Saturday, October 6, 2007

The Bliss of Brahman - Evolution to Total Belonging

All beings are parts of the universe. But they do not feel this relationship with sufficient intensity always. Very frequently they dissociate themselves from this relationship and accentuate their personal identities.

The anxieties, regrets and resistance associated with the maintenance of a separate identity works against the perfect union of virile objects with the essence of the universe. That leads to alienation and the miseries associated with separation. When these inhibitions are properly taken care of the intensity of the relationship leaps up many folds with each step of improvement. Harmonious relationship with the universe as a whole is the recipe for lasting happiness. When this relationship is perfectly established one experiences the bliss of Brahman. Taittiriya Upanishad examines the relationship of a specific empirical entity with the universal principle to discover the steps that lead to total belonging, when it experiences the bliss of Brahman.

Asanneva sa bhavati asad brahmeti veda chet
Asti brahmeti chet vedah santam enam tato viduriti
Tasyai ya eva shareera atmaa yah poorvasya
Athato anuprashnah
Uta avidvaan amum lokam pretya kashchana gachchati
Aaho vidvaanamum lokam pretya kashchil samashnutaa u

Everything is a manifestation of Brahman. But the experience of this relationship depends on whether one acknowledges the principle of Brahman or not in his mind. If one does not acknowledge the existence of Brahman Brahman does not exist for him. If one acknowledges the existence of Brahman Brahman exists for him. Only those who acknowledge the existence of Brahman can conceive the form of bliss of Brahman as the inner spirit of the form of spontaneous cognition. Two questions arise from this observation. Where does one who does not know Brahman while living goes when he leaves this world? Does the one who has realized Brahman go anywhere at all leaving this world?

Searching for the answer to these questions Taittiriya Upanishad examines the modality of the devolution of the universal principle into the myriad empirical details that together forms the manifested universe. When an empirical object wants to experience the universal principle it must be prepared to traverse back in this path of devolution by evolving itself. The identity the object develops in the course of this evolution determines its ability to experience Brahman, the essence of the universe.

Sa akaamayata bahusyaam prajaayeyeti
Sa tapo atapyata idam sarvam asrujat
Yadidam kincha tat srushtva tadevaanupravishat
Tadanupravishya sat cha asat abhavat
Niruktam cha aniruktam cha nilayanam cha anilayanum cha
Vijnaanam cha avijnaanam cha satyam cha anrutam cha
Satyam abhavat yadidam kimcha tatsatyamiti aachakshate


The bliss of Brahman is the primordial source of virility. Brahman spontaneously desires to express itself in many forms. This spontaneous desire is beyond the time domain and the field of causation thriving in that domain. Perceiving from the time domain it was, is and will be always there. All the things in the manifested universe evolve from the inner fire propitiated by this desire. The principle of Brahman resides in all the created beings as an integral part. By entering these beings the abstract principle of Brahman gets tainted with conditionality. Depending on the attitude of the being it became substantial or unsubstantial...conceivable or inconceivable…established or not established…specific knowledge or the lack of it…truth or untruth. Reality in the domain of the manifested universe is a composite of all dualities. These dualities in the domain of manifested universe evolved from the abstract principle of Brahman. Here all these appear as real.

Asad vaa idamagra aseet tato vai sad ajaayata
Tad aatmaanam svayam kuruta tasmaat tat sukrutam uchyate iti
Yad vai tat sukrutam raso vai sah rasam hi eva ayam labdhaa aanandee bhavati
Ko hyevaanyaat kah praanyaat yadesha aakasha aanando na syaat
Esha hyevaanandayaati


To begin with there was no substance. Everything starts from the primordial emptiness of non-being. From this principle of emptiness the principle of substantiality was born. Substantiality became the inner spirit of beings. This inner spirit is the spontaneous manifestation of the abstract principle of Brahman. This spontaneous manifestation is the juice that makes the form of the bliss of Brahman possible. It is the essence of all enjoyments. This juice pervading the ether of emptiness keeps persuading all beings to perform their functions.

