3.1.3(xiii) maa(never) gRidhaH (covet) kasysvit (anybody's) dhanam (wealth)- never covet anybody's wealth.
We are told to live our lives while being aware of and acknowledging the regulations of Consciousness, by whom everyone is dwelling (vaasyam), while enjoying one's identity. Thus we are told not to covet others' wealth, not to encroach into others' domain.
3.1.3 (xiv) dhanam (dhana)----wealth.
praaNa or ana is holding us. So, a receptacle is called 'dhaana' i.e. dha (holding)+ana (praaNa) ---praaNa or Consciousness is holding praaNa fragmented in many forms, which we perceive as the universe.
The word dhanam meaning wealth in the verse, is related to the word dhaana (receptacle), which implies praaNa as our site of habitation or shelter. Thus, whatever is supporting our living and existence is praaNa as dhana, or wealth.
This universe, the air, the water, the senses, the organs, the existence, the desires of the heart, the divinity----- everything is a wealth.
3.2 Verse-2.
kurvanneha karmaaNi jijiiviShechChtaM samaaH|
evaM tvayai naanyatheto'sti na karma lipyate nare||
3.2.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
kurvan (by doing) iha (here, in the state you are existing) karmaaNi (the work, deeds) jijiiviShet (should long to live) shataM (hundred) samaaH (years)
evaM (indeed) tvayai (in you /on you) na (no) anyathaa (other way/different way) itaH (from this) asti (exists) [that] na (no) karma (karma/ action> effect of an action) lipyate (smear) nare (man/person)
3.2.2 Consolidated meaning.
By doing here the work (by performing the duties), (you) should long to live a hundred years.
Indeed, in you (for you), no other way other than this exists, so that no karma (the effect of karma or an action) smears a person (smears you).
3.2.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
3.2.3(i) karma (karma)----the animated universe.
karma (also karmma) means 'an activity', 'work', or 'performance'. We are always active by the regulations of Consciousness. When Consciousness, first becomes active, or 'ana' or animated, Consciousness is called praaNa. 'pra' in the word praaNa means prathama, or the first, primary, prime. Everyone is animated by praaNa, and as praaNa is self-manifesting and the initiator of every event, praaNa is called agni or praaNa-agni. The general meaning of agni is fire. agni means who inaugurates every event, who will be there before anything. agni = ag (agra---in front) + ni/nii (nayati----leads)----who leads.
Consciousness, who is praaNa or agni, leads everyone, every event. The warmth of this divine fire called agni or praaNa-agni has kept us alive.
Thus, however inert an entity might be, there is ana or praaNa in it. There has to be animation within it --- animation that announces the presence of praaNa, or Consciousness who exists in the form of that entity. This is why, in the Upanishad, pRithiivi, or the earth, i.e., the physical form of Consciousness, is frequently described in association with agni or the divine fire, or they are considered a pair (refer to verse 1.3.7, and verse 1.6.1 of the Chandogya Upanishad).
In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is mentioned that the earth (pRithiivi) is the body of vaak, and her luminous form is agni. (Refer to verse 1.5.11 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.) vaak means the faculty of Consciousness by which Consciousness multiplies to become many out of Oneness. Thus, every form of Consciousness is a word or vaakya of Consciousness. Thus, every physical formation is a word (vaakya) of Consciousness and is the body of praaNa, or agni.
3.2.3(ii) karma (karma)---the work system that makes the evolution faster.
In the Upanishad, it is stated that every entity in the universe is desiring. The way it desires, it determines. The way it determines, it acts. The way it acts, it is accordingly transformed. This is how the effect of the action is generated and transformation happens. This is quoted in verse 4.4.5 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, and following is an extract from the verse: kaamamaya (desiring) eva (indeed) ayam (this) puruSha (entity); sa (it) yathaa (the way) kaamo (desirous) bhavati (becomes) tad (that; in that way; accordingly) kratuH (determined) bhavati (becomes), yad (whatever; whatever way) kratuH (determined) bhavati (becomes) tad (that; in that way) karma (action) kurute (performs), yad (whatever; whatever way) karma (action) kurute (performs) tad (that; as per that) abhisampadyate (achieves) ------"This entity is desiring; the way it becomes desirous, accordingly it determines; whatever it determines, in that way, it performs the action; whatever way it performs the action, accordingly it achieves." In consciousness, whatever one achieves, one becomes that or is modified accordingly, and this happens in Consciousness where we are active.
In the holy book of Gita (giitaa), Lord Krishna has mentioned three types of activities that one should understand, namely (i) karmma (karma), (ii) vikarmma (vikarma), and (iii) akarmma (akarma). (Refer to verse 4.17 of Gita.) The work or the functions that directly propel one toward the aatmaj~naana (self-knowledge), or toward knowing the eternal soul, is generally known as karma (karmma).
The alphabet 'a' in the Sanskrit language indicates 'less' (alpa). So, akarma = a (insufficient) karma, or the karma that is done without much sincerity or eagerness, karma that is done for a while or infrequently. The results of such performance are not so significant compared to the results of karma.
vikarma means an act that is identified as forbidden by the seers (RiShi). 'vi' means 'without'. So, vikarma (without karma) takes one away from the route to self-knowledge.
3.2.3(iii)Etymology of the word karmma/karma.
karma = k+Ri +a+ ma. ka is the first consonant of the Sanskrit alphabet system. The vowel Ri means 'motion', 'to move in a self-praising manner'. Thus the word archa (Ri+a+cha) means 'to praise'. (In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is mentioned, that the creator (Soul) at the time of creation, at the time when there was nobody else but the Soul, started moving while singing self-praising hymns ------sa (he) archann (by singing hymns) acharat (moved)! (Refer to verse 1.2.1 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.) The word 'arch' (to praise) is the expansion of the word Rich and is also the origin of the word 'archi' meaning the sparks of the fire or the scattered flakes of Consciousness. ( As the creator moved like that, the arch, the arc of the universe was created.)
Work, time, or karma was created when Consciousness started moving in the beginning. This karma originated from the kaama (desire) of Consciousness. The duality was created from the desire, or kaama. The One became many and still remained One. The duality is the character of the personality of Consciousness, whose name is Death, or the deity of death. (Refer to Chapter 1, Part /Brahmin 2 of Brihadarnyaka Upanishad.) divitiiyat (from the sense of duality) vai (indeed) bhayam (fear) bhavati (originates) ---fear indeed originates from the sense of duality (quoted from verse 1.4.2 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad).
In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is stated that the creation is from the work of the deity of death, who became tired as he toiled. (Refer to Chapter 1, Part /Brahmin 2 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)Sanskrit consonants, starting from the first consonant ka and ending in the twenty-fifth consonant ma, are said to be the alphabets (varNa) of touch (sparsha). These consonants are produced when the tongue touches various parts of the mouth or when the lips touch each other. These alphabets are said to be parts of mRityu, the deity of death. (Refer to the Chandogya Upanishad, verse 2.22.3.) Death is inherently duality, splitting and apparent separation from the eternal soul, as if the created entities are separated, as if they are isolated and touch (sparsha) can happen only when the duality exists.
Now, first is the sound, the elemental forms of expressions of Consciousness. As Consciousness never decays while creating everything out of Consciousness, Consciousness is called akShara. akShara = a (without) kShara (decay). So, the first expressions of Consciousness, the elemental sound or the alphabet forms of Consciousness, are also called akShara in Sanskrit. Then 'touch' manifested. Subsequently, vision, taste, and smell were created.
The alphabets are also called varNa. varNa is from the root verb vRi meaning 'to embrace', 'to select'. These alphabets are also called varNa maatrikaa (mother). They are the mothers because they combine together to create the perceptible universe. To us, the alphabets themselves do not carry much meaning, but in combination, they create a meaningful, defined perception. Like, each of the alphabets ja and la does not create any meaning in our mind when heard, but when combined together as jala, it means 'water'. Thus, Consciousness as the building blocks or components of everything is called varNa maatrikaa, and we see reflections of such features in the language systems. Everything is a word of Consciousness, is a defined form of Knowledge. Everything has characteristic colours or a spectrum, that bear its identity in Consciousness.
Thus, the universe is made of the combination of Conscious elements, or the alphabet-mothers. So, the activities, or motions (Ri) of Consciousness that emerge as the unions of several consonants starting from ka to ma is called karma (ka+Ri+a+ma), and that is the creation or the work.This universe and we are the work of Consciousness. Consciousness does work by knowing; activities or the work by Consciousness means, Consciousness is knowing Consciousness by Consciousness. Thus we are also conscious and 'knowing' all the time, living in our world made of 'knowledge'. Thus, it is said praj~naanam brahma ---Knowledge (Consciousness) is Brahman (brahman).(Refer to verse 3.1.3 of the Aitareya Upanishad.)
3.2.3 (iv)varaNa (colour) and the castes.
We have talked about varNa in the previous section. varNa also means colour in addition to caste. Like atoms emit characteristic colours, or energy of specific wavelengths, when heated, similarly every entity or a being has characteristic colours or varNa, that represent its true nature.
Every feeling generated within, every sensation created in us, is identified with specific colours. The kind of activities that we do out of our desires (kaama), along with our nature (prakRiti) and instincts (saMskaara), and our inclinations (dik), and due to that we go through the typical perceptions and feelings within. Based on the involvement with the activities, based on the duration and frequency of involvement, certain colours become the dominant internal hue (varNa) of an individual.
3.2.3(v) Caste (varNa) and Society (samaaja).
Thus, caste is also called varNa or colour, and the caste or the varNa of an individual is determined by the internal colour created out of the involvement of a person, along with the desires or activities. In ancient times, Hindu societies were regulated by the wisdom of the seers, who used to be ministers in the king's court. The societies were classified based on caste (inner colour), and work related to the livelihoods of the people was also accordingly assigned. Due to the regulations and the practices followed, the physical birth of the human beings more or less used to be streamlined and organized with the established classes of castes in the society. The whole system was designed for a faster evolution of all the people belonging to a society toward progress to eternity. Society is called samaaja; samaaja = sama (same /synchronized) + aja (a= without; ja = birth/generation; aja = eternal soul) = synchronized with the eternal soul. Thus, the order of the society was so enforced that it was synchronized with the regulations of the eternal soul, so that the progress of every individual in the society would be fast and smooth toward salvation from the miseries of mortality.
3.2.3(vi) The basis of four castes.
The numeric expression of a number represents its qualitative aspect. The first square of natural numbers is 4. The square of 1 is 1 and does not yield a different number or a duality. So, the first square of the natural numbers is the square of 2 or the number 4. Square means to multiply oneself by oneself. Consciousness, becomes many or different when the Soul or Consciousness multiplies Consciousness, and this is square or varga. Thus, in Chandogya Upanishad, (Third Part of Chapter Four), vaayua or praaNa has been termed as varga (square). vaayu is the name for the deity of air, or, praaNa flowing as life. vaayu is from the root verb vaa meaning to blow, and is also related to the Sanskrit word 've' meaning to weave. Consciousness, as praaNa, or vaayua, is inflating as the expanding universe and has woven a universal mesh by the strings of Oneness to connect everyone to everyone.
Creation is always associated with the formation of species and clans, and this is because Consciousness multiplies Consciousness to create. varga also means 'group', 'clan', or a 'division'. This is why the basic division of caste is four in number.
3.2.3 (vii) na karma lipyate nare----no work (effect of an activity) should smear a person.
It is for this that discretion is necessary to apply to what we crave, what we think, what we do, and how we live. However, it is almost impossible to eliminate all unwanted desires from the heart and to do only things that are just. It is only possible to do this when we start learning or keep ourselves aware that we are nothing but forms of Consciousness and existing in Consciousness, who is carrying us to eternity. Vision, taste, touch, etc., are all forms of Consciousness forming within us. When we get things within, we automatically get control over them.
Whenever we start learning that everything that we know, perceive, feel, sense, and enjoy is within ourselves and is a form or a personality of our Consciousness, who is also our regulator (iishvara), then the dominance of physicality, and external orientation, which is the root cause of our miseries leading us finally to death and compulsory recycles of rebirth and death, starts fading away. So, it is said that one cannot shun away from the call of the time; one has to work and get involved; however, one should do it in a way that one is not anointed by the effects of karma.
So, in the first verse, it is said, " by that (by discerning this), live by renouncing".
3.2.3(viii) jijiiviShet (should long to live) shataM (hundred) samaaH (years)---(you) should long to live a hundred years.
The living that we do is not really a living. We live in uncertainties and hardly know what will be our state in the next moment. As we learn to live seeing our existence in Consciousness, both the past and future start revealing themselves to us. We identify ourselves with the immortal, immutable soul, who is also the soul of the universe, and then our faculties like vision, touch, taste, etc.cross the limits imposed by physicality and mortality.
Hundred is shata in Sanskrit. The alphabet sha implies shakti, or the capability or faculty of Consciousness. The word shakti is from the root verb shak. shak means 'to be able'.
The faculty of Consciousness is Consciousness. shakti, or faculty, means the capability to change. The word shata, or hundred, is that number or index that indicates that one has achieved shakti. The number hundred, or shata, carries a sense of 'fulfillment or completion'. The numbers are qualitative. The numeric representation of a number indicates its qualitative aspects. When someone experiences that the Consciousness or the Soul is unfolding as the one's life and is the life span, then the one lives a hundred years. Such an enlightened person identifies himself/herself with the Soul and gains control over his/her own life and death.
3.3 Verse-3.
asuryaa naama te lokaa andhena tamasaavRitaaH|
taaMste pretyaabhigachChanti ye ke chaatmahano janaaH||
3.3.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
asuryaa (asuurya = a+ suurya= without the sun; suurya= sun) naama (name; is the name) te (those) lokaa (worlds; destinations) andhena (by the blindness) tamasaa (by the darkness) vRitaaH (covered; shrouded).
taan (to them) te (they) pretya (departing) abhi (toward) gachChanti (proceed;go) ye ke cha (whoever) atma (self) hanaH (destroyer) janaaH (persons).
