The laws
of the universe function perfectly because of the perfect functioning of the devatās
www.arshaavinash.in
presiding over them. How do you know that the various devatās are functioning over
universal laws? The Upaniṣadstates that wherever there is orderliness, it is because of an
intelligent principle governing and maintaining the order. How do you prove it? Look at
our own traffic. Nobody follows the rules and even if we stop at the red signal light, the
others behind us would be wildly irritated. If the cars stop at the signal light, we infer
that there is police watching.
To execute the laws of the government, we require the enforcing intelligent principle.
Mere laws are not sufficient. The second law of Thermodynamics states that in an
isolated system, there is a natural tendency to degenerate into state of disorder. If the
universal laws are perfectly functioning, it is because of the adhiṣṭhāna devatās, the
universal cops. If these devatās are functioning properly, it is because of Īśvara, who
controls them (brahma asti devānāmapi bhaya hetutvat).
Even the devatās who are more powerful than us, who have miraculous powers are
mortally afraid. There is dvaitam in the deva loka also. Wherever there is dvaitam, there
is fear. So, all the devatās are functioning inutter fear of Īśvara.
भीषास्माद् वातः पवते–bhīṣāsmād vātaḥ pavate–vātaḥ means Vāyu devatā. He is perfectly

functioning out of fear of that Īśvara. The devatāsalso see Him as different from them.
The Lord is like a master, keeping the vajrāyudha in hand, constantly supervising. Pavate
means moves about. Vāyu is never stagnant out of fear (bhīṣā). What is the proof that
Vāyu devatā is functioning? You are alive.
भीषोदे �त सूयःर् –bhīṣodeti sūryaḥ - Even Sūrya devatāis perfectly doing his svadharma of
rising and setting, out of fear for that Īśvara alone. What is the proof for that? We have
day and night without fail.
भीषास्माद् अिग्नः च इन्द्रः च–bhīṣāsmād agniḥ ca indraḥ ca - supply the verb svakāryam
karoti - Agni devatā does his duty of heating everythingbecause of fear only. Asmāt
means Īśvara. What is the proof? We cook and eat everyday. Even the child grows in the
womb only because of the right temperature. A premature baby is saved by maintaining
that temperature in a specially designed incubator. Figuratively, the mind grows because
of the heat of sorrow. That is why the difficulties are called manastāpaḥ.
www.arshaavinash.in
Indra does his function of supervising over all the devatās and managing thunder,
lightening, rain etc.our of fear for Īśvara [the lightening and thunder are Indra’s
weapons].
मत्ृ युधार्व�त पञ्चम इ�त–mr̥ tyurdhāvati pañcama iti - pañcama is the fifth one.
Yamadharmarājā is the most important devatābecause all the events happen because of
him. The birth, growth and our disappearance are all because of kāla (time). This means
that although Yamadharmarājā has 24-hour duty, 7 days a week he also functions
perfectly according to law. A boy is introduced to Yamadharmarājā early in his life
during his upanayanam with theYamavandana mantra in sandhyāvandanamto drive out
the fear of death.
We must not be frightened of Yamadharmarājā when he arrives because he is only

performing his prescribed duty according to the laws of creation. This Yamadharmarājā
who frightens everyone,is afraid of Īśvara. If you surrender to that Īśvara, Yama will not
come anywhere near you. Dhāvati means he runbecause he is very busy.
The essence is: even the devatās are frightened of Brahma. Therefore, Brahman is both
the cause of fear and fearlessness.
In summary, the seven reasons for the existence of Brahman:
1. Brahma asti nimitta kāraṇatvat–Brahman exists as the intelligent cause of the

universe
2. Brahma asti jīva rūpeṇa vartamānatvat–Brahman is existent as the jīvātma in the
living being
3. Brahma asti upadana karanatvat– Brahman is existent as the material cause
4. Brahma asti sukr̥tam iti prasiddhavat -Brahman is existent as he is a well known
as the self-creator
5. Brahma asti rasaḥ iti prasiddhavat – Brahman is the source of ānanda
6. Brahma asti acetana śarīra ceṣta darśanat - Brahman is the giver of sentiency to
the inert body
7. Brahma asti bhaya-abhaya hetutvat - Brahman is the source of fear and
fearlessness for an ignorant and wise person respectively.
This is the answer for the implied question asked by the student.
www.arshaavinash.in
Here, we must make a side note. We have presented the seven points for proving the
existence of Brahman, but elsewhere in the Vedānta, we vehemently argued and
established that Brahman is beyond logical reasoning. Verse 1.2.9 of Kaṭhopaniṣad
states:
नैषा तक�ण म�तरापनेया
Naiṣā tarkeṇa matirāpaneyā
This knowledge cannot be attained by reasoning
Logically, you cannot prove the existence of Lord. Religion would then become an
integral part of science if Brahman could be logically established. In fact, we have the
Nyāya philosophers who claim that they can prove the existence of Brahman through
reasoning, whereas Śaṅkarācārya and the other adavitinsvehemently argue against it.
Śaṅkarācārya establishes that God cannot be proved through logic. He does it in the
commentary on second sūtra - janmādi asya yataḥ- of the Brahmasūtras. Other
subcommentators have further elaborated on that. When the logician, Nyāyayika proves
God through logic, these advaitins show the loopholes in the logic and establish that the
logical proof given by them is illogical.
Thus, we strongly believe that Brahman cannot be logically established because He

belongs to the field that does not fall in logic, just as sound cannot fall in the field of
visual perception.It does not mean sound does not exist.In the same way, Brahman
exists, but logic cannot prove itbecause He is beyond the purview of logic. This is said in
almost every Upaniṣad.
How can you then claim that there are seven logical reasons to establish Brahman?
Logic is of two types:
- Independent logic - kevala tarkaḥ or śuṣka tarkaḥ

- Scripture backed logic –śruti-sammata tarkaḥ or śrauta tarkaḥ
The Vedāntin’s logic is always based on scripture. Without the scripture part, mere logic
will not be able to establish God. It is not because God is not there, but because the dry
logic is not sufficient to handle the topic. One of the sutras in Brahmasūtra discusses the
deficiencies of the process of logic (tarkṣya apratisṭhānam). The deficiency is not in
God or Brahman, but is in the logic. That deficiency can be removed by supporting it
withśāstra.
www.arshaavinash.in
वाक्याथर्श्च �वचायर्थां श्र�ु त�शरः प�ः समाश्रीयतां

दस्
ु तकार्त्स�ु वरम्यतां श्र�ु तमतस्तक�ऽनस
ु न्धीयताम ् I
Vakyārthaśca vicāryatāṁ śrutiśiraḥ pakṣaḥ samāśriyatāṁ
Dustarkātsuviramyatāṁ śrutimatastarko’nusandhēyatām
In the above verse of Sādhana Pañcakam, Śaṅkarācārya refers to two tarkas: duṣtarka
and śruti-sammata tarka. The former is mere logic, not backed by the śāstra, while the
latter śāstra-based logic. One may not accept the śāstras and may attempt tp prove the
existence of God through mere logic. An unintelligent listener may be conviced, but an
intelligent one will find loopholes. That is why śraddhā is included as an important
factor in sādhana catuṣtaya sampatti. The seven reasons for the existence of Brahman
when answering the first question are not based on mere logic, but on śruti sammata
tarka.
The other two questions still unanswered are:
- Will an ignorant person attain Brahman after death?

- Will a wise person attain Brahman after death?
The teacher does not answer them here,but will answer them later.
Now we are entering a very important topic: ānanda mīmāṁsā.Mīmāṁsā means

analysis; it is derived from the root manwhich means to analyse. Ānanda mīmāṁsā
means an exploration into the topic of ānanda, which is joy, happiness etc.
सैषानन्दस्य मीमा�सा भव�त I युवा स्यात्साधय

ु ुवाध्यायकः I आ�शष्ठो दृ�ढष्ठो ब�लष्ठः I तस्येयं प�ृ थवी
सवार् �वत्तस्य पूणार् स्यात ् I स एको मानुष आनन्दः I
saiṣānandasya mīmāgṁsā bhavati / yuvā syātsādhuyuvādhyāyakaḥ / āśiṣṭho dṛḍhiṣṭho

baliṣṭhaḥ / tasyeyaṃ pṛthivī sarvā vittasya pūrṇā syāt / sa eko mānuṣa ānandaḥ
सैषानन्दस्य मीमा� सा भव�त - saiṣānandasya mīmāgṁsā bhavati - `the word

mīmāṁsābecomes mīmāgṁsā when chanting. Saiṣā, in this context means the following
portion of the eighth anuvāka, which deals with the enqiry into ānanda.
We will give a bird’s eye view of the ānandamīmāṁsā:
www.arshaavinash.in
In the Brahmānanda valli itself, we talked about ānandamaya kośa and ānandaĀtmā at
the end of the 5thanuvāka:
तस्य �प्रयमेव �शरः Iमोदो द��णः प�ः Iप्रमोद उत्तरः प�ः Iआनन्द आत्मा Iब्रह्म पुच्छं
ि�स्तष्ठा I
Tasya priyameva śiraḥ / modo dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ / pramoda uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ /
ānanda ātmā /brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā
In that portion, two types of ānandawere described. These will be analyzed in this
portion:
- Ātmānanda- my real nature, ātmā

- Kośānanda–the reflection ānandamaya kośaḥ - ātmānanda reflected in the calm
mind (prasanna antaḥkaraṇa)
There are five differences between ātmānanda and kośānanda:
Reflected and original - Kośānanda is the reflected ānanda while ātmānanda is the
original. When I look in the mirror, the reflected face is different from the one on my
shoulder. In Sanskrit, the reflected and the original are called pratibimba and
bimbarespectively. In the case of the mirror, the reflecting medium is the mirror, while in
the case of ānanda, the reflecting medium is the calm and quiet mind (ānandamaya
kośa).
Impermanent and permanent - Kośānanda is impermanent (anityaḥ), and ātmānanda

is permanent (nityaḥ). Kośānanda is merely a reflection and will be there only so long as
the unobstructed reflecting medium exists.You are not upset when the mirror breaks
because, even though the reflected face is gone, you have the original face still on your
shoulders.
Graded and ungraded - Kośānanda is graded - happy, happier, happiest –in positive,
comparative and superlative degrees. In Sanskrit it is called sātiśaya ānanda.
Ātmānanda, the original, is ungraded. It is nirātiśaya ānanda.In Sanskrit, they are also
called taratamya sahitaḥ and taratamya rahitaḥ respectively - tarameans comparative
degree and tamameans superlative degree. What is the reason?
www.arshaavinash.in
Kośānanda is reflection. Reflection is always graded, depending upon the condition of

the reflecting medium. If the mirror is very clean, the reflection will be very clear. When
you take a hot water bath, in the closed bathroom, there will be a mist on the mirror and
then the face is not clear. When you wipe the mirror, the face becomes clear. The mirror
has become bright and so, you seem to have become brighter.Similarly, the tranquility
of the mind, the reflecting medium, is subject to gradation. The gradation is in the form
of priya vr̥ tti, moda vr̥ tti and pramoda vr̥ tti:
Priya - When you see an object

Moda - When you acquire the object
Pramoda - When you enjoy the object
Experiential and non-experiential- All kośānandas are experiential in nature because

of which they are impermanent and graded. Even the so-called samādhi ānandais also
available only in samādhi and therefore, it comes under kośānanda. During samādhi, the
mind is extremely fine and nice and therefore, the reflection is extremely bright. But that
ānanda is gone once the person comes out of samādhi.
You cannot see your own original eyes. To see your eyes, you must use the mirror. You
experience the reflected eyes only, which will be subject to fluctuation and
disappearance. Similarly, ātmānanda, the subject can never be experienced in its original
version; it can be experienced only in reflected version (as the object). It is not subject to
taratamya.
Viṣaya prāpya and jñāna prāpya - Kośānanda can be accomplished through two
different methods (dvi-sādhana-sādhyaḥ). Ātmānanda can be accomplished by only one
method (eka-sādhana-sādhyaḥ).
To get kośānanda, I must have a tranquil mind just as I require a clear mirror to see my
face. This tranquil mind can be attained by two different methods:
- Mind is generally disturbed because of its dissatisfaction with the current setup. I
have my own specifications regarding the setup. If the setup meets my
specifications, my mind is relaxed and satisfied.If you reverse the word ‘setup’, it
becomes ‘upset’. If the set up is not satisfactory, the mind is upset.In a dissatisfied
mind (rajoguṇa mind), there is no ānanda. There is anxiety,tension, irritability etc.
The problem is caused by the non-alignment of the setup with the
expectations.This alignment can be brought about by two different methods:
www.arshaavinash.in
o by changing the external setup to suit my expectations. It is an external

adjustment using the karmaor viṣaya prāptimethod. It is time consuming.
o by learning to adjust my mind to the existing choiceless set up. It is the
internal adjustment. It is called the vairāgya method; for this one requires
viveka (discrimination). In the internal method, I have to handle my own
mind.
For example, if the road is dusty and rocky, you can protect your feet either by carpeting
the entire road or wear shoes. Which is the easier, inexpensive and efficient method to
protect your feet? Wearing shoes is obviously the best method.
How can I get ātmānanda? The very question is wrong because ātmānanda is my very
nature. There is no means to attain it through action. The only means is jñānam. What
type of jñānam? It is the jñānam that I am ātmānanda; it is not an object to be attained
by me. This is merely owning up through knowledge. In Sanskrit, it is called viveka-
janya-vairāgya-janya-citta-prasādaḥ.You do not have to use much of your intellectual
wealth; I am the ātmānanda is the knowledge (ahameva ānanda svarūpam asmi).
To summarize the differences,
Kośānanda Ātmānanda
Reflected ānanda Original ānanda
Impermanent Permanent
Graded Ungraded
Experiential Non-experiential
Viṣaya prāpya Vairāgya prāpya (or jñāna prāpya)
First the Upaniṣad deals with kośānanda and says that it can be gained by two methods
–the external method (viṣaya prāpya) and the internal method (vairāgya prāpya). The
Upaniṣad talks about both the methods in parallel; whether it is the external method or
the internal method, the common objective is to make the mind quiet. It is called citta
prasāda. Prasāda here means tranquility (prasannatā). Verse 2.65 of the Gītā describes
this:
प्रसादे सवर्दःु खानांहा�नरस्योपजायते।

प्रसन्नचेतसोह्याशुबु�द्धःपयर्व�तष्ठते॥२.६५॥
www.arshaavinash.in
prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate

prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate || 2.65 ||
In tranquility, the destruction of all miseries takes place. Verily, the Self-
knowledge of this serene-minded (person) becomes firm soon.
When the mind is tranquil, there is no disturbance caused by kāma, krodha etc. and
then, there is ānanda. If the child passed the exam with distinction, we feel calm, but we
again worry, “In which University will he get a seat?” The mind gets disturbed again.
Thus,citta prasāda alone gives ānanda.
With this back ground, we will enter this section of the 8thanuvāka. The Upaniṣad wants
to show that there is gradation in kośānanda. To show gradation, you must have a unit
of measure [To standardize one meter, a rod of that length is kept at a certain
temperature in Paris]. To show the gradation in buildings, height is used – 200 ft, 250 ft
etc. The Upaniṣad introduces a unit: one unit of ānandais called manuṣya ānanda.What
type of manuṣya? Some are happy, and some others are unhappy. They must specify the
“temperature” to standardize it. Manuṣya ānanda is an ideal unit; for all practical
purposes it doesn’t exist.
युवा स्याद्- yuvā syād - let us assume that there is a young human being (youth) and his
instruments are in top shape and is capable of enjoying maximum sense pleasure.
साधय
ु ुवा - sādhuyuvā– also, let us assume, he is a cultured, refined, and dhārmically
educated youth (it is almost impossible to find that combination). Sādhuyuvā has values
like humility (amānitvam), compassion (ahiṁsā), forebearance (kṣānti) etc. mentioned in
the 13thchapter of the Gītā.A youth may be physically healthy and strong, but if he has
no dhārmicvalues, his mind will be sick. In fact, the values are parameters of
measurement for the healthy mind. When both body and mind are healthy, happiness
derivable is high.
How did he get all the values? It appears to be rare. The first problem is arrogance
whereas the first value is amānitvam. This youth has humility that represents all the
other values.
www.arshaavinash.in
अध्यायकः –adhyāyakaḥ - How did he develop humility? Because he is a student of the

scriptures. Scriptural study alone primarily contributes to humility.
�वद्या दधा�त �वनयं �वनयात ् या�त पात्रतं

पात्रात्वात्त ् धनमाप्नो�त धनात ् धमार्न ् तत ् सुखम ् II
Vidyā dadhāti vinayaṁ vinayāt yāti pātrataṁ
pātratvāt dhanamāpnoti dhanāt dharmān tat sukham
Only dharma-śāstra-vidyā gives humility; not any vidyā. So,adhyāyakaḥ is one who has
studied dharma śāstra in gurukulam.
आ�शष्ठः–āśiṣṭhaḥ - this boy is a dynamic and efficient person. Only then he can acquire
all the objects of sense pleasures. He is not a procrastinator.
दृ�ढष्ठः –dr̥ ḍhiṣṭhaḥ - He is one with will power. He goes and accomplishes despite any
number of obstacles.
ब�लष्ठः–baliṣṭhaḥ - He is also very strong.
This youth has all the internal wealth required for sense pleasures – physical and mental
health, education, character, dynamism, will power and strength. That is not enough. To
enjoy, he needs external sense objects also. He is healthy and hungry, but what is the
use if there is no food?
तस्य इयं प�ृ थवी –tasya iyam pr̥ thivī - The Upaniṣad says that the boy also has external
wealth in addition to his internal one. What is the external wealth? The Upaniṣad says,
he is the owner of the entire earth. Is it possible? We are only imagining an ideal
situation
सवर् �वत्तस्य पूणार् स्यात ् - sarva vittasya purṇā syāt - Not only mere land, but all the wealth
on earth including the ones hidden under it (gold and diamond mines, oil etc.).
Thus, he has external sources of pleasure and internal conditions to enjoy.Only their
continuation will give pleasure.For enjoyment, we require both adhyātmika and
adibhautika sampatti in full measure.
www.arshaavinash.in
सः एकः मानुषः आनन्दः–saḥ ekaḥ mānuṣaḥānandaḥ - The Upaniṣad calls this ideal
kośānanda experienced by such a human being as one mānuṣa ānanda.
The Upaniṣad says it is one unit. We are going to see ten higher levels of kośānanda.
ते ये शतं मानुषा आनन्दाः I स एको मनुष्यगन्धवार्णामानन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I ते ये शतं
मनुष्यगन्धवार्णामानन्दाः I स एको दे वगन्धवार्णामानन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I ते ये शतं
दे वगन्धवार्णामानन्दाः I स एकः �पतण

ृ ां �चरलोकलोकानामानन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I ते ये शतं
�पतण
ृ ां �चरलोकलोकानामानन्दाः I स एक आजानजानां दे वानामानन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I ते
ये शतमाजानजानां दे वानामानन्दाः I स एकः कमर्देवानां दे वानामानन्दः I ये कमर्णा दे वान�पयिन्त I
श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I ते ये शतं कमर्देवानां दे वानामानन्दाः I स एको दे वानामानन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य
चाकामहतस्य I ते ये शतं दे वानामानन्दाः I स एक इन्द्रस्या नन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I ते ये
शत�मन्द्रस्यानन्दाः I स एको बह
ृ स्पतेरानन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I ते ये शतं बह
ृ स्पतेरानन्दाः I
श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I स एकः प्रजापतेरानन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I ते ये शतं
प्रजापतेरानन्दाः I स एको ब्रह्मण आनन्दः I श्रो�त्रयस्य चाकामहतस्य I
te ye śataṃ mānuṣā ānandāḥ / sa eko manuṣyagandharvāṇāmānandaḥ / śrotriyasya

cākāmahatasya / te ye śataṃ manuṣyagandharvāṇāmānandāḥ / sa eko
devagandharvāṇāmānandaḥ / śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya / te ye śataṃ
devagandharvāṇāmānandāḥ / sa ekaḥ pitṛṇāṃ ciralokalokānāmānandaḥ / śrotriyasya
cākāmahatasya / te ye śataṃ pitṛṇāṃ ciralokalokānāmānandāḥ / sa eka ājānajānāṃ
devānāmānandaḥ / śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya / te ye śatamājānajānāṃ
devānāmānandāḥ / sa ekaḥ karmadevānāṃ devānāmānandaḥ / ye karmaṇā
devānapiyanti / śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya / te ye śataṃ karmadevānāṃ
devānāmānandāḥ / sa eko devānāmānandaḥ / śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya / te ye śataṃ
devānāmānandāḥ / sa eka indrasyā nandaḥ / śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya / te ye
śatamindrasyānandāḥ / sa eko bṛhaspaterānandaḥ / śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya / te ye
śataṃ bṛhaspaterānandāḥ / śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya / sa ekaḥ prajāpaterānandaḥ /
www.arshaavinash.in
śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya / te ye śataṃ prajāpaterānandāḥ / sa eko brahmaṇa ānandaḥ

/ śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya
शतं ते आनन्दाः–shataṁ te ānandāḥ - (Imagine there are) hundred such ānanda – units ये
मानष
ु ाः–ye mānuṣāḥ - which belong to the human beings. सः एकः आनन्दः–saḥ ekaḥ
ānandaḥ - That is one unit of happiness मनुष्यगन्धवार्णाम–् manuṣyagandharvāṇām - of
manuṣyagandharvas च–ca - as well as (the happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य–śrotriyasya - of a man of
scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–akāmahatasya - who is not affected by desire. शतम–्
śatam - (Imagine there are) hundred ते आनन्दाः–te ānandāḥ - such ānanda – units ये
मनुष्यगन्धवार्णाम–् ye manuṣyagandharvāṇām - which belong to manuṣyagandharvas. सः
एकः आनन्दः–saḥ ekaḥ ānandaḥ - That is one unit of happiness दे वगन्धवार्णाम–्
devagandharvāṇām - of devagandharvasच–ca - as well as (the happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य–
śrotriyasya - of a man of scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–akāmahatasya - who is not
affected by desire. शतम–् śatam - (Imagine there are) hundred ते आनन्दाः–te ānandāḥ -
such ānanda – units ये दे वगन्धवार्णाम–् ye devagandharvāṇām - which belong to
devagandharvas. सः एकः आनन्दः–saḥ ekaḥ ānandaḥ - That is one unit of the happiness
�पतण
ृ ां �चरलोकलोकानाम–् pitr̥ ṇāṁ ciralokalokānām - of the manes who are the residents of
ciralokaच–ca - as well as (the happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य– śrotriyasya - of a man of scriptural
learning अकामहतस्यakāmahatasya - who is not affected by desire. शतम–् śatam -
(Imagine there are) hundred तेआनन्दाः–te ānandāḥ - such ānanda – units ये �पतण
ृ ाम ् –ye
ptr̥ ṇām - which belong to the manes �चरलोकलोकानाम–् ciralokalokānām - who are the
residents of ciraloka. सः एकः आनन्दः – saḥekaḥ ānandaḥ -That is one unit of happiness
दे वानाम ्आजानजानाम–् devānām ājānajānām - of the devas born in ājānalokaच–ca - as well
as (the happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य– śrotriyasya - of a man of scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–
akāmahatasya - who is not affected by desire. शतम–् śatam - (Imagine there are) hundred
www.arshaavinash.in
ते आनन्दाः –te ānandāḥ - such ānanda – units ये दे वानाम ् –ye devānām - which belong to
the devasआजानजानाम–् ājānajānām - born in ājānaloka. सः एकः आनन्दः–saḥ ekaḥ ānandaḥ
- That is one unit of the happiness दे वानां कमर्देवानाम ् –devānāṁkarmadevānām - of the
devas (called) karmadevas, ये अ�पयिन्त दे वान ् –ye apiyanti devān - who reach the devas
कमर्णा–karmaṇā - through rituals च–ca - as well as (the happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य–śrotriyasya -
of a man of scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–akāmahatasya - who is not affected by
desire. शतम–् śatam - (Imagine there are) hundred तेआनन्दाः–te ānandāh - such ānanda –
units ये दे वानाम ् –ye devānām - which belong to the devas कमर्देवानाम–् karmadevānām -
(called) karmadevas. सः एकः आनन्दः –saḥ ekaḥ ānandaḥ - That is one unit of happiness
दे वानाम–् devānām - of the devasच–ca - as well as (the happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य–śrotriyasya - of
a man of scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–akāmahatasya - who is not affected by desire.
शतम–् śatam - (Imagine there are) hundred तेआनन्दाः–te ānandāḥ - such ānanda – units ये
दे वानाम ् –ye devānām - which belong to the devas. सः एकः आनन्दः –saḥ ekaḥ ānandaḥ -
That is one unit of the happiness इन्द्रस्य–indrasya - of Indra च–ca - as well as (the
happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य–śrotriyasya - of a man of scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–
ते आनन्दाः –te ānandāḥ - such ānanda – units ये इन्द्रस्य–ye indrasya - which belong to
Indra. सः एकः आनन्दः –saḥ ekaḥ ānandaḥ - That is one unit of happiness बह
ृ स्पतेः–
br̥ haspateḥ - of Br̥ haspati च–ca - as well as (the happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य–śrotriyasya - of a
man of scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–akāmahatasya - who is not affected by desire.
शतम–् śatam - (Imagine there are) hundred तेआनन्दाः–te ānandāḥ - such ānanda – units ये
बह
ृ स्पतेः –ye br̥ haspateḥ- which belong to Br̥ haspati . सः एकः आनन्दः –saḥ ekaḥ ānandaḥ -
That is one unit of happiness प्रजापतेः–prajāpateḥ - of Prajāpati च–ca - as well as (the
happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य–śrotriyasya - of a man of scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–
www.arshaavinash.in
ते आनन्दाः –te ānandāḥ - such ānanda – units ये प्रजापतेः –ye prajāpateḥ - which belong to
Prajāpati. सः एकः आनन्दः –saḥ ekaḥ ānandaḥ - That is one unit of happiness ब्रह्मणः–
brahmaṇaḥ - of Hiraṇyagarbha च–ca - as well as (the happiness) श्रो�त्रयस्य–śrotriyasya - of
a man of scriptural learning अकामहतस्य–akāmahatasya - who is not affected by desire.
(Imagine there are) hundred such ānanda – units which belong to the human
beings. That is one unit of happiness of manuṣyagandharvas as well as (the
happiness) of a man of scriptural learning who is not affected by desire. (Imagine
there are) hundred such ānanda units – units which belong to
manuṣyagandharvas. That is one unit of happiness of devagandharvas as well as
(the happiness) of a man of scriptural learning who is not affected by desire.
(Imagine there are) hundred such ānanda – units which belong to devagandharvas.
That is one unit of the happiness of the manes who are the residents of ciraloka as
well as (the happiness) of a man of scriptural learning who is not affected by
desire. (Imagine there are) hundred such ānanda – units which belong to the
manes who are the residents of ciraloka. That is one unit of happiness of the devas
born in ājānaloka as well as (the happiness) of a man of scriptural learning who is
not affected by desire. (Imagine there are) hundred such ānanda – units which
belong to the devas born in ājānaloka. That is one unit of the happiness of the
devas (called) karmadevas, who reach the devas through rituals as well as (the
there are) hundred such ānanda – units which belong to the devas (called)
karmadevas. That is one unit of happiness of the devas as well as (the happiness)
of a man of scrioptural learning who is not affected by desire. (Imagine there are)
hundred such ānanda – units which belong to the devas. That is one unit of the
happiness of Indra as well as (the happiness) of a man of scriptural learning who is
not affected by desire. (Imagine there are) hundred such ānanda – units which
belong to Indra . That is one unit of happiness of Br̥ haspati as well as (the
www.arshaavinash.in
there are) hundred such ānanda – units which belong to Br̥ haspati. That is one unit
of happiness of Prajāpati as well as (the happiness) of a man of scriptural learning
who is not affected by desire. (Imagine there are) hundred such ānanda – units
which belong to Prajāpati. That is one unit of happiness of Hiraṇyagarbha as well
as (the happiness) of a man of scriptural learning who is not affected by desire.
Even the reading of ānanda mīmāṁsāgives ānanda. Now the Upaniṣad is going to talk
about 10 higher levels. In each higher level, the ānanda is described to be 100 times the
present level. It means the first level will have 100 units of manuṣya ānandaand then add
two zeroes at each level. That means that the tenth and highest level will have twenty
zeroesafter one. This is called Hiraṇyagarbha ānanda. The levels between manuṣyaand
Hiraṇyagarbhaānandasare described here.
ते ये शतं मानुषा आनन्दाः I सः एकः मनुष्यगन्धवार्णाम ् आनन्दः- te yeśatam mānuṣāānandāh /

saḥ ekaḥ manuṣya gandharvāṇām ānandaḥ- One manuṣya gandharvānanda is equal to
a hundred units of manushyānanda. It is enjoyed by another superior being, the
Manuṣyagandharva, who is not in this loka. They are in the higher lokas because we
have already seen the youth who enjoys the highest manushyānanda in this loka.
The superior enjoyment of the manuṣyagandharva is possible only with superior quality
of both sense organs of enjoyment and the objects of pleasure. As the instrument
becomes finer and finer, your capacity to enjoy becomes more and more.As a child you
cannot enjoy things much, but as you grow up, your mind is more refined enabling you
to enjoy music, poetry, scenery etc. An educated scientist gets ānandawhen he reads an
article on science that a common man cannot get. Thus, as the kośa and the objects
become finer, the ānandaalso becomes finer. People in India say that everything is pure,
fine and nice in foreign countries.Thus, the pleasure is hundred times greater.
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य - śrotriyasya ca akāmahatsya - Now the Upaniṣad says that the
same pleasure attained by a manuṣyagandharva can be attained by manuṣya also. What
type of human being? A person who enjoys vairāgyam (dispassion). Kāma means desire;
hataḥ means affflicted and thus, kāmahataḥ is one who has a wanting mind (kāmena
hataḥ= kāmahataḥ) – he has a constant sense of self- insufficiency. Akāmahataḥ is the
opposite of it- a mind which does not want or miss anything.
www.arshaavinash.in
This dispassion must come out of wisdom and not suppression. The dispassion out of
suppression can never give happiness. Therefore, the Upaniṣaduses the word śrotriyasya
to indicate that the dispassion is born out of education (wisdom).Śrotriya is one who is
educated and understands that the external sense objects do not give an iota of
ānanda.He remembers the dog and bone example where the dog thinks that the blood
comes from the dry bone when he bites into it. The śrotriyaknows that ānanda doesn’t
come from outside. So, this śtrotriya has the viveka-janya vairāgyam. Śtrotriyatvam
indicates viveka and akāmahataḥ indicates viveka-janya vairāgyam. It means maturity-
born dispassion.
What intensity of vairāgyam does he have? Śaṅkarācārya says this this vairāgyam is not
ultimate or absolute. This akāmahataḥhas vairāgyam for manuṣya ānanda and
therefore, he gets a pleasureequivalent to manuṣyagandharva ānanda.How does he get
that ānanda? It is not because of a superior body or a better environment, but because
his mind is tranquil. His tranquility is born out of lack of desire for all these worldly
things.Kosānanda can thus be attained in two ways:
manuṣya gandharvānanda - kosānanda produced by the higher loka

śtrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya - kosānanda produced by vairāgyam
ते ये शतं मनुष्यगन्धवार्णाम ् आनन्दाःI सः एकः दे वगन्धवार्णाम ् आनन्दः- te ye śataṁ

manuṣyagandharvāṇām ānandāḥ / saḥ ekaḥ devagandharvāṇām ānandaḥ - A Hundred
units of manuṣya-gandharvaānandais equal to one unit of deva-gandharva ānanda.
Thus, the deva-gandharva’sānanda is 10,000 times (100X100) that of the ideal manuṣya’s
ānanda.
What is the difference between a manuṣya-gandharva and a deva-gandharva?