Yadaahyevaisha etasmin adrushye anaatmye
Anirukte anilayane abhayam pratishthanam vindate
Atha sa abhayagato bhavati
Yadaahyevaisha etasmin daramantaram kurute
Atha tasya bhayam bhavai
Tatvesha bhayam vidusho amanvaanasya
Tadapyesha sloko bhavati


Knowing is being when knowledge is perfectly internalized. Knowing is imperfect and is separated from being when one assigns to oneself an identity that alienates one from the inner spirit. When a being establish oneself in the form of bliss, which is subtle, primordial, undifferentiated, not captivated and capable of providing shelter from all fears, it anchors itself in Brahman. But when it deviates from this identification it becomes a victim of fear and apprehensions. Merely having the knowledge of Brahman at the level of the intellect is not sufficient. The knowledge should be internalized to connect one’s heart to the inner sovereign substance. Learned persons who have not managed to connect their knowledge to their inner space by meditation are still prone to fears and doubts that inhibit the effective application of their knowledge. The presence of this inhibition is a negative indication of Brahman.

Bhisha asmad vatah pavate bhishodeti suryah
Bhishaasmaadagnishcha indreshcha
Mrutyurdhavati panchama iti

The sovereign inner substance that makes the form of the bliss of Brahman possible governs everything in the manifested universe. The winds of vitality blow in accordance with its will. All sources of energy, fires of passion and ideals that provide the foci for the application of energy follow its wishes. The five categories of objects that constitute the manifested universe play their roles in accordance with its wishes. All functions of time operate by its wishes.

Saisha aanandasya meemaamsa bhavati
Yuvaasyaatsaadhuyuva aadhaayakah aashishtho drathistho balishthah
Tasyeyam pruthvi sarva vittasyapoomasyaat
Sa eko maanusha aananda


All quests are the search for the bliss of Brahman. Joy is a manifestation of the bliss of Brahman. In the pursuit of the bliss of Brahman one has to climb several steps. At each step he has attained certain capacity to experience joy. As he climbs higher and higher his capacity for enjoyment keeps increasing manifold. Ultimately, when he attunes himself to the principle of Brahman, he is led to the peak of the bliss of Brahman. To explain the various steps the capacity of a disciplined, strong and resolute worldly man to experience joy is taken as the fundamental measure. The world with all its treasures is at the command of such a man.

Te ye shatam maanusha aanandah sa eko manushyagandharvaanam anandah
Shroutriyasy chaakaamahatasya


When this man fine tune his sensibilities to develop artistic perception his capacity for experiencing joy, when he is engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, is hundred times the joy experienced by a worldly man. Adherence to the pursuit of knowledge and remaining detached from worldly desires is essential at all steps. Whatever be the identity one has managed to evolve into, complacency and avarice will compromise one’s ability to experience joy.

Te ye shatam manushyagandharvaanaam aanandah sa eko devagandharvaanaam aanandah
Shrotriyasya chaakaamahatasya


An idol is the personification of an ideal. When the artistically evolved man identifies himself as an idol the joy experienced by him, when he is engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, grows hundredfold.

Te ye shatam devagandharvaanaam aanandah sa eka pitrunaam chiralokaanaamaanandah
Shrotriyasya chaakaamahatasya


The idol becomes a legend when he gets entrenched and perpetuated in the memories of others. The joy experience by such a legend, when he is engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, is hundred times the bliss experienced by an idol.

Te ye shatam pitrunaam chiralokaanaamaanandah sa eka aajaana jaanaam devaanaam aanandah
Shrotriyasya chaakaamahatasya


A legend evolves into ideals that transcend the time domain. Such ideals are not touched by the comings and goings in this world. They are timeless and not affected by the events here. The bliss experienced by a man when identified with an ideal that transcends time, when engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, is hundred times the bliss experienced by a legend.

Te ye shatam aajaanajaanaam devaanaam aanandah sa eka kamadevaanaam devaanaam aanandah
Shrotriyasya chaakaamahatasya


An idealist is like a volcano that can ignite the fires of passion in others, to move them into action that contributes to universal welfare. The bliss experienced by an active idealist, when engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, is hundred times the bliss experienced by a true but passive idealist.

Te ye shatam devaanaam anandam sa eko indrasya aanandah
Shrotriyasya chaakaamahatasya


By propitiation of the fires of all passions in projects that contribute to universal welfare one becomes Indra, the master of all ideals. The bliss experience by a master of ideals, when engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, is hundred times the bliss experienced by an active idealist.