3.3.2 Consolidated meaning.
Those worlds are without the sun (light and warmth) of praaNa (Consciousness), shrouded by the blindness of darkness; whoever are the self-destroyers proceed to those (worlds) after departing (from here).
3.3.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
asuryaa lokaaH means the worlds which are deprived of the shine and warmth of praaNa. There is no (a) sun (suurya) or very less (a) presence of the sun (suurya) in such worlds.
asuryaa = a (without/less)+suH (flow) +yaa (characterized) ---characterized by the less flow of the streams of praaNa, or Consciousness.
So, 'asuryaa naama te lokaa'---the worlds named asuryaa mean the places where the warmth of Consciousness, or praaNa, is less felt, or where the illumination by Consciousness is very less, so they are shrouded by blindness and darkness (andhena tamasaavRitaaH).
There is another implication of the word asuryaa. asuryaa means what is related to asura. The word asura means a(not) sura (deity/divinity). The personalities that oppose divinity are called asura. Thus in the worlds named asurayaa, no shine of the divinity is felt.
The word asura also means those who are dazzled by the external shine of asu or praaNa. ra means ran~jita or illumined. Thus they get attached to what praaNa, or Consciousness, has created and are ignorant of who has created and become the creation. So, this leads to darkness as they remain unaware of the unending, eternal creator and their oneness with the creator.
3.3.3(i) surya or suurya,vaishvaanara agni.
praaNa, or Consciousness, by whom every one, every man, or every person (nara) is animated, is called 'vaishvaanara agni'.
agni = divine fire or praaNa, who animates everyone; vishva = universe, all-pervading; nara = person; vaishvaanara = the one who is within everyone or pervading everyone.
praaNa, who is within us as vaishvaanara agni, is radiating itself as the sun in our external sky. So, this vaishvaanara agni is addressed as surya or suurya (the sun) in verse.
As we live without acknowledging the one who is behind our conscious existence, after the death we experience those worlds or destinations where the darkness dominates.
3.3.3(ii) atma (self) hanaH (destroyer) janaaH (persons)-----the self-destroyers.
Consciousness is originating as praaNa from the Oneness. There is no activity in Oneness, and by praaNa everyone is animated and active.
So, we who remain unaware of the Soul, or praaNa, are the self-destroyers, and we experience this darkness of our ignorance to a degree less or more, for a certain time after our death. But no one remains in the darkness forever, as everything has to move by the regulation. (Refer to verse 1 above in Section 3.1.) The nature of Consciousness, or praaNa, is to flow and take everyone along. Thus we are taken to different destinations and phases, as a part of our rebirth-death cycles and evolution, by the regulations of Consciousness. However, those who perform the utmost cruelties, heinous crimes, do spend a long time in those destinations where blindness prevails and darkness shrouds everything.
3.3.3(iii) andhena (by the blindness) tamasaa (by the darkness) vRitaaH (covered; shrouded)----shrouded by the blindness of darkness.
andha
andhena means 'by andha' or by blindness. The usual meaning of the word andha is 'blind'.Though this word carries other meanings too; however, we will now not talk about the other meanings. The alphabet 'dha' in the word andha implies 'holding'. The verb 'dhaa' means 'to hold', 'to place'. So, andha means when 'ana' or 'praaNa' is held in a particular state. If we know that we are being held by praaNa, we no longer live in blindness. However, if we do not know the one who is holding us, it leads us to blindness.
tamasa,tama.
tamasaa means 'by tamasa', or by the darkness. tamasa means 'darkness'. The word tamasa is related to the word tama. The word tama which also means darkness, is used as a suffix to a word to express the 'ultimate state', i.e., when tama is added, the word becomes an adjective in superlative degree. Like kaThora means 'hard', and kaThora-tama means 'hardest'. So, when Consciousness makes anything tama, then that thing dominates over everything else. This is why, tama means when nothing else can be perceived or seen. Thus, tama means darkness.
The Sanskrit word mas means 'to measure', and masi (also maShi) means 'lamp black'. Thus the word tamasa means ta or tad (that) has measured (mas) or 'that has become measurable'. When Consciousness becomes 'measurable', then physicality is created, and this physicality shrouds the unlimited aspect of self-revealing Consciousness. This is also darkness, or tamasa.
3.4 Verse-4.
anejadekaM manaso javiiyo nainaddevaa aapnuvanpuurvamarShat|
taddhaavato'nyaananyeti tiShThattasminnapo maatarishvaa dadhaati||
3.4.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.anejat (without vibration, without motion) ekaM (one) manasaH (than mind) javiiyaH (swifter) na (not) enat (this/ this one) devaaH (the deities) aapnuvan (acquire/obtain) puurvam (placed in front, preeceding) arShat (flowing/moving).
tad (that) dhaavataH (running/in motion) anyaan (others) ati eti (surpasses) tiShaThat (while at rest)
tasmin (in it) aapaH (the divine water/ ap) maatarishvaa (maatarishvan---the deity of air) dadhaati (holds).
3.4.2 Consolidated meaning.
Motionless, one (and no one else but One), swifter than the mind, the deities cannot reach this one who precedes while flowing. That (this one), while at rest, surpasses all others moving. In it (in its motionless still form), maatrarishvan (the deity of air) holds the divine water.
3.4.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
3.4.3(i) anejat (without vibration, without motion) ekaM (one) manasaH (than mind) javiiyaH (swifter) na (not) enat (this/ this one) devaaH (the deities) aapnuvan (acquire/obtain) puurvam (placed in front, preceding) arShat (flowing/moving)-----Motionless, one (and no one else but One), swifter than the mind, the deities cannot reach this one who precedes while flowing.
anejat ---this word is derived from the root verb ej, meaning 'to vibrate', 'to move', etc. anejat means not moving, still. After the word 'anejat', the next word is 'ekam' or 'one'. If it is one and no duality exists, then there cannot be any movement or motion. Vibration, or ejana, is the initial stage of the motion; as long as it is vibration, the motion is still 'within'.
This ejana, or vibration, is the state of Consciousness, called tejas, or teja. teja means tad ejati ----that is vibrating. This teja is an attribute of vaak. tejas also means 'radiance, vigour'. teja (vaak) is Consciousness impregnated with the seed of what it would be as it manifests. As the radiant Consciousness further proceeds toward creation from Oneness, from tejas (vaak/radiance), ap (praaNa/water) is created. In praaNa, the duality is created, but it still remains attached to praaNa, or Consciousness. It is moving out as a separate entity but still attached to the source. This is how the thread is created, and vaayu (the deity of air) is known as suutraatmaan, i.e., 'the soul of the threads', or 'the soul as the thread'. Thus in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is mentioned that praaNa, who flows, is one and a half (one along with the second). Half means the dissected One, or the second created from one. One has become different from one, i.e., two is created, but the 'two' is attached to 'one'. So, it is one and a half. (Refer to verse 3.9.9 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.) Further, toward realization or physicalization, praaNa becomes manas (mind). In the mind, the separate identity from Oneness becomes final. The defined, limited formation, isolated entities are created in the mind. So, the motion from one entity to another entity, or the relative motion between two entities, happens in the domain of mind.
So, Consciousness, from whom motion is created, is faster than the mind and always precedes and moves while at rest.
(Refer to the Chandogya Upanishad Sixth Chapter, Fifth Part for the trinity vaak, praaNa, manas.)
3.4.3(ii) na (not) enat (this/ this one) devaaH (the deities) aapnuvan (acquire/obtain) puurvam (placed in front, preceding) arShat (flowing/moving)------the deities cannot reach this one who precedes while flowing. (See the subsections below.)
3.4.3(iii) Deities (devaaH) and Consciousness.
The word devaa means 'deity', and 'devaaH' is the plural of 'devaa'. This word is from the word div, and div means divinity. The root verb div means to reveal, to manifest, to bring about the 'day' (divasa). div is also called dyu-loka or dyu. dyu is related to the word duh, means 'to extract milk', 'to extract soma', 'to extract'. Mother Consciousness is extracting the universe made of Herself, from Herself, and by Herself.
Every entity of the universe is animated and nourished by Herself, by the flow of senses, by sound, touch, vision, taste, and smell. Thus, this flow of senses regulated by Consciousness is also the extraction of 'milk'. The breast is called stana. stana is from the root verb stan, meaning 'to sound'. The verb stan is also related to the verb tan, meaning 'to spread', 'soul spreading'. ('tanaya' means 'son' and 'tanayaa' means 'daughter'). Consciousness spreads in a self-praising (archana) manner, and we have mentioned this while discussing the words archa and archanan in a previous section of this article. Thus, this nourishing milk comes from the self-praising hymns (stu) of ana (praaNa, Consciousness), as Consciousness spreads. [Soul, started moving while singing self-praising hymns------sa (he) archann (by singing hymns) acharat (moved)! (Refer verse 1.2.1 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.) ]
The deities are those beings, who belong to divinity, or div /dyu-loka. They are nearer to the Mother, and so they are inherently self-expressing. We are happy to receive or acquire, but they are happy to express or manifest from their own selves. But no expression or creation happens, and no action of consciousness could take place without the Soul, who is the One in everyone. We have mentioned this while explaining the word j~naana earlier in this article. Consciousness, who is j~na as well as ana, is the base of all activities. ana, or the action cannot happen without j~na, or the Soul. So, when the deities (devaa) move to express or create, they find j~naana, or Consciousness as j~na (still, unmoving, immutable One), and as ana or praaNa (who has animated everyone) has already created it. This means wherever the deities move to reach, they find Consciousness as the origin of everything, who is already present there. As Consciousness leads and remains in front, Consciousness is called agni. agni = ag (agra / front) + ni (nii) (leads)---who leads in front. agni has been addressed as purahita in Rik veda. One of the meanings of the word purahita is puras (in front) + hita (placed)----placed in front.
3.4.3(iv) tasmin (in it) aapaH (the divine water/ ap) maatarishvaa (maatarishvan---the deity of air) dadhaati (holds)----in it maatarishvan---the deity of air holds the divine water.
We have mentioned the vaayu (divine air) aspect of praaNa or Consciousness in the previous section. vaayu is also called maatarishvan. Consciousness while creating is inflating, expanding, as well as preserving, rearing, and developing every entity within Consciousness. This aspect of Consciousness is called maatarishvan. maatari means ' in the mother', and shva (shvan) means 'regulation of time'. shva also implies shvaasa, or the regulation of Consciousness by the action of 'breathing' or 'respiration'. Respiration is called shvaasa. Like we grow in the mother's womb (maatari), so we are growing or evolving within Consciousness and by its regulation (shva). This is the implication of the word maatarishvan.
3.4.3(v) The words maatarishvan, shvan, ashva,shvaasa and shvi. Motion and inflation of Consciousness.
The word maatarishvan is from the words maatari and shvan.
praaNa or kaala is flowing and circulating in us, and we are also going through the flow ---we are aging, changing, and circulating, i.e., going through various cycles of day and night, season, etc., along with praaNa or kaala (time). kaala, or time, is called shva or shvan. A dog is called shvan, because of its nature to obey the master or to be loyal (synchronized) to the regulation enforced by the master (or time). A horse is called ashva because it pulls the passengers sitting in a chariot, like time is pulling us to our final destination; we are being placed in the chariot of time. So, ashva means Consciousness or praaNa, pulling us and driving us. The regulation of Consciousness, or praaNa, is acting in us as our inhalation, or pra-shvaasa, and exhalation, or ni-shvaasa. Respiration is called shvaasa. shvaasa is derived from the words shva +as. 'as' which means 'to throw', to cast', as well as 'to exist'.
So, shvaasa, or respiration, is the regulation of Consciousness, or praaNa, or kaala (time) in us; it is the way Consciousness is regulating, and that's the characteristic of life or animation.
Now, the verb shvi means to swell or inflate. Consciousness is multiplying itself to become many and thus creating the universe, swelling and expanding. In the First Chapter, Second Brahmin (Second Part) of the Brihadararanyaka Upanishad, it is stated that during the creation, the creator inflated its body. We are quoting below from verse 1.2.6 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:
tad (then) praaNeshu (praaNa in various directions/forms) utkraanteShu (as moved away) shariiram (the body) shvayitum (inflating) adhriyata (kept)------then (during the creation), as praaNa moved away in various directions, the body kept inflating;
tasya shariire eva manaH asiit-----mind remained in the body.
" Then, (during the creation) as praaNa moved away in various directions, the body kept inflating; the mind remained in the body." (Quoted from Verse 1.2.6 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)
The word shvayitum in the above verse is from the verb shvi, meaning, 'to swell', 'to inflate'.
Further to the statement 'mind remained in the body', as mentioned in the above verse, another verse in the Brihadarnyaka Upanishad mentioned that ' that mind's body is the divinity, and the illuminated form is that sun; that as much is that mind, that much is the divinity, and that much is that sun'. (Refer verse 1.5.12 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)
In the next verse 1.2.7, again the inflation or expansion has been mentioned, and it is said that the creator thus expanding is called ashva, because the creator expanded or inflated (ashvat). The word ashvat means 'inflated', and it is from the root verb shi, which means 'to inflate'.
Now, as stated before, the word maatarishvan is from the words maatari and shvan. The word maatari means 'in the mother'. It is from the root word maatRi. maatRi means 'the mother' and maatari means 'in the mother'. Mother means who applies measures (maatraa) to us to implement our changes and evolution, our developments. As explained earlier, the word shva or shvan means praaNa/ kaala acting on us as our time or respiration/ shvaasa.
So, Consciousness, as maatarishvan, is the breathing in us, and is regulating us as the time, and administering its measure as the mother for our evolution. Consciousness with us, with the universe, is expanding, or inflating. We are also growing in the mother's womb (maatari) by her regulation (shva).