Śaṅkarācārya writes in his commentary that manuṣya-gandharva is one who is born as a
manuṣya and by earning puṇya through karma, attains gandharva loka. Deva-
gandharva is one who was born in the gandharva loka itself (native and not migrant). So,
he has some advantages such as more power etc. So, his ānanda is equal to a hundred
units of that of a manuṣya gandharva.His ānanda comes because of a better external set
up (they live in a different posh colony in gandharva loka!).
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य - śrotriyasya ca akāmahatsya- a manuṣya can have the same

kosānanda of the deva-gandharva if he has the viveka-janya vairāgyam. How do you say
that this person has greater ānanda than the one who gets manuṣya-gandharva
www.arshaavinash.in
ānanda? Śaṅkarācārya says that in this person’s case, the vairāgyam is more intense
(tīvratara vairāgyam). Why is the intensity different? Śaṅkarācārya says that the previous
person had vairāgyam only for manuṣya ānanda whereas this person has vairāgyam for
manuṣya and manuṣya-gandharva ānandas.
ते ये शतं दे वगन्धवार्णाम ् आनन्दाः Iसः एकः �पतण

ृ ां �चरलोक लोकानाम ् आनन्दः- te ye śataṁ
devagandharvāṇāmānandāḥ / saḥ ekaḥ pitr̥ ṇām ciraloka lokānāṁ ānandaḥ - A Hundred
units of deva-gandharva ānanda is equal to one unit of pitr̥ loka ānanda. Pitr̥ lokais a
higher loka where the inhabitants have more longevity. Pitr̥ loka is referred to as Ciraloka
here. In Ciralokaloka, the second loka means pitr̥ devata, the inhabitant (vāsi). He enjoys
100 times the ānanda of a deva-gandharva and a million times that of an ideal human
being.
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य - śrotriyasya ca akāmahatsya-the Upaniṣad says that you can get
the same amount of ānandahere and now if you have a greater vairāgyam. The greater
the vairāgyam, the calmer the mind and conversely, the greater the attainment, the
more disturbed the mind.How do you measure his vairāgyam? Śaṅkarācārya says this
person has vairāgyam formanuṣya, manuṣya-gandharva and deva-gandharva ānandas.If
he has these three levels of vairāgyam, he will get the fourth level, the pitr̥ ānanda.
ते ये शतं �पतण
ृ ां �चरलोक लोकानाम ् आनन्दाः I सः एकः आजानजानां दे वानाम ् आनन्दः- te ye śataṁ
pitr̥ ṇām ciraloka lokānām ānandāḥ/ saḥ ekaḥājānajānāṁ devānām ānandaḥ - A
hundred units of pitr̥ loka ānanda is equal to one unit of that of svargaloka.
Ājānaḥmeans svargaloka and ājānajaḥ means a person inhabiting the svargaloka.
Svargaloka can be attained by two types of puṇya karma. Depending upon the type of
karma, there is a colony difference in svargaloka also:
Smārtha karmāṇi – Karmas or activities prescribed by smr̥ ti granthas.Any scripture other

than the Veda comes under smr̥ ti (the secondary scriptures), for example, itihāsas and
purāṇas.By doing smārtha karmas, these people will go to ajāna loka and they will have
hundred units of pitr̥ loka ānanda.
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य–śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya - The same ānanda will be enjoyed

by manuṣyawho has vairāgyam.This person’s vairāgyam is higher than the vairāgyam of
the previous śrotriya akāmahataḥ. Although the words are the same, the grade of
vairāgyam is higher. He has vairāgyam for all the lokas lower than the ajāna loka and
by this he attains svargaloka.
www.arshaavinash.in
ते ये शतम ् आजानजानां दे वानाम ् आनन्दाःIसः एकः कमर्देवानां दे वानाम ् आनन्दः- te ye śatam

ājānajānāṁ devānām ānandāḥ / saḥ ekaḥ karmadevānāṁdevānām ānandaḥ- A hundred
units of ājānaja ānanda is equal to one unit of karmadevānāṁ devānāmānandaḥ.
Karma-deva is one who has reached svarga by doing karma. The previous one did
smārtha karma while this person has done śrautakarma.
Śrauta karmāṇi – these are karmas prescribed by the original scriptures, the Vedas.Since
these Veda karmas are primary karmas, they have a superior status. Therefore, they go
to svargaloka where they have more facilities and better instruments of enjoyment
(upādhi) to enjoy 100 times the ānanda as the ajānaja devas.
ये कमर्णा दे वान ् अ�पयिन्त- ye karmaṇā devan apiyanti–The Upaniṣad calls them karma
devasbecause they have done śrauta karma.Devān means deva-loka and apiyanti
means prāpyanti (attain).
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य–śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya- The same kosānanda can be

experienced by this person who has the required level of vairāgyam for all the
lokasincluding the ajānaḥ loka.This is the seventh grade and so, the ānanda is 1014times
that of manuṣya ānanda.
ते ये शतं कमर्देवानां दे वानाम ् आनन्दाः I सः एकः दे वानामानन्दः- te ye śataṁ karmadevānām

devānām ānandāḥ / saḥekaḥ devānām ānandaḥ - The previous one is called karma-
deva and the present one is deva. What is the difference between the two? Karma-deva
is an ordinary citizen in svargaloka, with high quality facilities, but deva is not an
ordinary citizen; he has an official position like an M.L.A. or M.P. These consist of 33
devāḥ (triyatrimsati) - 8 vasus(aṣṭa vāhāḥ), 11 rudras (ekādaśa rudrāḥ), 12 –ādityas
(dvādaśa ādityāḥ), Indra and Prajāpati.
How can one become a deva? To become ajāna-deva, you mustperform smārtha
karmasand to become a karma-deva, you must perform śrauta karma. To become a
deva, you must perform not only karmas, but alsoupāsanā (karma-upāsana-
samuccayam). For example, you chant Viṣṇusahasranāma, you should mentally chant
the dhyānam part, and as you even chant, you should visualize the Lord as described in
the dhyāna śloka.
www.arshaavinash.in
In all the dhyāna ślokas, the verses give the physical description of the devatās. If you
visualize that, the sahasranāma pārāyaṇawillbecome upāsanā-sahita-pārāyaṇam. This
will give higher puṇya. As described in the Kaṭhopaniṣad, the Naciketa ritual along with
the Virāt upāsanā will give a higher result.What is the higher result? You will become
one of the cabinet ministers – Agni, Varuṇa etc. In Kaṭhopanishad, Yamadharmarājā
admires Naciketa’s maturityfor choosing mokṣa because he himself chose to become
Yama (instead of mokṣa).
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य–śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya - the same ānanda you can get in

bhūloka also, if you have the vairāgyam upto karma-deva loka.
ते ये शतं दे वानाम ् आनन्दाः I सः एकः इन्द्रस्यानन्दः- te ye śataṁ devānām ānandāḥ / saḥ ekaḥ
Indrasyānandaḥ - a hundred units of devānanda is equal to one unit of Indra’s ānanda.
Indra is devarājā, the controller of all the devatās; therefore, he has better ānanda.
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य–śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya - You can get the same

ānandahere and now if you have the vairāgya upto devānanda. In Tattva Bodha, it is
casually mentioned that you need vairāgya (for sense objects) in this world and the
higher ones (ihasvargabhogeṣu icchārāhitam). Here that is dramatized.
ते ये शतम ् इन्द्रस्यानन्दाः Iसः एकः बह

ृ स्पतेरानन्दः–te ye śatam indrasyānandāḥ / saḥ ekaḥ
br̥ haspaterānandaḥ- a hundred units of Indrānanda is equal to Br̥ haspati’sānanda.
WhoisBr̥ haspati? He is the guru of the devas. Br̥ hati means vāk. Therefore, Br̥ haspati
means vācaspati, the Lord of words. Words represent wisdom. In English, a man of
wisdom is referred to as a man of letters. Since Br̥ haspati is the guru of Indra, he would
have been provided with better facilities.
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य–śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya- that ānanda is possible for a

virāgi puruṣaḥ (dispassionate person) also.
ते ये शतं बह
ृ स्पतेरानन्दाः सः एकः प्रजापतेरानन्दः–te ye śataṁ br̥ haspaterānandāḥ saḥ ekaḥ
prajāpaterānandaḥ - a hundred units of Br̥ haspati’s ānanda is equal to one unit of
Prajāpati’s ānanda. Prajāpati is Virāt, which is the collective or cosmic gross universe
(samaṣṭi sthūla prapañca abhimāna), while Br̥ haspati has single physical body, which
makes the ānanda experienced by the former 100X the latter.
www.arshaavinash.in
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य–śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya- the same ānandacan be obtained

by a man of dispassion at this level.
ते ये शतं प्रजापतेरानन्दाः Iसः एकः ब्रह्मण आनन्दः- te ye śataṁ parjāpaterānandāh / saḥ ekaḥ
brahmaṇa ānandaḥ - a hundred units of Virāt’s ānanda is equal to one unit of Brahma’s
ānanda. Here Brahma meansHiraṇyagarbha. This does not refer to Brahmānanda or
ātmānanda, that is the originalānanda. Brahmaṇa, in this context refers to reflected
ānanda. No amountof multiplication of reflection can be equal to the original.
Hiraṇyagarbha is the collective or cosmic subtle universe (samaṣṭi sūkṣma śarīra

abhimāna). It is the cause of Virāt, the cosmic gross universe. It is subtler than Virāt and
therefore, it can experience a greater ānanda.
श्रो�त्रयस्य च अकामहतस्य–śrotriyasya ca akāmahatasya -- the same ānanda can be

experienced by a person with vairāgyam for lokasupto the one that gives Hiraṇyagarbha
ānanda. In the sense pleasure field, the highest pleasure possible is
Hiraṇyagarbha’s ānanda.In the sevenlokas - bhūloka, bhuvarloka, suvarloka, maharloka,
janaloka, tapoloka andsatyaloka (brahma loka), the maximum pleasure is possible in
satyaloka, which is the highest loka.
yaccha kāma sukhaṁ loka

yaccha divyaṁ mahat sukham
tr̥ ṣṇasya sukhasya ṣoḍaśim
kālaṁ na arhati
In this manuṣya loka, you attain sense pleasures through object and relationship.
Similarly, imagine any pleasure available inheaven. They are not equal to even a speck of
sukham attainable through dispassion. All the sense pleasures are not even one-
sixteenth of the ānanda derived from saying “no” out of maturityto sense pleasures.
India’s great contribution is this wisdom that vairāgyam alone can give ānanda.
We can be happy by possession and we can also be equally happy by dispossession. If

bhoga(enjoyment of sense objects) can give happiness, tyāga(renunciation) also can give
happiness. In fact,tyāga can give more happiness. It is a unique spiritual lesson given by
India. All the other societies talk about materialistic pleasures which can be improved by
scientific and technological advancement. India does not condemn that happiness, but
www.arshaavinash.in
says that the same sukham can be obtained by tyāga also. That is why the tyāgīs are
more respected in our culture.
A king approached a saint who had renounced everything and asked, “What did you get
out of renunciation?” The saint replied, “Normally, I would have make an appointment to
see you. When I see you, you would be sittingand I would be standing. Now, instead, you
have come to me and are standing before me while I am sitting.” This is the difference
between a tyāgi and a bhogī.
Thus, concludes the topic of kosānandathat deals with viṣaya prāpti and vairāgya prāpti.
Other Notes:
At every level, the person in a higher loka has better possessions, but the human being
can have better dispassion. With the increase in possession or dispassion, one can enjoy
kosānanda.
स यश्चायं परु
ु षे I यश्चासावा�दत्ये I स एकः I स य एवं�वत ् I अस्माल्लोकात्प्रेत्य I
एतमन्नमयमात्मानमुपसङ्क्राम�त I एतं प्राणमयमात्मानमुपसङ्क्राम�त I एतं
मनोमयमातमानमुपसङ्क्राम�त I एतं �व�ानमयमात्मानमुपसङ्क्राम�त I
एतमानन्दमयमात्मानमुपसङ्क्राम�त I तदप्येष श्लोको भव�त II
sa yaścāyaṃ puruṣe / yaścāsāvāditye / sa ekaḥ / sa ya evaṃvit / asmāllokātpretya /

etamannamayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati / etaṃ prāṇamayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati
/ etaṃ manomayamātamānamupasaṅkrāmati / etaṃ
vijñānamayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati / etamānandamayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati /
tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
सः अयं च–saḥ ayaṁ ca - That (ānanda) यः परु

ु षे–yaḥ puruṣe - which is in the human
beingच असौ–ca asau - and that (ānanda) यः आ�दत्ये–yaḥ āditye - which is in
Hiraṇyagarbha – सः एकः–saḥ ekaḥ - that is one. प्रेत्य–pretya - Having left अस्मात ् लोकात–्
asmāt lokāt - this world, सः यः एवं�वत–् saḥ yaḥ evaṁvit - he, who knows thus
www.arshaavinash.in
उपसङ्क्राम�त–upasaṅkrāmati - transcends एतम ् अन्नमयम ् आत्मानम–् etam annamayam
ātmānam - this annamaya self, उपसङ्क्राम�त–upasaṅkrāmati - transcends एतंप्राणमयम ्
आत्मानम–् etaṁ prāṇamayam ātmānam - this prāṇamaya self, उपसङ्क्राम�त-
upasaṅkrāmati- transcends एतं मनोमयम ् आत्मानम–् etaṁ manomayam ātmānam - this
manomaya self, उपसङ्क्राम�त- upasaṅkrāmati - transcends एतं �व�ामयम ् आत्मानम–् etaṁ
vijñānamayam ātmānam - this vijñānamaya self, उपसङ्क्राम�त- upasaṅkrāmati -
transcends एतम ् आनन्दमयम ् आत्मानम–् etam ānandamayam ātmānam - this ānandamaya
self (and abides in Brahman). तद् अ�प–tad api - In this regard, भव�त–bhavati - there is एषः
श्लोकः–eṣaḥ ślokaḥ - the following R̥gmantra.
That (ānanda) which is in the human being and that (ānanda) which is in
Hiraṇyagarbha – that is one. Having left this world, he, who knows thus transcends
this annamaya self, transcends this prāṇamaya self, transcends this manomaya
self, transcends this vijñānamaya self , transcends this ānandamaya self (and
abides in Brahman). In this regard, there is the following R̥gmantra.
Now we enter the discussion on Ātmānanda.
स यश्चायं पुरुषे I यश्चासावा�दत्ये I स एकः - sa yaścāyaṁ puruṣe / yaścāsāvāditye / sa ekaḥ-

These three sentences put together form a mahāvākyam. Any statement that reveals
that the essential identity of the jīvātmā, the micro is the same as the Paramātmā, the
macro is a mahāvākyam (jīvātma-paramātma-aikya-bodhaka-vākyam). The statements
such as You Are That (tat tvam asi) and I am Brahman (ahaṁ brahma asmi) are examples
of mahāvāakyam.
सः अयम ् (आनन्दः)–saḥ ayam (ānandaḥ) - This (ānanda)
यः पुरुषे–yaḥ puruṣe - which obtains in a human being
च असौ–ca asau (ānandaḥ) - and that (ānandaḥ)
www.arshaavinash.in
यः आ�दत्ये–yaḥ āditye – in āditya. Āditya stands for Hiraṇyagarbha, the macro.So, that
ānanda which obtains in Hiranyagarbha, the best instrument (upādhi)
स एकः - sa ekaḥ - are both the same.
This ānanda which is obtaining in manuṣya, the individual and that ānanda which
obtains in Hiraṇyagarbha are one and the same.
If you look at this statement, it openly contradicts what we have seen before. What did
we see before? We saw that manuṣya ānanda is one unit, and we went to many upper
levels adding two zeroes at each level. The final and tenth upper level is the
Hiraṇyagarbha ānanda. It is one followed by twenty zeroes. So, these ānandas are so
diagnally opposite that their difference is like the difference between nightbulb and the
sunlight. Here, the Upaniṣad says that the manuṣya ānanda and the Hiranyagarbha
ānanda are the same.If we have the reverence for the śāstra, we must examine the
statement and understand it properly.
A word can have two meanings - direct and indirect. The direct meaning the primary
meaning (vācyārtha) and the indirect meaning is secondary (lakṣyārtha).
For example, Jambangudi, Lālgudi and Kāraikkudi are names of places, but if someone
refers to it as a music concert, you may wonder how these places can be a music concert.
If you are a Carnatic music fan, you will understand immediately that although
Jambangudi is the name of place, the secondary meaning is the singer from Jambamgudi.
Lālgudi refers to a violinist hailing from there and Kāraikkudi refers to amr̥ idangam player
from that place. So, the place is vācyārtha and the person is lakṣyārtha.
The rule is that lakṣyārtha must be closely connected to vācyārtha. We saw this with
reference to satyaṁ-jñānam-anantam Brahma. As a rule, we must apply the primary
meaning first. If it does not fit the context properly, we then should apply the secondary
meaning and check whether it fits. If both meanings donot fit, the statement is absurd.
The Upaniṣads never make absurd statements since they have been given by the Lord;
one of the meanings will certainly fit.
We have vācyārtha and lakṣyārthafor the word ānandaalso. The vācyārtha for ānanda is
experiential pleasure (kośānanda) – I was happy, I am happy and I will be happy. So, if
www.arshaavinash.in
you take the primary meaning for ānanda, both manuṣyānanda and Hiraṇyagarbha
ānanda are kośānandas. The primary meaning does not fit in because there is certainly a
difference between the two – Hiraṇyagarbha ānanda is 1020 that of the feeble
manuṣyānanda. Then, we drop the primary meaning and exanmine the secondary
meaning: it is ātmānanda, the original ānanda. So, this portion of the anuvāka says that
one who knows this mahāvākyam attains ātmānanda.Jñānam reveals svarūpa-ānanda-
dr̥ iśya-jīvātma-paramātma-aikyam. We do not literally get svarūpa ānanda through
jñānam; we identify ourselves with the svarūpa ānanda and ānanda elsewhere.The
sensation of seeking ānanda in the figurative senseis called acquisition of ānanda. With
jñānam, there is no more search!
Phalam
स य एवं �वत ् अस्माल्लोकात ् प्रेत्य - sa ya evaṁvit asmāllokāt pretya - One who knows this
fact regarding both kosānanda and atmānanda, turns his attention away from the
external world. Pretya means death also, but here,Śaṅkarācārya interprets as turning
away from the external world,because he does not depend anymore upon the external
world for ānanda. I was seeking ānanda from the sense objects (viṣayas) before. Now I
have understood the secret that the source of all happiness is myself. Therefore, I no
longer depend upon peoplefor peace and fulfilment. This independence is called
turning away.
एतम ् अन्नमयम ् आत्मानम ्उपसङ्क्राम�त- etam annamayam atmānam upasaṅkrāmati - the

word upasaṅkrāmati literally means crosses over or transcends. A wise person
transcends annamaya-kośa.Whatdo you mean by transcending? Śaṅkarācāryainterprets
it as giving up theabhimānam (identification) for the kośa. It means giving up the
mistaken thinking that I am annamaya. By transcending I view annamaya as an
incidental appendage caused by prārabdha,as a gift from the five universal elements
(pañca bhūtas). Once its time is over, this annamaya will go back to the totality (samaṣṭi
annam). Thus, annamaya-abhimāna-tyāga is upasaṅkrāmaṇam.
एतं प्राणमयम ् आत्मानम ्उपसङ्क्राम�त–etaṁ prāṇamayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati -He

does not identify with prāṇamayam also ( prāṇamaye ātma-abhimānaṁ tyajati)
This prāṇamayaalso belongs to the samaṣṭi prāṇa. It is matter, whereas I am the
Consciousness principle.
www.arshaavinash.in
एतं मनोमयम ् आत्मानम ् उपसङ्क्राम�त–etaṁ manomayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati -

Similarly manomaya is understood as not ātmā; it is reduced to a kośa. It comes from
pañca-kośa-viveka (anātma niścayaḥ, kāryatva niścayaḥ, nāma-rūpatva niścayaḥ,
mithyātva niścayaḥ and pravilāpanam)
एतं �व�ानमयम ्आत्मानम ् उपसङ्क्राम�त–etaṁ viJñānamayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati -

viJñānamayam is also seen as anatma. As verse 2.22 of the Bhagavad Gītā says, it is
reduced to a dress:
वासां�सजीणार्�नयथा�वहाय
नवा�नगह्
ृ णा�तनरोऽपरा�ण|
तथाशर�रा�ण�वहायजीणार्-
न्यन्या�नसंया�तनवा�नदे ह�|| २- २२||
vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya

navāni gṛhṇāti narō'parāṇi|
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāni
anyāni saṁyāti navāni dēhī || 2.22 ||
Just as a person gives up worn out clothes and puts on other new ones, so also,
this Ātma gives up worn outbodies and attains into other new ones.
एतम ् आनन्दमयम ् आत्मानम ् उपसङ्क्राम�त–etaṁ ānandamayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati –

He gives up identification even with ānandamaya kośa. Ānandamaya kośa enjoys
kosānanda and he is not attached to it because he knows that the kosānanda is merely a
reflection of his own svarūpānanda. Why should I be attached to the mirror reflection,
when I have my own original face? When original gold is there, why should I be after the
fake one?
(आत्मानन्द �नष्ठः भव�त)– ( ātmānanda niṣṭhaḥ bhavati) - we have to add this line. After
transcending all the five kośas, he falls back on to his own lap. This means that he abides
in his very nature of ātmānanda. Abides in ātmānanda means that he knows that he is
ātmānanda. It means that this knowledge unforgettable – he never forgets that he is
ātmānanda (abheda-jñāna-avismr̥ tiḥ). Ātma-niṣṭā is not a result of physical action, or
www.arshaavinash.in
even long meditation. It is a form of understanding; it is the gradual grasping of the

knowledge: I am Ātmā.
तद् अ�प एषः श्लोकः भव�त -tad api eṣaḥślokaḥ bhavati -ānanda-svarūpa is also supported
by a R̥g mantra.
www.arshaavinash.in
10. Anuvāka 9
यतो वाचो �नवतर्न्ते I अप्राप्य मनसा सह I आनन्दं ब्रह्मणो �वद्वान ् I न �बभे�त कुतश्चने�त I
yato vāco nivartante / aprāpya manasā saha / ānandaṃ brahmaṇo vidvān / na bibheti
kutaścaneti
यतः –yataḥ - (Brahman is that) from which वाचः –vācaḥ - the words सह मनसा –saha
manasā - along with the mind �नवतर्न्ते –nivartante - return अप्राप्य –aprāpya - without
reaching. �वद्वान ् –vidvān - One who knows आनन्दं ब्रह्मणः –ānandaṁ brahmaṇaḥ - the
ānanda-nature of Brahman न �बभे�त –na bibheti - is not afraid कुतश्चन –kutaścana - of
anything. इ�त –iti - Thus (ends the R̥gmantra).
(Brahman is that ) from which the words along with the mind return without
reaching. One who knows the ānanda-nature of Brahman is not afraid of anything.
Thus (ends the R̥gmantra).
In this R̥g mantra, the main sentence is: vidvān na bibheti–the wise person is no more
afraid of any thing in the creation.Why? It is because he has recognized that the ānanda
or the fullness he has is his very svarūpam (nature). Ānanda being his very nature, there
is no question of losing the ānanda. The ānanda obtained from external factors is
conditional, highly risky, unpredictable and fragile. There is constant anxiety of losing it.
When the conditional ānanda comes, another anxiety takes its place. One is constantly
worried about the acquisition of objects of pleasure (yoga) and preserving it (kṣema). For
a wise man, the source of ānanda does not depend upon a condition. He is worried
neither about its arrival nor its departure.So, he is never afraid.
ब्रह्मणः आनन्दं �वद्वान–् brahmaṇaḥ ānandaṁ vidvān - the wise man who knows
brahmānanda (ātmānanda) to be himself, is never afraid of losing it. Nature is defined as
one that is never lost.
www.arshaavinash.in
What type of Brahman?
यतः वाचः मनः सह �नवतर्न्ते–yataḥ vacaḥ manasaḥ saha nivartante - that Brahman from
which both the words and mind retreat. How do they return?
अप्राप्य - aprāpya - without reaching. Here reaching means objectification. Neither the
words nor the mind can objectify Brahman, the subject. Only the subject can never be
objectified. Therefore, one who knows Brahman to be unobjectifiable subject, that is to
be himself, is not frightened (abhayaṁ pratiṣṭhitaṁ vindate)
This concludes the ānanda-mīmāṁsātopic.
A few corollaries to be added. We have known through ānanda-mīmāṁsāthat

ātmānandamust be attained only through jñānam and kosānanda can be attained
through sense objects or vairāgyam (dispassion). This is the gist of ānanda-mīmāṁsā.
Now let us analyse a jñānī:
- A jnani has jñāna and therefore, he certainly ātmānanda.

- For a person should attain jñāna, he should have the necessary qualifications –
sādhana-catuṣṭayam – viveka, vairāgya, samādhi-ṣṭka-sampatti and
mumukṣatvam. Every jñānī possesses these just as a post-graduate must
necessarily be a graduate. Thus, jñānī has jñāna and vairāgya. We have seen
before that vairāgya is a means for attaining kosānanda. Through jñāna, he has
ātmānanda and through vairāgya he enjoys kosānanda. All the joys of the world
fall only in these two categories: kosānanda or atmānanda. Thus, a jñānī enjoys all
the possible pleasures, even though he does not possess anything. Thus, through
ānanda-mīmāṁsā, the Upaniṣad corroborates an earlier statement: so’śnute
sarvān kāmān saha (fulfills all his desires at once)
- The student has asked three questions:
o Whether brahman exists or not (implied question)

o Whether the wise person attains brahman or not
o Whether the ignorant person attains brahman or not.
www.arshaavinash.in
Of these three questions, the teacher has answered the first one very elaborately by
giving seven reasons. However, the teacher has not answered the other two questions.
Instead, he quietly slipped into ānanda-mīmāṁsā.We are left with only four lines of the
Upaniṣad and the two questions are still not answered. It appears as though that teacher
has forgotten these. Śaṅkarācārya, in his commentary, says that the two answers are
implied in the phalaśruti. The wise person transcends the five kośas and gets established
in brahmānanda. That gives the answer through implication.What is the answer?
We say that we cannot give an answer to the question because the question itself is
wrong. For a wrong question, there cannot be a right answer.Forexample, if someone
asks, how many kilograms (not kilometers) between Adyar and Alwarpet, you will not
answer,because the question is wrong. The question of reaching or not reaching
Brahman comes only when Brahman is a destination away from me. Brahman is not a
destination to be reached, but it is the very nature of the traveller.
Nobody reaches Brahman. If you still want an answer, I will give you this: until I know
that Brahman is not a destination and He is me, I will imagine that Brahman is away. This
sheer ignorance creates an imaginary or notional distance.This notional distance will
continue as long as ignorance continues. Whereas when I get wisdom, the notional
distance disappears.
Therefore, we say that in the case of an ignorant person, since the notional distance
exists, he has (as though) not reached Brahman. In the case of a wise person, since the
notional distance does not exist, he has (as though) reached Brahman. These are the
answers to those two questions.With this, all the three questions are answered.
एत�ह वाव न तप�त I �कमह�साधु नाकरवम ् I �कमहं पापमकरव�म�त I स य एवं �वद्वानेते आत्मान�
स्पण
ृ त
ु े I उभे ह्येवैष एते आत्मान�स्पण
ृ त
ु े I य एवं वेद I इत्यप
ु �नषत ् II
Etagṁha vāva na tapati / kimahagṁsādhu nākaravam / kimahaṃ pāpamakaravamiti /

sa ya evaṃ vidvānete ātmānagṁ spṛṇute / ubhe hyevaiṣa ete ātmānagṁspṛṇute / ya
evaṃ veda / ityupaniṣat
�कम ् अहं न अकरवम ् –kim ahaṁ na akaravam - “Why did I not do साधु –sādhu - proper
(actions)? �कम ् अहम ् अकरवम ् –kim aham akaravam - Why did I do पापम ् –pāpam -
www.arshaavinash.in
improper (actions)?” – इ�त –iti - such (thoughts) न तप�त –na tapati - do not torment
एतम ् –etam - him ह वाव –ha vāva - at all. सः –saḥ - He यः �वद्वान ् एवम ् –yaḥ vidvānevam -
who knows thus स्पण

ृ त
ु े –spr̥ ṇute - perceives एते –ete - these two आत्मानम ् –ātmānam - as
the Ātmā only. एषः –eṣaḥ - He यः वेद एवम ् –yaḥ veda evam - who knows thus स्पण
ृ ुते –
spr̥ ṇute - perceives उभे एते �ह –ubhe ete hi - both these एव आत्मानम ् –eva ātmānam - as
the Ātmā only. इ�त –iti - Thus (ends) उप�नषत ् –upaniṣat - the Upaniṣad.
“Why did I not do proper (actions)? Why did I do improper (actions)?” – such
(thoughts) do not torment him at all. He who knows thus perceives these two as
the Ātmā only. He who knows thus perceives both these as the Ātmā only. Thus
(ends) the Upaniṣad.
How a jñānī will live the rest of his life is given here. An ignorant person always suffers
from saṁsāra, whereas a jñānī, because of this knowledge, becomes free from it. He
enjoys jīvanmukti. This is the essence of this portion. Saṁsāramanifests as various
psychological problems. The cause of saṁsāra is intellectual (ignorance), and the effect
is experienced in the form of many emotional problems.
One expression of this emotional problem is the regrets of the past. As we grow older
and older, the short life in front of us appears to be a bigger and bigger problem. When
I was young,I had a lot of dreams because I had a long life to go. As I reach 40 or 50, the
life left is shorter and so,the dreams of the future are replaced gradually by the regrets
of the past.
Someone defined old age in this manner: “When the dreams of the future are replaced by
regrets of the past, it is the sign of old age setting in.” I look back more and more to the
past, talk about it more and more I look back. Even my talk is about past all that I did and
did not do.” In short, the omissions and commissions of the past occupy my mind.
Dwelling on “should have been”, “would have been”, or“could have been” is a sign of
saṁsāra. I can never escape from saṁsāra, because in old age I can no longer use activity
to escape; when I was young, I could use my work as distraction. In my old age, I silently
lie in bed with no around me. I planned for meditation after retirement but after
retirement,I am re-tired.
www.arshaavinash.in
What is saṁsāra? It is a two-fold regret:
�कम ् अहं साधु न अकरवम ्?–kimahaṁ sādhu na akaravam?- Why did I not do these good
actions? It is the regret over omissions.
�कम ् अहं पापम ् अकरवम ्? - kimahaṁ pāpam akaravam? - Why did I do such inferior
actions? It is the regret over commission.
This omission-commission regret is otherwise called guilt.
एतं न तप�त–etaṁ na tapati - this guilt does not torment a jṇānī. He has also committed
mistakes before acquiring jñānam. Except Bhagavan, everyone commits mistakes and
pañca-mahā-pātakams, if not in this janma, perhaps in the previous janmas. These do
not hurt him. Why?
स य एवं �वद्वान ् एते आत्मानं स्पण