Te ye shatam indrasya aanandah sa eko bruhaspateraanandah
Shrotriyasya chaakaamahatasya


The ideals can be perceived and communicated only by one who has a broad vision. He is Bruhaspati, the preceptor of all ideals. The bliss experience by a visionary, when engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, is hundred times the bliss experiences by a master of ideals.

Te ye shatam bruhaspateraanandah sa eka prajaapater aanandah
Shrotriyasya chaakaamahatasya


Visions emanate from the ability to transact with integrity in the states of wakefulness, dreams and deep slumber. All transactions give rise to products in their wake. These products are to be nurtured and governed for the development of visions. The bliss experienced by one who responsibly governs all the products that emanated from him, when engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, is hundred times the bliss experienced by a visionary.

Te ye shatam prajaapater aanandah sa eko brahmanah aanandah
Shrotriyasya chaakamahatasya


Absolute command over the three states of wakefulness, dreams and deep slumber can be attained only when one is in touch with the fourth state, which is none other than the Brahman. One who has attained absolute command over the three states is established in Brahman. The joy experience by such a person, when engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and is not tainted by desires, is hundred times the bliss experienced by the one who responsibly takes care of the emanations from him.

This is a description of the steps to be climbed to reach the final goal of the realization of Brahman.

In any system the degree of belonging of a virile object to its universe depends on the step in the ladder of evolution with which it identifies itself. One who has not realized Brahman engages himself with the universe in a manner depending on the progress he has made in the evolutionary path. Now the question of what happens to one has realized Brahman is being addressed.

Sa yashchaayam purushe yashchvaasavaaditye
Sa ekah say a evam vit
Asmaallokat pretya etam annamayamaatmaanam upasmakramanti
Etam praanamayaatmaanam upasamkramanti
Etam manomayamaatmaanam upasamkramanti
Etam vijnaanamayamaatmaanam upasamkramanti
Etam aanandamayamaatmaanam upasamkramanti
Tadapyesha sloko bhavati


Everything is an expression of Brahman, the essence of the universe. We are but only tools in the hands of Brahman. The false identification that one’s ego is the doer is the cause of all dualities. When one imagines that he is the doer he finds that he is surrounded by many other egos which are contending with him. Everything now becomes a challenge and a source of anxiety. The steps detailed above lead one from the false identification with ego to the total identification with Brahman. When one attains the identification with Brahman he realizes that the source that energizes the cosmos is also manifesting through his virility. Then he transcends all dualities. All separations vanish and spontaneously knows all that is there to be known. He is freed from the bondages of this world. He transcends the forms of nourishment, vitality, mind and knowledge to reach the form constituted of the bliss of Brahman. He experience the universe through the bliss of Brahman.

Yato vacho nivartante aprapya manasaa saha
Aanandam brahmano vidvaan na bibheti kadaachaneti
Etam ha vaava na tapati kimaham sadhu naakaravam
Kimaham paapamakaravaamiti
Sa ya evam vidvaaneti aatmaanam sprunoti
Ubh hyovaisha ete aatmaanam sprunute
Ya evam veda ityupanishad


The bliss of Brahman is beyond the domains that can be reached by the mind. All words formed by mind rebounds from the boundary of the domain of the bliss of Brahman, unable to penetrate it. For knowing the bliss of Brahman one should transcend the mind and all the faculties governed by mind. When one achieves this transcendence he is freed from all fears and anxieties. Fears and anxieties can be there only in the domains where dualities are present. Where there are no dualities there is nothing that is separate from oneself and there can not be any fear or anxiety. He never regrets thinking ‘why did I not do good deeds’ or ‘why did I spend time doing bad deeds’. He is able to accept himself as he is. When he knows the bliss of Brahman he is touched by the inner spirit. By transcending the dualities he identifies himself with the inner spirit. That is the purport of all Vedas. That is the theme of all knowledge that leads one to the intimacy with Brahman.

Having explored the evolution from worldly existence to the realization of Brahman the second chapter of Taittiriya Upanishad concludes with the prayer:

"Om
Sahanaavavatu
Sahanou bhunaktu
Saha veeryam karavavahe
Tejasvinaavadheetamastu
Maa vidvishaamahe"

3 comments:

vickramthevar said...

wow, profound. im amazed.

vickramthevar said...

really nice commentary on the Upanishads. keep posting more :)

Anonymous said...

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