3.4.3(vi) maatarishvan holding ap in the immutable soul----Divine air and divine water.
So, the verse says, "tasmin (in it) aapaH (the divine water/ ap) maatarishvaa (maatarishvan ---the deity of air) dadhaati (holds) ----in it maatarishvan, the deity of air, holds the divine water".
Divine water is ap. ap is the 'acquirement and consequent 'satisfaction' form of Consciousness. This water can quench any thirst.
We have mentioned above that divinity, or the plane of self-expression, is the body of the 'divine mind (manas)'. Mind is that aspect of Consciousness where Consciousness expresses everything as a defined, isolated word or as a defined, isolated entity.
As the base of the mind (the outer layer), Consciousness exists as praaNa (the middle layer), where all that can be expressed from the mind is held in an amalgamated form, as self-acquirement, as the satisfaction of having all in the self. Anything that is expressed as measurable, as the truth or reality, is already in praaNa, or Consciousness, as its self-acquired form. In mind, or manas, what is expressed will have a 'measure' or 'maana'. When you get or realize something in your mind, the associated feeling of 'getting it' or 'having it' happens in your middle or inner plane, where, in fact, everything is there as a part of the acquirement of praaNa. Here, in physicality, we run around to acquire something, but in praaNa, everything is already achieved within. Here we seek something for fulfillment, but there, if anything is expressed, it is out of fulfillment. This divine water (the Consciousness satisfied of having all) is the body of praaNa and is the immediate interface to the 'mind'. In Hindu mythology, we find viShNu (the deity form of praaNa) lying on the ocean water, and from his nave, brahmaa (the deity form of mind) has sprouted.
Consciousness has acquired Consciousness as the earth, moon, birds, human beings, and all. Everything is an acquirement, and that's why maybe even in English, water is called aqua. It is for this reason that the enlightened one, whose all desires have been fulfilled, is called aapta-kaama, which is a word related to ap. The state of Consciousness having everything in the self or soul, and thus satisfied is called aapti.
This water is the virile fluid that brahmaa or prajaapati sprinkles to create. This water drops down from the rumbling (stanaitnu) clouds to make the earth fertile. This water in its radiant, excited form is called soma. In the earth's atmosphere, we find the air/wind (maatraishvan) is having an essential role in cloud formation and happening of the rain.
Consciousness who is still or motionless, and in Oneness, as maatarishvan holds this water (ap) for the sake of creation and nurturing the universe.
Inclination or tendency of Consciousness is called dik or directions. Thus it is said sarvaaH (all) dishaH (directions) sarve (all) praaNaH (praaNa; streams of -praaNa) ----praaNa in all the forms are all the directions. (Refer to verse 4.2.4 of the Brihadaranyka Upanishad.) When praaNa flows, praaNa is called vaayu, and it flows in a direction, i.e., it flows with a desire; and then it rains. Before the rain, it becomes the cloud, or megha. megha is from the root word mih, meaning 'to sprinkle'. It is not only the rain of water; all events are being rained from praaNa.
3.4.3(vii) varSha and vRiSha.
varSha means a year, or a span of time covering all the seasons, and varSha also means 'rain'. Consciousness, as praaNa or kaala, is raining the events as everyone's moments. Further, varsha means a division, or a span of space too.
praaNa is manifesting as every moment. Consciousness, or praaNa, is knowing itself as many, and from that process of knowing everything, every moment is coming out. In praaNa, or kaala, past, future, and their junction, which is the present, are all the forms of praaNa, or knowledge of Consciousness. The three dimensions of time are held in Consciousness in a single moment and are known sequentially in us. Thus, praaNa is called mahaa-kaala. mahaa means great or mighty. mahaa-kaala is an aspect of shiva, and Lord shiva rides on vRisha; vRiSha means the one who rains (varSha). The universe is raining down from mahaa-kaala.
A bull is also called vRiSha, probably because of its prolific sexuality; a male bull can inseminate several cows in a single day. Its gait is short and heavy with the head low, as if the time has slowed down!
Verse-5.
tadejati tannaijati tadduure tadvantike|
tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvsyaasya baahyataH||
3.5.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
tad (that ) ejati (moves/ vibrates) tad (that ) na (does not) ejati (move/ vibrate) tad (that) duure (far) tad (that) u (but/again/and)) antike (is near).
tad (that is) antar (inside) asya (this) sarvasya (of all) tad (that) u (again) sarvsya (of all) asya (this) baahyataH (outside).
3.5.2 Consolidated meaning
That moves (vibrates), (and) that does not move (does not vibrate). That is far, but that is near.
That is inside of all this, but that is outside of all.
3.5.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
This verse mentions that Consciousness exhibits the opposite properties simultaneously. The absolutely independent, self-expressing (svayam-prakaasha) Consciousness, when manifests in any form or any event, at first a state of neutrality (also known as nirguNa) is formed. nirguNa means 'without any guNa' or 'without any quality'. guNa means quality. This aspect of Consciousness is accordingly called nirguNa-aatman and also asa~Nga-aatman. asa~Nga means not attached.
So, if a vibration or a motion is created, then it means that the state of absence of vibration or absence of motion (or state of rest) simultaneously exists. If a sense of 'inside' is created, then simultaneously the sense of 'outside' will be created. Consciousness can be simultaneously static and dynamic, inside and outside, far and near.
Similarly, whenever Consciousness moves away from itself as a separate entity, i.e., whenever Consciousness creates duality, there is a motion of the created entity away from the Soul (or Oneness of Consciousness), and simultaneously there is a return motion toward the origin or the source of creation.
Thus the following verse is stated in the Upanishad (Kathopanishad verse 1.2.21):
aasiino (while seated) duram (far away) vrajati (wanders) shayaano (while lying down/resting) yaati (extends) sarvatraH (everywhere)`
kastaM (who that) mada-amadam (the one with rapture and beyond rapture) devaM (the deity) madanyo (else but me) j~naatumarhati (qualifies to know) -------While seated, it wanders far away; while lying down, it extends everywhere. Who else but me qualifies to know that deity with rapture and beyond rapture?
3.5.3(i) ejana and age. teja. Trinity----vaak, praaNa, manas---teja, ap, anna.
The word tadejati mentioned in the verse means 'tad (that) ejati (vibrates)'. Scholars have used the meaning of ejati as 'moves', but I think it is more appropriate to consider the meaning as 'vibrates' or 'trembles' which implies the initial stage of any activity in Consciousness. Vibrating or trembling means it is about to move but still in it.
ejana = etasamat (from it) jayate (is born) ana (praaNa)----from it (the soul) is born praaNa. (Refer verse 2.1.3 of the Mundaka Upanishad.)
praaNa is created as the first activity from the still, ever-calm, and who is One and everything else is a form of One. The root verb ' ej ' is probably the origin of the word 'age' and related European words.
Thus the word teja is 'tat ejati'---that is trembling. When Consciousness splits from oneness, for every creation, Consciousness forms a trinity by becoming teja/tejas (vaak), ap (praaNa), and anna (manas). (Refer to Verse 6.5.4 of the Chandogya Upanishad.)
teja or tejas generally means 'radiant energy'. Whatever happens in a complete cycle of time is held in a singularity in teja, or in the seed form.
We have already explained ap.
anna means several forms of praaNa, or ana, as has manifested in mind (manas) of Consciousness and by which we are nourished in the physical or perceptible universe; those forms or personalities exist in the mind of Consciousness.
(The general meaning of anna is food, and notably 'rice'. This means, food in the form of grains, and it implies splitting of praaNa in multiple forms [ana,ana,ana......]`to sustain the universe. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is stated that during creation, the creator decided to make the anna as grains ----kaNiyo annaM kariShya iti ----will make the anna in grains [by splitting]. Refer to verse 1.2.5 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The word 'kaNio' is from the word kaNii, meaning a grain or a particle.)
3.5.3(ii) The words duura (distance) and antika (near).
The word duure in the above verse is from the word duura, meaning 'far'.
The distance is created in Consciousness, and we perceive the distance in our Consciousness, i.e., the distance is created within us. Thus, though it is distance, though it is far away, but it is in me, it is near.
The distance is duura in Sanskrit. This word is from the verb du or dus. du or dus, whenever it is added as a prefix to a word, it converts that word into another word that conveys a sense of difficulty, remoteness, etc. Like, dur-gama means 'a place difficult to be traveled', or duSh-kara means 'something hard to be done'. However, in the Upanishad, the word 'duur' is the name of the deity who is mukhya(principal)--praaNa or eternal praaNa. The deity is called duur, as 'death keeps itself away from the deity'. Here is a quote from verse 1.3.9 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad---- saa vaa esshaa devataa duur-naamoH duuraM hi asyaa mRityu----that this deity is called duur, (because) the death is away from her. (This deity is worshipped as the goddess durgaa.)
The word antike in the verse means 'nearby'. The word anta means 'end'. The alphabet 'ta' placed at the end of a verb, generally indicates ' a completed action', or the 'end of an action. Like, kRi means 'to do', kRita (kRi+ta) means 'done'; prii means 'to please', priita (prii+ta) means 'satisfied', and so on. So, anta means an+ta, i.e., end of the action of an/ana or praaNa. Thus antike means when something is near the end or near the destination.
3.5.3(iii) avantika---- the place of mahaakaala.
It may be noted that the shrine of mahaa-kaala is in a city called ujjayinii in India. Another name of this city is avantikaa. avantikaa means av + antikaa. av means 'to impel'. mahaakaala is impelling us toward the end (antika), which apparently leads to death, but in the context of our evolution through cycles of repeated births and deaths, it is our journey to our eternal form. So, this is the implication of the name avantikaa.
3.5.3(iv) What is 'within', what is 'same', what isolates', what synchronizes'---samana. (Implication of the word 'within' or antara').
The word anatara in verse means 'inside', and this word is related to the words anta, antika, and antike mentioned in the previous paragraphs; when something is too near, when it is inside, then no longer its external identity exists. This is why the word antar-dhyaana implies 'disappearance', i.e., disappearance from outside and presence inside.The word antara, meaning 'inside' or 'within', has another meaning: 'difference or a separation' between two entities'. Such separation is also called 'antara'. The difference between the two entities appears as void or aakaasha. kaash means 'brilliance' or 'shine'. 'aa' means 'spread' or 'pervading'. aakaasha means 'pervading and shining'. The general meaning of the word aakaaasha is 'sky'. Consciousness, who is inside everyone, also keeps the entities separated by its regulation to maintain the individual identity. The same One, whom we call Consciousness, is within all of us, inside us. So, the verse says-----tat (that is) antar (inside) asya (this) sarvasya (of all)----that is inside of all. This same one who is inside all of us is called samana. samana is one of the aspects of praaNa, or Consciousness. In Upanishad, it is said: antaraa yad-aakaashaH sa samaanaH----the sky/void that is inside is samaana. (Quoted from verse 3.8 of the Prashnopanishad.) Here, 'antaraa yad-aakaasha' means that the sky or void (aakaasha), which is within or in-between (antaraa), is samaana.
In the Upanishad, it has been stated that the external sky is the same as the sky that is within us. (See verses 3.12.7, 3.12.8, and 3.12.9 of the Chandogya Upanishad.) It is also stated that "madhye tu samaanaH" -----samaana is located in the middle. (Quoted from verse 3.5 of the Prashnopanishad.) One who is located in the middle also means the one who is the medium, or in the middle of everything, pervading everything.
samaana is an aspect of praaNa, or Consciousness. samaana = sama +ana. sama means 'same', 'even', 'parallel', 'equivalent', 'synchronized', 'balanced, regulated, guided', 'right measure or proportion', 'equanimity', 'symmetry', and this word sama implies all the above mentioned meanings or attributes. These attributes belong to samana.
samaana has implemented all the qualities or attributes in the creation, which are mentioned in the previous paragraph. Further, it is stated that "madhey (in the middle) tu (certainly) samaanam (samaana); eSha hi (certainly it) huutam(offered) annam(foods) samam(evenness) nayati(brings, leads); tasmat(from that/from that action) etaaH(these) sapta(seven) archishaH(rays, flames) bhavati(happen) -----in the middle (within/inside) certainly exists samaana; it (samaana) certainly brings the offered foods in a state of evenness; from that (action) these seven rays are formed (in the inner sky)". (Quoted from verse 3.5 of the Prashnopanishad.) Thus, whatever we eat, that gets even or assimilated by samaana; that becomes the same with us as our faculties, as our mind as our constituents; by samaana, the food is transformed into our nourishment and satisfaction. It is not only with food; it is happening with everything that we are sensing; it is happening in every cycle of our breathing. Thus, it is said : "yat (as) uchChvaasa-niHshvaasou (exhaling and inhaling) etou (these two) aahutii (oblations) samaM (to synchronized condition) nayati (leads to/ brings into) iti (so) sa (it is) samaanaH (samaana)": as it leads the two oblations, i.e., exhaling and inhaling, to a synchronized condition, so it is samaana.(Quoted from verse 4.4 of the Prashnopanishad).
Thus, praaNa, as samaana within us, maintains the evenness, steady state, and integration, as well as acting as the void to isolate every entity from the other, so that the entities can exist with respective identities. Thus, each entity remains external to the other. This is how Consciousness is regulating by creating the internal and external domains.
In all these discussions we need to remember that any action by Consciousness is the process of 'knowing' and any knowing is with heart and with the vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, and Oneness; any knowing is a 'self -propelled-self executed/soul-propelled-soul executed', absolutely spontaneous, springing out of the soul. Our perceptions of self and everything else are part of this act of knowing by our origin.
3.5.3(v) baahya.