ृ ुत-े sa ya evaṁ vidvān ete ātmānaṁ spr̥ ṇute - the wise
person sees all these omissions and commissions as part of mithyā saṁsāra, and enjoys
the lower order of reality.They don’t exist separate from Ātmā, just as the dream
puṇyam and pāpams do not exist separate from the waker. After having woken up, I do
not feel guilty of dream murder or any such action.
In short, he looks at all the puṇyams and pāpams from a higher order of reality. When
he looks from this higher view, they become insignificant, just as the candle light
becomes insignificant when the sun rises. This is called abhibhāvaḥ. When the sun rises,
the candle light continues to exist, but it is as good as non-existent. In the same way, the
śarīra, ahaṅkāra, prārabdham etc.appear to be pinpricks in the vision of this knowledge.
Thus, he strengthens himself by going to that higher level (spr̥ ṇute).
उभे �ह एव एषः एते आम्तानं �वद्वान–् ubhe hi eva eṣaḥ ete ātmānaṁ vidvān– This repeated.
One who sees both the puṇyam and pāpam to be non-different from Ātmā (i.e. mithyā)
strengthens himself by raising his level. There is no anātmā existing separate from Ātmā,
just as the dragon does not exist separate from the screen in a movie. Once I know that
there is no dragon separate from the screen, where is the question of my screaming?
They are all falsified.Therefore, neither omissions nor commissions bother him. They all
belong to the kartā; he knows he is akartā.
www.arshaavinash.in
य एवं वेद- ya evaṁ veda - the one who knows this is free from all forms of regrets and
guilt. The jñāna-phalam is removal of saṁsāra (saṁsāra-nivr̥ tti). For a wise person, the
past is past.This is called jīvanmukti.
इ�त उप�नषत-् iti upaniṣat– thus, the Upaniṣad ends.
ओं सह नाववतु I सह नौ भन
ु क्तु I सह वीय� करवावहै I तेजस्वी नावधीतमस्तु मा �वद्�वषावहै I ओं
शािन्तः शािन्तः शािन्तः II

nāvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai / oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
The śānti-pāṭhaḥ is repeated at the end also.The first śānti-pāṭhaḥis for jñāna-prāpti and
the last one is for jñāna-niṣṭhāprāpti:
sahanāvavatu - stands for jñāna-prāpti

sahanau bhunaktu - stands for jñāna-niṣṭhā-prāpti
Only then, this knowledge will be there for me, not only during the class, but even after
that – it should not get evaporated.
इ�तब्रह्मवल्ल�
Thus ends Brahmavallī
www.arshaavinash.in
11. Summary
The second chapter is the main chapter of the Taittirīyopaniṣadbecause this alone gives
the Vedāntic teaching.The first and third chapters deal with preparatory disciplines only
to indicate that without preparatorydisciplines, the second chapter will not be relevant.
Topic wise summary
The entire Brahmānandavalli can be divided into three parts -
- Sūtra-bhāga - It presents the teaching in a nutshell (sūtra means aphorism and

bhāga means portion).
- Vr̥ tti-bhāga–sūtra-bhaga is slightly elaborated in this portion
- Vyākhyāna-bhāga–vr̥ tti-bhaga is further elaborated in this.
Sutra bhāga -Brahmavid āpnoti param
The very first sentence - the knower of Brahman attains the highest. The highest
can be translated as infinite, mokṣa or Brahman. Śaṅkarācārya says that the knower of
Brahman attains Brahman - he becomes one with Brahman.
This leads to three questions –
a) What is Brahman?
b) What is the method of knowing Brahman?
c) What is meant by attaining the highest?
To put it in Sanskrit: brahma lakṣaṇam, brahma vedana prakāraḥ, paraprapti

phalam respectively.
ll these three topics are briefly dealt with, in vr̥ tti bhāga.
Vr̥ tti bhāga–tadeṣābhyuktā / satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ brahma / yo vedaṁ nihitaṁ

guhāyāṁ paramo vyoman / so’śnute sarvān kāmānsaha / brahmaṇā vipaściteti
a) what is Brahman?
www.arshaavinash.in
Answer: satyaṁjñānam anantaṁbrahma
Satyam - pure existence - as a noun and not as an adjective. It is referred to as pure

existence or existence with a capital E.
Jñānam - pure consciousness - Not an adjective of matter but as an entity in itself.

Existence is substance and Consciousness is also substance, but they are not two
substances. It is the substance which is called Existence and Consciousness.
Anantam– limitless – it is an adjective.
Thus,satyaṁjñānam anantam–the limitless Existence Consciousness – the substance

called Brahman.
b) What is the method of knowing Brahman?
Answer: Brahman is to be recognised in one’s own mind. Guhā means mind. How should
one know? As the witness of the presence and absence of thoughts (vr̥itti bhāva
abhāva sākṣi rūpeṇa). It is also as non-different from me. So, Brahman has to be
recognised as I, the witness of the presence and absence of thoughts in the mind. In
short,ahaṁbrahma asmi.
c) What is meant by attaining the highest?
Answer: It is the attainment of everything simultaneous fulfilment of all the possible

pleasures. Saha means simultaneous. It is important to understand that kāma, in this
context to ānanda (sarva ānanda prāptiḥ eva para prāptiḥ).You feel light in the mind –
that is why it is called enlightment!
Vyakhyāna Bhāga - This is elaboration of the three topics done in the following
manner:
a) definition of Brahman - elaborated through sr̥ ṣṭi prakaraṇam

b) method of knowing - elaborated through panca kośa viveka
c) attainment of highest - elaborated through ānanda mīmāṁsā
Definition of Brahman
www.arshaavinash.in
Sr̥ ṣṭi prakaraṇam - The second section of anuvāka 1 describes this (tasmādvā
etasmādātmana………………….puruṣo’nnarasamayaḥ)
The creation, starting from ākāśaupto the creation of this physical body is sr̥ ṣṭi
prakaraṇam. Through this topic of creation, the definition of Brahman is clarified in two
ways:
Brahman is presented as kāraṇam(cause) and the world as kāryam (product). From this
we should extract all our ideas:
Satyam–kāraṇam (exists) before, during and after creation (trikāle api kāraṇaṁ tiṣṭhati).
Clay exists before the production of pot, during its and then after its destruction.
Whatever remains in three periods of time is called satyam (Brahma satyaṁ kāraṇatvat).
Kāryam does not exist in all three periods of time. Pot did not exist before its creation
and will not exist after destruction.
Anantam - kāryam, the product, does not exist separate from kāraṇam. This means that
the world does not exist separate from Brahman just as the wave cannot exist separate
from water. There is no dvaitam at all; Brahman is non-dual. There is no second thing
to limit Brahman, It is limitless (anantam).
Jñānam - this is not discussed here. It will come in pañca kośa viveka.
What is the method of knowing Brahma?
This is discussed from the end of anuvāka 1 through anuvāka 5. The Upanishad takes
the mind of the student from the grosser to a subtler plane.This method is called
Arundhati-darśana-nyāya orśākhā-candra-nyāya.
Annamaya is the grossest. From that we travel through prāṇamaya, manomaya, and
vijñāmaya to ānandamaya - the subtlest form of mind.When the mind is in
ānandamaya,it enjoys calmness and fulfilment. Calmer the mind, the more fulfilled it is.
It is presented as priya, moda, and pramoda experiences.
How can one go from ānandamaya kośa to Ātmā?People try this method - Operation:
Search Ātmā!They think that once the mind is extremely calm, Ātmā will rise. Swami
Dayānanda called it submarine psychology!TheUpanishad asks us never to look for
www.arshaavinash.in
Ātmā. It is because Ātma, is the one who is looking for an experience or an object to
come up. I, the Ātmā am the witness of priya, ānanda, and pramoda. I will continue to
exists even after that ānanda goes. I amānandaĀtmā. So ātmānanda is not an object of
experience, but a subject of all experiences, available always. Even when there is a
sorrowful experience, Ātmā is ānanda. This ātmānanda alone, which is the witness is
called Brahman. The Upaniṣad says: Ānandaātmā/ brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā. This is the
first mahāvākyam though not veryexplicit (like ahaṁ brahma asmi).
What is meant by attaining the highest?
The answer is given through ānanda mīmāṁsā – from the 5th line of anuvāka 8 till the
end (saiṣānandasya mīmāgṁsā bhavati......... ityupaniṣat).We willskip anuvākas 6 and 7
because they discuss side topics.
Ānanda mīmāṁsā is an analysis of ānanda. There are two types of ānanda - ātmānanda
and kośānanda.The differences between the two are:
Ātmānanda Kośānanda
a Bimbānanda, the original Pratibimbānanda, the reflection
b Subject, the experiencer Object of experience
c Not subject to gradation subject to gradation: priya, moda,
andpramoda
d can be attained only through can be attained through sense objects
jñāna
One can get kośānanda through sense objects or through dispassion (vairāgyam).
Neither one will get ātmānanda. One who has jñānam will get both kośānanda and
ātmānanda.
One who has Jñānam will definitly get ātmānanda.One who has jñānam must necessarily
have vairāgyam.One with vairāgyam need not have jñānam, but everyone with jñānam
will necessarily have vairāgyam. A graduate may not be a post graduate, but a post
graduate must necessarily be a graduate. Therefore, a jñānī will enjoy ātmānanda all
thetime (aham ānandaḥ asmi) and because of hisvairāgyam, he will enjoy kosānanda
also.This accomplishment of the two ānandas is called parāprāptiḥ.Sarvān kāmān
sahameans the attainment of both ātmānandaand kosānanda. If the jñānī gets sense
www.arshaavinash.in
pleasures, itis a bonus for him. Whether he gets sense pleasures or not, it makes no
difference to him.
Conclusion –Upasaṁhāra - Anuvāka 9
यतो वाचो �नवतर्न्ते I अप्राप्य मनसा सह I आनन्दं ब्रह्मणो �वद्वान ् I न �बभे�त कुतश्चने�त I
yato vāco nivartante / aprāpya manasā saha / ānandaṃ brahmaṇo vidvān / na bibheti
kutaścaneti
The jnānī is not afraid of losing ānanda. If the jñānī shares the sorrow of a friend, he
shares his feelings. Only because of this, he helps him.Without empathy, there will be no
sympathy and without sympathy, there will be no help to the others. When he shares
the grief with the others, kosānanda is not expressed, but the jñānīalso knows that
whether kosānanda exists or not, they are all carbon copies of his own ānanda and that
he is the source of all ānanda.So, he is not afraid.
The Upanishad adds another point: the jñānī does not go back to his past (pre-jñānam
era). Before gaining knowledge, he might have had many omissions and commissions,
but he does not feel the twin expressions of saṁsāra called hurt and guilt. Kartā is
associated with guilt and bhoktāwith hurt. The jñānī sees both kartr̥ tvam and bhoktr̥ tvam
as mithyā and so, he doesn’t have saṁsāra. That is called parā-prāpti.
Now, we will see side topics discussed in 6thand 7thanuvākas.
We get three questions (anupraśnas) from the student. Of them, one is implied and
other two are explict.
A) Is there Brahman at all? (Implied question).
Brahman is not available for any transaction. Then, what is the proof of Its existence?
There are systems of philosophy, like viśiṣṭādvaitamthat totally negate the existence of
nirguṇaṁ Brahma. So, it is a genuine doubt.
B) Does a wise person attain Brahman after death?
C) Does an ignorant person attain Brahman after death?
www.arshaavinash.in
For the implied question an elaborate answer is given while for the expressed questions
implied answers are given
Is there Brahman at all? Seven reasons for the existence of Brahman are elaborately
given:
- nimitta kāraṇatvat
- jīva rūpeṇa vartamānatvat
- jagat rūpeṇa vartamānatvat
- sukr̥ ta prasiddhatvat
- rasa rūpeṇa prasiddhatvat
- śarīra ceṣṭa darśanat
- bhaya, abhaya kāraṇatvat
Does a wise person attain Brahman after death?Does an ignorant person attain Brahman
after death?
For these two explicit questions, the implied answer is: The question is wrong.
There is no question of attaining Brahman. The very thought of attaining Brahman is

drawn on the wrong notion that Brahman is an object of attainment, whereas the
Upanishad reveals that Brahman is I. Whether I am wise or ignorant, I am Brahman.
Karṇa was the son of Kunti, before and after he knew the fact. There is no question of
reaching Brahman at anytime because I was, I am and I ever will be Brahman.
So long as I am ingorant, I feel Brahman is away from me.There is a notional distance

caused by ignorance.Therefore, we say that an ignorant personhas not attained
Brahman. People keep asking, “If I can’t attain mokṣa in this janma, will I attain it in next
janma? Will you be my guru in the next janma also?’
There is a prayer:
“Oh! Lord! Vedānta should be the main śāstra for me in every janma and Śaṅkarācārya
must be my guru in every janma.” If Śaṅkarācārya must be his guru in every janma,
gurutvam has no meaning!
Therefore,the ignorant person has, as though, not attained Brahman.
www.arshaavinash.in
In the case of a wise person, there is no notional distance. He does not crave for
reaching Brahman. He does not say that he has reached Brahman. To say, ‘ I have
reached Brahman’ is to again betray his ignorance.This teaching means that we were
never bandhas to muktas.
So, the wise person has, as though, attained Brahman.
www.arshaavinash.in
Swami Paramarthananda’s Classes on Taittirīyopanishad – Bhr̥ guvallī
Class Notes on Bhr̥ guvallī

(Based the Lectures of Swami Paramarthānanda Saraswati)
Transcribed by Madduri Rajyasri
Edited by V. Badrinath
1
Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Śāntipāthaḥ ................................................................................................................................................... 6
Anuvāka - 1 ................................................................................................................................................... 8
Anuvāka - 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 17
Anuvaka - 3 ................................................................................................................................................. 21
Anuvaka - 4 ................................................................................................................................................. 24
Anuvaka - 5 ................................................................................................................................................. 27
Anuvaka - 6 ................................................................................................................................................. 30
Summary of the first six anuvākas .............................................................................................................. 37
Introduction to anuvākas 7, 8 and 9 ........................................................................................................... 38
Anuvāka - 7 ................................................................................................................................................. 42
Anuvāka - 8 ................................................................................................................................................. 45
Anuvāka - 9 ................................................................................................................................................. 49
Anuvāka - 10 ............................................................................................................................................... 53
Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 81
2
Bhr̥ guvallī
Introduction
The main teaching of the Upaniṣad was given in Brahmavallī, the second chapter.
Brahma-vidyā is not given importance in this third chapter; it is only hinted at. The
Upaniṣad is going to focus on some other related topics:
Jñāna sādhanāni - the preparatory disciplines, only in the presence of which Brahma-
vidyā can be acquired and assimilated to realize maximum benefit. There are two
types of preparatory sādhanās:
- one that is directly and intimately connected to knowledge ( sākṣāt sādhanā)

- one that is remotely connected to knowledge (paraṁpara sādhanā)
i) Sākṣāt sādhanā deals with the analysis of, or enquiry into the Vedāntic
statements (Vedānta-vākya-vicāra). It is the most important sādhanā and will
directly lead to knowledge. In this vallī, pañca-kośa-vicāraḥ, which has already
been discussed in Brahmavallī is highlighted. The word used for this vicāra is
tapas. In this chapter, the Upaniṣad repeats this word again and again.
तपसा िविज ास I तपो े ित I स तपोऽत त I स तप ा II

Tapasā brahmavijijñāsasva / tapo brahmeti / sa tapo’tapyta / sa tapastaptvā
Here itself, the word tapas appears four times and this is repeated in almost
every section of this vallī. So, it is Vedānta-vicāra or pañcakośa-vicāra. The
word tapas has different meanings – penance, austerity etc., but here, it
means enquiry or vicāra (tapa-ālocanā).
ii) Paraṁpara sādhanā – these are secondary disciplines which are indirectly
connected. They are certain forms of upāsanās (meditation), that are very
useful for integrating the mind. Upāsanās cannot directly give knowledge.
Even the greatest upāsaka must go through Vedānta-vicāra to get knowledge.
One should understand this well: the upāsya devatā cannot directly give
knowledge. Only vicāra produces knowledge. The devatā will produce
Introduction 3
conditions for enquiry by blessing the upāsaka with a guru. If no guru is

available, the devatā itself will become a guru.
iii) Vratams - Also, as part of the upāsanā, the Upaniṣad prescribes four vows or
disciplines called vratams (vratāni):
अ ं न िन ात् I तद् तम् I

Annaṁ na nindyāt / tad vratam
Never criticize food. This is a vow.
अ ं न प रच ीत I तद तम् I
Annaṁ na paricakṣīta / tad vratam
Never reject (or waste) food. This is a vow.
अ ं ब कुव त I तद तम् I
annam bahu kurvita / tad vratam
Produce plenty of food. This is a vow.
न क न वसतौ ाच ीत I तद तम् I
na kancana vasatau pratyācakṣīta / tad vratam
Never deny accommodation (to a guest). This is a vow.
Thus, the upāsanās, vratams and Vedānta vicāra, together constitute jñāna
sādhanās. Only vicāra is the sākṣāt (direct) sadhana, while the upāsanās and
vratams are the paraṁpara (supporting) sādhanās.
Jñāna phalam - If a person observes the above three sādhanās, he/she will certainly
attain knowledge. This benefit is called jñāna phalam. This is a major topic that has
already been discussed in the first chapter (Śīkṣāvallī) where karma yoga and five
types of upāsanās were elaborately explained. Why should it be repeated?
If we do not find the benefit after we study the Vedānta, the Upaniṣad wants to show
that the deficiency is in us and not in the Vedānta. Even though we have not
prepared the mind properly for the study, our tendency will be to blame the
Vedānta. Someone nicely put, “To err is human, but to blame someone else is more
human.” Therefore, never blame the śāstra. It has blessed people and it will bless
you also. If the śāstra doesn’t bless a person, the problem is with the pramātā
Introduction 4
(knower) and not with the pramāṇam (instrument of knowledge). Similarly, the
problem is not with the poor guru or the Lord also. Therefore, take a step back and
check if you have sādhana-catuṣṭaya sampattiḥ. If you don’t know what it is, find out
what it is and make sure you have it (Tattva Bodha: four qualifications are essential
for the study of the Vedānta – discrimination, dispassion, discipline and desire).
Śaṅkarācārya says elsewhere - śamādi sahitaḥ śravaṇādikaṁ kuryāt – do śravaṇa-
manana-nididhyāsanam with sādhana-catuṣṭaya- sampattiḥ.
When you study the Vedānta, regularly observe your mind whether sādhana-
catuṣṭaya-sampatti is intact. One may drop the rituals and take up sannyāsa, but
cannot give up sādhana-catuṣṭaya-sampatti. Bhr̥ guvallī is emphasizing these
preparatory disciplines.
Introduction 5
शा पाठः
Śāntipāthaḥ
ओं सह नाववतु I सह नौ भुन ु I सह वीय करवावहै I तेज ी नावधीतम ु मा िवि षावहै I ओं
शा ः शा ः शा ः II

अवतु – avatu - May He protect नौ – nau - us both सह – saha - together (by giving
knowledge). भु न ु – bhunaktu - May he protect नौ – nau - us both सह – saha -

together (by giving the fruit of knowledge). सह करवावहै – saha karavāvahai - May
we both put forth वीयम् – vīryam - (sufficient) effort. नौ अधीतम् अ ु – nau adhītam
astu - May our learning be तेज – tejasvi - effective. मा िवि षावहै – mā vidviṣāvahai
- Let us not distance each other. ओं शा ः शा ः शा ः – om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ -
Let there be peace, peace, peace.
May He protect us both together (by giving knowledge). May he protect us both
together (by giving the fruit of knowledge). May we both put forth (sufficient)
effort. May our learning be effective. Let us not distance each other. Let there be
The third chapter also begins with a śāntipāṭhaḥ. It is the same as that of
Brahmavallī.The student prays to the Lord first for ideal relationship with the guru.
Unless the relationship is proper, the teachings will not fructify. Unless the
relationship between husband and wife is proper, the family will not be functional.
Similarly, guru-śiṣya relationship should be proper: śiṣya must have śraddhā and
bhakti to the guru, who in turn must have love and compassion for the śiṣya.
- First prayer: functional relationship between the guru and the śiṣya
- Second prayer: to put forth the necessary effort
Śāntipāthaḥ 6
- Third prayer: the teaching must culminate in knowledge ( jñāna prāpti), which
is the very objective of śravaṇam
- Fourth prayer: jñāna alone is not sufficient, but it should result in jñāna-phala
prāpti. The objective is not to merely become an academic scholar in the
Vedānta; jñānam should transform my personality. This is the real benefit
Oh Lord! the ideal relationship, appropriate effort, acquisition of knowledge and the
benefit should all be available to me. If there are any obstacles due to prārabdha,
please remove them.
This is the significance of the śāntipāṭhaḥ. With this background we will enter the
main text.
Śāntipāthaḥ 7
Anuvāka - 1
भृ गुव वा िणः I व णं िपतरमु पससार I अधीिह भगवो ेित I त ा एतत् ोवाच I अ ं ाणं च ुः
ो ं मनो वाचिमित I तꣳ होवाच I यतो वा इमािन भू तािन जाय े I येन जातािन जीव I
य य िभसं िवश I ति िज ास I तद् ेित I स तपोऽत त I स तप ा II
bhṛgurvai vāruṇiḥ / varuṇaṃ pitaramupasasāra / adhīhi bhagavo brahmeti / tasmā

etat provāca / annaṃ prāṇaṃ cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ mano vācamiti / tagṃ hovāca / yato
vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante / yena jātāni jīvanti / yatprayantyabhisaṃviśanti /
tadvijijñāsasva / tad brahmeti / sa tapo'tapyata / sa tapastaptvā
वै भृ गुः – vai Bhr̥ guḥ - The great sage Bhr̥ gu, वा िणः – vāruṇiḥ - the son of Varuṇa,
उपससार – upasasāra - approached िपतरं व णम् – pitaraṁ varuṇam - his father Varuṇa
इित – iti - (and asked) thus – भगवः – bhagavaḥ - “O Lord! अधीिह – adhīhi brahma
- Teach (me) Brahman.” त ै – tasmai - To that Bhr̥ gu, ोवाच – provāca - Varuṇa
taught इित एतत् – iti etat - the following – अ म् – annam - annam, ाणम् – prāṇam -
prāṇa, मनः – manaḥ - manas, च ुः ो म् – cakṣuḥ śrotram - eye, ear वाचम् – vācam -
and speech. ह उवाच – ha uvāca - (Varuṇa) said तम् – tam - to him इित – iti - thus –
िविज ास – vijijñāsasva - “Seek to know तत् – tat - that यतः वै – yataḥ vai - from which
indeed इमािन भू तािन – imāni bhūtāni - these things जाय े – jāyante - are born, ये न –
yena - by which जातािन – jātāni - (the beings) that are born जीव – jīvanti - live, यत्
– yat – and unto which अिभसं िवश – abhisaṁviśanti - they go back य – prayanti
- while resolving. तद् – tad brahma - That is Brahman.” सः अत त – saḥ atapyata
- He conducted तपः – tapaḥ - enquiry. त ा – taptvā - Having conducted तपः – tapaḥ
- enquiry, सः – saḥ - he (concluded thus) -
The great sage Bhr̥ gu, the son of Varuṇa, approached his father Varuṇa (and asked)
thus – “O Lord! Teach (me) Brahman.” To that Bhr̥ gu, Varuṇa taught the following –
annam, prāṇa, manas, eye, ear and speech. (Varuṇa) said to him thus – “Seek to
know that from which indeed these things are born, by which (the beings) that are
born live, and unto which they go back while resolving. That is Brahman.” He
conducted enquiry. Having conducted enquiry, he (concluded thus) -
Just as any Brāhmaṇopaniṣad, the third chapter is also in prose form. This chapter
is divided into ten paragraphs or anuvākas.
Anuvāka 1 8
The first word of this first anuvāka is Bhr̥ guḥ in the statement bhr̥ gurvai vāruṇiḥ.
Since the first word is Bhr̥ guḥ, this chapter is named Bhr̥ guvallī. The second chapter
begins with the statement brahmavid āpnoti param and therefore, it is called
Brahmavallī.The first chapter begins with the word śikṣā, and therefore it is called
Śīkṣāvallī. Thus, every chapter is named after the first word.
The Upaniṣad begins with the introduction of a guru and his śiṣya. The teachings in
the Upaniṣads is always in the form of a discussion between a guru and a śiṣya to
remind us that the Vedāntic teaching must always must be given by the guru to the
śiṣya in this manner. Self-study is strongly discouraged, even though the
translations of Śaṅkara Bhāṣyam are available.
There is no guru-śiṣya saṁvāda in the first two chapters of the Taittirīyopaniṣad. So,
the Upaniṣad is worried and introduces it in the third chapter! Here the father is the
guru to his son, the śiṣya. We have ideal set up where the father is a wise man (this
is important) and the son is interested in the knowledge – Brahma-vidyā can take
place at home itself.
भृ गुव वा िणः – bhr̥ gurvai vāruṇiḥ - The Upaniṣad introduces a great saint called
Bhr̥ gu. In verse 10.25 of the Gītā, even Krishna acknowledges him to be among the
greatest when describing own glory:
महष णां भृ गुरहम्

Maharṣīṇāṁ bhr̥ guraham
I am Bhr̥ ghu among the great sages
Once he was born of Brahmāji as mānasa putra (conceived of mind) and then again,
he took birth as the son of Varuṇa when the first Bhr̥ gu was destroyed in the Dakṣa
Yāga. To differentiate the second Bhr̥ gu, he is called Vāruṇi Bhr̥ gu. Vāruṇi means
the son of Varuṇa (just as Daśaratha’s son is called Dāśarathi).
व णं िपतरम् उपससार – varuṇaṁ pitaram upasasāra - he approached his father,

Varuṇa. The son approaching the father is a daily frequent event. Here the son is
not approaching the father for any material benefit, but for Brahma-vidyā. That is
why the Upaniṣad highlights this event. The word vai (in the first statement)
indicates a very important event.
Anuvāka 1 9
We must supply that he approached him in the proper manner. What is the proper
manner? Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad describes in verse 1.2.12:
ति ानाथ स गु मेवािभग े त्, सिम ािणः ोि यं िन म्

Tadvijñānārthaṁ sa gurumevābhigacchet, samitpāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ
brahmaniṣṭham
Therefore, to attain knowledge, he must necessarily approach, with samit in
hand, a teacher who is learned in scriptures and established in Brahman
He approached him with śraddhā and bhakti. How do you know that?
भगवः इित – bhagaḥ iti - He demonstrates his śraddhā and bhakti by addressing
Varuṇa not merely as father, but as bhagavaḥ, which means “Oh Lord” or “Oh
adorable one”. A father must be respected; the respect is even more for a father
who is also the guru. In the upanayana ceremony, the father becomes the guru for
upadeśa; and so, the son performs pādapūja for his father before receiving the
Gāyatīi mantra.
अधीिह brahma adhīhi - may you give me Brahma-jnanam. This shows that the
student is highly evolved with necessary qualifications of discrimination, dispassion,
desire and discipline (sādhana-catuṣṭaya). He has diagnosed his problem as self-
ignorance; he has also understood that the medicine for self- ignorance is Brahma-
jnanam. He has also understood that Brahma-jnanam only comes through the
instruction from a guru (guru upadeśa). Therefore, the refinemet of the mind and
the discovery of the problem are complete; he knows the solution, and he also has
understood that a teacher is required. Thus, Bhr̥ gu is a very advanced student.
The father, being a jñānī, understood his son/student’s qualifications Thus, he

begins to teach his son:
त ै एतत् इित ोवाच – tasmai etat iti provāca - He (the father) taught his disciple-son,
a prepared student. [Tasmā - if you split it becomes tasmai - tasmai bhr̥ guve - to that
prepared student, provāca - the father taught, etat - the following]. What did he
teach?
Anuvāka 1 10
अ ं ाणं च ःु ो ं मनो वाचम् इित – annaṁ prāṇaṁ cakṣuḥ śtotraṁ mano vācam iti - iti
means close quotation. First, the father gives him the necessary clues for pañca-
kośa-viveka:
Annam - annamaya kośa

Prāṇam and vācam – prāṇamaya kośa
Vāk represents the organ of speech and therefore, it is karmendriya (organ of

action). This represents all the karmendriyas - vāk (speech), pāṇi (hand), pāda (feet),
pāyu (anus) and upastha (genitals). The five prāṇas (pañca prāṇa) and the five
organs of action (pañca karmendriyāṇi) together represent prāṇamaya kośa.
Cakṣuḥ śrotraṁ manaḥ - manomaya kośa
Cakṣuḥ (eye) and śrotram (ear) represent the five sense organs (pañca
jñānendriyāṇi). Manaḥ means the mind. Manomaya kośaḥ is the combination of the
five sense organs and the mind. Tattva Bodha says:
मन ाने यप कं िमिल ा यो भवित सः मनोमयः कोशः

