Bhrugu's Realization of Brahman

Om
Ssahanaavavatu
Sahanaubhunaktu
Sahaveeryam karavavahai
Tejasvinaavadheetamastu
Maa vidvishaavahe
Shantih shantih shantih

The third chapter of Taittiriya Upanishad commences with the same prayer of the teacher and student as the one with which the second chapter ended. The second chapter dealt with the organized manifestation of Brahman and the evolution to total belonging pursuing the bliss of Brahman. If Brahman is a sanatana principle it is not something that is to be experienced in the future, or something that exists in the memories of past. It has to be a lively experience here and now. It has to be an expression of the timeless present moment. This theme is dealt through the transactions between Bhrugu and Varuna.

Bhrugurvai vaarunih varunam pitaramupasasaara
Adheehi bhagao brahmeti tasmaa etatprovavacha
Annam praanam chakshuh shtrotram mano vaachamiti
Tam hovaacha
Yato vaa imaani bhootaani jaayante yena jaytaani jeevanti
Yat prayatyabhisamvishanti
Tadvijnaasva tadbrahmeti
Sa tapo atapyata sa tapastaptvaa

Varuna is the presiding deity of sensibilities. The pristine purity of universal principles gets affected by the toxicity of empirical applications. The open sky gets tainted when it is imprisoned in a closed room. The sense organs are intoxicated by their contact with the objects of the universe. In this process of attachment both the seer as well as the object seen loses their character to some extent and melts to fuse together. When the melting is total the seer finds himself in an ocean of sensibilities. Varuna is the overlord of this intoxication, this ocean of sensibilities. Bhrugu is the son of Varuna. Bhrugu epitomizes the crackling sound of the fire of sensations experienced by a virile being in the manifested universe. The sensations are there because of the sensibilities. Sensibility is the cause and sensation is the effect. While remaining in the manifested universe Brahman is to be realized by a virile being by the processing of the sensations intelligently.

Bhrugu approach his father Varuna and requests him: ‘Get me established in the effulgence of Brahman.’ Varuna starts with the statement that nourishment, vitality, the faculty for enlightenment, the faculty for receiving the messages from the environment, mind and speech are the tangible manifestations of Brahman. They provide the equipment for the processing of inputs. The awareness of Brahman is necessary to tune the processing for remaining established in Brahman. The introspection of the sensations to find their roots takes them to the ocean of sensibilities. In response to the query of Bhrugu Varuna tells that Brahman is that from which all beings are born, by which all beings continue to be and that by which all beings gets consummated. And all beings keep moving towards Brahman. Initiated thus, Bhrugu strived intensely for the intimate knowledge of Brahman. He pursued it through austerities.

Annam brahmeti vyajanaat
Annaadhyeva khalvamaani bhootani jaayante
Annena jaataani jeevanti
Annam prayantyabhisamvishanti
Tad vijnaaya punareva varunam pitaramupasasaara
Adheehi bhagao brahmeti
Tam hovacha
Tapasaa brahma vijnaasasva
Tapo brahmeti
Sa tapo atapyata sa tapastaptvaa

Bhrugu started with the form of nourishment. He recognized that all beings are born from nourishment, live by imbibing nourishment and eventually become nourishment for others. And all beings keep moving towards nourishment. So by applying the norm suggested by his mentor nourishment is a manifestation of Brahman. But Bhrugu is not satisfied that this form represents Brahman completely. So he goes back to Varuna with his quest again. Varuna tells him that Brahman is to be known through the kinetics of the form of nourishment. The potential that cause agitations is verily Brahman. Persuaded thus, Bhrugu strives intensely for the intimate knowledge of Brahman. He pursues it through austerities imposed on the form of nourishment to agitate it.