The word baahyata in the verse means 'situated outside'. The word baahyata is derived from the word baahya. baahya means 'external' or 'outside'. This word starts with the labial consonant ba, which is pronounced by the two lips. The way this labial consonant ba is pronounced indicates that Consciousness is creating 'external' or flowing outside. The word ha is the last consonant (in Panini's grammatical system) and is a guttural type. It is the expression of annihilation. Thus, ha implies 'void' or 'firmament'. What we perceive as the external sky (baahya-aakaasha) is the state of Consciousness where all dimensions have been killed or annihilated. Everything exists in this 'void' without dimension.
Consciousness, who is va in the inner space, is ba in the outer space. So, the formation of Consciousness in my inner space or in my mind are words called vaakya. The external objects are also formed in the mind of Consciousness. The 'strong and weak forces', and the other fundamental forces about which particle physics talks, are the manifestation of vidhRiti (holding) shakti (capability) of Consciousness as void or aakaasha. Void not only sucks, it holds within. This holding has resulted in the existence of individual entities, and this is why aakaasha is called bahula. (Refer to verse 5.15.1 of the Chandogya Upanishad). bahula means 'numerous', 'many'. As already mentioned during our discussion on the inner sky (sky within us), this void or sky aspect of Consciousness has enabled the separate existence of entities in the universe, and thus we see multiplicity. The two voids (aakaasha) are the same and conscious, and full (purNa). The Upanishad has mentioned this void form of Consciousness as 'purnaM (full, nothing absent) apravartti' (without any cycles of time or activities). (Refer to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 2.1.5.)
3.5.3(vi) The two forms of voids and the three forms of voids.
Upanishads have also mentioned that what we know as the void outside (vahira-aakaasha) is the same as what is experienced as the void inside (antara--aakaahsa).
We quote below the verse 8.1.3 of the Chandogya Upanishad:
Word-word meaning
yaavan vaa (to whatever extent is) ayam aakaashaH (this sky / the external sky) taavan (that much is) eShaH (this) antaH (inside) hridaya (heart) aakaasha (sky)
ubhe (both) asmin (here) dyaavaa (divinity)-pRithivii (earth/physical universe) antareva (within) samaahite (are situated)
ubhau (both) agniH (divine fire that animates everyone) cha (and) vaayu (the divine air that entangles everyone) cha (and/also) suurya (the sun/ the divine personality who controls our external time and vision/sense of existence) cha (and /also) chandramaa (the moon/ the personality of the lunar field who controls our inner-time or our developments and inner senses/feelings) cha (and also) vidyut (the thunder/ the personalty of Consciousness who ruptures physicality to expose divinity) cha (and also) nakkShatraaNi (the personalities of Consciousness where specific forms of mortality are transformed to divinity; nakShatra (star/constellation)----nakSha (approaching near) + tra (rescues)---who rescues (from mortality) by approaching near; kShatra----who relives one from the wounds (of mortality)) - cha (and/ also) yaH cha (whatever) asya (of it) asti (exists) yaH cha (whatever) na (does not) asti (exist) sarvam (all that) tad asmin (in that/ in that sky) samaahitam (duly placed) iti (iti= a statement confirming the conclusion of the previous statements.)
Consolidated translation of verse 8.1.3 of the Chandogya Upanishad.
To whatever extent is this sky (the external sky), that much is the sky inside the heart, here within, both divinity and the earth (physical universe) are situated; both agni (the divine fire that animates everyone, and vaayu (the divine air that entangles everyone), and suurya (the sun/ the divine personality who controls our external time and vision/sense of existence), and chandramaa (the moon/ the personality of the lunar field who controls our inner-time or our evolutions/developments and inner senses/feelings), and vidyut (the thunder/ the personalty of Consciousness who ruptures physicality to expose divinity), and nakkShatraaNi (the personalities of Consciousness where specific forms of mortality are transformed to divinity), and whatever of it (whatever of an entity) exists whatever does not exist, all that are duly placed in that ( sky ).
Similarly, the following is stated in Chapter Twelve of
the Chandogya Upanishad:
" The one who is brahma (the one who is the absolute, eternal) is indeed the same who is the sky (space) external to this entity.
That which is the sky (space) outside is the sky (space) within the entity.
That which is the sky (space) within the entity is the sky (space) within the heart. That this sky (space) is full and motionless (timeless). (Refer to the verses 3.12.7, 3.12.8, and 3.12.9.)
Here the third space (the sky within the heart) that has been mentioned is Consciousness, who is controlling over inner and outer space or inner and outer skies.
3.5.3(vii) The sky embracing us. yajur veda.
What we are perceiving as the external sky is the Consciousness embracing us all around. Since we are not aware, we are thinking that the impulses of sound, touch, vision, etc. are coming from outside into us from an inert universe. But it is Consciousness who is animating us. This connectivity is yajur veda ----yajur= joining; veda =knowing. This means, the conscious actions by which Consciousness has kept us animated and connected all the time are yajur veda.
Our organs, by which we are connected to the universe, are called indriya, and they belong to the yajur veda. This aspect of connectivity is ensured by the form of Consciousness called vaayu, or divine air, also known as the 'universal thread' or suutra-aatman. We have described suutra-aatman earlier in this presentation.
Like everything, this void, or aakaasha, is held in the knowledge of Consciousness and is thus conscious, not inane.
It is said by the seer in the Upanishad that, like the skin binding the body, when a human being knows that he/she is embraced by the sky/void, he/she gets relieved of all the distress. We quote the verse below, and this verse reveals the consequence of the realization of what is touch. Here is a hymn from the Upanishad on the embrace of Consciousness as the sky:
yadaa charmavadaakaashaM veShTayaiShanti maanavaaH
tadaa devamvij~naaya dUHkasyaanto bhaviShyati. (Verse 6.20 of the Shvetasvatara Upanishad.)
Word -word meaning
yadaa (when) charma (skin) vad (like) aakaashaM(the sky) veShTayaiShanti (embraces/covers) maanavaaH (the human beings) ----when the sky embraces the human beings like the skin (over the body)
tadaa (then) devam (the deity) avij~naaya (not knowing) dUHkasya (of the sorrow) anto (end) bhaviShyati (will happen)-----then end of the sorrows due to not knowing the deity will happen
Consolidated meaning
When the sky embraces human beings like the skin (over the body), then the end of the sorrows due to not knowing the deity will happen. (Verse 6.20 of the Shvetasvatara Upanishad.)
It is the same void or sky everywhere. Feeling the sky within, i.e., the feeling of the inner sky, is extremely blissful and not comparable with any pleasure that we experience in mortal existence. Many enlightened souls fail to lead the normal household life or the daily chores when they start experiencing this sky within.
What we are thinking of as the external world, appearing mostly inert, is in reality entirely live and conscious, and is the seat of divinity. This external is called sambhuuti, and we will discuss this term while explaining a subsequent verse.
3.5.3(viii) Consciousness holding us as dimensionless forms and as physical forms-----praaNa, apaana. vaamana.
When Consciousness is holding an entity in a dimensionless state, it is called vidhRiti (holding) shakti (capability) of praaNa.
We are being held in our body, i.e., in dimensional forms, and also held on the earth by the act of Consciousness, or praaNa, called apaana.
We are simultaneously held by praaNa in the dimensionless state and by apaana in the physical state. praaNa, vyaana, apaana, samaana, and udaana are the five forms of praaNa, or Consciousness. So far we have talked about praaNa, apaana, and samaana. The divine air, vaayu, whom we have described before is vyaana. vyaana is active in all directions, ensuring universal entanglement and communication.
Whether as praaNa or as apaana, Consciousness is holding us by the heart.
The action of praaNa is said to be directed upward, and the action of apaana is said to be directed downward. (We have narrated apaana in the previous section 3.1.3 (iv)). Directions are the inclinations or trends of Consciousness. Thus, we quote a hymn from the Upanishad:
uurdham praaNamunnyatapaanam pratyagasyati.
madhey vaamaanamaasiinaM vishve devaa upaasate. (Kathopanishad verse 2.2.3).
Meaning of the verse.
uurdhvam (up) praaNam (praaNa) unnyati (driving up)-----driving praaNa upwards
apaanam (apaana) pratyak (downwards) asyati (casting)----casting apaana downwards
madhey (in the middle) vaamaanam (vamanaa) aasiinaM (is seated) vishve (all/ all in the universe) devaa (deities) upaasate (worship)----vamaana is seated in the middle; all the deities worship------
(Consciousness) is driving praaNa upwards (and) casting apaana downwards.
In the middle is seated vaamana (whom) all the deities worship. (Kathopanishad Verse 2.2.3.)
vaamana means the one who is both praaNa and apaaana.
Consciousness, who as the Soul of us is inside us and from whom praaNa is gushing out, is called vaamana.
3.5.3(ix). vaamana, aayaasya praaNa,mukhya praaNa.
The word vaamana is related to the word vamana, which means 'an act of ejection from the mouth'. Also, the eternal soul is called aayaasya praaNa, as Consciousness is coming out of aasya, or the mouth. (Refer to verse 1.2.12 of the Chandogya Upanishad.)
Consciousness is coming out of the mouth as the words. Mouth is called mukha in Sanskrit. Mouth, or mukha, also means the 'source' or 'the place of origin'.Consciousness is also called mukhya praaNa. The word mukhya means related to mukha, or mouth. As Consciousness is the origin of everything, the origin of sound, touch, vision, taste, and smell, Consciousness is called mukhya praaNa. This is why mukhya also means 'principal'. It is to be noted that all our sensory organs are located on the face, and we are recognized by our face.
3.5.3(x) vaamana, the dwarf and the regulator of universe.
Mind, or the aspect of Consciousness called mind, is created when Consciousness as praaNa and vaak enter into conjugal union. Thus all that has been created is made of mind, and it is mentioned in the Upanishad that the divinity or the heaven is the body of the divine mind. (Refer to the next section 3.5.3 (xi).)
Consciousness, or praaNa, is shaped into everything by the faculty of Consciousness called vaak (the goddess of the words). Every entity, or an event, is thus created from praaNa by vaak. Each such created entity is a part of the divine mind (manas), or mana. Consciousness, or praaNa, is vaak at one end and mana (manas) at the other end, and so is called vaamana (vaak + mana). vaakya, or the words, are the formation of the mind. This perceptible creation is made of the mind, and thus every created entity is a word of Consciousness.
shiva, or the Soul of the universe, is also known as vaama-deva. The eternal soul is celebrated as anguShTha-maatra puruSha, or the being of the size of a thumb only, dwelling within every entity, and controlling the universe. Thus, probably the reason that the word vaamana also means ‘dwarf’, is because the Soul is experienced as the being of the size of a thumb dwelling inside the cave of the heart. We are quoting a verse from the Kathopanishad Verse 2.1.12:
anguShTha (thumb) maatraH (sized only) puruSho (the being) madhya (within) aatmani (the self) tiShThati (dwells) |
iishaanaM (the regulator) bhuuta (what has been materialized) bhavyasya (what is going to materialize) na (does not) tato (therefore) vijugupsate (conceals) | etad (this) vai (indeed is) tat (that) ||
The being of the size of a thumb only dwells within the self.
It (the being) is the regulator of what has been materialized and is going to materialize. (The one who knows this) does not have anything to conceal.
This indeed is that. (Kathopanishad Verse 2.1.12.)
3.5.3(xi) The divine mind.
In this context, we quote a part from a verse from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:
atha (and now) etasya (of this) manasaH (mind's; dyuH (divinity) shariiram (is the body) jyoti (luminous) ruupam (form) asou (that) aaditya (the sun; the centre that generates vision and time; the centre that generates reality; the centre that is pulling everyone to oneness);
tat (that) yaavat eva (as much as is) manaH (the mind), taavatii (that much) douH (is the divinity) , tavaan (that much) asou (that) aadityaH (aaditya/ the sun)---- "And now of this mind's divinity is the body; the luminous form is that sun (the centre that generates vision and time; the centre that generates reality; the centre that is pulling everyone to oneness); that, as much as is the mind, that much is the divinity, that much is the sun." (Quoted from verse 1.5.12 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)
3.5.3 (xii) The seat of the deities---barhis.
barhis is the seat of the deities, as mentioned in the veda. Hymns are invoked to invite deities (deva) of the universe (vishva), offering them the seats called barhis. This word barhis is related to the word bahis, meaning 'external'. Any object in the physical universe is a 'seat' of the divinity; it is a barhis. We have explained this while explaining the word 'vaasyam' that appears in the first verse of the Ishopanishad. (Refer to section 3.1.3 (ii)).
barhis grass (Bahia grass), also known as kusha grass, is a kind of grass that, like other turf grasses, spreads across the soil and exhibits good mat-forming properties. The grass grows and spreads fast and aggressively. The mats made of this grass were used in Vedic rituals.
Here is a hymn:
vishve devaasa aa gata
shriNutaa ma imaM havaM.
edaM barhini ShIdata. (Rik Veda, Verse 2.41.13).
Word to word meaning:
vishve devaasa ----deities of the universe (vishvadevaa )
aagata -----come hither
shriNutaa (hear/enjoy) ma (mine)
imam (this) havaM (hymn / oblation)----hear(/enjoy) this hymn (/oblation) of mine
edaM (this/ on this) barhir (barhis---seat made of sacred grass----on the seat that is barhis or the external---on the seat which is this invitation to you—on the seat that is made of this event and its participants.)
niShIdata ---sit.)
ye, visvadevaa! Come hiether.
Hear (/enjoy) this hymn (/offering) of mine.
Sit on this barhi! (Rik Veda, Verse 2.41.13).
3.6 Verse 6.
yastu sarvaaNi bhuutaanyaatmanyevaanupashyati|
sarvabhuuteShu chaatmaanaM tato na vijugupsate||
3.6.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
yaH (who) tu (but) sarvaaNi (all) bhuutaani (objects) aatmani (in the soul) eva (indeed) anupashyati (beholds)----But the one who beholds all the objects in the soul
sarva (all) bhuuteShu (in the objects) cha (further) atmaanaM (the soul) tato (there) na (does not) vijugupsate (hide anything)-----(further beholds) the soul in all the objects, (and) therefore does not hide anything.