Manaśca jñanendriyapañcakaṁ militvā yo bhavati saḥ manomayaḥ kośaḥ
The mind and the five sense organs of perception together form the mental
sheath.
Annamaya, prāṇamaya and manomaya kośas are mentioned here; we shall supply
and include vijñāmaya and ānandamaya kośas also. Based on this clue, Bhr̥ gu was
asked to conduct his enquiry. Śaṅkarācārya calls it brahma upalabdi dvārāṇi, where
dvāra means clue. Brahma upalabdi means brahma-jñana.
तꣳ होवाच – tagṁ hovāca – thereafter, Varuṇa, the father continues the teaching and
gives the definition of Brahman (brahma-lakṣaṇam):
यतो वा इमािन भू तािन जाय े I येन जातािन जीव Iय य िभसं िवश I ति िज ास I तद्
े ित I
yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante / yena jātāni jīvanti / yatprayantyabhisaṃviśanti /
tadvijijñāsasva / tad brahmeti
Anuvāka 1 11
We have already seen the definition of Brahman in the second chapter as satyaṁ-
jñānam-anantaṁ brahma, known in the śāstra as svarūpa-lakṣaṇam. Here, we get a
second definition, an indirect one, which is equally important, called tatasta
lakṣaṇam.
In Brahmasūtra, at the very beginning, Vyāsācārya uses the second definition –

janmādasya yataḥ. The source for that sūtra is this definition that begins with yatovā
imāni bhūtāni jāyante. In Bhāgavatam also, Vyāsācārya gives the same definition.
This important definition given in various scriptures means that Brahman is the
cause of creation, preservation and resolution of the universe ( jagat-ṣr̥ ṣṭi- stithi-laya-
kāraṇam).
यतः वै इमािन भू तािन जाय े – yataḥ vai imāni bhūtāni jāyante – Brahman (yataḥ) is the
source from which all the beings originate. Bhūtāni has two meanings - the living
beings as well as the five elements. This indicates Brahman is the cause of creation
(sr̥ ṣṭi kāraṇam).
ये न जातािन जीव – yena jātāni jīvanti – These beings live by which they are born.
Thus, Brahman is also the cause of sustenance of things and beings ( sthiti kāraṇam).
यत् या अिभसंिवश - yat prayanti abhisaṁviśanti - prayanti means at the time

of resolution. At the time of resolution, all these things and beings totally merge into
Brahman (yat abhisaṁviśanti). This indicates that Brahman is also the cause of
resolution (laya kāraṇam). Brahman is assigned three names one for each function
– Brahmā (sr̥ ṣṭi), Viṣṇu (sthiti) and Śiva (laya). These are not three gods as it is
commonly misunderstood. Not knowing this fundamental point, we argue which
god is the greatest. Generally, Brahmā is not in the race; the main contenders are
Viṣṇu and Śiva. The vaiṣṇava says that Viṣṇu is superior, while the śaiva says that
Śiva is. A vedāntin is neither a vaiṣṇava nor a śaiva. He/she is certain that there is no
inferiority or superiority because there are no two gods at all to compare. Then, who
is great according to the vedāntin? Verse 7.21 of the Gītā answers this:
यो यो यां यां तनुं भ ः यािचतुिम ित ।

त त ाचलां ां , तामे व िवदधा हम् ॥ ७.२१ ॥
yō yō yāṃ yāṃ tanuṃ bhaktaḥ śraddhayā'rcitumicchati |
tasya tasyācalāṃ śraddhāṃ tāmēva vidadhāmyaham || 7.21 ||
Anuvāka 1 12
Whichever devotee desires to worship faithfully any particular form – I stabilize that
very faith of that devotee.
Krishna essentially asks us not to waste our energy on this argument. The vedāntins
are called smārthas; they are neither vaiṣṇavas nor śaivas. They wear vibhūti not
because they are śaivas, but because they do nitya nāma. You may choose your
favorite god (iṣṭa devatā), but do not dislike or hate the other gods (aniṣṭa or dveṣa
devatā). All are great. In fact, the word “all” itself is wrong because it suggests that
there are many gods. This mantra alone is the proof that Brahman alone is the sr̥ ṣṭi
-sthiti-laya-kāraṇam.
तत् िविज ास - tat vijijñāsasva - may you know that Brahman. How should you
know?
सः तपः अत त – saḥ tapaḥ atapyata - should do tapas (enquiry). Bhr̥ gu began his
enquiry based on these two clues – brahma-upalabdi-dvārāṇi (pañca-kośa) and
brahma-lakṣaṇam (the definition).
We now get another very important idea here that self-enquiry is the enquiry into
the statements (vākyams) coming from the śāstras via the guru. Many people miss
this point – they try to independently do the self-enquiry (such as asking “who am
I?) without the guidance of the guru and the śāstras. Thus,
Ātmā vicāra = guru-śāstra-vākya-vicāra = pramāṇa vicāra.
If you try to perform self-enquiry without the guidance of the guru and the śāstras,
the most you will achieve is the state of blankness of the mind (by rejecting all the
thoughts). You will have no idea what to do after that. Many people think that the
answer to the question will come from within or Brahman will surface, but the
Vedānta clearly says Brahman cannot be known as an object (that surfaces).
Krishna clearly tells Arjuna in verse 4.34 of the Gītā:
ति िणपातेन प र ेन से वया I
उपदे ते ानं ािनन दिशनः ॥ ४.३४ ॥
tadviddhi praṇipātēna paripraśnēna sēvayā|
upadēkṣyanti tē jñānaṁ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ || 4.34||
Anuvāka 1 13
May you gain that (knowledge) by prostration, by service, and by proper enquiry.
The wise sages will impart (that) knowledge to you.
सः तपः त ा – saḥ tapaḥ taptvā - having done this enquiry, (he comes to a
conclusion). He then comes back to his guru to verify if his enquiry is in the right
direction.
Before going further, we need to note an important point. When we say Brahman is
the ultimate cause (kāraṇam) of the universe, we should not take it in the literal
sense. It is a figurative expression (gauṇa prayogaḥ) like saying that a person is the
pillar of the organization.
When we say that a person is a pillar of the organization, we do not mean literally
that this person is like a pillar in all aspects. There are some similar ( sadharmyam)
and dissimilar (vaidharmyam) features between this person and the pillar. This
expression means that he is a support to the organization like a pillar is to a building
(not inert, fat and round). By the expression Brahman is kāraṇam, we mean that
Brahman is the ultimate and the only substance from which all the products
(kāryam) come into existence. The similarity ends here with the other kāraṇams,
which are also substances. There is however a very important difference.
All the other kāraṇams undergo modifications themselves to become the product.
Wood undergoes a modification brought out by the carpenter to become furniture;
gold undergoes a modification by the goldsmith to become an ornament; milk
undergoes a modification to become curd; a seed undergoes a modification to
become a tree; the food undergoes a modification to become our flesh, bone and
marrow. Therefore, generally, kāraṇam conveys the sense of change or modification
(vikāraḥ). However, Brahman is not subject to change ( nirvikāraḥ). Thus, Brahman is
the changeless cause of the creation. In Sanskrit, we use the expression vivartha
upādāna kāraṇam. The adjective vivartha is added to convey the idea that Brahman
is a kāraṇam that undergoes no modification. All other kāraṇams undergo
modification and they are called pariṇāmi upādāna kāraṇam.
In summary, Brahman alone is the unique material cause - it is the substance of the
creation, but does not undergo a change. Verse 2.20 of the Gītā has this expression:
न जायते ि यते वा कदािचत्
Anuvāka 1 14
ना अयं भू ा भिवता वा न भूयः ।

अजो िन ः शा तोऽयं पुराणो
न ह ते ह माने शरीरे ॥२.२०॥
na jāyatē mriyatē vā kadācit
nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ|
ajō nityaḥ śāśvatō'yaṃ purāṇō
na hanyatē hanyamānē śarīrē || 2.20 ||
This (Self) is neither born at any time nor does it die (at any time). It will
neither come to existence (at one time) nor will it disappear again (at
another time). This is unborn, eternal and free from decay as well as growth.
(It) is not affected when he body is affected.
With this definition of Brahman and the pañca-kośas in mind, our student Bhr̥ gu
must do a lot of homework and arrive at the ultimate, changeless material cause.
He will go through various development stages of eliminating the five kośas and
successfully arrive at Brahman. Thus, Bhr̥ gu folllows the pañca-kośa-viveka method
to achieve his objective. This chapter will take us quickly through pañca-kośa-viveka
because it has already been elaborately discussed in Brahmavallī.
Other Notes
- Brahman as the cause (kāraṇam) can only be understood through the

product, the universe (kārya prapañca). This indirect definition is called tatsta
lakṣaṇam
- When Brahman is defined as sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-kāraṇam (cause of creation,
preservation and resolution), it should be interpreted as upādāna kāraṇam
(the material cause).
- Brahman is also described as the the intelligent cause ( nimitta kāraṇam). The
intelligent cause is different from material cause in the sense that the former
is responsible only for creation, and not for sustenance and resolution, just
as a carpenter is responsible only for the creation of the furniture [if the
carpenter is responsible for the sustenance of furniture also, each furniture
will have to be shipped with a carpenter!]. In the śāstras, Brahman as the
nimitta kāraṇam is interpreted as responsible only for creation (sr̥ ṣṭi mātra
kāraṇam, nimitta kāraṇam).
Anuvāka 1 15
- As the material cause, Brahman is not only required to produce the effect, but
also for the survival of the product. For example, the survival of the furniture
requires wood, the material cause
- When the product is destroyed, they are resolved into the material cause. For
example, when an ornament is destroyed (by melting), it resolves only into
gold. The material cause swallows the effect at the time of destruction. Thus,
Brahman as material cause is also responsible for resolution of the universe.
- The non-material Consciousness Brahman is the material cause of the
universe. This is the most unique teaching of the Vedānta. The scientists have
not been able to arrive at this. The other philosophies such as Tarka and
Nyāya have not been able to arrive at this. The importance of the definition
lies in the fact that the ultimate source of matter is not matter!
Anuvāka 1 16
Anuvāka - 2
अ ं े ित जानात् I अ ा े व ख मािन भूतािन जाय े I अ ेव जातािन जीव I अ ं

य िभसं िवश ीित I ति ाय I पुनरे व व णं िपतरमु पससार I अधीिह भगवो ेित I तꣳ होवाच
I तपसा िविज ास I तपो ेित I स तपोऽत त I स तप ा II
annaṃ brahmeti vyajānāt I annāddhyeva khalvimāni bhūtāni jāyante I anneva jātāni

jīvanti I annaṃ prayantyabhisaṃviśantīti I tadvijñāya I punareva varuṇaṃ
pitaramupasasāra I adhīhi bhagavo brahmeti I tagṃhovāca I tapasā brahma
vijijñāsasva I tapo brahmeti I sa tapo'tapyata I sa tapastaptvā II
जानात् – vyajānāt - He concluded इित – iti - that अ ं – annaṁ brahma - annam

is Brahman. िह – hi - Because, खलु – khalu - certainly, इमािन भू तािन – imāni bhūtāni -
these beings जाय े – jāyante - are born अ ाद् एव – annād eva - from annam alone.
जातािन – jātāni - (The beings) that are born जीव – jīvanti - live अ ेन – annena - by
means of annam. अिभसं िवश – abhisaṁviśanti - They go back to अ म् – annam -
annam य – prayanti - while resolving. इित – iti - Thus, िव ाय – vijñāya - having
concluded तत् – tat - that (annam to be Brahman), उपससार – upasasāra - he
approached िपतरं व णम् – pitaraṁ varuṇam - (his) father Varuṇa पु नः एव – punaḥ
eva - once again (and asked) इित – iti - thus – भगवः – bhagavaḥ - “Oh Lord! अधीिह
– adhīhi brahma - Teach (me) Brahman.” ह उवाच – ha uvāca - (Varuṇa) said तम् – tam
- to him इित – iti - thus – िविज ास – vijijñāsasva - “Seek to know – brahma -
Brahman तपसा – tapasā - through enquiry. तपः – tapaḥ brahma - Enquiry is
Brahman.” सः अत त – saḥ atapyata - He conducted तपः – tapaḥ - enquiry. त ा –
taptvā - Having conducted तपः – tapaḥ - enquiry, सः – saḥ - he (concluded thus) –
He concluded that annam is Brahman. Because, certainly, these beings are born
from annam alone. (The beings) that are born live by means of annam. They go back
to annam while resolving. Thus, having concluded that (annam to be Brahman), he
approached (his) father Varuṇa once again (and asked) thus – “Oh Lord! Teach (me)
Brahman.” (Varuṇa) said to him thus – “Seek to know Brahman through enquiry.
Enquiry is Brahman.” He conducted enquiry. Having conducted enquiry, he
(concluded thus) –
Bhr̥ gu takes up annamaya kośa in this anuvāka and tries to determine its sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-
laya-kāraṇam. Annamaya kośa means the physical body. On enquiry, he finds that
Anuvāka 2 17
the physical body is born out of annam, which literally means food, which in turn is
nothing but the gross matter available on earth. We saw in the Brahmavallī ( Anuvāka
1):
Pr̥ thivyā oṣadhayaḥ / oṣadhībhyaṇ annam - The earth gets converted into the
vegetations, which in turn become food.
Annāt puruṣah – puruṣaḥ means annamaya kośa. Therefore, food is the material
cause for the physical body.
Anuvāka 2 of Brahmavallī further describes annam as the sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-kāraṇam

of the physical body:
अ ा ै जाः जाय े I यः का पृिथवीꣳि ताः I अथो अ ेनैव जीव I अथैनदिपय तःI
annādvai prajāḥ prajāyante / yaḥ kāśca pṛthivīgṁśritāḥ / atho annenaiva

jīvanti / athainadapiyantyantataḥ
(All) beings, which are based on the earth, are indeed born out of food.
Moreover, they live by means of food alone. And finally, they merge into this
(food alone).
Annam is the cause of the physical body, but through an indirect process. Annam
enters the father’s body and becomes the seed; it enters the mother’s body, and
becomes the egg. Both are annam’s modification. During conception, the seed from
the father joins the the egg from the mother to produce the physical body. After the
physical body is born, it survives because of annam. At the time of death, the body
is buried or cremated and thus mingles with the earth and becomes the fertilizer for
the plant kingdom for consumption for the the next generation. Thus, we are
indirectly the food for the next generation. Since annam is the sthiti and laya
kāraṇam of the annamaya kośa of all living beings (humans, animals and plants), it
fits in with the definition of Brahman. Bhr̥ gu therefore concludes in this anuvāka
that annam is Brahman.
अ ं इित जानात् - Annaṁ brahma iti vyajānāt – Bhr̥ gu concluded that annam is
Brahman.The word Brahman means all pervading and infinitely big. Annam, the
gross matter also is all pervading. Therefore, he is satisfied with his conclusion.
Anuvāka 2 18
अ ात् िह एव – annāt hi eva - hi indicates that it is very evident. What is very evident?
That annam alone is the sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya kāraṇam for the physical body (pratyakṣa
siddham).
खलु इमािन भू तािन - khalu imāni bhūtāni – Indeed (khalu), all the annamaya kośas
(imāni bhūtāni) are born out of annam.
अ ेन जातािन जीव –annena jātāni jīvanti – Also, all the annamaya kośas that are
born (jātāni), survive because of annam. If you have any doubt, you may stop eating
for a few days and prove to yourself. Therefore, annam is sr̥ ṣṭi and sthiti kāraṇam.
अ ं य अिभसंिवश annaṁ prayanti abhisaṁviśanti - means at the time of

–
death (prayanti), all annamaya kośas merge or resolve into (abhisaṁviśanti) annam.
Therefore, annam is also the laya kāraṇam also.
Thus, Bhr̥ gu concludes that annam is Brahman. Initially, he was satisfied with his
conclusion, but upon re-enquiry, he found a problem with his conclusion. What is
the problem? It is not explicitly stated in the Upaniṣad, but we must supply here:
There is no doubt that annam is the sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-kāraṇam of annamaya kośa, but
it is not the ultimate cause (mūla kāraṇam). It is only an intermediary cause
(apekṣika kāraṇam). For example, our parents are our cause (kāraṇam) because they
have given birth to us. However, they are not our mūla kāraṇam, because they
themselves were born out of their parents. The mūla kāraṇam is that which is the
cause of everything, but which itself is not an effect. In other words, it is the
causeless cause. On enquiry, we find annam is not the causeless cause, because it
is also a product. Different pramāṇams support this:
Śruti pramāṇam – says that annam, the gross matter is a product of the subtle
matter.
Yukti pramāṇam – logic also proves it. The annam undergoes changes to become
annamaya. This reasoning is very important: anything subject to change is a product
(yat savikāraṁ tat kāryam). It will undergo six-fold changes according to Tattva
Bodha:
अ जायते वधते िवप रणमते अप ीयते िवन ित

Asti jāyate vipariṇamate apakṣīyate vinaśyati
Anuvāka 2 19
Of the six-fold changes, one is the birth (jāyate). The birth of furniture is a
modification of wood and the birth of the ornament is a modification of gold. The
birth of annamaya is a modification of annam. Thus, Bhr̥ gu concludes that annam
cannot be the ultimate cause of the universe. Bhr̥ gu was disappointed. He then
returned to his father for further guidance.
तत् िव ाय - tat vijñāya - having concluded that annam is Brahman (and later being
dissatisfied with that conclusion),
पुनः एव व णं िपतरं उपससार – punaḥ eva varuṇaṁ pitaraṁ upasasāra - he approached

his father (and guru) Varuṇa once again (and once again asked)
अधीिह भगवो ेित - adhīhi bhagavo brahmeti - Teach me Brahman, the mūla
kāraṇam (I now know only annam which is an apekṣita kāraṇam).
तꣳ होवाच – tagṁ hovāca – (The father-guru) uttered the following to his disciple-son
Bhr̥ gu. He does not teach him again because he has already given the clues to the
jigsaw puzzle. He only needs to know how to arrange it. The beauty of this puzzle is
that the problem itself contains the solution. Varuṇa says that he has already given
him brahma-upalabdi-dvārāṇi and brahma-lakṣanam and gives one more clue that
Bhr̥ gu is in the right direction. He just needs to think further.
Someone nicely put: when you think all the doors are closed to solving your
problem, remember that all the doors are not closed. This means: probe further.
तपसा िविज ास tapasā brahma vijijñāvasva - may you seek to know that
-
Brahman through enquiry (tapas).
तपो े ित - tapo brahmeti - tapas alone is Brahman. This statement does not mean
that tapaḥ is Brahman, but it is the means for Brahma-jñāna (brahmajñāna-
sādhanam). When a person says money is everything, what does it mean? It means,
money is a means to get everything. With money, you can get food, clothes,
school/college admission and even Īśvara-darśanam!
सः तपः अत त / सः तपः त ा – saḥ tapaḥ atapyata / saḥ tapaḥ taptvā – Bhr̥ gu started
a further enquiry and having completed it, he came to the next conclusion.
Anuvāka 2 20
Anuvaka - 3
ाणो ेित जानात् I ाणा ेव ख मािन भू तािन जाय े I ाणे न जातािन जीव I ाणं
य िभसं िवश ीित I ति ाय I पु नरे व व णं िपतरमु पससार I अधीिह भगवो े ित I तꣳ होवाच
Prāṇo brahmeti vyajānāt / prāṇāddhyeva khalvimāni bhutāni jāyante / prāṇena

jātāni jīvanti / prāṇam prayantyabhisaṁviśantīti / tadvijñāya / punareva varuṇaṁ
pitaramupasasāra / adhīhi bhagavo brahmeti / tagṁhovaca / tapasā brahma
vijijñāsasva / tapo brahmeti / sa tapo’tapyata / sa tapastaptvā
जानात् – vyajānāt - He concluded इित – iti - that ाणः – prāṇaḥ brahma – prāṇa
these beings जाय े – jāyante - are born ाणाद् एव – prāṇād eva - from prāṇa alone.
जातािन – jātāni - (The beings) that are born जीव – jīvanti - live – ाणे न - prāṇena -
by means of prāṇa. अिभसंिवश – abhisaṁviśanti - They go back to ाणम् – prāṇam
– prāṇa - य – prayanti - while resolving. इित – iti - Thus, िव ाय – vijñāya - having
concluded तत् – tat - that (prāṇa to be Brahman), उपससार – upasasāra - he
He concluded that prāṇa is Brahman. Because, certainly, these beings are born from
prāṇa alone. (The beings) that are born live by means of prāṇa. They go back to
prāṇa while resolving. Thus, having concluded that (prāṇa to be Brahman), he
approached (his) father Varuṇa once again (and asked) thus – “Oh Lord! Teach (me)
Brahman.” (Varuṇa) said to him thus – “Seek to know Brahman through enquiry.
Enquiry is Brahman.” He conducted enquiry. Having conducted enquiry, he
Anuvāka 3 21
Bhr̥ gu enquired what the sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-kāraṇam of prāṇamaya kośa was. He

arrived at the conclusion that samaṣṭi prāṇa (collective prāṇa) was the cause of all
the individual prāṇamaya kośas. The anuvāka 3 of Brahmavallī says:
ाणं दे वा अनु ाण I मनु ाः पशव ये I ाणो िह भू तानामायु ः I त ा वायु षमु ते I

prāṇaṃ devā anuprāṇanti / manuṣyāḥ paśavaśca ye / prāṇo hi
bhūtānāmāyuḥ / tasmātsarvāyuṣamucyate
All gods, human beings and animals live depending on prāṇa, because prāṇa
is the life of the beings. Therefore, (prāṇa) is said to be the life of all.
Thus, he found that prāṇa was the sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-kāraṇam of all the beings
(prāṇamaya kośa).
ाणो े ित जानात् – prāṇo brahmeti vyajānāt - The prāṇatattvam, the energy

principle is subtler than annam. When hunting for the cause, we always go from
grosser to subtler. Even the scientists went through this process: first they thought
the five elements to be the cause of the creation; then they shifted to the subtler
molecules; then from the molecules to the atom, then to the sub-atomic particles,
and then to the intangible energy. Annamaya is grossest, physical and tangible,
while prāṇamaya is subtler, non – physical and intangible. Bhr̥ gu was happy because
he thought he had found Brahman. The definition seems to fit:
ाणाद् एव खलु इमािन भू तािन जाय े – prāṇād eva khalu imāni bhūtāni jāyante - all the
individual prāṇamaya kośas are born out of prāṇa.
ाणेन जातािन जीव - Prāṇena jātāni jīvanti – the prāṇamayas born out of prāṇa
survive because of prāṇa
ाणं प य सं िवशprāṇaṁ prayanti abhisaṁviśanti -- at the time of death

–
(maraṇam), all the individual (vyaṣṭi prāṇas) merge into the totality (samaṣti). That
is why the antyeṣṭi mantras (the last rites mantras) are chanted to let the prāṇa,
apāna etc. of the deceased to merge into the samaṣti prāṇa, with whose blessings,
he will continue the travel.
Initially he was happy, but by applying the same logic, he found that prāṇa is also
an intermediary cause (apekṣika kāraṇam) and not the ultimate one (mūla
Anuvāka 3 22
kāraṇam). Śruti pramāṇa says that prāṇa is born as stated by the Verse 2.1.3 of
Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad says:
एत ा ायते ाणः
Etasmājjāyte prāṇaḥ
From this (Brahman), prāṇa is born
By yukti pramāṇa (logic), prāṇa is subject to modification because it is born (yat yat
savikāraṁ, tad kāryam bhavati). Whatever is subject to modification, is a product
and vice versa. Therefore, Bhr̥ gu concludes that prāṇa is also a product like annam
(prāṇaḥ kāryaṁ savikāratvat, annavatu).
Therefore, he decided to go back to his father.
तत् िव ाय I पु नरे व व णं िपतरं उपससार - tad vijñāya / punareva varuṇam pitaraṁ

upasasāra - Being dissatisfied, he again approached his father and asked for
guidance:
अधीिह भगवो े ित - adhīhi bhagavo brahmeti – Please teach me Brahman
तं होवाच – taṁ hovāca – (to which) the father replied
तपसा िविज ास - tapasā brahma vijijñāsasva - May you continue the enquiry
(with the help of the two clues I have already given).
तपो े ित I स तपोऽत त I स तप ा - tapo brahmeti / sa tapo’ tapyata / sa

tapastaptvā – He (Bhr̥ gu) continued his enquiry and came to the following
conclusion:
Anuvāka 3 23
Anuvaka - 4
मनो ेित जानात् I मनसो ेव ख मािन भू तािन जाय े I मनसा जातािन जीव I मनः
य िभसं िवश ीित I ति ाय I पु नरे व व णं िपतरमु पससार I अधीिह भगवो े ित I तꣳ होवाच
Māṇo brahmeti vyajānāt / manaso hyeva khalvimāni bhutāni jāyante / manasā jātāni
jīvanti / manaḥ prayantyabhisaṁviśantīti / tadvijñāya / punareva varuṇaṁ
जानात् – vyajānāt - He concluded इित – iti - that मनः – manaḥ brahma – manas
these beings जाय े – jāyante - are born मनसः एव – manasaḥ eva - from manas alone.
जातािन – jātāni - (The beings) that are born जीव – jīvanti - live – मनसा - manasā -
by means of manas. अिभसंिवश – abhisaṁviśanti - They go back to मनः – manaḥ –
manas - य – prayanti - while resolving. इित – iti - Thus, िव ाय – vijñāya - having
concluded तत् – tat - that (manas to be Brahman), उपससार – upasasāra - he
He concluded that manas is Brahman. Because, certainly, these beings are born
from manas alone. (The beings) that are born live by means of manasa. They go
back to manas while resolving. Thus, having concluded that (manas to be Brahman),
he approached (his) father Varuṇa once again (and asked) thus – “Oh Lord! Teach
(me) Brahman.” (Varuṇa) said to him thus – “Seek to know Brahman through
enquiry. Enquiry is Brahman.” He conducted enquiry. Having conducted enquiry, he
Anuvāka 4 24
Bhr̥ gu then analyzed manomaya, the next subtler kośa. He applied the definition of
Brahman and arrived at the conclusion that every individual ( vyaṣṭi) manomaya is
born out of the total mind (samaṣṭi manaḥ).
We have already seen in the second chapter that the individual, the product
(kāryam) is represented by the suffix -maya and the totality, the cause (kāraṇam) is
without the suffix. Thus, manomaya, the individual (vyaṣṭi) is the product (kāryam)
and manaḥ, the totality (samaṣṭi), is the cause (kāraṇam). Manaḥ, the mind fulfills
the definition of Brahman as the sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya kāraṇam.
मनो े ित जानात् I मनसो मािन भूतािन जाय े - mano brahmeti vyajānāt /

ेव ख
manaso hyeva khalvimāni bhūtāni jāyante – He dertermined that manaḥ is the sr̥ ṣṭi
kāraṇam.
मनसा जातािन जीव - manasā jātāni jīvanti – Manaḥ is the sthiti kāraṇam
मनः य िभसंिवश - manah prayantyabhisaṁviśanti – It also the laya kāraṇam
Then, he was briefly excited that he had arrived at manaḥ Brahma.
According to the śāstras, the mind (manaḥ) is a subtle form of matter. Sometimes,
people define mind as a flow of thoughts, but that the śāstra does not accept this
definition. The śāstra defines the mind as the locus, (lika a lake), out of which the
thoughts arise, in which they exist and to which they dissolve. Mind is a subtle and
non-tangible substance (sūkṣma dravyam). Even in the absence of thoughts, when
the flow of thoughts subsides, the mind continues to survive. If mind were merely a
flow of thoughts, the end of thoughts will be the end of mind. It is not so. In the
state of deep sleep (suṣupti), the thoughts are absent, but mind, the material
continues to exist. Otherwise, you will not wake up from sleep. The very fact that
you and your mind wake up indicates that thought is not the mind, but thought is a
function of the mind. Functions may be there, or they may subside, but mind the
subtle matter continues. This subtle material in the total level is called manaḥ
Brahma.
तद िव ाय - tad vijñāya - he concluded this. The excitement lasted only for a brief
period because, after further analysis, he discovered that the mind is not the
ultimate cause.
Anuvāka 4 25
We can apply the same reasoning as before to prove that the mind is a kāryam.
Śruti pramāṇam – Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad states in verse 1.2.3:
एत ा ायते ाणः, मनः सव यािण च I

Etasmājjāyate prāṇaḥ, manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca
From this (Brahman) are born the prāṇa, mind, and all sense organs
Also, Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad states in the very first verse 1.1.1 that the total mind,
Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmāji) is subject to birth.
ा दे वानां थमः स भू व,
Brahmā devānāṁ prathamaḥ sambabhūva
Brahmā was born as the first and foremost among gods
Therefore, manaḥ is a kāryam (product).
Yukti pramāṇam - Mind is a product, because it is subject to modification. So, it

violates the rule that Brahman is changeless.
Bhr̥ gu went back to his father-guru and asked for further guidance. Varuṇa, the
father-guru advised him to conduct further enquiry. Bhr̥ gu, after further enquiry,
came up with the following conclusion:
Anuvāka 4 26
Anuvaka - 5
िव ानं े ित जानात् I िव ाना ेव ख मािन भूतािन जाय े I िव ानेन जातािन जीव I

िव ानं य िभसंिवश ीित I ति ाय I पु नरे व व णं िपतरमुपससार I अधीिह भगवो े ित I तꣳ
होवाच I तपसा िविज ास I तपो े ित I स तपोऽत त I स तप ा II
brahmeti vyajānāt / manaso hyeva khalvimāni bhutāni jāyante / manasā jātāni

jīvanti / manaḥ prayantyabhisaṁviśantīti / tadvijñāya / punareva varuṇaṁ
जानात् – vyajānāt - He concluded इित – iti - that िव ानं – vijñānaṁ brahma –

vijñānam is Brahman. िह – hi - Because, खलु – khalu - certainly, इमािन भूतािन – imāni
bhūtāni - these beings जाय े – jāyante - are born िव ानाद् एव – vijñānād eva - from
vijñānam alone. जातािन – jātāni - (The beings) that are born जीव – jīvanti - live –
िव ानेन – vijñānena - by means of vijñānam. अिभसं िवश – abhisaṁviśanti - They go
back to िव ानम् – vijñānam – vijñānam - य – prayanti - while resolving. इित – iti -
Thus, िव ाय – vijñāya - having concluded तत् – tat - that (manas to be Brahman),
उपससार – upasasāra - he approached िपतरं व णम् – pitaraṁ varuṇam - (his) father
Varuṇa पु नः एव – punaḥ eva - once again (and asked) इित – iti - thus – भगवः –
bhagavaḥ - “Oh Lord! अधीिह – adhīhi brahma - Teach (me) Brahman.” ह उवाच –
ha uvāca - (Varuṇa) said तम् – tam - to him इित – iti - thus – िविज ास – vijijñāsasva
- “Seek to know – brahma - Brahman तपसा – tapasā - through enquiry. तपः –
tapaḥ brahma - Enquiry is Brahman.” सः अत त – saḥ atapyata - He conducted तपः –
tapaḥ - enquiry. त ा – taptvā - Having conducted तपः – tapaḥ - enquiry, सः – saḥ -
he (concluded thus) –
He concluded that vijñānam is Brahman. Because, certainly, these beings are born
from vijñānam alone. (The beings) that are born live by means of vijñānam. They go
back to vijñānam while resolving. Thus, having concluded that (vijñānam to be
Brahman), he approached (his) father Varuṇa once again (and asked) thus – “Oh
Lord! Teach (me) Brahman.” (Varuṇa) said to him thus – “Seek to know Brahman
through enquiry. Enquiry is Brahman.” He conducted enquiry. Having conducted
enquiry, he (concluded thus) –
Anuvāka 5 27
Bhr̥ gu then analyzed the next layer of matter, namely vijñāmaya kośa. Applying the
definition of Brahman, he arrived at the conclusion that samaṣṭi vijñānam is the
sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya kāraṇam for all the individual vijñamaya kośas. Then he concluded
that vijñānam is Brahman.
Vijñānam (the intellect) is also matter, but is subtler than the mind (manaḥ). The
gradation in subtlety can be understood as follows:
Any activity in life always follows this general process:
Jñāna śakti  Icchā śakti Kriyā śakti