Prano brahmeti vyajanaat
Pranaadhyeva khalvamaani bhootaani jaayante
Praanena jaataani jeevanti
Praanam prayantyabhisamvishanti
Tad vijnaaya punareva varunam pitaramupasasaara
Adheehi bhagao brahmeti
Tam hovacha
Tapasya brahma vijijnaasva
Tapo brahmeti
Sa tapo atapyata sa tapastaptva

What is the potential that agitates the form of nourishment? Reflecting on this question Bhrugu found that vitality causes the agitations in the form of nourishment. Bhrugu now concentrated on the more subtle form of vital forces. He recognized that all beings are born from the currents of vitality, live by imbibing the currents of vitality and gets consummated by the currents of vitality. And all beings keep moving in pursuit of vitality. So vitality is a manifestation of Brahman. But Bhrugu is not satisfied that this form represents Brahman completely. So he goes back to Varuna with his quest again. Varuna tells him to discover Brahman through the kinetics of the form of vitality. The potential that cause agitation is verily Brahman. Persuaded thus, Bhrugu strive intensely for the intimate knowledge of Brahman. He pursues it through austerities imposed on the form of vitality to agitate it.

Mano brahmeti vyajanaat
Manasohyeva khalvamaani bhootaani jaayante
Manasaa jaataani jeevanti
Manah prayantyabhisamvishanti
Tad vijnaaya punareva varunam pitaramupasasaara
Adheehi bhagao brahmeti
Tam hovacha
Tapasya brahma vijijnaasva
Tapo brahmeti
Sa tapo atapyata sa tapastaptva

What is the potential that agitates the form of vitality? He found that mind causes agitations in the form of vitality. Bhrugu now concentrated on the more subtle form of mind. He recognized that all beings are born from the transactions of mind, live by the mind and gets consummated by the transactions of mind. And all beings move in pursuit of mind. So mind is a manifestation of Brahman. But Bhrugu is not satisfied that this form represents Brahman completely. So he goes back to Varuna with his quest again. Varuna tells him to discover Brahman through the kinetics of the form of mind. The potential that causes agitation is verily Brahman. Persuaded thus, Bhrugu strives intensely for the intimate knowledge of Brahman. He pursues it through austerities imposed on the form of mind stuff to agitate it.

Vijnaanam brahmeti vyajanaat
Vijnaanaadhyeva khalvamaani bhootani jaayante
Vijnaanena jaataani jeevanti
Vijnaanam prayantyabhisamvishanti
Tad vijnaaya
Punareva varunam pitaramupasasaara
Adheehi bhagao brahmeti
Tam hovaacha
Tapasaa brahma vijnaasasva
Tapo brahmeti
Sa tapo atapyata sa tapastaptvaa

What is the potential that agitates the form of mind? Bhrugu found that awareness causes the agitations in the form of mind. Bhrugu now concentrated on the more subtle form of awareness. He recognized that all beings are born from the play of awareness, are sustained by awareness and gets consummated by awareness. And all beings move in pusuit of awareness. So awareness is a manifestation of Brahman. But Bhrugu is not satisfied that this form represents Brahman completely. So he goes back to Varuna with his quest again. Varuna tells him to discover Brahman through the kintetics of the form of awareness. The potential that causes agitation is verily Brahman. Persuaded thus, Bhrugu strives intensely for the intimate knowledge of Brahman. He pursues it through austerities imposed on the form of awareness to agitate it.

Aanando brahmeti vyajanaat
Aanandadhyeva khalvamaani bhootaani jaayante
Aanandena jaataani jeevanti
Aanandam prayantyabhisamvishanti
Saisha bhargavee vaarunee vidya
Parame vyoman pratishthitaa
Sa ya evam veda pratitishthati
Annavaanannaado bhavati
Mahaan bhavati prajayaa pashubhirbrahmavarchasena
Mahaan keertyaa

What is the potential that agitates the form of awareness? Bhrugu found that the blissful feeling of happiness causes the agitations in the form of awarenss. Bhrugu now concentrated on the subtle form of bliss. He recognized that all beings are born from bliss, are sustained by bliss and are consummated by bliss. And they keep moving in pursuit of bliss.

That was the end of the search for Bhrugu. Bhrugu found that in the manifested universe there is nothing beyond the bliss of Brahman. There is nothing in the manifested universe that can cause a ripple in the form of the bliss of brahman. This bliss of Brahman becomes known by the transactions between the sensations and the sensibilities in the transcendental inner space within oneself. When one knows the bliss of Brahman, and gets established in the knowledge, he will not starve for inputs at any plane of his existence. And he will be able to digest all inputs in a wholesome manner that leads him to the realization of Brahman. He expands his sphere of influence through the products and processes that emanate from him. He becomes well-known because of the enhancement of his relevance.