3.6.2 Consolidated meaning.
But the one who beholds all the objects in the self/soul, (further beholds) the self/soul in all the objects, (and) therefore does not hide anything.
3.6.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
3.6.3(i) Self and the Soul. indra.
The Sanskrit word nearest to self or ego could be 'ahaM'. ahaM means 'I am' and is also called 'asmi'. In this verse, the word that has been used is 'aatmaa' which means the 'Soul' or the Consciousness as 'one' in everything and everywhere. We have briefly discussed 'Soul' and 'self (I am)' in Section 2.0 above, where we have mentioned Soul as 'aatman', 'svayam' 'nija', and 'j~na'.
asmi, or 'I am' is an assertion of the Soul, or svayam. Every assertion is a different 'I', but it is an assertion of the same savyam, who is unperturbed, ever-calm, immutable, and always the same. It is the same svayam in every entity, and everywhere. Whenever svayam creates, i.e., creates itself as a 'different one', svayam becomes an 'observer' (draShtRI) of what svayam has created. This observer, who is 'I' and the seat of whose observation is the 'eye' is called indra, or the divine observer. Whatever is created, Consciousness, as indra, is the observer of its creation. indra thus sees and enjoys everything of the universe and is the king of heavens. indra = idam (it) drashtaa (observer)-----observer of everything. Our vision and perception are part of the vision of indra.
3.6.3(ii) But the one who beholds all the objects in the self/Soul, (further beholds) the self/Soul in all the objects, (and) therefore does not hide anything.
When one beholds that everything is 'held' in the Soul, or everything is in the Soul, then the one finds everything in the self or in the Soul as the Soul.
When one beholds the Soul in everything, then one finds the one spread into everything as everything, and as the Soul of everything.
Such an enlightened person, who has experienced the universal oneness has nothing to hide from anything or anyone, nothing to be scared of, nothing to shun.
When one finds everything in the soul, it is aapti. We have explained the word aapti in the previous section 3.4.3(iv) above, where we have discussed the divine water, or ap.Having everything in the soul, having everything in the One who is the soul of everything, is aapti. This is also indicated by the number seven, or sapta. sapta= saha (along) apta (acquired) = along with all acquired.
When the Soul is seen everywhere, in every object, the number that represents this state of the Soul is eight. Eight is aShTama. aShTama = as+tama. as = to throw, to cast; tama = superlative state. So, aShTama means the state of pervading everywhere. So, vaak, who is the faculty or consort form of Consciousness, is called aShtamii or the 'eighth', as by vaak, Consciousness or praaNa is existing in all the forms, as everything. (Refer to Verse 2.2.3 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)
Everything, every moment that we sense or perceive, is a form of our Consciousness. In every such perception, what we perceive along with that is involved asmi, or the assertive soul 'I am'; this assertive soul or 'I am' is involved in the process of knowing or perception. Beyond this asmi, and the perceived form of Consciousness, exists savayam, or the Soul, the neutral, immutable oneness of Consciousness. This 'One' in everyone, every entity, is the universal 'One' and known as 'akShar aatman'. akShara means who never decays or changes. We have mentioned this earlier, in Section 3.2.3(iii) above.
Here is a hymn from Upanishad (Kenopanishad verse 2.5):
iha chedavediidatha satyamasti na chedihaavediinmahatii vinaShTiH |
bhuuteShu bhuuteShu vichitya dhiiraaH pretyaasmaallokaadamRitaa bhavanti ||
Meaning:
iha (here) chet (if) avediit (know) atha (then) satyam (the truth) asti (happens)----Here, if one knows (the immortal Soul) then truth is achieved
na (not) chet (if) iha (here) avedit (knows) mahati (great) vinaShTiH (destruction)----if does not know here, it is a great destruction
bhuuteShu bhuuteShu(in every object/being) vichitya (by knowing) dhiiraaH (wise ones) pretya (by departing) assmaat (from this) llokaat (world) amRitaa (immortal) bhavanti (become)----By knowing/seeing (the soul) in every object, the wise ones become immortal by departing from this world.
Consolidated meaning.
Here, if one knows (the immortal Soul), then the truth is achieved; if one does not know here, it is a great destruction.
By knowing/seeing (the soul) in every object/being, the wise ones become immortal after departing from this world.(Kenopanishad Verse 2.5.)
'departing from this world' means 'leaving the state of mortality'.
3.7 Verse 7.
yasminsarvaaNi bhuutaanyaatmaivaabhuudvijaanataH|
tatra ko mohaH kaH shoka ekatvamanupashyataH||
3.7.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
yasmin (in whom) sarvaaNi (all) bhuutaani (objects/beings) aatmaa (the soul) eva (indeed) abhuut (became/have become) vijaanataH (of knowing/from knowing
) ----- in whom all the objects/beings have become the Soul, from knowing
tatra (there) ko (where is the) mohaH (obsession) kaH (where is the) shoka (sorrow/grief) ekatvam (the Oneness) anu (after) pashyataH (seeing/discerning)
3.7.2 Consolidated meaning.
(The one) in whom all the objects/beings have become the Soul (due to experiencing the Soul), where is the obsession, where is the grief, after discerning the Oneness.
3.7.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
When there is One and only one, who will obsess over whom, who will pain whom? Obsession, and the subject who perceives obsession, are the same one, the pain and the one grieving are the same one. This is the state of negativity (avaktya), because the positivity or all 'assertions' dissolve here in Oneness. Thus in Upanishad, this has been cited as: 'salilo (water) eko (that is one), drashTaa (the observer) advaito (sole)' -------- it is the same water (everywhere); it is the sole observer (everywhere). (Quoted from Verse 4.3.32 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)
So, when everything merges into One, who is the Soul of everything, of all the beings, whose activity is our animation, our time, whose self-assertion is our self, in whom we rest, from whom we originate, by whose regulation we are returning from our apparent fragmented, isolated state to the eternal Oneness, who is One and many simultaneously and beyond, in whom all the inequalities exist in an evenness, then no obsession, no sorrow exist; all baffles, barriers break down.
During our deep sleep, when we do not dream, we reach this state of Oneness. Here are two verses from the Upanishads:
Brihadaranyaka Uapnishad verse 4.3.21
tadvaa asyaitadatichChandaa apahatapaapmaabhayaM ruupam; tadyathaa priyayaa striyaa saMpariShvakto na baahyaM kiMchana veda naantaram evamevaayaM puruShaH praaj~nenaatmanaa saMpariShvakto na baahyaM kiMchana veda naantaram; tadvaa asyaitadaaptakaamamaatmakaamamakaamaM ruupam shokaantaram.
Word-word meaning.
tad (that) vaa (indeed) asya (of the being) etad (all these) ati (beyond)-ChandaaH (rhythms; what shrouds) apahata (destroyed) paapmaa (sins) abhayaM (beyond fear) ruupam (form/state).
tad (that state) yathaa (is like) priyayaa (by beloved) striyaa (woman) saM (perfectly/passionately)-pariShvakto (embraced) na (not) baahyaM (existing outside) kiMchana (whatever is) veda (knows) na (not) antaram (existing inside) evam (similarly) eva (indeed) ayaṃ (this) puruShaH (being/entity) praaj~nena (by omniscient) aatmanaa (soul) saMpariShvakto (being fervently embraced) na (not) baahyaM (existing outside) kiMchana (whatever) veda (knows) na (not) antaram (existing inside) tad (that) vaa (indeed) asya (entity’s) etad (this) aaptakaamam (when all desires are achieved/fulfilled) aatmakaamam ( when only desire is for the Soul) akaamaṃ (beyond all desires) ruupam (form) shokaantaram ( beyond all the griefs). (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad verse 4.3.21.)
Consolidated meaning.
That indeed is the form of the being (entity) beyond all these rhythms (patterns), with all the sins destroyed, beyond the fears. That state is like that of a man who remains unaware of whatever is outside or inside when being passionately embraced by his beloved woman; indeed, similarly, this entity (being) is fervently embraced (during sleep) by the omniscient Soul and does not know anything outside or inside; that is the entity’s state (form) of having all desires fulfilled, a state when the only desire is for the Soul, a state beyond all desires, a state beyond all griefs.(Brihadaranyaka Uapnishad verse 4.3.21.)
We are quoting another verse from Mandukya Upanishad, on the state of sleep.
Mandukya Upanishad, Verse 5.
yatra supto na ka~nchana kaamaM kaamayate na ka~nchana svapnaM pashyati tatsuShuptam; suShuptasthaana ekiibhuutaH praj~naanaghana evaanandamayo hyaanandabhuk chetomukhaH praaj~nastRitiiyaH paadaH.
Word-word meaning.
yatra (where) supto (the being in sleep) na ka~nchana (not any) kaamaM (object of desire) kaamayate (longs for) na ka~nchana (not any) svapnaM (dream) pashyati (sees) tat (that is) suShuptam (perfect state of sleep).
suShupta sthaana (the place/state of sleep) ekiibhuutaH (unified into oneness) praj~naana -ghana (dense with consciousness) evaa (indeed) aanandamayo (blissful) hi (indeed) aananda (bliss)-bhuk (enjoys) cheto (consciousness/knowledge)-mukhaH (mouth/source) praaj~naH (praak—before; j~na—consciousness; who already knows everything; in whom everything is already known) tRitiiyaH (third) paadaH (state). (Mandukyua Upanishad, Verse 5):
The perfect state of sleep (deep sleep) is when the being in sleep does not long for anything of desire and does not see any dream; the state of sleep is the state of unification in oneness, verily dense with Consciousness, indeed blissful, and certainly living in bliss, the source of all knowledge, where everything is already known; it is the third state. (Mandukyua Upanishad, Verse 5).
3.8 Verse 8. sa paryagaachChukramakaayamavraNamasnaaviraMshuddham apaapviddham|
kavirmaniiShii paribhuuH svayambhuuryaathaatathyato'rthaanvyadadhaachChaashvatiibhyaH samaabhyaH||
3.8.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
sa (it) pari agaat (pari--fully, abundantly; a-gaa---spread, permeated)
shukram (bright; shu= beginning of time or event; shu is related to the word shva or shvan; kra = sequence; shukra---bright or luminous state of Consciousness emitting time, sequence of events, regulation)
shva or shvan means 'time'. (A dog is called shva or shvan, because it is loyal to whoever is it's master, or who is regulating it. Respiration is called shvaasa; shvaasa= shva (time/regulation) + asa (existence)----existence by the regulation of time)
akaayam (a--without; kaayam ---from the word kaaya; kaaya=body; akaayam---one who is without body)
avraNam (a=without; vraNam=scar;avrNam=without scar)
asnaaviraM (a = without, snaabira= the one who is having sinews or nerves; without any nerves, sinews, connectivities)
shuddham(pure)
apaapviddham (a= not; papa= sins; vidham is from the word vidh = to pierce, to penetrate; the one who cannot be pierced or struck by the sins)
kaviH (kaviH is from the word kavi; kavi= poet;
kavi is from the verb kav meaning to compose; composer)
maniiShii (who sees by the eye of mind/manas; iiSh=to see, to discern;)
paribhuuH (paribhuu= pari (encompassing) bhuu (to become, to come in existence; who creates by encompassing)
svayambhuuH (savyam ---self, soul; bhuu= to become, to come in existence; who creates itself by itself, who exists by itself)
yaathaatathyato'rthaan (yaathaatathyato'rthaan = yathaa ---- as it is/rightly; tathyataH-- tad/tat + thya; tad/tat--that; thya--placed and regulated, established; arthaan---the meanings, interpretations; rightly establishing the meanings)
vyadadhaat (vyadadhaat -----vi (differently, discretely) + adadhaat (held) ); discretely held)
shaashvatiibhyaH (perpetual) samaavyaH (for/over the years)
3.8.2 Consolidated meaning.
It (the Soul) has permeated all; it is bright (radiating the time and sequences); it is without body (dimension), without any scar, without any nerve or sinews (to tie/connect/communicate); it is pure, and it cannot be afflicted by the sins.
It is the poet/composer (who creates the characters or the entities by the words); it sees by the mind; it encompasses whatever it creates; it creates itself by itself; it has rightly established the meanings and held them discretely for eternal time.
3.8.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
(I have generally used the pronoun 'it' to address Consciousness, though Consciousness is represented by all the pronouns and all the nouns, and Consciousness is beyond all the pronouns and all the nouns.)
3.8.3(i) paryagaat.
The Soul or Consciousness is paryagaat, i.e., pari agaat or pervading all. Consciousness pervades all and surpasses all.
3.8.3(ii) shukra and shukrachaarya.
The Soul or Consciousness is shukra. As explained before, shukra is radiant Consciousness, in which all of the universe is held as luminous seeds. shu means the flow of shav or shavn, or the flow of regulations from Consciousness or the Soul. kra is the sequence. (The words kra and kramaNa are related to the Greek word Chronos.) Everything is held in the Soul as luminous seeds, radiant to manifest, and all sequences that happen from the beginning to the end are held here. It is for this reason that sperm is called shukra.
shukraacharya (shukra + acharya) is the achaarya or guru, or the mentor of daitya-s (demons) who were born from the mother diti, the goddess of duality personified. The personality of Consciousness that supports the creation and protection of duality is shukraacharya. The activities of shukraacharya as narrated in the myths and epics confirm this.
3.8.3(iii) kaayaa---akaayam.