Knowledge  Desire  Action
Jñāna śakti – To experience any sense object in this world, we must have the
knowledge of that object. If we do not know of the object, we cannot experience it.
Icchā śakti – The knowledge (jñāna) of the object leads to the desire (icchā) to
experience it. There can be no desire for an object without knowledge of it. A few
decades ago, no one would have had the desire for computer games because they
did not exist. Therefore, jñana śakti is responsible for the activation of icchā śakti.
Thus, jñānam is kāraṇam and icchā is kāryam. Therefore, jñanam, being the cause
is subtler than icchā, the product.
Kriyā śakti – The icchā śakti will activate kriyā śakti. The desire to experience the
sense object will drive one into action to experience it. Thus, desire is the cause
(kāraṇam) for action which is the effect (kāryam). Kriyā is represented by prāṇa,
which is made of (samaṣṭi) rajoguṇa, which stands for activity. Thus,
Jñāna śakti  Icchā śakti Kriyā śakti

Vijñānamaya  manomaya  prāṇamaya
Samaṣṭi vijñāmaya is also called Hiraṇyagarbha. Hiranyam means gold, which

stands for unfading knowledge. Just as gold never fades, this knowledge never ends.
This knowledge is also bright like gold. So, hiraṇyam is all knowledge (sarva
jñānam) and garbha means within. So, the definition of Hiraṇyagarbha is all
knowledge within (hiraṇyaṁ sarvajñatvaṁ garbhe antaḥ yasya saḥ
hiraṇyagarbhaḥ). Therefore, samaṣṭi vijñānam is Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ. Bhr̥ gu concluded
that vijñānam is Brahman.
Anuvāka 5 28
However, the excitement did not last long because he discovered upon further
analysis that vijñānam is also a product (kāryam). Samaṣṭi buddhi (vijñānam) is
called mahat tattvam by Kaṭhopaniṣad. Since mahat tattvam is a product (kāryam),
it cannot be the ultimate cause (kāraṇam). We arrive at this through śruti and yukti.
He returns to his father, who advises him again to continue the enquiry. He has now
crossed four kośas successfully.
Anuvāka 5 29
Anuvaka - 6
आन ो े ित जानात् I आन ा े व ख मािन भू तािन जाय े I आन े न जातािन जीव I

आन ं य िभसं िवश ीित I सै षा भागवी वा णी िव ा I परमे ोमन् िति ता I य एवं वे द
ितित ित I अ वान ादो भवित I महान् भवित जया पशुिभ वचसे न I महान् की ा II
ānando brameti vyajānāt / ānandāddhyeva khalvimāni bhūtāni jāyante / ānandena

jātāni jīvanti / ānandaṁ prayantyabhisaṁviśantīti / saiṣā bhārgavī vidyā / parame
vyoman pratiṣṭhitā / ya evam veda pratitiṣṭhati / annavānannādo bhavati / mahān
bhavati prajaya paśubhirbrahmavarcasena / mahān kīrtyā
जानात् – vyajānāt - He concluded इित – iti - that आन ः – ānandaḥ brahma –

ānanda is Brahman. िह – hi - Because, खलु – khalu - certainly, इमािन भूतािन – imāni
bhūtāni - these beings जाय े – jāyante - are born आन ाद् एव – ānandād eva - from
ānanda alone. जातािन – jātāni - (The beings) that are born जीव – jīvanti - live –
आन े न – ānandena - by means of ānandām. अिभसं िवश – abhisaṁviśanti - They
go back to आन म् – ānandam – ānanda - य – prayanti - while resolving.
इित – iti – Thus (he recognized Brahman). सा एषा िव ा – sā eṣā vidyā - This teaching
भागवी वा णी – bhārgavī vāruṇī - which transpired betwēn Bhr̥ gu and Varuṇa
िति ता – pratiṣṭhitā - culminated परमे ोमन् – parame vyoman - (in Brahman) in
the supreme space (of the heart). यः वे द – yaḥ veda - (One) who knows (Brahman)
एवम् – evam - in this manner ितित ित – pratitiṣṭhati - gets established (in
Brahman). भवित – bhavati - He becomes अ वान् – annavān - the possessor of food
अ ादः – annādaḥ - and enjoyer of food. भवित महान् – bhavati mahān - He becomes
great जया – prajayā - through progeny, पशु िभः – paśubhiḥ - cattle, वचसे न –
brahmavarcasena - and spiritual effulgence. महान् – mahān - (He becomes) great
की ा – kīrtyā - through fame (also).
He concluded that ānanda is Brahman. Because, certainly, these things are born
from ānanda alone. (The beings) that are born live by the means of ānanda. They go
back to ānanda while resolving. Thus (he recognized Brahman). This teaching which
transpired betwēn Bhr̥ gu and Varuṇa culminated (in Brahman) in the supreme
Anuvāka 6 30
space (of the heart). (One) who knows (Brahman) in this manner gets established (in
Brahman). He becomes the possessor of food and enjoyer of food. He becomes
great through progeny, cattle, and spiritual effulgence. (He becomes) great through
fame (also).
आन ो इित जानात् - ānando brahma iti vyajānāt - Bhr̥ gu has skipped

ānandamaya kośa and arrived directly at he has come to ānanda itself. So here the
word ānanda does not mean the kośa, it refers to the ānanda Ātma itself. Anuvāka
5 of Brahmavallī says:
त ि यमेव िशरः I मोदो दि णः प ः I मोद उ रः प ः I आन आ ाI पु ं ित ा I

tasya priyameva śiraḥ / modo dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ / pramoda uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ / ānanda
ātmā / brahma pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā
When we join this statement with that of this anuvāka, we get an interesting
corollary. In the second chapter, ānanda was equated to Ātmā, i.e., ānanda Ātmā. In
this anuvāka, ānanda is equated to Brahman (ānando brahmeti vyjānāt). With these
two equations, we get a third one:
Ānandaḥ = Ātmā – from the statement in Brahmavallī

Ānandaḥ = Brahman – from the statement in this anuvāka
Therefore,
Ātmā = Brahman
Ātmā, Brahman and ānandāḥ are all one and the same. Since Ātmā or Brahman is
the cause of the universe (jagat kāraṇam), we should understand that the word
ānandaḥ does not refer to any experience, but is itself the jagat kāraṇam. Then he
himself explains it beautifully:
आन ाद् एव खलु इमािन भूतािन जाय े - ānandad eva khalu imāni bhūtāni jāyante –
From ānanda alone all the things and beings are born. Ānanda is the same as
Brahman and so, we can now say: brahmaṇaḥ eva khalu imāni bhūtāni jāyante -
From Brahman alone, all the things are beings are born.
आन े न जातािन जीव - ānandena jātāni jīvanti - because of ānanda (Brahman)

alone, all the beings exist.
Anuvāka 6 31
आन ं य अिभसं िवश – ānandaṁ prayanti abhisaṁviśanti – at the time of death,

all the beings resolve into ānanda (Brahman)
What should be the meaning of the word ānanda here? Generally, we translate the
word ānanda as happiness, ecstasy, joy etc. All these words represent varieties of
experiences. Every experience is finite and impermanent and therefore, it is a
product. A product (kāryam) cannot be said to be the cause (kāraṇam) of everything.
So, here the word ānanda refers to caitanyam, the Consciousness.
In this context, ānanda should be translated as anantatvam (infinite) and not as

happiness, which a fleeting experience. You should not even call it bliss, the state of
perfect happiness, because it is also a fleeting experience.
In summary,
Ānandah = pūrṇatvam = sat tattvam = caitanya tattvam = satyaṁ jñānaṁ anantam
We have seen previously the four points related to Consciousness:
- Consciousness is not a part, product or property of the body

- Consciousness is an independent entity that pervades the body
- Consciousness survives even after the fall of the body
- The surviving Consciousness is inaccessible
These four principles apply to Existence also:
- Existence is not a part, product or property of the body

- Existence is an independent entity that pervades the body. Existence is not an
adjective, but it is a noun
- Existence survives even after the fall of the body
- The surviving Existence is inaccessible.
Now we can extend this to happiness also. We generally use happiness is the
context of an adjective such as a happy man or a happy woman. As an adjective,
it is a temporary state. According to the Vedānta,
- Happiness is not a part, product or property of the individual.
Anuvāka 6 32
- Even though Happiness appears as an adjective, it is an independent entity

that pervades the body and makes the body-mind complex, especially the
mind, temporarily happy
- That Happiness as an entity survives even after the fall of the body
- That surviving Happiness-tattvam is not accessible, not because it is non-
existent, but because the medium of expression is not there.
आन े न जातािन जीव I आन ं य िभसंिवश ीित - ānandena jātāni jīvanti ānanda

prayanti abhisaṁviśanti iti - Once he arrived at ānanda, the Consciousness principle,
he was satisfied for good. Analayzing along the same lines, he found that unlike
annam, prāṇam, manaḥ and vijñānam, the ānanda, the Ātmā, (the Consciousness)
is not an intermediary cause, but the ultimate cause:
Śruti pramāṇam – śruti points out that Consciousness is never a product, but the
ultimate cause. As anuvāka 1 of Brahmavallī points out:
त ा ा एत ादा न आकाशः सं भूतः

Tasmādvā etasmādātmana ākāśaḥ saṁbhūtaḥ
This statement indicates that even space was born from Ātmā and thus it is the
ultimate cause.
Yukti pramāṇam: By using logic also, we can arrive at the same conclusion. Unlike
vijñām, manaḥ etc., which are subject to birth, and the subsequent changes,
Consciousness is not subject to modification because it was never born; it always
existed. Consciousness is the witness of all the changes; it does not undergo any
change.
As verse 2.20 of the Gītā points out:
न जायते ि यते वा कदािचत्

ना अयं भू ा भिवता वा न भूयः ।
अजो िन ः शा तोऽयं पुराणो
न ह ते ह माने शरीरे ॥२.२०॥
na jāyatē mriyatē vā kadācit
nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ|
ajō nityaḥ śāśvatō'yaṃ purāṇō
na hanyatē hanyamānē śarīrē || 2.20 ||
Anuvāka 6 33
This (Self) is neither born at any time nor does it die (at any time). It will
neither come to existence (at one time) nor will it disappear again (at
another time). This is unborn, eternal and free from decay as well as growth.
(It) is not affected when he body is affected.
Therefore, there is no other cause for Consciousness; it is the ultimate cause.
Brahman is otherwise called Ātmā, which also means I ( aham), the subject. Ānanda
brahmeti vyajānāt means he concluded, “I am Brahman” (ahaṁ brahmāsmi
vyajānāt). Therefore, Bhr̥ gu was satisfied; no further journey was needed. The
teacher and the student had not more further work. The dialogue between the
student and the teacher concludes. Now, the Upaniṣad, the master of ceremonies
takes over.
सै षा भागवी वा णी िव ा – saiṣā bhargavī vāruṇī vidyā - this wisdom that I, the ānandaḥ,
the same as Brahman, am the jagat kāraṇam. Verse 19 of Kaivalya Upaniṣad also
says the same:
म ेव सकलं जातं, मिय सव िति तम् I

मिय सव लयं याित, तद् ा यम हम् II १९ II

resolves into me alone. I am that nondual Brahman.
When we say I, we should not refer to the five kośas (pañca kośa), but that
Consciousness beyond these five sheaths: pañca kośa vilakṣaṇa sākṣi caitanyam
aham.
Therefore, this knowledge, previously titled Brahma-vidyā, is now given two new
titles:
भागवी िव ा - bhārgavī vidyā - wisdom received by the student Bhr̥ gu (bhr̥ guṇā
prāpta iti bhārgavī)
Anuvāka 6 34
वा णी िव ा – vāruṇī vidyā - The dictionary meaning of vāruṇī is liquor. Here, vāruṇī

means wisdom imparted by Varuṇa: varuṇena proktā vāruṇī
परमे ोमन् िति ता - parame vyoman pratiṣṭhitā - this wisdom started with the
annamaya kośa and culminated in the sākṣi caitanya Ātmā. Pratiṣṭhitā means
culminated. Where is the sākṣi caitanyam located? It is in the supreme space in the
heart (parame vyoman).
The Upaniṣad says that not only Bhr̥ gu got the wisdom, but also whoever goes
through the process of pañca kośa viveka, otherwise called tapas, will get this
wisdom.
यः एवं वे द – yaḥ evaṁ veda - whoever travels through the internal journey
ितित ित – pratitiṣṭhati - he will get established or settled in life. In materialistic

world, he should get settled in school, in job, marriage, children etc. We are working
for settlement throughout our lives, but are eternally. The Upaniṣad says that there
is only one method of getting settled in life, that is through wisdom. This means one
will get freedom from the unsettled condition of life, becoming more relaxed, and
comfortable.
He will not only receive the spiritual benefit, but also the worldly benefit. Many
people do not understand the value of spiritual benefit. Therefore, the Upaniṣad
tempts people with the worldly benefit also. It is like teaching the Gītā for
management: Krishna taught for something, but it is being taken for something
else. Aṣṭāṅga Yoga is simply reduced to an exercise to reduce blood pressure!
अ वान् अ ादो भवित - annavān annādo bhavati - the most basic benefit is mentioned
here: he will get plenty of food (annam). What is the use of having plenty of annam
if he cannot eat well because of blood pressure or ulcers? This wisdom will keep one
also in good physical and mental health so that he can enjoy the abundant food
(annādaḥ).
महान् भवित - mahān bhavati - he will become great in this world in different fields.
Anuvāka 6 35
जया - prajayā - he will get wonderful children. In the case of a sannyāsīs, prajayā
should be translated as śiṣyas. (This is also chanted when a sannyāsī visits). The
students are as good as children as they address the guru as: tvameva mātā ca pita
ca – you are the mother and father.
पशु िभः – paśubhiḥ:- if there are many disciples, a gurukulam is required. With the
gurukulam comes the requirements. Therefore, he will get plenty of wealth
(paśubhiḥ) to teach and spread the message. Literally paśu means cattle which
stands for wealth.
वचसे न - brahmavarcasena - he will be great because of his very personality.

Brahmavarcas means an attractive and brilliant personality because of this wisdom.
His face is ever bright because he is always happy.
महान् की ा - mahān kīrtyā - he will also become famous. A great teacher will be
sought after by the students and therefore, will be well known in the society. This is
the material benefit (laukika phalam). Pratiṣṭhitā is the spiritual benefit. With this,
the pañca-kośa viveka part concludes.
Anuvāka 6 36
Summary of the first six anuvākas
In the first six anuvākas of this chapter, the Upaniṣad gives only the summary of
Brahma-vidyā because it has already been elaborately discussed in the second
chapter. In this summary, the one-ness of the jīvātmā and the Paramātmā (jīvātma-
pārmātma-aikyam) is revealed through pañca kośa viveka. Brahman is defined as
the cause of the universe (jagat kāraṇam) and is equated Ātmā that is beyond the
five kośas (pañca-kośa-vilakṣaṇa-ātmā). This pañca-kośa-vilakṣaṇa-ātmā is also
given the name ānandaḥ (ānanda ātmā). This was the conclusion reached by Bhr̥ gu
after the systematic enquiry of the five kośas (pañca-kośa-vicāraḥ). This enquiry is
named as tapas. In the context of the Veda-pūrva (ritualistic portion of the Vedas),
the tapas is in the form of various austerities (upavāsa), but in the context of the
Vedānta, tapas implies single-pointed enquiry (manaśca indriyaśca aikāgraṁ
paramaṁ tapaḥ). Incidentally, the necessity of a guru was also conveyed through
this story. Even though Bhr̥ gu was a great r̥ si, he chose to learn this from his father-
guru, Varuṇa instead of self-study. When a maharṣi like Bhr̥ gu required a guru, what
to talk of ordinary people?
This portion often quotes the definition of Brahman ( brahmalakṣaṇam) as the cause
of creation, sustenance and resolution of the universe ( sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-kāraṇam). In
fact, Bhr̥ guvallī is well known for this definition. The teacher also gives the benefit
of Brahma-vidyā (brahmavidyā-phalam):
- Spirtual benefit: he will be psychologically settled and will be completely free

of mental disturbances – this is jīvanmukti
- Material benefit: he will enjoy abundance of health, wealth, a great
personality and fame
Introduction to Anuvākās 7, 8 and 9 37

Introduction to anuvākas 7, 8 and 9
In the following anuvākas, the Upaniṣad will prescribe some meditations (upāsanās)
to prepare the mind for self-knowledge. It also prescribes certain disciplines called
vratams. Most of these vratams are related to annam.
Why is annam given so much importance? Annamaya kośa is the first stage in the
Vedāntic enquiry. At this stage, our maximum identification is with our grossest
personality, the annamya. In fact, most of our worries are related to annamaya;
most of our time and energy are also spent for the security of the annamaya kośa.
Therefore, through vratams, we give special respect to annam, the essence of
annamaya, which is the first rung of the spiritual ladder (pañca-kośa-vicāra or tapas).
Virat upāsanā
In the next three anuvākas, the Upaniṣad prescribes a meditation with which we
can learn to look at the world as the body of the Lord. It gives us the perspective
that the universe is not fragmented, but is like the body of a cosmic organism. We
learn to look at the universe as Īśvara śarīram and that macro Īśvara is called Virāt
Īśvaraḥ or Hiranyagarbha Īśvaraḥ. This is a very important and unique teaching of
the Vedānta. The other religions also have the concept of God, but they view God
as a separate entity residing in a remote, unknown and unperceivable place. Such
a God is technically called tatasta Īśvara. [God is safely away from the jīvas!]. On
the other hand, the Vedānta says that Īśvara is not away from the world, but in
fact, the very world is His manifestation.
How can we assimilate this concept that universe is a single cosmic body when
things and beings appear so fragmented and far apart? To understand this, we shall
use the individual as the micro model:
The individual body has various organs, but we do not look at them as set of
disparate organs, but as a single organism. We view this set as one body because
the organs are all interconnected and inter-dependent. If one organ is affected, the
impact is felt by the others. For example, diabetes affects the pancreas initially, but
eventually, affects eyes, heart, feet, brain etc. The connection of one organ to
another is invisible. Similarly, the whole cosmos is also like the single body; every

part of creation is connected to every other part. This explains why we seriously
study about environmental and ecological balance. De-forestation in one part of the
world causes shortage of rain, famine, and suffering of people even in other parts.
Thus, the more we study the creation, the more we understand how closely the
human beings, animals, the plants, the sun etc. are closely interconnected. They call
it the butterfly effect: a small disturbance caused by a butterfly’s throbbing wings
can affect the distant galaxy. There is also a saying: “you cannot pluck a flower
without disturbing a star.”
Now, the Upaniṣad reveals this interdependence of the creation by using three pairs
of objects and meditating on their inter-dependence. This inter-dependence is
presented in the form of two types of relationships:
Anna–annāda-sambandhaḥ - consumer-consumed relationship. For example, when

we are alive, we consume things from nature in the form of plant etc. After our
death, the earth consumes our body. Thus, we are consumers of the world at some
point in time and are the consumed (by the world) at another time. The consumed
is called annam and the consumer is called annādaḥ.
Pratiṣṭhā-pratiṣṭhita-sambandhaḥ - mutually supporter-supported relationship. For

example, as children we are completely dependent our parents for food, clothing
and shelter. Thus, the children are the supported while the parents are the
supporters. When the very same parents grow old, they enter their second
childhood because they are unable to handle their own affairs. The children
reciprocate by supporting their parents in their old age. Thus, the supported at one
time become the supporters. This is called the pratiṣṭhā-pratiṣṭhita-sambandhaḥ.
This relationship is also illustrated by another example of gurukulam. The
gurukulam provided everything free of cost that a brahmacārī needed during his
studies: food, clothing, lodging etc. After he completed the studies and becomes a
householder (gr̥ hastha), he supported the gurukulam (as brahma-yajña) so that it
could support the next generation of the students.
The Upaniṣad illustrates the anna-annāda-sambandhaḥ and the pratiṣṭhā-

pratiṣṭhita sambandhaḥ between the following three pairs of objects:
Prāṇa-śarīram - The first pair is given in anuvāka 7. Our meditation (upāsanā) is

seeing the anna-annāda-sambandhaḥ and the pratiṣṭhā-pratiṣṭhita sambandhaḥ
between prāṇa and śarīram.

Agni-jalam – The relationship between this pair is discussed in the anuvāka 8.
Pr̥ thivī-ākāśa – this pair is discussed in the anuvāka 9.
With the upāsanā on these pairs, your mind can see that everything is
interconnected. In fact, dharma is defined as a life style in which this cosmic
interdependence is not disturbed. When we cut the trees in the city, we disturb the
balance between the trees and the human beings. Bhagavan has intelligently
balanced these two: we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbondioxide while the
plant kingdom breathes in carbondioxide and gives out oxygen. What a nice
interdependence! By destroying the trees, which are called the lungs of the society,
we destroy the cosmic harmony and end up with lung problems and various other
diseases. If I am aware of the śruti, the cosmic orchestra, my actions will not be
apaśruti.
There is a certain pitch in which we chant Guru-strotram. If one of the chanters does
not know this, he may chant in a totally different śruti making the stotram jarring
and disturbing. Similarly, adharma disturbs the cosmic harmony. The negative
harmony will not be felt immediately; when we discover the effects after decades,
they may be irreversible. Verse 3.16 of the Gītā says:
एवम् विततं च ं नानुवतयतीह यः ।

अघायु र यारामो मोघं पाथ स ज़ीवित ॥ ३.१६ ॥
ēvaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ |
aghāyurindriyārāmō mōghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati|| 3.16 ||
In this world, he, who does not follow the (cosmic) cycle which is initiated (by the
Lord) in this manner, is a sinful and sensual (person). He lives in vain, Oh Arjuna!
One who is not aware of this balance in the family, society, and the nature is gross,
immature and selfish and his lifestyle destroys the creation. Thus, this is a very
beautiful meditation.
In the daily sandhyāvandanam, we are asked to be aware of the cosmic balance. In

the Navagraha-tarpaṇam – ādityaṁ tarpayāmi, somaṁ tarpayāmi, angārakaṁ
tarpayāmi, budhaṁ tarpayāmi, br̥ haspatiṁ tarpayāmi etc. – we remind ourselves of

this solar system and how it is interconnected. We should not forget the totality in
our preoccupation with our family duties. When we do namaskāram to all directions
– prācyai diśe namaḥ, dakṣiṇāyai diśe namaḥ etc., - we become aware of the cosmic
balance. Therefore, we can say these three upāsanās together is equivalent to virāt
or viśvarūpa upāsanā. We generally start with ekarūpa Īśvara, then graduate to
viśvarūpa and then to arūpa in our spiritual journey. Without the appreciation of
viśvarūpa, we cannot appreciate arūpa or the nirguṇa Brahman.
This is the topic of discussion in the seventh, eighth and the ninth anuvākas. With
this background, we will go into the details.

Anuvāka - 7
अ ं न िन ात् I तद् तम् I ाणो वा अ म् I शरीरम ादम् I ाणे शरीरं िति तम् I शरीरे ाणः
िति तः I तदे तद म े िति तम् I स य एतद म े िति तं वे द ितिति ित I अ वान ादो भवित I
महान् भवित जया पशु िभ वचसेन I महान् की ा II
annaṃ na nindyāt / tad vratam / prāṇo vā annam / śarīramannādam / prāṇe

śarīraṃ pratiṣṭhitam / śarīre prāṇaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ / tadetadannamanne pratiṣṭhitam
/ sa ya etadannamannepratiṣṭhitaṃ veda pratitiṣṭhiti / annavānannādo bhavati /
mahān bhavati prajayā paśubhirbrahmavarcasena / mahān kīrtyā
न िन ात् – na nindyāt - One should not criticize अ म् – annam - food. तद तम् – tad
vratam - That is a vow. ाणः वै – prāṇaḥ vai - Prāṇa is indeed अ म् – annam - annam.
शरीरम् अ ादम् – śarīram annādam - Body is annāda. शरीरं िति तम् – śarīraṁ
pratiṣṭhitam - Body is dependent on ाणे – prāṇe - prāṇa. ाणः िति तः – prāṇaḥ
pratiṣṭhitaḥ - Prāṇa is dependent शरीरे – śarīre - on the body. तद् एतत् – tad etat -
Thus, अ ं िति तम् – annaṁ pratiṣṭitham - annam is dependent अ े – anne - on
annam. सः यः वेद – saḥ yaḥ veda - He who meditates upon एतत् – etat - this (fact that)
अ ं िति तम् – annaṁ pratiṣṭhitam - annam is dependent अ े – anne - on annam
ितित ित – pratitiṣṭhati - gets established. भवित – bhavati - He becomes अ वान् –
annavān - the possessor of food अ ादः – annādaḥ - and the enjoyer of food. भवित
महान् – bhavati mahān - He becomes great जया – prajayā - through progeny, पशु िभः
– paśubhiḥ - cattle, वचसेन – brahmavarcasena - and spiritual effulgence. महान् –
mahān - (He becomes) great की ा – kīrtyā - through fame (also).
One should not criticize food. That is a vow. Prāṇa is indeed annam. Body is annāda.
Body is dependent on prāṇa. Prāṇa is dependent on the body. Thus, annam is
dependent on annam. He who meditates upon this (fact that) annam is dependent
on annam gets established. He becomes the possessor of food and the enjoyer of
food. He becomes great through progeny, cattle, and spiritual effulgence. (He
becomes) great through fame (also).
अ ं न िन ात् – annaṁ na nindyāt – this the first discipline (vratam): do not criticize
(na nindyāt) the food served to you. Some are expert critics regardless of how well
the food is prepared.
Anuvāka 7 42
य ालाभ सं तु ः
Yadr̥ cchālābha santuṣṭaḥ
Fully content with whatever is obtained by chance
If you got good food, it is because of your puṇya prārabdham; if not, you got what
you deserved. Therefore, stop complaining against annam starting now.
तद् तम् - tad vratam - it should be taken as a vow because in the first stage of
Bhr̥ gu’s discovery, annam is Brahman (annam brahmeti vyajānāt). Annam is God
and therefore, do not criticize it.
Anna-Annādaḥ-Sambandhaḥ - Prāṇa and Śarīram

ाणो वा अ म् I शरीरम् अ ादम् – prāṇo vā annam / śarīram annādam – This is the first
pair in the anna-annāda-sambandhaḥ - prāṇam and śarīram, where prāṇa śakti is
compared to annam (consumed) and the physical body (śarīram) to annādam (the
consumer). When you look at it from another angle, the roles get reversed:
ाणो वा अ ादः I शरीरम् अ म् I

Prāṇo vā annādaḥ / śarīram annam
The Upaniṣad does not explicitly state the above, but we will supply these. From this
angle, prāṇa and śarīram become the consumer and the consumed respectively.
When we breathe, the external air (prāṇa-śakti or prāṇa-vāyu) is taken into the body,
the consumer. Prāṇa-vāyu is the consumed. Therefore, at the time of breathing,
prāṇa is annam and śarīram is annādaḥ.
From the other angle, prāṇa is activated when you exercise and “consumes” the
extra weight in your body. Here, prāṇa is the consumer (annādaḥ) and your body is
the consumed (annam).
Pratiṣṭhā-Pratiṣṭhita-Sambandhaḥ - Prāna and Śarīram

ाणे शरीरं िति तम् – prāṇe śarīraṁ pratiṣṭhitam – the body is supported by prāṇa.
शरीरे ाणः िति तः - śarīre prāṇāt pratiṣṭhitaḥ - prāṇa is supported by the the body
Anuvāka 7 43
The body and prāṇa are mutually dependent. The body is alive only because of the
the support from the prāṇa-śakti; otherwise it will be dead. From this angle, prāṇa
is the supporter and the body is the supported.
From another angle, we can see that prāṇa-śakti, the intangible energy has the
capacity to function only when it is enclosed in a body. Thus, the body is the
supporter of prāṇa-śakti. After death, prāṇa-śakti that leaves a body, cannot
function until it finds another one.
Thus the body and prāṇa are mutually dependent (pratiṣthā-pratiṣṭhita-

sambandhaḥ)
तद् एतद् अ म् अ े िति तम् - tad etad annam anne pratiṣṭhitam – the first annam
refers to prāṇa and the second one refers to the body. This the conclusion is that
they are interdependent and mutually support each other.
In the following statements, the Upaniṣad gives the benefit of the mediation on
these relationships.
स य एतद् अ म् अ े िति तं वेद ितिति ित - sa ya etad annam anne pratiṣṭhati veda

pratitiṣṭhati - one who meditates (veda or upāsanaṁ karoti) upon this mutual
dependence of prāṇa and śarīram will be well supported in life. He will be provided
with everything in life.
अ वान ादो भवित I महान् भवित जया पशुिभ वचसे न I महान् की ा - annavānannādo
bhavati / mahān bhavati prajayā paśubhirbrahmavarcasena / mahān kīrtyā - we
have already seen this line in the previous anuvāka. He will also receive the material
benefits such as name, food, wealth, fame etc.
Anuvāka 7 44
Anuvāka - 8
अ ं न प रच ीत I तद तम् I आपो वा अ म् I ोितर ादम् I अ ु ोितः िति तम् I

ोित ापः िति तः I तदे तद म े िति तम् I स य एतद म े िति तं वे द ितित ित I
अ वान ादो भवित I महान् भवित जया पशु िभ वचसेन I महान् की ा II
annaṃ na paricakṣīta / tada vratam / āpo vā annam / jyotirannādam / apsu jyotiḥ

pratiṣṭhitam / jyotiṣyāpaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ / tadetadannamanne pratiṣṭhitam / sa ya
etadannamanne pratiṣṭhitaṃ veda pratitiṣṭhati / annavānannādo bhavati / mahān
bhavati prajayā paśubhirbrahmavarcasena / mahān kīrtyā
न प रच ीत – na paricakṣīta - One should not reject अ म् – annam - food. तद् तम् –

tad vratam - That is a vow. आपो वै अ म् – āpo vai annam - Water is indeed annam.
ोितः अ ादम् – jyotiḥ annādam - Fire is Annāda. ोितः िति तम् – jyotiḥ pratiṣṭhitam
- Fire is dependent अ ु – apsu - on water. आपः िति ताः – āpaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ - Water
is dependent ोितिष – jyotiṣi - on fire. तद् एतत् – tad etat - Thus, अ ं िति तम् –
annaṁ pratiṣṭhitam - annam is dependent अ े – anne - on annam. सः यः वेद – saḥ
yaḥ veda - He who meditates upon एतत् – etat - this (fact that) अ ं िति तम् – annaṁ
pratiṣṭhitam - annam is dependent अ े – anne - on annam ितित ित – pratitiṣṭhati -
gets established. भवित – bhavati - He becomes अ वान् – annavān - the possessor of
food अ ादः – annādaḥ - and the enjoyer of food. भवित महान् – bhavati mahān - He
becomes great जया - prajayā - through progeny, पशु िभः – paśubhiḥ - cattle,
वचसे न – brahmavarcasena - and spiritual effulgence. महान् – mahān - (He
becomes) great की ा – kīrtyā - through fame (also).
One should not reject food. That is a vow. Water is indeed annam. Fire is Annāda.
Fire is dependent on water. Water is dependent on fire. Thus, annam is dependent
on annam. He who meditates upon this (fact that) annam is dependent on annam
gets established. He becomes the possessor of food and the enjoyer of food. He
becomes great through progeny, cattle, and spiritual effulgence. (He becomes)
great through fame (also).
अ ं न प रच ीत – annaṁ na paricakṣīta – Do not waste the food served to you.