The Soul is akaayam, i.e., without any body or defining shape. The word kaaya means a body or a shape. kaaya = ka + aya. aya means 'motion' and ayana means 'course', circulation, motion in a trajectory'. The word ka, which is the first consonant, represents praaNa, from whom everything is created as praaNa's subjects. This is why prajaapati, from whom everyone is created, is called 'ka'. prajaapati = prajaa (who are created) + pati (governor) = the one from whom everyone is created and governed.
The consonant ka is analogous to the English alphabet 'Q' and implies the sense of question or query. Similarly, 'quo' in Latin means 'where?'.
ka in Sanskrit appears in the beginning of several interrogative words like katama (who, which of many), katara (which, which of two), katham (how), etc. Anything that you listen to at first orients you to the origin of what you hear. This alphabet ka or Q, when heard, orients you toward the origin about whom everyone is knowingly or unknowingly inquisitive, and that raises the query to every mind ----who, from where, how, by whom (kena).
Thus ka is praaNa or prajaapati, whose motion has created the visions and definitions, the perceptible universe. The motion (aya) of ka is ka+aya = kaaya, or the 'body' or 'shape'.
3.8.3(iv) vraNa, snaayu, shuddha, paapa.
The immutable Soul is avraNam or without (a) scar or wound (vraNa). In Oneness, who will wound whom?
(vraNa is from the verb vraN meaning 'to wound'. Probably the alphabet pair 'vr' in vraN is related to the alphabet pair 'br' in the word 'break' which means to separate.)
The immutable Soul is asnaaviraM, or without any sinew or nerve (snaayu). In Oneness, there is nothing to tie, nothing to connect.
The word for nerve and sinew is snaayu in Sanskrit. snaayu has originated from the verb si, meaning to 'bind' or 'tie'. aayu is praaNa or vaayu (air) flowing within us. snaayu, or the nerves, are the ties, or cords or, the streams of praaNa.
The immutable Soul is suddha. suddha means 'pure' or 'immaculate'. suddha also means 'only' ----there is nothing else other than the 'One'.
The immutable Soul is apaapviddham (a= not; paapa= sins; viddham is from the word vidh = to pierce, to penetrate; the one who cannot be pierced or struck by the sins).
In Upanishad paapa, or 'a sin', has been mentioned as the form of 'death'----paapmaanam mRityum (the death in the form of sins). (Refer to First Chapter, Third Brahmin (Third Part) of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)
mRityu, or death, is experienced as long as it is not perceived that duality is created from Oneness and duality seamlessly merges into Oneness. Here is a verse from the Upanishad:
manasaivedamaaptavyaM neha naanaa'sti kiMChana.
mRityoH sa mRityuM gacchati ya iha naaneva pashyati.(Kathopanishad Verse 2.1.11.)
Meaning.
manasaa (by the mind) eva (indeed) idam (this) aaptavyaM (achievable) na(not) iha (here) naanaaH(difference) asti (exists) kiMChana (at all)
mRityoH (from the death) sa (he) mRityuM (to the death) gacchati (goes) ya (who) iha (here) naana (different) iva (as if) pashyati (sees)
By the mind indeed, this is achievable; here difference does not exist at all.
From death he goes to death, who sees as if it is different (who sees as if the one is different form the other, or different from the Soul). (Kathopanishad Verse 2.1.11.)
As there is no duality in the Soul, the Soul cannot be afflicted or affected by 'duality'. Duality cannot exist there. This is the meaning of 'apaapaviddham'.
3.8.3(v) kavi, and the divine fathers.
The word kaviH in the verse is the first-person nominative case of the word kavi.
kavi generally means a poet or the one who composes poems, songs, and literature, creating the characters. kaavya means a composition created by a kavi. As mentioned before, we are created in the mind of Consciousness and made of the words of Consciousness. So Consciousness is called kavi.
We inherit our characters from both parents; however, the ultimate origin is the divine fathers belonging to the divine plane, from whom we inherit our instincts, characters, traits, etc. This divine plane is called pitRi-loka (world of the fathers). Everything is predetermined as the past, present, and future, and these three dimensions of time are held in a singularity in Consciousness. So, where I will be born, who will be my parents, what will be my environment, and how I will grow and develop are predetermined and implemented through pitRi-loka. In the course of our birth and development, we find that we inherit from both the parents and from nature, but all the inheritance is ultimately from pitRi-loka. This domain of the Fathers is in close proximity to the Lunar plane and dominates on our life-death cycles.
There are seven divine fathers, and in our cycles of multiple births and deaths, we are always born through the divine fathers, or the divine progenitors.
In Upanishad, the conception, or the 'first birth', is considered as when the 'soul to be reborn' enters its father's or the progenitor's domain or body. (Refer to the Aitareya Upanishad, verse 2.1.1.)
It may be noted that during a ritual called tarpaNa, performed by the Hindus, the divine fathers, along with the deceased parents, deceased paternal male and paternal female ancestors, as well as the deceased maternal male and maternal female ancestors, are invoked to make offerings to satiate them. The deceased are called following the lineage.
The deceased are called in the following groups:
Paternal group of males:
(iA) Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Great- Great-Grandfather....
(iB) Mother, Paternal Grandmother, Paternal Great- Grandmother, Paternal Great-Great-Grandmother....
(iiA) Maternal Grandfather, Maternal Great Grandfather, Maternal Great Great-Grandfather......
(iiB) Maternal Grandmother, Maternal Great- Grandmother, Maternal Great-Great-Grandmother......
The above-mentioned members of ancestors, as presented above in four groups, provide clues about how the divinity acts in several forms to create a personality.
In Vedic rituals, the sacrificial offerings to the deities are called havya, and the offerings to divine fathers are called kavya. Each of us is a character created in the mind of Consciousness. Each of us is a piece of literature (kaavya) made in the world of divine fathers.
3.8.3(vi) maniiShii , the divine mind and the sun.
As mentioned in section 3.8.1, maniiShii means who sees (iiSh) by the mind (manas). Mind, the third eye, is also known as daiva (divine) chakShu (eye) or the 'divine eye' of the Soul.
Thus the following is mentioned in the Chandogya Upanishad (Verse 8.12.5):
atha (now) yo (the one who) veda (knows/feels) idaM (this) manvaaniiti ('I am knowing by mind') sa (the one is) aatmaa (the Soul) manaH (the mind) asya (is its) daivaM (divine) chakShuH (eye).
sa (it) vaa (indeed) eSha etena (by this) daivena (divine) chakShuShaa (eye) manasaa (mind; called mind) etan (these) kamaaan (desires; all that is desiring; all that invokes desire) pashyan (by seeing) ramate (rejoice) ya (which are) ete (in this) bhramaloke (world of brahma) -------- Now, the one who feels like "I am knowing this by mind", that one is the Soul; the mind is its (the Soul's) divine eye. It, (the Soul), indeed, seeing all that is of desire by this divine eye called mind, rejoices in this world of brahman (brahman = Consciousness who is expanding and surpassing all).
All that is physical, defined, and having shapes (by the directions and directives of Consciousness), is created and held in the divine mind. Thus mind is the seat of vision, and in our planetary system, the sun is the physical manifestation of the divine mind from whom our vision and our time are being generated. The word manas or mana means ana (praaNa), who becomes ma or suitable for measurement (maatraa), and also who becomes martya (mortal/material), i.e., who materializes.
Thus, this mind is immediately behind the materialized world, which can be measured and seen. The centre of our sense of reality is the eyes, or the vision. We believe what we see. Every object is made of vision or light. Vision or any perception cannot happen without a motion, and that is the motion of time felt as beginning, continuation, and end. So, the mind, the eyes, and the sun are the source of reality, the source of space and time.
The mind is also called aNu (minute, atomic), because this dimensional world reduces to a dimensionless world when perceived within the mind. Though we perceive the dimensions by the mind only, within the mind there is nothing to act as a boundary.
Here is a portion quoted from a verse on the divine mind, the sun, and divinity from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: (First part of verse 1.5.12 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)
atha (and now) manaso (of the mind) dauH ( the divinity/the self-manifesting Conscious plane) shariiram (the body) jyoti (luminous) rupam (form) asOu (that) aadityaH (the sun; aaditya ---- the one who is characterized by aditi---a (without) + diti (duality), one who is characterized by oneness)
tad (that) yavat (as much as is) eva (this) manaH (mind) taavatii (that much is) dauH (the divinity) tavaan (that much) asau (that) aadityaH (sun) -----
And now, the divinity (the plane of self-manifestation) is the body of the divine mind, and that aaditya (sun) is the luminous form (of the mind); that as much is this mind, that much is the divinity, that much is the sun.
The sun that we see in our external sky is the luminosity of the divine mind, whose radiant illumination is carried by the deities called vasu (refer to section 3.1.3.vi above), and that wakes us up kindling the determinations in our mind. We determine as per our desire and accordingly get activated.
This deterministic mind has made the universe deterministic, and visible, and that supports reality.
3.8.3(vii) paribhuu and Trinity (trivRit).
The word paribhuuH in the verse, is the singular nominative case of the word paribhuu. The word pari implies 'encompassing', 'encircling'. bhuu means ' to be', 'to exist'.
Whenever Consciousness creates Consciousness as an individual entity, Consciousness surrounds it with three envelopes made of vaak, praaNa, and manas. The first stage of Consciousness, or the omniscient, omnipotent Soul, toward creating a duality or an entity, is to become vaak. vaak is the faculty of Consciousness, or the Soul, by whom Consciousness disintegrates into a duality. Consciousness or the Soul remains immutable, even after disintegration. So, Consciousness is infinite (ananta). vaak has also been described as tejas in Chandogya Upanishad (refer to Verses 6.5.3, 6.6.6, and others of Chapter six of Chandogya Upanishad), and vaak is the first member of trivRit (Trinity).
Illumination and disintegration are the characteristics of vaak. The illuminated form is called agni (the divine fire). We have mentioned earlier in Section 3.4.2(ii) that agni means the one who leads in front. ag means agra, or in front, or first position. The first step to disintegrate happens in the domain of vaak. The body of vaak is called pRithivii. The earth is called pRithivii. Thus pRithiivi means the 'domain of physicality and isolated existence'. In the Upanishad, the words pRithiivi and shariira (the body) are synonymous. That the body of vaak is the earth (pRithiivi), or physicality, means that Consciousness disintegrates to become everything ----the deities, the creatures, the plants, the sands, stones, and the dust; physicality is the ultimate state of this disintegration. Whatever entity vaak is creating out of Oneness, that is being held by the earth or pRithiivi to achieve the realization. For this reason, vaak (and also its consort agni) and pRithiivi have been quoted together as a pair or as corresponding forms in the Upanishads.
Though the entity is created, i.e., disintegrated from the Soul, it still remains attached to the origin. This attachment or entanglement is a function of praaNa, or the divine air vaayu. We have briefly narrated about vaayu implementing connectivity. We have also mentioned this connectivity is yujur veda, which is the middle veda among the three Vedas. So, what is disintegration (in the domain of vaak) is also 'inflation' or expansion' (in the domain of praaNa). Inflation, expansion is growth, or vardhana. This is why in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad it is mentioned that 'the one who flows is one and half'; this means the divine air, or vaayu, is one and half, i.e., vaayu is One, but still flows or grows into duality(2). When One splits and creates a second form, the second one is a fragment and is 1/2, and it remains attached to the One or to its origin, and the origin remains immutable; this is 1-1/2 or one and a half. One and a half is called adhi-ardha. The word ardha, which means 1/2, is from the root verb Ridh, meaning 'to grow'. (Refer to the verse 3.9.9 Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)
(The quantum and wave properties of light and other fundamental particles must be conveying these aspects of vaak and praaNa.)
This middle plane, or the domain of praaNa, is the realm where we are processed for our evolution. Here we suffer for our vices and rejoice for the virtues. This is the place where we 'feel', i.e., we experience joy, sorrow, attraction, repulsion, benevolence, malice, and all the finer aspects of the heart. This plane is also called antariikSha (antara = internal; iikSha = vision, time). This means, in antariikSha, the sense that everything is internal or within prevails and dominates. The illumination of this domain is the lunar illumination, and the physical boundaries do not exist here. antariikSha is having everything within, and in it nothing is confined to a specific shape or body; in it exists an all-pervading entanglement and the vision pervading everyone's inside. Feeling of having acquired everything within characterizes this domain. Divine water, ap is a part of this domain.
The outermost envelope, i.e., what is exterior to the middle plane, is the mind. As mentioned before, it is from the divine mind that the deterministic worlds are coming out, and so we find our mind immediately behind the physical world. The mind is characterized by external orientation and the radiance that keeps the world awake. The shine of the mind is the shine of the sun.
In the domain of mind, Consciousness is outwardly or externally oriented. In the domain of praaNa, Consciousness is inwardly oriented. In the domain of vaak, Consciousness splits; here, neither internal nor external orientation dominates. As Consciousness splits, internal and external orientations are created from the domain of vaak. Corresponding to these three forms of Consciousness, there are three spaces or skies, which are the external sky (vahira-akaasha /mind), the inner sky (antara-akaasha/praaNa), and the sky within the heart (antar-hRidaya-aakaaasha/vaak). We have described these skies earlier in this article.
3.8.3(viii) svyambhuu.
The word svayambhuuH used in the verse is the singular nominative case of the word svayambhuu.
svayambhuu means the Soul (svayam) who becomes (bhuu) by itself. Any action in Consciousness is the 'act of knowing'. Consciousness knows Consciousness as something, and Consciousness becomes that and also exists within that created entity as its immutable Soul. Consciousness remains as svayam, or the Soul, who is immutable and universal. So, Consciousness is svayambhuu.
Consciousness knows Consciousness by Consciousness, and whatever the outcome of knowing, it is Consciousness or Knowledge.
3.8.3(ix) It has rightly established the meanings, and held them discretely for eternal time.