Paricakṣīta na means do not reject. Wasting food amounts to disrespecting annam.
[There is a belief that if you waste food, it will become scarce at your old age].
Anuvāka 8 45
What if I am already full? Eating when you are full amounts to disrespecting the
body. In some situations, I am in a dilemma: should I disrespect annam or
annamaya (body)? The answer is: avoid putting yourself in such a situation; take only
whatever you can eat, so that you do not leave anything on the plate. What if
someone keeps serving more than I can eat despite my protests? In such a situation,
you will naturally be forced to waste food. In such a situation, pāpam goes to the
one who serves too much. So, be careful in serving also. Thus, avoid getting into
situations where you must disrespect annam or annamayam. This is your vratam.
Anna-Annādaḥ-Sambandhaḥ - Agni (fire) and Āpaḥ (water)

आपो वा अ म् - – āpaḥ means water - it is the consumed in this context
ोितः अ ादम् – jyotiḥ annādam – jyotiḥ means agniḥ (fire) - it is the consumer.
We shall supplement the Upaniṣad with two sentences where the role is reversed:
आपो वा अ ादः - āpo vā annādaḥ - from another angle, water is the consumer
ोितः अ म् – jyotiḥ annam – (and) fire is the consumed.
When we drink water, it is consumed inside by the digestive fire called vaiśvānara
agniḥ (samāna prāṇa). This internal agni is the consumer, and water is the
consumed.
When there is a hazardous fire, it is externally quenched by pouring water on it. In

this context, water is the consumer of fire while the latter appears to be the
consumed.
Thus, externally, water is the consumer, and fire is the consumed. Internally, fire is
the consumer, and the water is the consumed.
Pratiṣṭhā-Pratiṣṭhita-Sambandhaḥ - Agniḥ (Fire) and Āpaḥ (Water)

Fire is the supporter of water based on the śastric description of creation:
आकाशाद् वायुः I वायोरि ः I अ ेरापः I

Ākāśad vāyuḥ / vāyoragniḥ /agnerāpaḥa
Anuvāka 8 46
From space (ākāśa), air (vāyu) is born. From air, fire (agni) is born. From fire,
water (āpaḥ) is born.
Thus, we see agni is the cause (kāraṇam) of water (āpah). Water is the product
(kāryam) of agni (agniḥ jalasya kāraṇam; jalam agneḥ kāryam )
Kāraṇam is the support pratiṣṭhā for kāryam just as gold supports the ornaments,
and wood supports all the furniture. So, fire (agni) is the supporter (pratiṣṭhā), and
water (āpaḥ) is the supported (pratiṣṭhita). Thus, they have a pratiṣṭhā-pratiṣṭhita-
sambandhaḥ.
When you look from another angle, water is the supporter and fire is the supported.
This can be explained in two contexts:
- One commentator gives the example of rain bearing cloud and the lightning:
the former is the cause for the latter. Rain bearing cloud is jalatattvam (water
principle) and lightning is agnitattvam (fire principle). Therefore, from this
angle, water is the support, and fire is the supported.
- Our physical body has the internal fire ( agnitattvam), which is experienced in
the form of the body temperature. Even though the external temperature is
constantly changing, often abruptly, the body maintains a constant
temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though the external
temperature is changing, the agnittattvam in an individual is maintained and
supported. Nature manages this feat through water (jalatattvam). When the
temperature rises, the body gives up water by sweating and thus, the
constant body temperature is maintained. Without this sweating mechansim,
it is difficult to survive. So, whenever we sweat, instead of cursing, we should
learn to thank the Lord. The temperature is also maintained by the intake of
water. Thus, Bhagavan has invented an ingenious system – a natural
thermostat.
अ ु ोितः
िति तम् I ोित ापः िति तः - apsu jyotiḥ pratiṣṭhitam / jyotiṣyāpaḥ
pratiṣthitaḥ - Therefore water is the supporter (pratiṣṭhā), and agni (body heat) is
the supported (pratiṣṭhita).
Thus, fire and water are interdependent (pratiṣṭhā-pratiṣṭhita-sambandhaḥ). The

Upaniṣad asks us to meditate upon this interdependence; not only between water
Anuvāka 8 47
and fire, but the entire cosmic phenomenon of ecological harmony and the
environmental balance.
स य एतद् अ म् अ े िति तं वेद ितित ित - sa ya etad annam anne pratiṣṭitaṁ veda

pratitiṣṭhati - if this sambandha is meditated upon (veda) the benefit (phalam) he
gets established or settled in life (pratitiṣṭhati). Because he meditates upon the the
supporter (pratiṣṭhā), the benefit is also pratiṣthā-phalam. The general rule of
meditation is
यथा यथा उपासते तदे व भवित

yathā yathā upasate tadeva bhavati
As you think, so you become
He will also get the other benefits (phalam):
अ वान ादो भवित I महान् भवित जया पशु िभ वचसे न I महान् की ा -

annavānannādo
bhavati / mahān bhavati prajayā paśubhirbrahmavarcasena / mahān kīrtyā – we
should add mahān to everything - prajayā mahān, paśubhiḥ mahān;
brahmavarcasena mahān; kirtyā ca mahān bhavati. This is the repetition of what is
said in the seventh anuvāka.
Anuvāka 8 48
Anuvāka - 9
अ ं ब कुव त I तद् तम् I पृ िथवी वा अ म् I आकाशो ादः I पृ िथ ामाकाशः िति तः I आकाशे

पृिथवी िति ता I तदे तद म े िति तम् I स य एतद म े िति तं वे द ितित ित I अ वान ादो
भवित I महान् भवित जया पशुिभ वचसे न I महान् की ा II
annaṃ bahu kurvīta / tad vratam / pṛthivī vā annam / ākāśonnādaḥ /

pṛthivyāmākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ / ākāśe pṛthivī pratiṣṭhitā / tadetadannamanne
pratiṣṭhitam / sa ya etadannamanne pratiṣṭhitaṃ veda pratitiṣṭhati /
annavānannādo bhavati / mahān bhavati prajayā paśubhirbrahmavarcasena /
mahān kīrtyā
कुव त – kurvīta - One should procure ब अ म् – bahu annam - plenty of food. तद्
तम् – tad vratam - That is a vow. पृ िथवी वै अ म् – pr̥ thivī vai annam - Earth is
indeed annam. आकाशः अ ादः – ākāśaḥ annādaḥ - Space is annāda. आकाशः
िति तः – ākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ - Space is dependent पृ िथ ाम् – pr̥ thivyām - on the
earth. पृ िथवी िति ता – pr̥ thivī pratiṣṭhitā - Earth is dependent आकाशे – ākāśe - on
the space. तद् एतत् – tad etat - Thus, अ ं िति तम् – annaṁ pratiṣṭhitam - annam is
dependent अ े – anne - on annam. सः यः वेद – saḥ yaḥ veda - He who meditates
upon एतत् – etat - this (fact that) अ ं िति तम् – annaṁ pratiṣṭhitam - annam is
dependent अ े – anne - on annam ितित ित – pratitiṣṭhati - gets established. भवित
– bhavati - He becomes the possessor of food अ ादः – annādaḥ - and the enjoyer of
food. भवित महान् – bhavati mahān - He becomes great जया – prajayā - through
progeny, पशु िभः – paśubhih - cattle, वचसेन – brahmavarcasena - and spiritual
effulgence. महान् – mahān - (He becomes) great क या – kīrtyā - through fame
(also).
One should procure plenty of food. That is a vow. Earth is indeed annam. Space is
annāda. Space is dependent on the earth. Earth is dependent on the space. Thus
annam is dependent on annam. He who meditates upon this (fact that) annam is
dependent on annam gets established. He becomes the possessor of food and the
enjoyer of food. He becomes great through progeny, cattle, and spiritual effulgence.
(He becomes) great through fame (also).
अ ं ब कुव त – annaṁ bahu kurvīta - May you produce plenty of annam. This is the
third vratam. Let there not be scarcity of food (famine). Let there be plenty to eat.
Anuvāka 9 49
Let there be prosperity. Share the excess food with the others, especially the needy,
because it is the most basic need for survival. Only if this need is satisfied, the other
higher pursuits are possible.
तद् तम् - tad vratam – this must be your vratam (discipline). Do not think only of
you and your immediate family. Expand your mind by having consideration for the
others. One of the many benefits of Ekadaśi upavāsā (fasting) is to know what
hunger is. We can understand the pain of a hungry person only when we ourselves
go through the pangs of hunger. It helps use develop the empathy for the hungry.
Anna-annāda-Sambhandaḥ - Pr̥ thivī (Earth) and Ākāśa (Space)

Every object in the creation is a form of earth (pr̥ thivī vikāra). Every object in our
home such as sofa set, chair, nail on the wall etc. consume space. From this angle,
earth is the consumer of space by occupying.
From another angle, the space becomes the consumer of the earth. The order of
creation is:
ĀkāśaVāyuAgniĀpaḥPr̥ thivī
SpaceAirFireWaterEarth
The scriptures say that at the time of resolution of the creation ( pralaya), dissolution
takes place in the reverse order: the earth resolves into water, which resolves into
fire and so on:
Pr̥ thivīĀpaḥAgniVāyuĀkāśa
EarthWaterFireAirSpace
Thus, pr̥ thivī is ultimately consumed by ākāśa. In this context, ākāśa is the consumer,
and the earth is the consumed.
Pratiṣṭhā-Pratiṣṭhita-Sambandhaḥ - Pr̥ thivī (Earth) and Ākāśa (Space)

From the cosmic angle, space is the cause ( kāraṇam) for the other four elements
and therefore, the latter are the products. According to the śāstras, space is not
emptiness, but is the subtlest form of matter; it is the kāraṇam for everything:
आकाशद् वायुः I वायोरि ः I अ े रापः I अ ः पृ िथवी I
Anuvāka 9 50
Ākāśād vāyuḥ / vāyoragniḥ / agnerāpaḥ / adbhyaḥ pr̥ thivī
Thus, space is the cause and the earth is the final product. We know that the cause
supports the product. So, space (ākāśa) becomes the pratiṣṭhā (kāraṇatvat) and the
earth (pr̥ thivī) becomes the pratiṣṭhitam (kāryatvat). Therefore, they have the
supporter-supported relationship (pratiṣṭhā-pratiṣṭhita-sambandhaḥ)
From another angle, the earth is the supporter (pratiṣṭhā) while space is the
supported (pratiṣṭhita). Space accommodates everything, but for it to be useful in
the transactional world (vyāvahāra), it needs an enclosure. This lecture hall is useful
because this space accommodates us, but the space is useful only when it is
enclosed to become a hall. What accommodates water is not the vessel, but the
space inside the vessel. The role of the vessel is to provide an enclosed space so that
it becomes useful for transaction. Space becomes useful only when it is enclosed
and therefore, space requires the support of an enclosure. The enclosure is made
of earth (pr̥ thivī). Thus, pr̥ thivītattvam as an enclosure supports ākāśa to make it
useful and transactable (ākāśasya vyāvahāra yogyatā siddhyartham).
Thus, pr̥ thivī and ākāśa have mutual pratiṣṭhā-pratitiṣṭhita-sambandhaḥ.
पृिथवी वा अ म् I आकाशे अ ादः – pr̥ thivī va annam / ākāśe annādaḥ - pr̥ thivī and ākāśa
have anna-annāda-sambandhaḥ [we added another sentence to show the reverse
is true: pr̥ thivī vā annādah / ākāśa annam ]
पृिथ ाम् आकाशः िति तः I आकाशे पृिथवी िति ता – pr̥ thivyām ākāśaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ /
ākāśe pr̥ thivī pratiṣṭhitā - these two sentences reveal their pratiṣṭhā-pratiṣṭhita-
sambandhaḥ. Therefore, the conclusion is that everything in the creation is mutually
dependent.
तद् एतद् अ म् अ े िति तम् - tad etad annam anne pratiṣṭhitam - everything is
interdependent.
स य एतद् अ म् अ े िति तं वेद - sa ya etad annam anne pratiṣṭhitaṁ veda - the one
who meditates upon this cosmic symbiotic relationship, he gets the following
benefit (phalam):
ितित ित – Pratitiṣṭhati - in life he will be supported. If you make yourself

indispensable to the society, it will go out of its way to support you by providing for
Anuvāka 9 51
all your needs. On the other hand if you only consume from the society without
giving, the society will consider you a burden. If you give, you will be given. This is
called the symbiotic relationship. This is the pratiṣṭha phalam.
अ वान ादो भवित I महान् भवित जया पशुिभ वचसे न I महान् की ा -

annavānannādo
bhavati / mahān bhavati prajayā paśubhirbrahmavarcasena / mahān kīrtyā - He will
get the worldly benefits also.
These three pairs are only examples to show the interdependence in the universe.
Everything is interconnected; every day the modern science is proving this
interconnectivity. If air or water or the earth is polluted, the lives of the beings are
in danger in some form or the other. The universe is one cosmic organism.
Viṣṇusahasranāma describes God as a cosmic person. The cosmos is perumāl̥
(perum āl̥ is God) Thus these are viśvarūpa upāsanās.
Śaṅkarācārya adds an important corollary for this portion in his commentary. It is

useful for our Vedāntic knowledge also. If everything in the creation is
interdependent, then nothing in it is independent. In the technical language,
anything that has dependent existence is called mithyā. Thus, the conclusion is that
the entire creation is mithyā. Therefore, whatever you experience is mithyā. If the
entire creation has dependent existence, there must be something other than the
universe that lends existence. That adhṣṭhānam that lends existence to the universe
is Brahman.
Even the subject and object are interdependent because the subject cannot enjoy
the subjectness without the object. The object cannot enjoy the objectness without
the subject. Therefore, the Vedānta says that both subject ( pramātā) and the object
(prameyam) are mithyā. Even teacher cannot enjoy the teacherhood without the
blessing of the students and the students cannot enjoy the studenthood without the
teacher.
Other than the subject and the object, there must be some reality ( pramātr̥ prameya
vilakṣaṇa); Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad calls it turīyam. Śaṇkarācārya points out that this
upāsanā helps in understanding the mithyātvam of the universe – i.e., the universe
enjoys only an empirical reality, but not an absolute reality.
With this, the discussion on Viśvarūpa-dhyānam or Virāṭ upāsanā concludes.
Anuvāka 9 52
Anuvāka - 10
न क न वसतौ ाच ीत I तद् तम् I त ा ा कया च िव ा ं ा ु यात् I अरा ा

अ िम ाच ते I एत ै मुखतो ꣳ रा म् I मुखतोऽ ा अ ꣳ रा ते I एत ै म तोऽ ꣳ रा म् I
म तोऽ ा अ ꣳ रा ते I एत ा अ तोऽ ꣳ रा म् I अ तोऽ ा अ ꣳ रा ते I य एवं वे द II
na kañcana vasatau pratyācakṣīta / tad vratam / tasmādyā kayā ca vidhyā

brahmaṃ prāpnuyāt / arādhyasmā annamityācakṣate / etadvai mukhatonnagṁ
rāddham / mukhato'smā annagṁ rādhyate / etadvai madhyato'nnagṁ rāddham /
madhyato'smā annagṁ rādhyate / etadvā antato'nnagṁ rāddham / antato'smā
annagṁ rādhyate / ya evaṃ veda
न ाच ीत – na pratyācakṣīta - One should not turn away क न – kañcana -

anyone वसतौ – vasatau – seeking shelter. तद् तम् – tad vratam - That is a vow.
त ात् – tasmāt - Therefore, ा ु यात् – prāpnuyāt - one should acquire ब अ म् –
bahu annam - plenty of food यया कया च िवधया – yayā kayā ca vidhayā - somehow.
अ म् अरािध – annam arādhi - “Food has been prepared अ ै – asmai - for him” इित
– iti - thus आच ते – ācakṣate - (the householders) declare. एत ै अ म् – etadvai
annam - If food रा म् – rāddham - is prepared (and served) मुखतः – mukhataḥ - in
the best manner, अ ं रा ते – annaṁ rādhyate - food is served back अ ै – asmai -
to him मु खतः – mukhataḥ - in the best manner. एतद् वै अ म् – etad vai annam - If
food is prepared (and served) म तः – madhyataḥ - in a mediocre way, अ ं रा ते –
annaṁ rādhyate - food is served back अ ै – asmai - to him म तः – madhyataḥ - in
a mediocre way. एत ै अ म् – etadvai annam - If food रा म् – rāddham - is prepared
(and served) अ तः – antataḥ - in the lowest manner, अ ं रा ते – annaṁ rādhyate -
food is served back अ ै – asmai - to him अ तः – antataḥ - in the lowest manner.
यः वे द – yaḥ veda - One who knows (and distributes food) एवम् – evam - in this
manner (attains puṇya).
One should not turn away anyone seeking shelter. That is a vow. Therefore, one
should acquire plenty of food somehow. “Food has been prepared for him” thus (the
householders) declare. If food is prepared (and served) in the best manner, food is
served back to him in the best manner. If food is prepared (and served) in a
mediocre way, food is served back to him in a mediocre way. If food is prepared (and
served) in the lowest manner, food is served back in the lowest manner. One who
knows (and distributes food) in this manner (attains puṇya).
Anuvāka 10 53
In this portion, the Upaniṣad introduces two more vratams (disciplines)
- Athiti pūja – reverence for the guests

- Annadānam – sharing of food
Athiti pūja was already extensively discussed in anuvāka 11 of Śīkṣāvallī – athiti devo
bhava.
क न वसतौ न ाच ीत - kañcana vasatau na pratyācakṣīta – May you not refuse

shelter to a guest. The arrival of an uninvited guest is deemed to be the will of God
and therefore, the he/she must be treated as God. This advice is in line with the
Vedic tradition and culture in the past. In the old days, there were no hotels or
restaurants and therefore, the travellers depended upon the hospitality of the
people in their path of travel. Nowadays, this advice must be taken with caution and
discretion. We have plenty of restaurants and lodging facilities and so, there is no
reason to be an unnecessary burden on the host. Therefore, do not be a guest
unless you are invited. Also, the hosts must be careful to entertain the strangers for
safety reasons. This advice must be taken in spirit and cautiously implemented.
तद् तम् – tad vratam – this is the vow.
Once you have allowed a guest to stay, you must provide food. You should not ask
the guest stand outside while you quietly eat inside. According to dharmaśāstra, for
one who treats a guest like that, the water he consumes is like liquor and the food
like beef.
So, once you accommodate the guest, you must share the food. One should always
have extra annam prepared because the athitis always show up, often
unannounced. Pūjya Swāmi Dayānanda said that a house is not a home if cooking
does not take place. Agni is said to be the Lord of the home ( gr̥ haḥ patiḥ) and is
called gārhapatya agni. We should not even offer the guest, the food catered from
outside. It must be cooked at home and offered to the Lord first before serving.
There is no greater dānam (charity) than annadānam (giving food) as expressed by

the following verse:
न अ उदक समान दानं
Anuvāka 10 54
न ादशया परं तम् I

न गाय या परो म ः
न मातुदवतं परम् II
na anna udaka samāna dānam,
na dvādaśayā paraṁ vratam
na gāyatrayā paro mantraḥ,
na māturdaivatam param
There is no dānam equivalent to anna and jala (water) dānam

There is no vratam equal to ekādaśī upavāsa vratam (fasting on Ekādaśī)
There is no mantra that is as great as Gāyatrī
There is no deity as great as one’s own mother
त ात् ब अ ं ा ु यात् - tasmāt bahu annaṁ prāpnuyāt – Therefore, acquire plenty

of food (annam) to feed the guests. How to acquire?
यया कया च िवधया - yayā kayā ca vidhayā – The Upaniṣad says that you should
somehow, in some way, procure plenty of food. However, the method used must be
legitimate.
It is not enough if we have enough of grains, but we should also have the heart to
share it with the guest. The quality of generosity itself is acquired through puṇya:
शतेषु जायते सू रः, सह ेषु च प तः

व ा शतसह ेषु, दाता भवित वा न वा I
Śateṣu jāyate sūraḥ, sahasreṣu ca paṇḍitaḥ
vaktā śatasahasreṣu, dātā bhavati vā na vā
There will be one courageous person among a hundred, a scholar among a
thousand. There may be only one great communicator among a lakh, but a
true giver may or not exist.
Inner richness is the pre-requisite for dānam. If one is internally bankrupt, he will
not give even if he has millions and millions. A person with ten rupees in hand may
part with one or two, but a person with one crore (10 million) rupees may not be
able to part with one rupee. You express your willingness to share with others.
Anuvāka 10 55
When the guest comes, he may feel shy and embarrassed that he is imposing on
you. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the host to make him comfortable. He must
assure him that he is not a burden. How?
अ ै अ म् अरािध - asmai annam arādhi – By assuring that extra food (annam) has
already been prepared (arādhi) in anticipation of unexpected guests (asmai) per
Vedic tradition.
इित आच ते - iti ācakṣate – Thus (iti) declares (ācakṣate) the householder and invites
the guest to join.
The Upaniṣad points out that there is gradation even in annadānam. The quality of
dānam may vary depending upon the giver’s attitude. Some derive joy from giving
and some others may give with a negative attitude. The Upaniṣad classifies the
quality of annadānam as follows:
Uttama dānam - the superior one in which the verbal expressions and body
language indicate that the person is happy to share. He considers it a blessing to
share.
Adhama dānam - the inferior kind where the person grumbles and gives half-
heartedly.
Madhyama dānam – this is somewhere in between uttama and adhama dānam.
The Upaniṣad says that the benefits (phalam) also vary according to the quality of
dānam. The uttama dānam will produce uttama phalam (superior benefit), the
madhyama dānam will produce madhyama phalam (mediocre benefits) and
adhama dānam will produce adhama phalam (inferior benefits). How does the
phalam express itself?
The phalam expresses in the same manner the person gives – as he gives, so he
receives. If he gives happily, he will receive everything happily in times of need (such
as old age). If he gives inferior dānam, he will be treated the same way. The
Upaniṣad gives a general law: you will be treated exactly as you treat the others. The
world is like a mirror: if you smile at the mirror, you will see a smiling face; if you
frown, you will receive the same in returnThis is the basic principle of karma and
phalam (yathā karma tathā phalam).
Anuvāka 10 56
एतद् वै मु खतः अ ं रा म् - etad vai mukhataḥ annaṁ rāddham – if the food (annam)
prepared and served in the best manner (mukhataḥ). Even in the preparation of
food, one must have the best attitude.
मु खतः अ ै अ ं रा ते – mukhataḥ asmai annaṁ rādhyate – (If annam is prepared

well and served well), the benefit is that the giver ( annadātā) will also be served in
the same manner in the future.
एतद् वै म तः अ ं रा म् - etad vai madhyataḥ annaṁ rāddham - if the food is

prepared and served in a mediocre way,
म तः अ ै अ ं रा ते – madhyataḥ asmai annaṁ rādhyate - he will be reciprocated

the same way.
एतद् वै अ तः अ ं रा म् - etad vai antataḥ annaṁ rāddham - if food is prepared and

served in an inferior manner,
अ तः अ ै अ ं रा ते – antataḥ asmai annaṁ rādhyate - he will receive in the same

inferior way.
यः एवं वे द – yaḥ evaṁ veda - the basic principle is that the world does not give
anything new to you; it only return what you give. World is like a bank – you can
withdraw only what you have deposited – sukham (pleasure) or duḥkham (pain).
The one who knows this principle,
सः तत् फलम् आ ोित – Saḥ tat phalam āpnoti – will get the benefit of this knowledge.
We supply this sentence to complete the statement above (the Upaniṣad does not
have this). knowledge. This means that the possessor of this knowledge is likely to
give uttama dānam and, so he is likely to receive uttama phalam.
The Upaniṣad now introduces some more upāsanās in the next statements.
ेम इित वािच I योग ेम इित ाणापानयोः I कमित ह योः I गित रित पादयोः I िवमु रित पायौ
I इित मानुषीः समा ाः II
kṣema iti vāci / yogakṣema iti prāṇāpānayoḥ / karmeti hastayoḥ / gatiriti pādayoḥ /
vimuktiriti pāyau / iti mānuṣīḥ samājñāḥ
Anuvāka 10 57
इित ेमः – iti kṣemaḥ - (One should meditate on Brahman) as well being वािच – vāci -
in speech; इित योग ेमः – iti yogakṣemaḥ - as acquisition and preservation
ाणोपानयोः – prāṇopānayoḥ - in exhalation and inhalation; इित कम – iti karma - as
activity ह योः – hastayoḥ - in their hands; इित गितः – iti gatiḥ - as movement पादयोः –
pādayoḥ - in their feet; इित िवमु ः – iti vimuktiḥ - (and) as evacuation पायौ – pāyau -
in the anus – इित – iti - these are समा ाः – samājñāḥ - the meditations मानुषीः –
mānuṣīḥ -related to the individual.
(One should meditate on Brahman) as well being in speech; as acquisition and

preservation; in exhalation and inhalation; as activity in their hands; as movement
in their feet; (and) as evacuation in the anus – these are the meditations related to
the individual.
The Upaniṣad now prescribes two groups of meditation. In each group, there are
several meditations:
- Adhyātmika brahma upāsanā

- Adhidaivika brahma upāsanā
- Ākāśa brahma upāsanā
Each of the above is a meditation (upāsanā) on Brahman only.
Adhyātmika brahma upāsanā - Normally, we take an external symbol (ālambanam)

such as a śivaliṅga or a śāligrāma for meditation, but in this upāsanā, we will use
different organs in our body are used as the locus for invocation. Verse 1.2.16 of the
Kaṭhopaniṣad says:
एत े वा रं , एत े वा रं परम् I
एत े वा रं ा ा, यो यिद ित त तत् II
ētaddhyēvākṣaraṁ brahma, ētaddhyēvākṣaraṁ param I
ētaddhyēvākṣaraṁ jñātvā, yō yadicchati tasya tat II
This syllable is indeed the (lower) Brahman. This syllable alone is indeed the
higher (Brahman). After meditating upon this very syllable, whatever one
desires (becomes) his indeed.
Anuvāka 10 58
Since we use our own organs, these are subjective ālambanams and therefore, the
upāsanās are called adhyātmika upāsanās. Brahman will be meditated upon the
faculty (function) of each organ. In other words, each faculty will be meditated upon
as the manifestation of Brahman. It is like Vibhūti Yoga of the Bhagavad Gītā. Here,
we will see the glory of each organ as the glory of Brahman.
In this Upaniṣad, the word adhyātmika is replaced by the word mānuṣīḥ. The word
upāsanā is replaced by the word samājñaḥ. Therefore, mānuṣīḥ samājñāḥ means
adhyātmika brahma upāsanāni.
ेम इित वािच - May you meditate upon Brahman in the form of well-being in speech
(vāk). Kṣema means auspiciousness (maṅgalam) or all-round welfare.
We must add the words brahma upāsita to complete the sentence as kṣema iti vāci
brahma upāsita. Vāg indriyam is only the faculty of speech. Why is the Upaniṣad
calling it the all-round welfare (kṣema)? The Upaniṣad conveys that if a person’s
speech is proper and appropriate, it can bring all-round wellness. Appropriate
speech can bring all-round growth, while inappropriate one may lead to all-round
destruction.
ल ी वसित िज ा े
िज ा े िम बा वाः
ब नं चै व िज ा े
िज ा े मरणं ुवम् I
Lakṣmī vasati jihvāgre
jihvāgre mitrabāndhavāḥ
bandhanaṁ caiva jihvāgre
jihvāgre maraṇam dhruvam
Lakshmi lives in the tip of the tongue. If you speak auspicious words, Lakshmi Devi
will come to your house. If you use inferior language, she will go away. You will
retain your friends and relatives if you know how to speak properly. If your words
are rude and sharp, you will gradually lose them. You may get in trouble with the
law and be imprisoned if you use the wrong language (such as supporting a banned
organization). In some cases, you even face death because of your language (such
as speaking against some religions). Both negative and positive things can happen
because of the tongue. The śāstras say that speech is the best ornament of a person.
Anuvāka 10 59
If our speech is refined, there will be no dearth of people around you; you will never
be lonely. If your speech is negative, even the most physically attractive person will
be avoided by people.
योग ेमः इित ाणापानयोः ( उपािसत) – Yogakṣemaḥ iti prāṇāpānayoḥ (brahma

upāsita) - May you meditate on Brahman as yoga and kṣema residing in prāṇa and
apāna. Prāṇa means the exhalation breath (prāg gamanavān vāyuḥ); apāna is the
inhalation breath (adho gamanavān vāyuḥ). Prāṇa rises from the lung upward and
goes out, while apāna goes in from the nostrils and travels down to the lung. In this
prāṇa and apāna, yoga-kṣemah is present.
Yogaḥ means all forms of acquisition (aprāptasya prāptiḥ yogaḥ) - money, house,
health, food etc. Kṣemaḥ means preservation of whatever has been acquired
(prāptasya rakṣaṇaṁ kṣemaḥ). We say that yogaḥ and kṣemaḥ reside in our
breathing, because they exist only when we are alive. Once we cease breathing (die),
they become irrelevant. In a story by Leo Tolstoy:
A rich man who owned a huge land, organized a competition. The contender must
run from sunrise to sunset; whatever the distance he covered, would be his. A
person ran for a long time and the sun was about to set. He was gasping for breath
and tired in his legs, but continued to run out of greed, just to get some more land
by sunset. He struggled and ran some more distance, fell and died. Now who is
going to enjoy that land?
So, all yoga-kṣema are relevant only as long as prāṇapānam exists. Therefore, may
you meditate upon Brahman in praāṇapāna.
कमित ह योः – karmeti hastayoḥ - May you meditate upon Brahman as karma
(karma rūpeṇa brahma upāsita) The faculty of activity (karma) is in the hands. The
accomplishment of dharma, artha and kāma puruṣārthas is possible only through
karma. In fact, mokṣa also indirectly depends upon karma. How does mokṣa
indirectly depend upon karma? Mokṣa can be attained only through jñāna, but the
pre-requisite for jñāna is the purity of mind (citta śuddhi), which can be attained only
through karma (karmaṇā citta śuddhiḥ, citta śuddhyā jnana-prāptiḥ; jñāna prāptya
mokṣaḥ).
At the end of Sri Rudram, the chanter person thanks his own (left) hand by referring
to it as Bhagavān:
Anuvāka 10 60
अयं मे ह ो भगव रः
Ayaṁ me hasto bhagavattaraḥ
Here, the chanter is doing pūja to Śiva Bhagavān, who is in the form of noble karma
in his hand. If left hand is divine, the right hand is more divine because it is used for
abhiṣeka etc. Therefore, the noble karmas are done by both the hands.
We do not think about this because we take our hands for granted. We recognize
the importance of the hand only when it is incapacitated (fracture, paralysis etc.). By
chanting Sri Rudram regularly, we will remember this.
गितः इित पादयोः – gatiḥ iti pādayoḥ - In our preoccupation with the appreciation of
the hand, we should not lose sight of the importance of the legs. One must walk to
the Śiva temple or even the pūja room to perform karma with hands. The hands are
carried to various places by the legs. May you meditate on the locus of your feet in
the form of transporting power.
िवमु ः इित पायौ – vimuktiḥ iti pāyau – pāyu means the organ of evacuation of waste
(anus). May you meditate upon Brahman as vimuktiḥ (evacuating power) in the
organ of evacuation. Here vimuktiḥ should not be translated as liberation because
it would imply that liberation comes from impurity. With this evacuation, the body
becomes free from impurity. From this we learn a very important lesson that every
organ in the body is sacred. Vedas tell us to meditate upon even the so-called impure
organ of evacuation because it does a very great service by keeping the body clean
and therefore, healthy and fit. We realize the glory of this organ when we have an
overactive (diarrhea) or underactive (constipation) organ.
We saw this also in Śīkṣāvallī also that we must see ourselves as sacred. We should
never degrade ourselves or we cannot ultimately claim aham brahma asmi (I am
Brahman). Never have the inferiority complex; learn to respect your own body and
mind. I cannot expect the others to respect me if I do not respect myself. In fact, if I
respect myself, I need depend on others’ respect. Often, we seek others’ respect
because we are doubtful about ourselves. As Pujya Swami Dayānanda said: if
someone says you are wonderful, you wonder and ask for explanation! Why should
you doubt? Therefore, learn to respect yourself. This is one lesson learned.
Anuvāka 10 61
There is another important significance of this teaching. The Vedānta teaches that
body is anātmā and therefore, we should not be attached to it. We are asked to give
up the identification with the body (deha-abhimāna). This may lead to the other
extreme attitude of hatred of the body (deha-dveṣa). Therefore, this teaching says
neutralize the possibility of deha-dveṣa by treating it as divine because the body-
mind complex is the only instrument we have for liberation ( dehe īśvara buddhiḥ
kartavya).
इित मानुषीः समा ाः - iti mānuṣīḥ samājñāḥ - With this the adhyātmika upāsanā
concludes.
Here we must note a small point which shows the thorough observation of
Śaṅkarācārya. Generally, when the Vedas discuss any karma or upāsanā, they also
discuss the benefits (phalam) also. Since there is no mention of phalam here,
Śaṅkarācārya says that we must supply. The phalam will depend upon the motive
behind the meditation – niṣkāma or sakāma:
यथा यथा उपासते तदे व भवित

Yathā yathā upāsate tadeva bhavati
As the person thinks, so he becomes
So, there will be two types of phalams based on whether it is a niṣkāma or sakāma
upāsanā.
Brahma Upāsanā Phalam

Kṣema Kṣema phalam – general well-being
Yogakṣema Yogakṣema phalam – acquisition and
preservation
Karma The ability to do many karmas
Gati Mobility
Vimukti Removal of impurities (should not be
interpreted that he will aways be in the
bathroom!)
अथ दै वीः I तृ रित वृ ौ I बलिमित िवद् युित I यश इित पशु षु I ोित रित न े षु I

जाितरमृ तमान इ ु प थे I सविम ाकाशे I
Anuvāka 10 62
atha daivīḥ I tṛptiriti vṛṣṭau I balamiti vidyuti I yaśa iti paśuṣu I jyotiriti nakṣatreṣu I
prajātiramṛtamānanda ityupasthe I sarvamityākāśe I
इित जाितः – iti prajātiḥ - (One should meditate on Brahman) as procreation, अमृ तम्
– amr̥ tam - immortality, आन ः – ānandaḥ - and pleasure उप थे – upasthe - in the
genitals. अथ दै वीः – atha daivīḥ - Now follow the meditations related to gods. इित
तृ ः – iti tr̥ ptiḥ - (One should meditate on Brahman) as contentment वृ ौ – vr̥ ṣṭau -
in rain; इित बलम् – iti balam - as power िवद् यु ितः – vidyutiḥ - in lightening; इित यशः –
iti yaśaḥ - as fame पशुषु – paśuṣu - in cattle; इित ोितः – iti jyotiḥ - as light न ेषु –
nakṣatreṣu - in the stars; इित सवम् – iti sarvam - as everything आकाशे – ākāśe - in
space.
(One should meditate on Brahman) as procreation, immortality, and pleasure in the

genitals. Now follow the meditations related to gods. (One should meditate on
Brahman) as contentment in rain; as power in lightening; as fame in cattle; as light
in the stars; as everything in space.
Before we go to the next group of upāsanās, let us examine the second last sentence
of this section:
जाितः अमृ तम् आन ः इित उप थे ( उपािसते) – prajātiḥ amṛtam ānandaḥ iti upasthe
(brahma upāsite) – This should really belong to the adhyātmika upāsanā in the last
section, but it is placed here in the adhidaivika upāsanā section. Since it is a Veda
mantra, we shall not call it wrong, but shall address it first to maintain continuity
with the previous section. This brahma upāsanā is meditating on the power of
procreation or reproduction in the genitals (upastha upāsanā). This also is
auspicious. Remember, in the Vedic tradition, nothing is inauspicious; nothing
should be rejected. Every organ that we possess is an instrument for a purpose. No
instrument can be classified as dhārmic or adhārmic. Only the action done by the
kartā using the instrument can be classified as dhārmic or adharmic. For example,
action of using the knife to kill someone may be adhārmic, while the action using
the same knife to cut vegetables is dhārmic
Procreation (upastha) is a three-fold faculty consisting of prajātiḥ, amr̥ tam and

ānandaḥ.
- Prjātiḥ means the power of propagating one’s own species
Anuvāka 10 63
- Amr̥ tam – immortality. By the extension of the previous point, procreation is

a method of indirectly immortalizing oneself in the form of descendents
(santati). The child is nothing but the image of the parent, the material cause.
We also have the expression when someone dies – “he/she is survived by
spouse and children.” The dead person survives in the form of spouse and
children.
- Ānandaḥ - Immortality is always ānanda. If as a person, you cannot
immortalize yourself, you keep pictures or name grandchildren (or even
children in the Western nations with a suffix Jr. etc.) or start an endowment in
own name to perpetuate it. Immortality is innate in a living being and that is
why mortality is painful (duḥkham). Thus, procreation produces ānanda
through children.
Thus, the genitals (upasthendriyam) directly cause procreation and indirectly,

immortality, which leads to ānanda. Therefore, meditate upon the organ of
procreation in the form of these three glories.
अथ दै वीः – atha daivīḥ - daivīḥ means adhidaivikam where all the natural forces are
taken as the glory of Brahman (Īśvara or Brahma vibhūti). We must supply the word
samājñāḥ. We discussed mānuṣīḥ samājñāḥ in the previous section. Now we will
focus on daivīḥ samājñāḥ, which means adhidaivika upāsanās (meditation on
natural forces).
तृ ः वृ ौ इित ( उपािसत) – tr̥ ptiḥ vr̥ ṣṭau iti (brahma upāsita) – vr̥ ṣṭi means rain.
Rain is crucial for all living beings. It gives fulfilment ( tr̥ pti) directly through food and
indirectly through other means. Therefore, the Upaniṣad prescribes meditation of
Brahman in the form of tr̥ pti.
The primary fulfilment (tr̥ pti) is physical, in the form of removing hunger or eating
well. We also derive the secondary economic tr̥ pti from rain. Chāndogya, Praśna and
Br̥ hadāraṇyaka Upaniṣads discuss this in several contexts. In Tirukkural,
Thiruvalluvar describes the glory of the sky, the clouds and the rain immediately
after discussing the the glory of the mahātmās.
बलम् इित िवद् युित ( उपािसत) - balam iti vidyuti (brahma upāsita) – May you
meditate on Brahman as the power or energy in the lightning (vidyut). The
meditation on Brahman as the lightning is also in Kenopaniṣad, where Brahman in
the form a Yakṣa comes lightning and goes away. The lightning contains a
Anuvāka 10 64
tremendous amount of energy, but unfortunely, we do not have the technology to

tap that energy. The electrical power in Sanskrit is called vidyutśakti.
यशः इित पशु षु ( उपािसत) – yaśaḥ iti paśuṣu (brahma upāsita) - Meditate upon
Brahman as the fame (yaśaḥ) in the form of cows. Paśu here means cattle, which
was considered wealth in those days. Cows were given as dakṣiṇās and used as
currency in the barter system. A wealthy person possessed a large herd of cattle and
he was famous because he was wealthy. The Upaniṣad assumes that a wealthy
person would use his wealth for dhārmic purposes - maintaining schools, āśrams
etc. and so, he will be famous in the society for his philanthropic activities.
ोितः इित न े षु ( उपािसत) – jyotiḥ iti nakṣatreṣu brahma upāsita - may you see
the glory of Brahman as the light (jyotiḥ) in the stars. The planets also are luminous,
but their luminosity is borrowed from the light of the stars.
यदािद गतं तेजः जग ासयतेऽ खलम् ।

य मिस य ा ौ त े जो िव मामकम् ॥ १५.१२ ॥
yadādityagataṃ tējō jagadbhāsayatē'khilaṁ |
yaccandramasi yaccāgnau tattējō viddhi māmakam || 15.12 ||
The light in the sun which illumines the entire universe, (the light) in the
moon, and (the light) in the fire – understand that light to be Mine.
The Gāyatrī mantra says:
तत् सिवतुः वरे ं भगः

tat savituḥ vareṇyam bhargaḥ
The light (bhargaḥ) of the sun (savituḥ). The sun is also a star.
With these meditations on natural forces, we see the creation as Īśvara’s vibhūti
(glory). Sarvatra Īśvara darśanam – seeing everything as Īśvara - is the aim of the
śāstras. We should see Īśvara not only is everything in the world, but also in our own
body.
सवम् इित आकाशे ( उपािसत) - sarvam iti ākāśe (brahma upāsita) – May you see
everything as Brahman in ākāśa (space). This is the subtlest form of upāsanā (ākāśa
upāsanā). Let us analyse this:
Anuvāka 10 65
In anuvaka 1 of Brahmavallī, it was mentioned that ākāśa is the cause for vāyu (air):
आकाशाद् वायुः
ākāśād vāyuḥ
Since vāyu is the kāryam (product), it does not have a separate existence from ākāśa,
its cause (kāraṇam). Similarly, agni (fire), jalam (water), pr̥ thivī (earth) are all
subsequent products. Therefore, we can say that everything is born of ākāśa, which
means nothing exists separate from it (kāraṇa rūpa ākāśe sarva kārya rūpa jagat)
We have seen in Chapter 13 of the Gītā that th chapter of Gita, ākāśa is closely
analogous to Brahman. Therefore, it is the best ālambanam (symbol) for meditation.
The common features between ākāśa and Brahman are:
- Imperceptible to sense organs (sūkṣmam)

- Non – tangible
- Non- pollutable
- Indivisible
- Non-dual (ekam)
- All-pervading (sarvagatam)
- Support for everything (sarva-ādhāram)
Therefore, if we train our mind to meditate upon ākāśa, our intellect will get refined
and sharp enough to comprehend Brahman, which is one only step higher than
ākāśa. Therefore, because of this importance, the Upaniṣad discusses ākāśa
upāsanā in the next section.
तत् ित े ु पासीत I ित ावान् भवित I त ह इ ुपासीत I महान् भवित I त न इ ु पासीत I

मानवान् भवित I त म इ ुपासीत I न ेऽ ै कामाः I तद् े ु पासीत I वान् भवित I तद्
णः प रमर इ ुपासीत I पयणं ि य े ि ष ः सप ाः I प र ये ऽि या ातृ ाः I
tat pratiṣṭhetyupāsīta / pratiṣṭhāvān bhavati / tanmaha ityupāsīta / mahān bhavati /

tanmana ityupāsīta / mānavān bhavati / tannama ityupāsīta / namyante'smai kāmāḥ
/ tad brahmetyupāsīta / brahmavān bhavati / tad brahmaṇaḥ parimara ityupāsīta /
paryeṇaṃ mriyante dviṣantaḥ sapatnāḥ / pari ye'priyā bhrātṛvyāḥ
Anuvāka 10 66
उपासीत तत् – upāsīta tat - One should meditate on that इित ित ा – iti pratiṣṭhā - as
the support. भवित ित ावान् – bhavati pratiṣṭhāvān - He becomes well-supported.
उपासीत तत् – upāsīta tat - One should meditate on that इित महः – iti mahaḥ - as the
great one. भवित महान् – bhavati mahān - He becomes great. उपासीत तत् – upāsīta tat
- One should meditate on that इित मनः – iti manaḥ - as intelligence. भवित मानवान् –
bhavati mānavān - He becomes intelligent. उपासीत तत् – upāsīta tat - One should
meditate on that इित नमः – iti namaḥ - as prostration. कामाः न े – kāmāḥ
namyante - Pleasures serve him. उपासीत तत् – upāsīta tat - One should meditate on
that इित – iti brahma - as the biggest; भवित वान् – bhavati brahmavān - he
becomes big. उपासीत तत् – upāsīta tat - One should meditate on that इित णः – iti
brahmaṇaḥ - as Brahman’s प रमरः – parimaraḥ - agent of destruction. सप ाः –
sapatnāḥ - The enemies ि ष ः – dviṣantaḥ - who dislike एनम् – enam - him प रि य े
– parimriyante - perish. ातृ ाः – bhrātr̥ vyāḥ - The enemies ये अि याः – ye apriyāḥ -
who are disliked (by him also) प र (ि य े) – pari (mriyanti) - perish.
One should meditate on that as the support. He becomes well-supported. One

should meditate on that as the great one. He becomes great. One should meditate
on that as intelligence. He becomes intelligent. One should meditate on that as
prostration. Pleasures serve him. One should meditate on that as the biggest; he
becomes big. One should meditate on that as Brahman’s agent of destruction. The
enemies who dislike him perish. The enemies who are disliked (by him also) perish.
Now we will discuss the last group of upāsanās called the ākāśa upāsanāni. In each
upāsanā, we take one glory of ākāśa (ākāśa mahimā) and meditate on it. The benefit
of these upāsanās is that the intellect will become subtle and will gain the ability to
conceive the inconceivable and objectify the unobjectifiable ākāśa.
ित ा इित उपािसत – Pratiṣṭhā iti upāsita – pratiṣṭhā means the support (ādhāra).
Śaṅkarācārya adds a note here that ākāśa should be referred to ākāśa devatā and
not as inert space. As Viṣṇusahasranāma says – viśvādhāraṁ gaganasadr̥ śam. May
you meditate as the support for everything. The benefit ( phalam) depends upon the
motive behind the upāsanā: if it is a niṣkāma upāsanā, he will gain the intellectual
refinement to pursue jñāna (jñāna yogyatā). If it is a sakāma upāsanā, he will get
sufficient (material) support in life (pratiṣṭhavān bhavati).
We never think of support when we are physically, mentally and financially fit. As we
grow older, the sense of insecurity gradually sets in and we look for support. We are
Anuvāka 10 67
worried whether our children will be around when we need them, especially if they
live in foreign lands. With the practice of this upāsanā, you will get the support when
you need it. What is the guarantee? Krishna assures this in verse 9.22 of the Gītā:
अन ाि य ो मां ये जनाः पयु पासते ।

तेषां िन ािभयु ानां योग ेमं वहा हम् ॥ ९.२२ ॥
ananyāścintayantō māṁ yē janāḥ paryupāsatē |
tēṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yōgakṣēmaṁ vahāmyaham || 9.22 ||
(Those) people who see Me as non-different from them offer worship (by)
dwelling on Me. I take care of the yoga and kṣema of those ever steadfast
ones.
All we need is faith that Bhagavan will take care of us. ecurity In the adhidaivika
upāsanās in the previous section, phalam was not given. Śaṅkarācārya says that we
can extend the phalam the same way as we have in this section. The principle is: as
the upāsanā, so the phalam:
Upāsana Phalam
Tr̥ ptiriti vr̥ ṣṭau (brahma upāsita) Tr̥ ptimān bhavati
Balaṁ iti vidyuti (brahma upāsita) Balavān bhavati
Yaśaḥ iti paśuṣu (brahma upāsita) Yaśasvī bhavati
Jyotiriti nakṣatreṣu (brahma upāsita) Jyotiṣmān bhavati
तत् महः इित उपािसत - tat mahāḥ iti upāsita - tat means ākāśa devatā. May you see
ākāśa devatā as mahaḥ (glorious one). It is the subtlest material and therefore, the
glorious one. The phalam of this meditation is
महान् भवित - mahān bhavati - the meditator also will become glorious (mahān).
तत् मनः इित उपािसत - tat manaḥ iti upāsita - tat means ākāśa devatā. In this context,
manaḥ means the thinking power or intelligence (manute anena iti manaḥ).
Meditate upon Brahman as manana śakti. What is the phalam?
मानवान् भवित - mānavān bhavati – the meditator becomes very intelligent (medhāvī
bhavati).
Anuvāka 10 68
तत् नमः इित उपािसत - tat namaḥ iti upāsita - may you meditate upon the ākāśa devatā
as the namaskāra principle (namaḥ). The benefit is
अ ै कामाः न े - asmai kāmāḥ namyante - all his desired objects will prostrate to
him. They will come to him without his asking and will serve him. Thus, service
(namaskāra) meditation will lead to the service from all his desired objects and
people. [Kāmāḥ, in this context means objects of desire].
तद् इित उपािसत - tad brahma iti upāsita - here the word brahma means the
infinite, the limitless one. May you meditate upon the ākāśa tattvam as the infinite
one.
वान् भवित - brahmavān bhavati – The benefit is that this person will become
limitless. Not physically, but limitless in terms of his glory, possession, and family
expansion. In those days, a big family was valued. Thus, his name and fame will
spread far and wide.
तत् णः प रमरः इित उपािसत - tat brahmaṇaḥ parimaraḥ iti upāsita - in every
upāsanā, tat means ākāśa tattvam. Parimaraḥ means the agent of destruction
(paritaḥ sarvaṁ riyante anena iti parimaraḥ). Here, the Upaniṣad is saying that
ākāśatattvam is the destructive agent of Īśvara (nāśa kāraṇam) because at the time
of pralaya, everything will be swallowed by ākāśa. The order of resolution is the
reverse of creation: Everythingearthwaterfireairspace. If you meditate
upon this destructive power (samhāra śakti), all your enemies will be destroyed.
The Upaniṣad classifies the enemies into disliking and disliked. The disliking
enemies, as the name suggests dislike you whereas, the disliked enemies are the
ones disliked by you.
ि ष ः सप ाः – dviṣantaḥ sapatnāḥ - The enemies (sapatnāḥ) that dislike you

(dviṣantaḥ)
अि याः ातृ ाः – apriyaḥ bhrātr̥ vyaḥ - The enemies (bhrātr̥ vyāḥ) that you dislike
(apriyāḥ). In short all the enemies.
प र (ि य े ) - pari (mriyante) - They all will perish.
Anuvāka 10 69
It may be disturbing to us that the Upaniṣad is highlighting the destruction of

enemies. It is natural for people to dislike some and to be disliked by some. Should
that result in destruction? We must be careful not interpret the term destruction in
the literal sense.
Destruction of enemies should be understood as the desruction of enmity. Once the

enmity goes, that person no longer has enemies. When the Upaniṣad says that the
enemies disliking me will be destroyed, it means that they will no longer dislike me.
Because of this upāsanā, their attitude towards me changes. Similarly, the enemies
that I dislike enemies will be destroyed means that they will no longer be disliked by
me. In summary, the benefits of this upāsanā are:
- there will be a change in their attitude towards me

- there will be a change in my attitude towards them
With this attitudinal change, everybody will be loving and lovable. We will destroy
our unhealthy tendency. Īśvara sr̥ ṣr̥ ṭi (creation) is wonderful; it is our subjectivity
that poisons our mind. Śaṅkarācārya says that the whole world is wonderful:
sampūrṇaṁ jagadeka nandanavanaṁ sarvebhi kalpadruma. Lord Krishna also says
in verse 12.13 of the Gītā:
अ े ा सवभू तानां मै ः क ण एव च
Adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca
(My devotee) is a non-hater of all beings, is friendly, and compassionate
With this, the upāsanā portions of Bhr̥ guvallī conclude. The primary objective of the
third chapter is to prescribe exercises for refining the mind for acquiring knowledge.
One would think that this objective is met and that the chapter will end with śānti-
pāṭha now. However, the Upaniṣad thinks otherwise.
Generally, we tend to remember the last thing we read or hear. If the Upaniṣad ends
here, we would erroneously remember that it is about upāsanās. However, the
primary topic of Taittirīyam is Brahma-jñāna, which was discussed in the second
chapter; upāsanā is only the stepping stone (pre-requisite). Therefore, Bhr̥ guvallī
will conclude with Brahma-jñāna again.
Anuvāka 10 70
What is Brahma-jñānam? It is the one-ness of the jīvātmā and the Paramātmā

(jīvātma-paramātma-aikya-jñānam). This was revealed in the second chapter already
through a mahāvākyam:
स य ायं पु षे I य ासावािद े I स एकः I

Sa yaścāyaṁ puruṣe / yaścāsāvaāitye / sa ekaḥ
In the following concluding section, the Upaniṣad reminds us of that statement and
discusses the benefits of brahmajñāna (brahmajñāna phalam).
स य ायं पु षे I य ासावािद े I स एकः I स य एवं िवत् I अ ा ोकात् े I

एतम मयमा ानमु पसं I एतं ाणमयमा ानमु पसं I एतं मनोमयमा ानमु पसं I एतं
िव ामयमा ानमु पसं I एतमान मयमा ानमु पसं I
sa yaścāyaṃ puruṣe / yaścāsāvāditye / sa ekaḥ / sa ya evaṃvit / asmāllokāt pretya

/ etamannamayamātmānamupasaṃkramya / etaṃ
prāṇamayamātmānamupasaṃkramya / etaṃ
manomayamātmānamupasaṃkramya / etaṃ
vijñāmayamātmānamupasaṃkramya /
etamānandamayamātmānamupasaṃkramya
सः अयं च – saḥ ayaṁ ca - That (ānanda) यः पु षे – yaḥ puruṣe - which is in the human
being च असौ – ca asau - and that (ānanda) यः आिद े – yaḥ āditye - which is in the
sun सः एकः – saḥ ekaḥ - that is one. े – pretya - Having left अ ात् लोकात् – asmāt
lokāt - this world, सः यः एवंिवत् – saḥ yaḥ evaṁvit - he who knows thus उपसं –
upasaṁkramya - transcends एतम् अ मयम् आ ानम् – etam annamyam ātmānam -
this annamaya self, उपसं – upasaṁkramya - transcends एतं ाणमयम् आ ानम् –
etaṁ prāṇamayam ātmānam - this prānamaya self, उपसं – upasaṁkramya -
transcends एतं मनोमयम् आ ानम् - etaṁ manomayam ātmānam - this manomaya
self, उपसं – upasaṁkramya - transcends एतं िव ानमयम् आ ानम् – etaṁ
vijñānamayam ātmānam - this vijñānamya self, उपसं – upasaṁkramya -
transcends एतम् आन मयम् आ ानम् – etam ānandamayam ātmānam - this
ānandamaya self (and abides in Brahman).
That (ānanda) which is in the human being and that (ānanda) which is in the sun that
is one. Having left this world, he who knows thus transcends this annamaya self,
Anuvāka 10 71
transcends this prānamaya self, transcends this manomaya self, transcends this
vijñānamya self, transcends this ānandamaya self (and abides in Brahman).
This portion is a repetition of anuvāka 8 of Brahmavallī with a small grammatical

difference: this chapter uses the verb upasaṅkramya versus upsaṅkrāmati in
Brahmavallī. The meaning is essentially the same.
Now, the Upaniṣad reminds us of one-ness (aikyam):
यः (आन ः) पु षे (वतते) – yaḥ (ānandaḥ) puruṣe (vartate) - the ānanda ātmā which is
in the jīvātmā and
यः (आन ः) आिद े (वतते) - yaḥ (ānandaḥ) āditye (vartate) - the ānanda ātmā in
Īśvara. Āditya literally means the sun, but here, we should interpret it as the totality
or Īśvara.
सः एकः – saḥ ekaḥ - are one and the same
Normally, we refer to jīvatma-paramātma-aikyam as the one-ness of Consciousness

of the individual and the totality (caitanya svarūpa dr̥ ṣṭya aikyam). Here, we will refer
to the one-ness of ānanda in the individual and the collective (ānanda svarupa dr̥ ṣṭya
aikyam).
That bimbānanda, the original ānanda, which obtains within the individual body is
the same as that in the totality (samaṣṭi – Hiraṇyagarbha upādhi). The differences
are only in the reflected ānanda (pratibimba ānanda) because of the reflected
medium, the mind whose quality varies from individual to individual. The gradations
of experiential ānanda in the form of priya, moda pramoda etc. and those in the
form of manuṣya, gandharva, manuṣya-gandharva etc. belong to the pratibimba,
the reflection.
The original ānanda which is non-experiential and unobjectifiable is the nature of

the Consciousness (caitanyam). It is reminded that this ānanda is the same in
everyone.
Anuvāka 10 72
सः यः एवं िवत् – saḥ yaḥ evamvit - the one who has gained this knowledge that I am
the bimba ānanda and not the pratibimba ānanda, which is only my reflection in the
reflecting medium
अ ात् लोकात् े asmāt lokāt pretya - gives up the identification (abhimāna) with
-
the external world. The identification with the external world is called mamakāraḥ,
which is the sense of ownership of external objects: my house, my wife etc. He gives
gives up that abhimāna because all names, forms and relationships belong only to
the gross body (sthūla śariram) and not to Ātmā. Śaṅkarācārya says that he gives
up dependence on the external world because it is anātmā.
एतम् अ मयम् आ ानम् उपसङ् -etam annmayam ātmānam upasaṁkramya – He

disidentifies with his body (abhimāna tyāga). He does not mistake his body as
himself. The identification with the body is called ahaṅkāra, while the identification
with the outside world is called mamakāra. This has already been said in
Brahmavallī.
एतम् ाणमयम् आ ानम् उपसङ् - etam prāṇamayam ātmānam upasaṅkramya -

this is the next stage in the gradual withdrawal process. After disidentifying from
annamaya, he must withdraw from prāṇamaya, which is a subtler anātmā.
एतम् मनोमयम् आ ानम् उपसङ् etam manomayam ātmānam upasaṅkramya –

-
In the next stage, he disidentifies from the manomaya ātmā and reduces it also to
anātmā (through the steps discussed in Brahmavallī: anātma niścayaḥ, kośasva
niścayaḥ, kāryatva niścayaḥ, nāmarūpa niścayaḥ, mithyātva niścayaḥ and
pravilāpanam.
एतम् िव ानमयम् आ ानम् उपसङ् etam vijñānamayam ātmanam upasaṅkramya -

he disidentifies with vijñānamaya ātmā also and reduces it to anātmā. Everything
with the suffix -maya is subject to change. I am the changeless ( nirvikāra) Ātmā and
not the ever-changing (savikāra) anātmā.
एतम् आन मयम् आ ानम् उपसङ् etam ānandamayam ātmānam upasaṅkramya

– here, ānanadamayam is the experiential pleasure which is also anātma ānanda.
However great it may be, the experiential pleasure is subject to arrival and
departure and therefore, is not ātmānanda.
Anuvāka 10 73
If anyone says that he experienced atmānanda, the very statement is a

contradiction. Experienced is past tense. Past tense means that ānanda is not in the
present, which means it cannot be atmānanda but will come under anatmānanda.
How to experience atmānanda? This is a wrong question because the experienced