The verse quotes as below:
"yaathaatathyato'rthaan (yaathaatathyato'rthaan = yathaa --- as it is/rightly; tathyataH -- tad/tat + thya; tad/tat --that; thya --placed and regulated, established; arthaan ---the meanings, interpretations; rightly establishing the meanings)
vyadadhaat (vyadadhaat -----vi (differently, discretely) + adadhaat (held) ); discretely held)".
It is mentioned in the Upanishad (refer to verse 1.3.10 of the Kathopanishad), that 'the meanings or interpretations carried by the sensory organs in the mind are superior to the organs'. We are quoting here a part of the verse: idriyebhya (than the sensory organs) paraa (are superior to) arthaaH (the meanings); arthebhyashcha (than the meanings) paraM (are superior) manaH (the mind) ---- "Meanings (those are conveyed by the sensory organs) are superior to the sensory organs, and the mind is superior to the meanings." The sensory organs are the communication links between the mind and the external space or the external universe. The regulations of Consciousness determine what meanings and interpretations are going to occur in the mind when a communication takes place. Who will feel what and react how is determined by the middle domain (praaNa), who is beyond the mind. Thus, 'appropriate meanings' have been fixed by the Regulator, and this has been happening eternally. This regulatory aspect of Consciousness is also called 'dakShiNa-agni' (the divine fire located in the south) and also anva-aaharya-pachana-agni (the divine fire by whom the foods eaten or the senses felt are digested or assimilated).
shvaashvatiibhyaH (perpetual) samaavyaH (for/over the years) ----these, two words, shvaashvatiibhyaH and samaavyaH are respectively from the two words
svaashvata and samaa respectively.
shaashvata= sha/shaa (the one who regulates) + ashvat(a) (inflated)----the Soul or Consciousness who is regulating and inflating eternally.
The word samaa is derived from the word sama. sama means 'same', 'even', 'equal', 'similar', or 'equivalent'.
samaa means a 'year' or a complete circulation of time by which the intended ingredients are administered to us, and they get blended into us seamlessly. Thus, this evolves us. There is another word, saMvatsara (saM+vatsara). vatsara means a year and is from the word vatsa meaning 'a yearling', 'a calf', or 'an offspring'. Thus, saMvatsara means a complete course of regulation, a complete revolution, that duly develops a creature. So, sama means 'a year' in this sense.
3.9 Verse 9.
andhaM tamaH pravishanti ye'vidyaamupaasate|
tato bhuuya iva te tamoya u vidyaayaaM rataaH||
3.9.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
andhaM (blind) tamaH (darkness) pravishanti (enter) ye (who) avidyaam (avidyaa*) upaasate (worship/experience).
tataH (than that) bhuuya (more) iva (indeed) te (those) tamaH (darkness) ya (who) u (on the other hand) vidyaayaaM (to vidyaa*) rataaH (are attached).
(* We will explain the meanings avidyaa and vidyaa in the next section 3.9.3.1)
3.9.2 Consolidated meaning.
Those who worship (experience) avidyaa enter into blind darkness.
Those who, on the other hand, are attached to vidyaa, indeed enter into darkness more than that.
3.9.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
3.9.3(i) vidyaa and avidyaa; sambhuti and anubhuti (vinaasha).
A general meaning of the word vidyaa is 'knowledge'. So, avidyaa means 'less' or 'inadequate' knowledge.
The word vidyaa has originated from the root verb vid, meaning 'to know', 'to see'. vidyaa means the faculty of knowing. Every action of Consciousness is an act of knowing. Whatever Consciousness or omniscient Soul knows, Consciousness or Soul becomes that. This 'becoming' is the 'existence', and thus the word vidyamaana means 'existing', or 'present'.
Consciousness knows itself as the universe, and thus, as a part of this knowing or knowledge, we perceive ourselves as well as the universe, i.e., we are also 'knowing' and 'perceiving', as per the 'knowledge' or 'knowing' of Consciousness or the universal Soul.
This faculty of Consciousness by which Consciousness has become everything is vidyaa. In the knowledge of Consciousness, the entirety of every entity is held in a singularity. Thus, in the knowledge of Consciousness, all the moments of my evolution, all the moments of my innumerable cycles of life and death, and the moment of my return to Oneness are held in a singularity. But my knowledge about myself (and so about everything) is limited, and I live with that. This is avidyaa (a = less or partial; avidyaa= partial vidyaa). My own knowledge, senses, and perceptions are parts of vidyaa, but because they are limited and partial, they are called avidyaa.
Whatever we are sensing or knowing is avidyaa, and this avidyaa is happening as per vidyaa. A tree in the external sky is created in the knowledge of Consciousness and is vidyaa. This tree is creating the sense or feeling of a tree in us, and each of us is knowing or sensing as per the external tree. This sensing or knowing in an individual as per the universe created in the external is called avidyaa. Again, every individual knows the universe in his or her own way, as per his or her limitation or specific formation in his or her Consciousness.
The terms vidyaa and avidyaa are also called sambhuuti and vinaasha/anubhuuti, respectively. The words sambhuuti and vinaasha have been used in a subsequent verse of this Upanishad.
Both these words, sambhuuti and anubhuuti, contain the word bhuuti, which means 'existence' or 'materialization'. The word bhuuti is from the root verb bhuu, which means 'to be', 'to become'.
sambhuuti means 'to become (bhuu) duly (saM)'. anubhuuti means 'to become (bhuu) accordingly (anu)'.
So, vidyaa is sambhuuti, and avidyaa is anubhuuti.
Our knowledge or senses are fleeting and do not stay for ever, so anubhuuti is also called vinaasha. vinaasha means 'destruction'.
3.9.3(ii) andhaM (blind) tamaH (darkness) pravishanti (enter) ye (who) avidyaam (avidyaa) upaasate (worships/experiences)----Those who worship (experience) avidyaa, enter into blind darkness.
This means those who worship or try to experience the truth by following and searching their own feelings and senses enter into darkness after the demise, or, simply, they remain in darkness during their lives and after their deaths.
This also means that if we just live our lives, it leads to darkness, as we do not see or search the root of all our senses and feelings. At the end, it makes us feel 'nothingness'.
Those who worship or believe that the external universe is nothing or not useful for salvation also live only in avidyaa and thus perish.
3.9.3(iii) tataH (than that) bhuuya (more) iva (indeed) te (those) tamaH (darkness) ya (who) u (on the other hand) vidyaayaaM (to vidyaa) rataaH (are attached)----- Those who on the other hand are attached to vidyaa, indeed enter into darkness more than that.
This means that those who worship or who research this vast external world without having any awareness of Consciousness, who has materialized itself as the external, enter even deeper into darkness as they do not admit Consciousness, even in a limited or partial way as the seekers who follow avidya do.
Being attached to and obsessed by the profound vastness and intricacy of the external world, which otherwise appears inert or inane, they enter into more darkness.
3.9.3(iv) vid/vidya, div/divya.
As explained before, the word vidyaa is from the root verb vid, which means 'to know'. vidyaa also means the faculty of Consciousness by which Consciousness knows, and the faculty of Consciousness is Consciousness. By knowing, Consciousness becomes what Consciousness 'knows'. Now, the word vidyamaana means 'existing'. maana means a measure or index. So, vidyamaana, or the existence, is a measure of vid, or knowledge.
'vidya' means 'known', 'experienced', and 'divya' means 'divine. These words, vidya and divya, vid and div, are formed by the arrangement of the same set of alphabets, but in a reversing or retroversion order. The rules of the formation of words narrated in Sanskrit grammar follow the laws that are seen in the formation of the 'world' in Consciousness.
The word div is related to the word doHa (derived from the root verb duh), meaning 'milking', 'granting'. The goddess vaak is said to draw her own milk for all those who worship her: dugdhe (milks) asmai (for it/for the worshipper) vaak dohaM (what all can be drawn) yo (that) vaacho (from vaak) dohaH (can be drawn) ----vaak milks (draws) for her worshipper what all can be drawn from vaak. (Quoted from verse 1.3.7 of the Chandogya Upanishad.)
Thus whatever Consciousness as vaak is drawing from Oneness is said to be the manifestation of divinity or manifestation from div. By knowing or feeling itself as an entity, Consciousness is becoming that entity. This knowing is called vid. Consciousness becomes or materializes by 'knowing', and Consciousness knows what it becomes, and thus we know what we are. We cannot materialize something or create an external entity by conceiving an entity in our Consciousness. So, our knowing is anubhuuti and not sambhuuti. (Refer to Section 3.9.3.1 above.)
3.10-11. Verse 10 and Verse 11.
anyadevaahurvidyayaa'anyadaahuravidyayaa|
iti shushruma dhiiraaNaaM ye nastadvichachakShire|| (Verse 10).
vidyaa~nchaavidyaa~ncha yastadvedobhayaM saha|
avidyayaa mRityuM tiirtvaa vidyayaa'mRitamashnute||
(Verse 11).
anyat (other/different) eva (indeed) aahuH (said) vidyayaaH (from vidyaa) anyat (other/different) aahuH (said) avidyayaa (from avidyaa)
iti shushruma (this we heard) dhiiraaNaaM (from the unwavering ones) ye (who) naH (to us) tad (that) vichachakShire (showed).
(Verse 10)
vidyaam (vidyaa) cha (and) avidyaam (avidyaa) cha (and/also) yaH (who) tad (that) vedaH (knows) ubhayam (both) saha (together/simultaneously)
avidyayaa (by avidyaa) mRityuM (death) tiirtvaa (crossing over) vidyayaa (by vidyaa) amRitaM (eternity) ashnute (achieves)
(Verse 11).
Indeed, it is different (outcome) from vidyaa; indeed, it is different (outcome) from avidyaa.
This we heard from the unwavering ones who showed that to us. (Verse 10.)
(The one) who knows vidyaa and avidyaa simultaneously, by crossing over the death by avidyaa, (then) achieves eternity by vidyaa.
(Verse 11.)
3.10-11.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
We have already explained the terms vidyaa and avidyaa in a previous section.
In the next verse of this Upanishad, it has been mentioned that one first crosses over death or mortality by having recourse to avidyaa, and then one attains eternity by having recourse to vidyaa.
We have explained earlier that we live in our individual world made of our senses and feelings, which we acquire from the external world. This is living in avidyaa, or living in partial knowledge or perception. This is called anubhti or vinaasha, as explained in Section 3.9.3.1 above.
Living only in the domain of partial knowledge ultimately leads one to the point of experiencing death or nothingness. However, it is selfevident that no knowledge or nothing can be perceived unless there is the knowledge of 'self'. You cannot feel or sense anything if you do not know yourself as 'you'. This 'self' involved in every perception changes from one perception to the next. Thus there are many many selves of yours. However, there is a single, neutral, and immutable origin of all such selves, who does not change, who does not get involved, who is constant and immutable. We have earlier described this immutable, constant, uninvolved origin as svaym/aatman/nija/j~na/ in Section 2, as well as in Section 3.6.3.1 above. The self (' I am') is an assertion of svyam. As from svayam, at every moment, a new 'self' is generated, so svayam is called nija, meaning the One who is unceasingly (ni--nitrantara---all the time) generating (ja) oneself. nija also means, naasti janama yasya----who is never born, so this means who never dies.
So, when in our every sensing, perception, and feeling, we experience the immutable soul in the background, as the origin of our every sense or feeling, we find that amidst continuous changes, we are still, unchanged, constant, and this is our immortal form, beyond death. Thus, when we look at the origin of our perceptions, which are termed as avidya, we see the immutable, immortal soul as the origin. This is why it is mentioned in verse: avidyayaa (by avidyaa) mRityum (death) tviirtaa (crossing over) ------"by crossing over the death by avidyaa", i.e., as the first step one crosses over the death.
Crossing over death means the faculties like vision, hearing, taste, etc. also cross the mortal boundaries; whatever was unseen becomes visible, whatever was unheard is now heard, and whatever was unknown becomes known. This is how the divinity of the faculties of Consciousness, or vidyaa, starts manifesting. We have mentioned earlier that vidyaa means the faculty of Consciousness by which Consciousness knows, and the faculty of Consciousness is Consciousness. As the faculties cross over the death, they become unlimited, un-decaying, and not baffled by time and space. This is amRita. amRita= am+ Rita. am is the teja (radiance) or the strength of Consciousness by which Consciousness holds everything in itself as seeds. We have explained the term teja in Section 3.4.3 above. Consciousness, or praaNa is called ama. There are three related words: am, ama, and amaa. am is the radiant strength of ama, the strength by which ama has held everything in her singularity. Like a mother who bears the fetus or the embryo, ama is bearing everything within her. So, in Veda, she is known as vaagambhRiNii. The word ambhRiNa means a vessel. vaagambhRiNii means vaak with her ambhRina, i.e., vaak with her vessel or with her womb, where she has held the entire universe.
vaagambhRiNii amaa has sung the song of the soul in the Rik Veda. (Refer to Rik Veda verse 10.125.1 and the subsequent verses.)
The word amaa means a (without) maa (maatraa/measure) ---without measure, and the word Rita means the truth personified or illustrated as the reality. Thus everything that we know or see is the truth, or satya, and is realized as Rita. ama, in whom everything exists in an unbound manner, not limited, not measured, and so amaa has become Rita, or the realized universe that we measure or perceive. So, as am becomes Rita, we call Consciousness amRita. At one end, Consciousness is ama, and at the other end, Consciousness is Rita, i.e., the perceptible and the measurable universe. Here is an extract from a verse in the Chandogya Upanishad, addressed to mukhya (eternal) praaNa, or eternal Consciousness:
amo naama asi amaa hi te sarvamidam----- "amo naamaasyamaa hi te sarvamidaṃ"-----amaH (amaa) naama (name) asi (is), amaa (without measure) hi (because) te (in you) sarvam (all) idam (this)-----" (your) name is ama, because in you all this is (existing) without measure". (Quoted from verse 5.2.6 of the Chandogya Upanishad.)