ānanda, however extraordinary is ānandamaya, a changing product (kāryam). One
must disown that also. This identification with experiential bliss, especially in
meditation, is a defect and an obstacle called rasasvadam.
आ िन ः भवित – ātmaniṣṭhaḥ bhavati - we must complete the sentence by adding

this. He will abide in the Ātmā, that non- experienced and non-objectifiable witness
aham (I).
So far, we have summarized jñāna and now we will see jñāna phalam (benefit):
jīvanmuktiḥ. The Upaniṣad says that this jīvanmukta enjoys pūrṇatvam, which is in
the form of the knowledge: “I am pūrṇaḥ” (I am complete). It is not a temporary
experience, but by identifying with Ātmānanda with this knowledge (that he is
pūrṇaḥ), he is freed permanently from saṁsāra.
In the next section, the phalam, which is fulfilment, is expressed in a song. Song
represents joy (ānanda). This Vedic song is called sāma gānam.
Certain expressions are unique to the sāma gānam. In the second line, the numbers
next to the words [hā (3) hā (3) vu] are expressions in sāma gānam. The numbers
indicate the measure by which that the words must be lengthened as in a song.
इमान् लोकान् कामा ी काम नुस रन् I एत ाम गाय ा े I हा३ वु हा३ वु हा३ वु I
अहम हम हम म् I अहम ादो२ ऽहम ादो२ ऽहम ादः I अहꣳ ोककृदहꣳ ोककृदहꣳ
ोककृत् I अहम थमजा ऋता३ I पूव दे वे ो अमृत ना३ भािय I यो मा ददाित स
इदमे वमा३ वाः I अहम म मद मा३ ि I अहं िव ं भुवनम भवाम् सुवन ोतीः I य एवम् वे द I
इ ु पिनषत् II
imān lokān kāmānnī kāmarūpyanusañcaran / etatsāma gāyannāste / hā3 vu hā3

vu hā3 vu / ahamannahamannahamannam / ahamannādo2 'hamannādo2
'hamannādaḥ / ahagṁ ślokakṛdahagṁ ślokakṛdahagṁ ślokakṛt / ahamasmi
prathamajā ṛtā3 sya / pūrva devebhyo amṛtasya nā3 bhāyi / yo mā dadāti sa
idamevamā3 vāḥ / ahamannamannamadantamā3 dmi / ahaṃ viśvaṃ
bhuvanamabhyabhavām suvarna jyotīḥ / ya evam veda / ityupaniṣat
Anuvāka 10 74
गायन् एतत् साम – gāyan etat sāma - Singing the following song (of Brahman), आ े –
āste - (he) lives अनुस रन् – anusañcaran - moving about इमान् लोकान् – imān lokān -
these worlds, कामा ी – kāmānnī - eating freely, काम पी – kāmarūpī - and assuming
any form at will हा वु हा वु हा वु – hā vu hā vu hā vu - “Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!
अहम् अ म् – aham annam - I am the food. अहम् अ म् – aham annam - I am the food.
अहम् अ म् - aham annam - I am the food. अहम् अ ादः – aham annādaḥ - I am the
food-eater. अहम् अ ादः - aham annādaḥ - I am the food-eater. अहम् अ ादः - aham
annādaḥ - I am the food-eater. अहं ोककृत् – ahaṁ ślokakr̥ t - I am the combiner.
अहं ोककृत् - ahaṁ ślokakr̥ t - I am the combiner. अहं ोककृत् - ahaṁ ślokakr̥ t - I
am the combiner. अहम् अ – aham asmi - I am थमजाः ऋत – prathamajā r̥ tasya
- the eldest of the creation, पू व दे वे ः – pūrvaṁ devebhyaḥ - born before the gods.
नाभािय – nābhāyi - I am the center अमृ त – amr̥ tasya - of immortality. सः यः ददाित –
saḥ yaḥ dadāti - He who give मा – mā - me, (the food), आवाः मा – āvāḥ mā - preserves
me इद् एव – id eva - in this manner alone. अहम् अ म् – aham annam - I, the food,
आि – ādmi - eat (that person) अद म् अ म् – adantam annam - who eats food
(without sharing). अहम् अ भवाम् – aham abhyabhavām - I occupy िव ं भु वनम् –
viśvaṁ bhuvanam - the entire universe न ोतीः – na jyotīḥ - like the effulgence सुवः
– suvaḥ - of the sun.” यः वे द – yaḥ veda - One who knows एवम् – evam - in this manner
(attains liberation). इित उपिनषत् – iti upaniṣat - Thus (ends) the Upaniṣad.
Singing the following song (of Brahman), (he) lives moving about these worlds,
eating freely, and assuming any form at will “Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! I am
the food. I am the food. I am the food. I am the food-eater. I am the food-eater. I
am the food-eater. I am the combiner. I am the combiner. I am the combiner. I am
the eldest of the creation, born before the gods. I am the center of immortality. He
who give me, (the food), preserves me in this manner alone. I, the food, eat (that
person) who eats food (without sharing). I occupy the entire universe like the
effulgence of the sun.” One who knows in this manner (attains liberation). Thus
(ends) the Upaniṣad.
The jīvanmukta’s enjoyment of freedom from saṁsāra is given here.
अनुस रन् - anusañcaran - this jñānī freely moves about the world without any
relationship. Śaṅkarācārya interprets this as a sannyāsī jñānī (paramahaṁsa
Anuvāka 10 75
parivrajaka jñānī). In the case of gr̥ hastha jñānī, although he enjoys complete
internal freedom (mentally), his external freedom to move about may be limited.
इमान् लोकान् - imān lokān - all over this world - any place is his place. Where will he
get his food? Bhajagovindam says:
करतलिभ तलवासः
Karatalabhikṣatarutalavāsaḥ
He receives his alms in the bowl of his hands and lives under the shelter of
trees.
कामा ी - kāmānnī - (kāmataḥ annam annī iti kāmānnī) - Here kāma means whatever
comes. He takes any food without any reservation.
काम पी - kāmarāpī – Being a sannyāsī, he does not have a specific role and
therefore, he he is ready to play any role (rūpam) that is required by the situation. If
the society wants religious activities, he becomes a bhakta and performs pūjas; he
highlights karma kāṇḍa and talks less about the Vedānta. Śaṅkarācāryas of the
maṭhs today perform extensive pūjas for the sake of the society, although as
sannyāsīs, they are not required to do so. If there are intellectually prepared people,
he assumes the role of a guru and teaches them Brahma-vidyā. Among children, he
becomes a child; among grammarians, he becomes a grammar teacher and among
the mīmāṁsakas, he becomes the teacher of mīmāṁsā. He plays a role of a
counsellor when the devotees of problem. Today’s Śaṅkarācāryas even help settle
property issues of the devotees! He does not have any difficulty playing any of these
roles because to him, they are all mithyā roles and he knows that he is different from
them. Śaṅkarācārya describes such a jñānī in his book called Jīvanmuktānanda
Laharī.
एतत् साम गायन् - etat sāma gāyan – He sings the following song (etat) while engaged
in all of the above activities. in and through all these activities he sings the following
song. The word sāma has two meanings – a song (gānam) and Brahman.
Śaṅkarācārya calls it Brahman. Since Brahman is the same and changeless, it is
called sāma (samatvat sāma). The jñānī sings the glory of Brahman while he lives in
this world.
The jñānī sings this song with the knowledge that he is Brahman and that the glory
of Brahman is his own glory. He says that he is the most glorious thing in this
Anuvāka 10 76
universe. Would this claim mean that he is arrogant? The Gītā teaches us we do not
have any glory of our own and that all glories belong to the Lord. This Upaniṣad says
here that all are my glories. Which is correct?
If you identify yourself with anātmā, none of the glories belong to you. From the
anātmā (body-mind complex) stand point, you are a small individual (microcosm)
and so, no glory belongs to you because the glory of the micro always belongs to
the macro, the totality. With the identification with the body, I am ahaṅkāraḥ and I
must surrender all glories to God. However, if I claim my nature as Ātmā and not the
body-mind complex, I am no longer the micro, but, am the infinite. Therefore, with
deha dr̥ ṣṭi (identification with the body-mind complex), surrender and with ātma
dr̥ ṣṭi, claim your glory.
हा वु हा वु हा वु - hā vu hā vu hā vu - The Sanskrit word āho becomes hā vu in sāma

gānam. Āho means wonder (āścaryam). What is the wonder?
The infinite, the indivisible can never become finite, the divisible, through a process;
nirguṇa, by process can never become saguṇa and nirvikāra can never become
savikāra. Yet, somehow, the logically impossible has happened: the ever-free
Brahman, the Paramātmā has somehow become a miserable saṁsārī, the jīvātma.
What a wonder! This is not a simple wonder, but a superlative one. The word āho is
repeated thrice: first āho indicates āścaryam, the second indicates āścaryataram,
the comparative degree and the third indicates āścaryatamam, the superlative
degree. Then the question arises: Who am I?
अहम् अ म् अहम् अ म् अहम् अ म् - aham annam, aham annam, aham annam - Here
the word annam means an object of experience (bhogya prapañca). I alone appear
as the object of experience. It is repeated thrice to indicate āścaryam.
अहम् अ ादः - aham annādaḥ - I am also the bhoktā, the subject. I, the indivisible has
bifurcated myself into the role of the experienced (bhogyam) as well as the
experiencer (bhoktā). This is like a dream where I go to bed as single individual, but
divide myself into the roles of the experiencer as well as the experienced in the
dream world (bhoktā aham asmi, bhogyam aham asmi; pramātā aham asmi,
prameyam aham asmi). This statement is also repeated thrice to express superlative
wonder.
Anuvāka 10 77
अहं ोककृत् – ahaṁ ślokakr̥ t – ślokakr̥ t means the instrument that brings the
bhoktā and bhogyam together. For example, the seer and the seen are linked by the
eye and the hearer and the heard are linked by the the ear. The jñānī says that he is
the kartā, karma and karaṇam (instrument). This statement is also repeated to
express superlative wonder.
These three statements together imply that I am the tripuṭi - the indivisible
(akhaṇḍa) and unwavering (nirvikalpa) self (aham). I am now appearing as the ever-
changing universe (savikalpa prapañcaḥ).
अहम् अ थमजा aham asmi prathamajā – prathamajā is Brahmāji

-
(Hiraṇyagarbha) – the first born. The jñānī says: I am that Brahmāji also”. Verse 1.1.1
of Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad says:
ा दे वानां थमः स भू व
Brahmā devānām prathamaḥ sambabhūva
Brahmā was born as the first and foremost among gods
In purāṇas also, Brahmāji emerges from Viṣṇu’s navel and assumes the
responsibility for creation.
ऋता (३) ा - r̥ tā ( 3) syā - in the world. R̥tam means jagat or prapañcaḥ.
With the above two statements he implies that he is the eldest product in the
universe (r̥ tasya jyeṣṭa putraḥ aham).
पूव दे वे ः – pūrvaṁ devebhyaḥ – I was born even before the devas This expression
must be joined with the previous statement as pūrvaṁ devebhayaḥ prathamajā
r̥ tasya ahamasmi – In this universe, I, Brahmāji, the creator, was born before the
devas - – Indra, Agni, Varuṇa etc.
I appear in this saguṇa svarūpam, but my original nature is nirguṇa:
अमृत ना३ भािय – amr̥ tasya nā(3)bhāyi asmi - nābhāyi is nābhī, which means the
center, the source of immortality (amr̥ tam). I am the center of immortality as
nirguṇam brahman (my nature) and I myself appear as the mortal universe and the
jīvas.
Anuvāka 10 78
The jñānī now reminds us of the glory of annadānam. In fact, the important value of
annadānam is stressed in Bhr̥ guvallī. A unique idea is given related to dānam: save
by giving. Normally, we tend to save anything by not giving – this is how we save pur
wealth. The Vedic logic is that you save by sharing with the others. It suggests that
if you give to the world, the latter will return the favor at the appropriate time – i.e.
in time of your need. If you do annandānam, the world will feed you when you are
hungry. This is conveyed in the next statements.
यः मा ददाित सः इद् एव आवाः मा – yaḥ mā dadāti saḥ id eva āvāḥ mā – Here, we interpret
mā as annam. The one who gives annam to the others is really saving annam for
his own future use (saḥ āvāḥ). [Āvāḥ means he protects or saves; id eva = idam eva
- in this manner alone].
Here, the jñānī uses a peculiar expression – instead of using the word annam (food)
directly, he uses the word mā (myself). With this usage, he reminds of the previous
statement that he is annam. Therefore, mā here means annarūpaṁ mām (yaḥ
annarūpaṁ maṁ dadāti saḥ annarūpaṁ mām āvāḥ )
The jñānī also threatens that if you do not share food with the others, the unshared
food will not nourish you and may even destroy you:
अहम् अ म् – I, the annam
अ म् अद म् अि aham annam adantam admi – will eat (destroy) the eater who
–
does not share the food with the others. Annam that enters the system of the one
who does not share, will cause diseases and destroy him. Therefore, annadānam is
important.
अहं िव ं भु वनम् अ भवाम् – ahaṁ viśvaṁ bhuvanam abhyabhavām – I pervade

(abhyabhavām) the entire (viśavam) universe (bhuvanam). The statement should not
be made with the identification with the body-mind complex because it is limited. It
is like saying that the limited wave pervades the unlimited ocean. This statement is
correct when the identification is with Ātmā. When the wave (the individual)
identifies with the water (Ātmā), it can say it pervades the ocean, because water does
pervade the wave as well as the ocean. Aham should be read as: pañcakośa
vilakṣaṇa ahaṁ viśvaṁ bhuvanam abhyabhāvam .
Anuvāka 10 79
सु वन ोितः - suvarna jyotiḥ - I am effulgent. Effulgence here refers to the nature of

Consciousness (caitanya svarūpam). I am of the nature of Consciousness which is
self evident; self effulgent and eternally effulgent like the sun (suvaḥ na). [Suvaḥ
means sūrya prakāśaḥ; na means like]. In Chapter 13 of the Gītā, Krishna says Ātmā
is like the sun that illumines. The essence is – I am Brahman – ahaṁ brahma asmi.
This concludes the jñānī’s song expressing the benefit of jīvanmukti: enjoy being in
Brahman.
यः एवं वे द – yaḥ evaṁ veda - whoever gains this knowledge – whether brāhmin,
kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, young, old, brahmacāri, gr̥ hasthā, vānaprastha, sannyāsī,
male or female – no restriction.
(सः मु ः भवित) – (saḥ muktaḥ bhavati) – he will enjoy jīvanmukti (We complete the
sentence).
इित उपिनषत् - iti upaniṣat - thus ends the third chapter of Bhr̥ gu valli as well as the
Taittirīya Upaniṣad (iti taittirīya Upaniṣad samāptaḥ)
Other Notes
In carnatic music, in the words rāgam, tānam, pallavi, the word tānam means
Ananta or infinite God. Even when singing we should remember God and therefore
we sing Ananta-ananta-ananata-ananta – it becomes tānam.
Even in the raga, the word taranānnānā means Nārada, who is considered to be the
originator of music. To remember him, we repeat Narada-narada-narada, it
becomes taranā. So, we mean Ananta during tānama and Nārada during rāgam.
Similarly, āho becomes hā vu in sāma gāna.
ओं सह नाववतु I सह नौ भुन ु I सह वीय करवावहै I तेज ी नावधीतम ु मा िवि षावहै I ओं


Anuvāka 10 80
Summary
Bhr̥ guvallī is the third and the final chapter of Taittirīya Upaniṣad. The main teaching
of the Upaniṣad is Brahmavidyā, which is given in Brahmavallī. The third chapter
deals with some other incidental, but important topics of the Vedantic teaching.
This chapter is called Bhr̥ guvallī because it begins with the word Bhr̥ gu, just as the
other two chapters were titled based on the first word. This also is in prose form
divided into paragraphs. Each paragraph is called anuvāka. There are 10 anuvākas
in this chapter.
The main topics dealth with in thus vallī are jñāna sādhanāni (preparatory means
for Brahma-jñāna) and jñāna phalam (benefits of jñāna). This vallī can be divided
into three portions:
Brahma-jñāna sākṣāt sadhana – direct means for Brahma-jñāna

Brahma-jñāna sahakārī sādhanā - indirect means for Brahma-jñāna
Brahma-jñana phalam – benefits of this knowledge
Brahma-jñāna sākṣāt sādhanā - Anuvāka 1 through 6
This sādhanā is essentially the enquiry into Brahman (Brahma-vicāraḥ). This portion
gives it a technical name tapaḥ.
The Upaniṣad makes it clear that the enquiry should be done only with the help of a
guru and the śāstras. Any attempt at independent enquiry without their help, will
not lead to definite knowledge, but will lead to speculative conclusion. Both guru
and the śāstras are important: the śāstras without the guru will lead to incorrect or
incomplete knowledge; the guru who teaches without the śāstras is not a guru.
Here, the guru is Varuṇa and the ṣiṣya (disciple) is his son Bhr̥ gu (bhr̥ gurvai vāruṇiḥ
/ varuṇam pitaram upasasāra)
By presenting the teaching in the form of discussion (saṁvāda) between Bhr̥ gu and
Varuṇa, the Upaniṣad emphasizes the importance of the guru.
Summary 81
The importance of the śāstras is also emphasized when Varuṇa gives Bhr̥ gu two
clues for inquiry from the śāstras: Brahma-upalabdhi-dvāram and Brahma-
lakṣaṇam.
Brahma-upalabdhi-dvāram – dvāram means gateway (means) and upalabdhi means

jñānam. Here, the pañca kośasa are given as the clues for enquiry to emphasize the
role of the śāstras: annaṁ prāṇaṁ cakṣuḥ śrotraṁ mano vācam iti.
Brahma-lakṣaṇam - the guru gives a very important definition of Brahman, for which
the Bhr̥ guvallī is famous:
यतो वा इमािन भू तािन जाय े I ये न जातािन जीव I यत् य िभसं िवश I तद्
िविज ास I तद् े ित I
yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante / yena jātāni jīvanti / yat prayantyabhi-
saṁviśanti / tad vijijñāsasva / tad brahmeti
The meaning of this definition is - Brahman is jagat-sr̥ ṣṭi-sthti-laya-kāraṇam. It is the

cause for the origination, existence and dissolution of the universe.
Thus, Brahma-upalabdhi-dvāram and Brahma-lakṣaṇam indicate the role of the

śāstras. With these, Bhr̥ gu conducted the enquiry.
The enquiry can be conducted in many ways. Bhr̥ gu employs the pañca-kośa-
vivekaḥ method. Since this method has already been discussed extensively in the
second chapter, the Upaniṣad does not elaborate it in this chapter.
The significance of pañca-kośa-vivekaḥ
This process refines the intellect of the student by taking him through the analysis
from annam, the grossest to ānanda, the subtlest. In these anuvākas, Bhr̥ gu
successfully goes through the analysis of annam, prāṇaḥ, manaḥ, vijñāna
(ānandamaya kośa is skipped) and then discovers ānanda beyond these sheaths
(ānandaḥ brahmeti vyajānāt),
We must discern the meaning of the word ānandaḥ from the second chapter:
आन आ ाI पु ं ित ा I तद ेष ोको भवित I
ānanda ātma / brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā / tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati
Summary 82
The word ānanda used here is not the experiential pleasure, but it means caitanyam
(Consciousness). The experiential pleasure is called ānandamaya. From that ānanda
(caitanyam) alone, the creation arises, rests and resolves. Bhr̥ gu arrives at this
knowledge – ahaṁ caitanya rūpaḥ ātmā eva brahma
Sahakārī Sādhanāni – The Supporting disciplines – Anuvākas 7 through 10
These sādhanās help in the attainment of Brahma-jñānam, but do not directly

produce it. Only vicāra (enquiry) leads to Brahma-jñānam. This is analogous to
water, which although is very essential, does not directly produce the fruit. Water
supports the seed, which is directly responsible for producing the fruit. Thus, the
seed is sākṣāt and water is sahakārī. These sādhanas are karma (Karma Yoga) and
upāsanās (meditation)
Karma Yoga – This is performing proper actions (satkarmāṇi) with proper attitude
(satbhāvanā). The Upaniṣad takes the specific example of annam in performing the
sādhanā. Annam in the form of annamaya kośa is treated as a stepping stone for
spiritual progress. The attitudes towards annam are –
- Anna-nindya-varjanam – do not criticize the food served to you, that you are
eating or have eaten
- Anna-tyāga-varjanam – do not reject or waste food. It is an indirect form of
insult
- Anna-vr̥ tti-kāraṇam - produce plenty of food
- Annadānam – do not merely produce; also share with the others. Without
production, sharing is impossible and without sharing, production is useless.
- Athiti seva – serving your guest. Here we take the athiti (guest) as the
representation of humanity. Thus, service to the guest is the service to
humanity (athiti seva = mānava seva). It is manuṣya yajña or service to
humanity - one of the pañca mahā yajñas, which constitutes the service to the
entire creation.
Upāsanās - Bhr̥ guvallī gives four groups of upāsanās:
Virāt upāsanāni – this means the meditation upon the entire creation as the body of
the Lord (tribhuvanavapusaṁ viṣṇumīśaṁ namāmi ). The Upaniṣad presents a
peculiar form of a upāsanā by seeing the interdependence in three pairs of things:
Summary 83
prāṇa-śarīram (prāṇa and physical body), agni-jalam (fire and water) and pr̥ thivī-
ākāśa (earth and space). The interconnectedness should be seen in the form of:
- Anna-annāda-sambandhaḥ - the consumed-consumer relationship

- Pratiṣṭhā-prstiṣṭhita sambandhaḥ - the supporter-supported relationship
By discerning the interconnectedness in these three pairs, we are expected to

recognize and appreciate the interconnectedness of the whole cosmos. The
universe is interconnected like the various organs of the body, making it a cosmic
organism – thus, the sky, the sun, the moon, the stars, the rivers, the plant kingdom,
the animal kingdom, and the human beings are all like the different organs of
Viśvarūpa Īśvara, the cosmic organism. There are two ways to meditate on Him –
sakāma upāsanā and niṣkāma upāsanā, each of which produces its own benefits:
Sakāma Upāsanā Niṣkāma Upāsanā

Material benefits Spiritual benefits
External growth Internal growth
Tangible benefits Intangible benefits
Adhyātimika upāsanāni (subjective meditations) - meditations in which Brahman is

invoked as the various faculties in our own body. We take the value of our faculties
for granted until they are incapacitated. These are brought to the forefront of our
mind when they are meditated as Brahman. We take the five karmendriyas for
meditation: vāk (speech), pāṇi (hand), pāda (feet), pāyu (anus) and upastha
(genitals). All karmendriyas and their functions are significant and equally
important. There is prāṇa śakti (energy) behind all the karmendriyas and therefore,
meditation must be done upon on the prāṇa also. If it is niṣkāma upāsanā, the
seeker gets spiritual benefits. If it is sakāma upāsanā, the seeker will get material
benefits.
Adhidaivika upāsanāni – These are objective meditations in which we take various

forces existing in nature, without which the human survival is not possible. Four
such forces are taken: the stars, the lightning, the rains and the cattle - nakṣatra,
vidyut, vr̥ ṣṭi and paśu respectively.
Summary 84
All these are relevant to an agrarian society. The starry sky represents the bright
sunny season. In summer, the sun is at its brightest and the water is absorbed from
ocean. Lord Krishna says in verse 9.19 of the Gīta:
तपा हमहं वष िनगृ ा ु ृजािम च ।

अमृ तं चै व मृ ु सदस ाहमजु न ॥ ९.१९ ॥
tapāmyahamahaṃ varṣaṃ nigṛṇhāmyutsṛjāmi ca |
amṛtaṃ caiva mṛtyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna || 9.19 ||
I energize (the Universe). I draw and release the rainy waters. I alone am the
cause of immortality as well as mortality. I am the manifest as well as the
unmanifest, Oh Arjuna!
Bhagavān says that in the summer, He absorbs water through the sun from the
ocean. After sufficient evaporation, the clouds form and the rainy season comes
(sr̥ jāmi). The lightning comes with the rain bearing clouds. To till the land, we need
cattle (paśuḥ). So, paśuḥ is meditated upon. Thus, our very life is dependent on all
these natural forces. Therefore, do not take them for granted; meditate on all these
natural forces as Bhagavān.
तृ रित वृ ौ I बलम् इित िवद् युित I यश इित पशुषु I ोित रित न े षु I

Tr̥ ptiriti vr̥ ṣṭau / balam iti vidyuti / yaśa iti paśuṣu / jyotiriti nakṣatreṣu
Ākāśa upāsanāni – The glories ākāśa (space) are meditated upon in this meditation.
Ākāśa is very similar to Brahman in several respects: they are both infinite,
supportive and unaffected by anything. Thus, glories ( vibhūti) are common and
therefore, see Īśvara vibhūti in ākāśa. This meditation is very significant because in
subtlety, ākāśa is closer to Brahman. If our mind (intellect) becomes subtle enough
to conceive conceive the subtle, formless, colorless, intangible, and unobjectifiable
ākāśa, it will get closer to understand Brahman. If we can conceive ākāśa, we can
‘perceive’ Brahman.
These karmas and upāsanās will not directly give jñāna or mokṣa but one must
follow these to attain eligibility to pursue jñāna:
karma + upāsanā  sadhana-catuṣṭaya sampattiḥ
Summary 85
With this qualified mind, the seeker must go through the process of pañca kośa
viveka after which he will gain jñāna and then jñāna phalam. Thus, the sahakāri
sādhanā portion ends at the first half of the anuvāka 10.
Brahma-jñāna phalam – Second half of anuvāka 10 through the end
The benefit or jñāna phalam is jīvanmukti. This is mokṣa (liberation) while still living.
After death, he attains videhamukti, which is liberation from re-birth (punarjanma
abhavaḥ videhamukti ityucate). In Bhr̥ guvallī, videhamukti is not mentioned, but it
is understood. In the scriptures, jīvanmukti is discussed differently in different
contexts. In this portion, mukti is presented in four different forms:
Pañca kośa abhimāna tyāgaḥ - freedom from identification with the anātma, which
is represented by pañca kośa prapañca (sarva abhimāna rahitatvam). When a
person disidentifies from the pañca kośas, he can abide in his true nature –
ātmasvrūpam (adr̥ śye anātmaye anilayane abhayaṁ pratiṣṭhāṁ vindate ). He abides
in his nature which is pūrṇaḥ (infinite), which is ānandasvarūpaḥ and
abhayasvarūpaḥ - ever full, ever unaffected. This is indicated by upasaṅkramaṇa or
transcension (etam annamayam ātmānam upasaṅkramya , etc.). He is disdentified
from everything (asaṅgaṁ brahma bhavati).
Sarva-abhimāna-sahitatvam - when the jñānī is bored with the disidentification, he

takes to abhimāna. The uniqueness of his abhimāna is that he identifies with the
entire creation - sarva-abhimāna-sahitatvam. I am everything: this is given in sāma
gānam (aham annam aham annam aham annam etc.). When he is identified with
the totality, he is one with Īśvara – the total upādhi.
Either he remains as Brahman withdrawn from everything or he remains as Īśvara

identified with everything. So, the Vedānta says that either get detached from
everything or get attached to everything. Partial attachment is saṁsāra. With the
total attachment or detachment, you become Brahman, but with partial attachment
you become a saṁsāri jīva. Only the partial attachment promotes raga-dveṣa and
strengthens the ego.
Svatantratvam - Once I give up the partial identification, I become a free person.

Partial identification alone makes me bound to a set of people, and possessions. The
moment I give it up, the whole creation is my house. Bhartr̥ hari says elsewhere that
Summary 86
the ceiling is the sky. He is not bound to any specific thing in the creation. This inner
freedom from ahaṅkāra and mamakāra is jīvanmukti.
Ānandaḥ - The result is ānandaḥ. I can appreciate every event in creation objectively:
the birth and death, union and separation, growth and decay etc. There is nothing
to complain about in the creation. This is called ānandaḥ. This is indicated by the
sāma gānam in this section.
ओं सह नाववतु I सह नौ भु न ु I सह वीय करवावहै I तेज ी नावधीतम ु मा िवि षावहै I ओं

ओं पू णमदः पूणिमदं पू णात् पू णमुद ते I पूण पूणमादाय पूणमे वाविश ते II

Om pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate / pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya
pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate / Om śāntih śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
Summary 87
www.arshaavinash.in
WEBSITE FOR FREE E-BOOKS ON VEDANTA & SANSKRIT
PUJYA SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASWATI- A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY BY

N. AVINASHILINGAM. It is available in English, Tamil, Hindi,
Japanese and Portuguese.
SWAMI PARAMARTHANANDA’S TRANSCRIBED CLASS NOTES:

Available class notes are Tattva Bodhah, BGita (3329 pages),
Isavasya Upanisad, Kenopanisad, Kathopanisad, Prasna Upanisad,
Mundaka Upanisad, Mandukya Upanisad with karika, Taittiriya
Upanisad, Aitareya Upanisad, Chandogya Upanisad, Brihadarnyaka
Upanisad (1190 pages), Kaivalya Upanisad, Brahma Sutra (1486
pages), Niti Satakam, Vairagya Satakam, Atma Bodha,
Vivekachudamani (2038 pages), Panchadasi, Manisha Panchakam,
Upadesha Saara, Saddarsanam, Jayanteya Gita, Jiva Yatra, Advaita
Makaranda, Dakshinamurthy Stotram, Drg Drsya Viveka, Vichara
Sagaram and Naishkarmya Siddhi.
BRNI MEDHA MICHIKA’S BOOKS ON SANSKRIT GRAMMAR:

Enjoyable Sanskrit Grammar Books- Basic Structure of Language,
Phonetics & Sandhi, Derivatives (Pancavrttayah), Dhatukosah,
Astadhyayi, Study Guide to Panini Sutras through Lagu Siddhanta
Kaumudi – Sajna Prakaranam & Sandhi Prakaranam, Shadlingah,
Halanta Pullingah & Avyayam, Grammatical Analysis of Bhagavad
Gita, Sanskrit Alphabet Study Books- Single Letters, Conjunct
Consonants.
There are many more books and articles on Indian culture.
Arsha Avinash Foundation

104 Third Street, Tatabad, Coimbatore 641012, India
Phone: +91 9487373635
E mail: arshaavinash.in@gmail.com
www.arshaavinash.in

Tait T Iriya

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Tait T Iriya

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

TAITTIRIYA UPANISAD

Transcribed by Smt. Madhuri Rajyasri

& Sri V. Badrinath

NOTE: Swami Paramarthananda has not verified the transcription of talks.

(Based the Lectures of

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 2

• Kāyika karmāṇi – consisting of physical activities such as yāga, pūjā,

• Upādhi-phalam – The body-mind-sense organ (B-M-S) complex is one’s

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 3

• Duḥkhamiśritattvam – The pleasures experienced from these results are not

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 4

Adequate effort in the right directionis required to achieve success in self-enquiry.

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 5

Anumāna (Inference) – It is to know something indirectly when it is not in the range

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 6

Arthāpatti (Presumption) – It is very close to inference. By experiencing one event in

Upamāna (Comparison or analogy) – Through comparison you can know other

Anupalabdhi (Non-cognition) – This is a special instrument for knowing the absence

Śabdapramāṇa (Communication through words – verbal or written) – You learn

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 7

The knowledge to be acquired (or verified) is whether I am a miserable jivātmā

Śabda pramāṇa(communication through words) remains and it is the appropriate

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 8

It is difficult to understand the Upaniṣadthrough self-study because a peculiar

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 9

vayu driṣtānta ekastathā sarvabhūtāntarātmā and sūrya driṣtānta ekastathā

Upapattiḥ - It is that which is supported by logic. In the name of śraddhā, we

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 10

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 11

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 12

Nididhyāsanam. The central objective of nididhyāsanam is dwelling on the teaching

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 13

should focus on nityatvam (eternal). If relationships are causing problems, focus

The purpose of nididhyāsanam is not mokṣa. Through the teaching, we have

• A jñānī who is also a siddhi

Thus, nididhyāsanamis for solely for assimilation of the teachings by dwelling on

F – reduction in Frequency of unhealthy reactions to situations in life

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 14

Śaṅkarācārya has given a special meaning to the word Upaniṣad:

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 15

The second story is mythological and hence, should be taken symbolic.

The symbolic meaning

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 16

• First chapter begins with śīkṣāṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ – therefore, it is called

Brief Introduction to Śīkṣāvallī

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 17

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 18

ॐ शं नो �मत्रः शं वरुणः I शं नो भवत्वयर्मा I शं न इन्द्रो बह

�मत्रःभवतु–mitraḥ bhavatu - May Mitra be शंनः–śaṁ naḥ - the source of

auspiciousness to us. वरुणः–varuṇaḥ - May Varuṇa (be) शम–् śam - a source of

auspiciousness to us. इन्द्रःबह

नमःब्रह्मणे–namaḥ brahmaṇe - Prostrations to Hiraṇyagarbha. वायो–vāyo - Oh Vāyu!

नमःते–namaḥ te - Prostrations to You. त्वम ्एवअ�स–tvam eva asi - You alone

areप्रत्य�ंब्रह्म–pratyakṣaṁ brahma - the perceptible Brahman. व�दष्या�म–vadiṣyāmi - I

shall declare त्वम ्एव–tvam eva - Yourself प्रत्य�ंब्रह्म–pratyakṣaṁ brahma - to be the

perceptible Brahman. व�दष्या�म–vadiṣyāmi - I shall declare –ऋतम–् r̥ tam - (You to be)

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 19

Seven presiding devatās are invoked here:

Compiled by Sri V. Badrinath Downloaded from arshaavinash.in 20

शं नो भवतु अयर्मा–śaṁ no bhavatu aryamā - Aryamā is Sūrya devata, who presides

�वष्णुः उरुक्रमः–Viṣṇuḥurukramaḥ– is the Lord of the feet (pādayoḥ viṣṇuḥ). He gives

प्रत्य�ं ब्रह्मा�स–pratyakṣaṁ brahmāsi - In the form of total mind, Hiraṇyagarbha is