3.12 Verse 12.
andhaM tamaH pravishanti ye'sambhuutiM upaasate|
tato bhuuya iva te tamo ya u saMbhuutyaaM rataaH||
3.12.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
andhaM (blind) tamaH (darkness) pravishanti (enter) ye (who) asambhuutiM (asambhuuti) upaasate (worship/experience/practice)
tato (than that) bhuuya (more) iva (indeed) te (those) tamaH (darkness) ya (who) u (on the other hand) sambhuutyaaM (to sambhuuti) rataaH (are attached).
3.12.2 Consolidated meaning.
Those who worship (experience/practice) asambhuuti enter into blind darkness.
Those who, on the other hand, are attached to sambhuuti indeed enter into darkness more than that.
3.12.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
The words asambhuuti and sambhuutiused in this verse almost carry the same meaning conveyed by the words avidyaa and vidyaa in verse 3.9 above. We have explained the words asambhuuti and sambhuuti along with the words avidyaa and vidyaa in Section 3.9.3.1 above.
The result or consequence of vidyaa is sambhuuti.
Whatever forms in our mind or in the mind of an individual is asambhuuti, and this is the consequence of avidyaa.
This external universe is sambhuuti (sam + bhuuti). sam = duly/perfectly; bhuuti = formation, materialization. If I think of something, I cannot materialize that thing in the external space or sky. So this is not sambhuuti; this is asambhuuti. If the Consciousness, who is absolutely independent, thinks of a thing, Consciousness becomes it in the external space, or that formation of Consciousness means the creation of external space. This is sambhuuti. We, the universe, are all formed within the mind of Consciousness, and Consciousness is knowing us as its own formation. asambhuuti is also called anubhuuti. We think or perceive in accordance with what has already been thought or perceived by Consciousness, i.e., we think or perceive in the way Consciousness has materialized as the external universe by thinking or knowing. anu means 'accordingly', 'following'. anu also means aNu or 'micro'. So, as our perception, though partial, happens following sambhuti, or what has already formed in the mind of Consciousness, so our perception is called anubhuuti, and also asambhuuti.
As clarified, since sambhuuti and asambhuuti imply almost the same meanings as vidyaa and avidyaa, respectively, the meaning of this verse is the same as the meanings expounded in Section 3.10-11.3 above.
3.13-14 Verse 13 and Verse 14.
anyadevaahuH sambhavaadanyadaahurasamvhavaat|
iti shushruma dhiiraaNaaM yenastadvichachakShire||
(Verse 13).
sambhuuti~ncha vinaashaa~ncha yastadvedobhayaM saha| vinaashenamRityuMtiirtvaa sambhutyaamRitamashnute||
(Verse 14).
3.13-14.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
anyat (other/different) eva (indeed) aahuH (said) sambhavaad (from sambhuuti) anyat (other/different) aahuH (said) asambhavaad ( from asambhuuti)
iti shushruma (this we heard) dhiiraaNaaM (from the unwavering ones) ye (who) naH (to us) tad (that) vichachakShire (showed)
(Verse 13)
sambhuutim (sambhuuti) cha (and) vinaasham (vinaasha) cha (and/also) yaH (who) tad (that) veda (knows) ubhayam (both) saha (together/simultaneously)
vinaashena (by vinaasha) mRityuM (death) tiirtvaa (crossing over) sambhutyaa (by sambhuuti) amRitam (eternity) ashnute (achieves)
(Verse 14).
3.13-14.2 Consolidated meaning.
Indeed it is different (outcome) from sambhuuti; indeed it is different (outcome) from asambhuuti.
This we heard from the unwavering ones who showed that to us.
(Verse 13).
(The one) who knows sambhuuti and vinaasha simultaneously, by crossing over the death by vinaasha, achieves eternity by sambhuuti.
(Verse 14).
3.13-14.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
The word vinaasha used in verse 14 has the same meaning that is conveyed by the words avidyaa and asambhuuti mentioned in the previous verses. As already explained in sections 3.9.3.1 and 3.10-11.3, our perceptions are fleeting, and we are always changing from one 'self' to the other. So our perceptions and feelings are called vinaasha, which means 'destruction'.
So, what is meant by crossing over the death by avidyaa and attaining amRita by vidyaa is the same as crossing over the death by vinaasha and attaining amRita by sambhuuti.
3.15 Verse 15.
hiraNmayena paatreNa satyasyaapihitaM mukham|
tattvaM puuShannapaavRiNu satyadharmaaya dRiShTaye||
3.15.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
hiraNmayena (by the golden) paatreNa (bowl) satyasya (truth's/of the truth) apihitaM (covered) mukham (mouth/face)
tat (that) tvaM (you) puuShan(sun) apaavRiNu(unveil)satya dharmaaya (satya- truth; dharmaaya-- for the religion or the way; satya dharmaaya----for the way leading to the truth) dRiShTaye (for beholding)
3.15.2 Consolidated meaning.
By the golden bowl, the face of the Truth is covered; you puuShan (sun) unveil that, for beholding the way leading to the Truth.
3.15.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
3.15.3(i) puuShan, hiraNmaya paatra (the golden bowl).
The word hiraNmayena used in the verse is from the word hiraNmaya. The general meaning of the word hiraNmaya is golden. The word hiraNa means gold and has originated from the word hi~N or him.
The word 'him' expresses the sense of 'certainty'. It is the first impression created in us by praaNa, or Consciousness, and that is the impression or the sense of 'being certain'. This world is creating the feelings of certainty and existence in us. This perceptible world is made of names or definitions and forms or appearances. These two words 'name' and 'appearance' are known as naama and ruupa, respectively, in Upanishad.
Our sense of reality, and so that of certainty, is seated in our vision. This is why it is easy for us to believe something that we see. When we see or sense the forms or the objects of the dimensional world, they create sounds or names within us. Thus, every such perception of ours is associated with a sound or a name.
The sense of vision in every individual is rooted in the sun in the external sky. The sun is the materialized personification of Consciousness in our external sky, the personification that is the source of time and vision. Thus, the sun is the source of reality, and its seat in us is located in our eyes. Our existence is established in this way. This earth, our body (our physical form), or the physicality is the 'certainty' that is ensuring us all the time about our physical existence. (We have discussed this subject in sections 3.1.3.xi and 3.8.3(vi) above.) Our life is sustained by the sun. The rotation of the earth around the sun and the diurnal motion create the seasons and the days and nights, which support the creation and its continuity. The diurnal rotation of the earth or its circulation around its own axis is related to the circulation of air within us in the forms of inhaling and exhaling. These breathing cycles are directly responsible for our stability, and each cycle is unique in every moment of our existence. This breathing is part of the olfactory system. It is for this reason that in the Upanishads, by praaNa it is meant Consciousness as well as the sense of smell and vital air. It is mentioned in the doctrines that the subtle form of the earth is the sense of smell, like the sun is related to the sense of vision. Thus, the sun and the earth are intimately related to our sense of reality and physicality, and we are nourished by this combination; the corresponding divine personality of Consciousness is puShan, who is nourishing our physical existence and the sense of reality. The word puShan is from the word puSh, which means 'to nourish'.
This physicality has kept the divinity covered. This materialized universe, this earth, or the physical world is the bowl or the cover that has covered the truth or the face of the truth. So, the prayer in this verse is addressed to the deity puShan, and it solicits to unveil the cover to expose the face of the truth.
3.15.3(ii) satya (the truth) and its covered (apihitam) face (mukha). naama (name) and ruupa (appearance).
Our face is uttering the words and the names, i.e., naama, and our face is our defining appearance, or ruupa. These naama and ruupa have defined each of us, and they have been mentioned as sayta (the truth) or the realization. Each such name and each such appearance is a form or an expression of Consciousness who is eternal, who is praaNa. Thus it is stated in verse 1.6.3 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, "that this (who is) amRita/eternal is shrouded by the truth (satya/ realized universe); names and the forms are the truth, (and) by them this praaNa (the Soul interacting with and regulating the universe) is shrouded."
Whatever has been created, has covered the creator or the origin of creation. The creation will not be stable if the creator is not covered or hidden. It will start merging with the creator instead of gaining an independent, stable existence. (You may read verses 1.4.3 and subsequent verses of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad about the initial stage of creation of the species.) Whatever has been created is from kRi. kRi means 'to create', 'to do'. Anything that is done is a creation. So, all that is done, all work, all activities, or all karma is created or originated from kRi or from the activities of Consciousness. kRi means ka (k) + Ri. ka = prajaapati or praaNa. Ri = to move. (Refer to Section 3.8.3 (iii).)
Now, any creation or activity in Consciousness is an act of 'knowing'. Whatever Consciousness knows, Consciousness becomes that. Whatever Consciousness becomes, Consciousness knows that, or Consciousness knows itself as that. This 'becoming' is the activation of 'vision' and also to be 'visible'. This 'becoming visible' out of vision, or the formation, is called ruupa. ruupa means a form or an appearance.
Now whatever Consciousness becomes, Consciousness knows itself as that, and this is listening or hearing, also called shruti. This is why anything we know or sense is associated with a word or a sound. This is naama, or name.
So, ruupa is 'becoming', and naama is 'knowing or feeling' what it (Consciousness) has become. These are the famous terms naama (name/definition) and ruupa mentioned in the Brihadaranaka Upanishad. (Refer to the Brihadaranaka Upanishad verses 1.6.1 and the subsequent verses.) Thus the entire universe, all creations, are naama, ruupa. Not only that, our every moment of existence is in Consciousness, and so our every moment of existence is made of ruupa (becoming) and naama (knowing).
So, it is stated in the Upanishad that naama, ruupa, and karma are the three aspects of the eternal soul that have made this universe, and aatman is satya (the truth) or sat.
The word sat means 'existing'. So, satya means the One who governs or controls the sense of existence. The word ya means yamana, i.e., 'the act of restraining', 'the act of controlling'. Thus Consciousness, who is satya, is all the names (naama) and all the forms (ruupa) that have made this perceptible universe.
In verse 1.6.1 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is said: trayaM (three) vaa (indeed) idaM (this; this universe)—naama (name) ruupaṃ (form) karma (activity; creation) ---- This universe is the three (this universe is made of three), name, form, and karma, or the creation/activity of Consciousness. naama and rupaa are created by Consciousness, who is the regulator of the universe. Each of us is a definition of Consciousness, is a name and form of Consciousness.
It is further said in this verse that all the names (all the words) originate or rise from vaak. vaak is the mother of all the words. Consciousness as vaak is the consort of Consciousness. Whatever vaak says, whichever name vaak calls, Consciousness (praaNa) becomes that. Thus, vaak and praaNa make the universal pair from whom everything is created. This celebrated pair is also described as the couple Rik (vaak) and saama (praaNa) in the Chandogya Upanishad (refer to verse 1.1.5 of the Chandogya Upanishad). In the Chandogya Upanishad, it is said, 'richi (in Rik) adhuuyDaM (established/rested) saamaM (saama) giiyate (is sung)' ---- saama (praaNa) that is established in Rik (vaak) is sung.
Thus whatever you see, you know, it is saama resting on Rik, it is praaNa resting on vaak, it is ruupa resting on naama.
The next verse 1.6.2 of the Brihadranyaka Upanishad says that all that is ruupa or the forms or the visions, rise from the eye (chakShu), or the eye of Consciousness. chakShu, or the eye, is also called praaNa because our look reveals all our feelings and moods; they are all lit luminously in the eyes. Consciousness cannot be without eye, without sight, without observation. Not only that, the time is emanating from the eye or from the conscious being in the sun (aaditya).
The third verse 1.6.3 of the Brihadranyaka Upanishad says that all that is karma, or all that is created, rises from the Soul, or the Oneness of Consciousness, or from aatman. This means that naama, ruupa, and karma rise from the Soul (aatman), who is the One, and there is no one else but the One. The Soul, by karma, has become every entity, all the names, all the forms.
Here is an extract from verse 1.6.3, on aatman (the Soul), who is sat or the truth, and on the three forms of the Soul: tad (that) etad (this) trayam (as three) sat (exists) ekam (one) ayam (this) aatmaa (Soul) ---
(although) that (the Soul) exists as these three
(but), this Soul is one (nothing exists other than the Soul)
aatmaa (the Soul) u (although) ekaH (one) san (being) etad (these) trayaM (three) ------ although the Soul is one (still) it is these three
tad (that) etad (this) amRitaM (amRita --- the eternal one) satyena (by the truth) channam (is shrouded); praaNaH (praaNa) vaa (indeed is) amRitam (amRita/eternal), naama-ruupe (names and the forms are) satyam (the truth), taabhyaam (by them) ayam (this) praaNaH (praaNa) channaH (shrouded) ----
that this (who is) amRita/eternal is shrouded by the truth (satya); names and the forms are the truth, (and) by them this praaNa (the Soul interacting with and regulating the universe) is shrouded.
3.15.3(iii) The face (mukha) of amRita----amRitasya mukham.
So, the face of the truth (satya) is vaak (or agni). vaak, who is the mother of all words, comes out of our mouth as vaakya, i.e., as the words, sentences and sounds. vaak has been mentioned as agni (the divine fire) in Upanishads. agni means praaNa-agni. agni means who leads everything. agni, or the divine fire, means who is self-revealing, i.e., who manifests itself by itself, and in that manifestation, everything else is also manifested. The word ni>nii means to lead. The word 'ag' means agra or front. ag and ni together makes agni. Consciousness, as praaNa has activated everyone, is still inactive and immutable as the eternal Soul. As stated before, every entity is created by the conjugal pair vaak and praaNa, and so in the Vedas or in Upanishads, praaNa (praaNa-agni) is also mentioned along with mukha, or mouth/face. Thus it is said, 'agni vaak bhuutvaa mukham praavishat'---agni having become vaak entered into the mouth' (quoted from verse 1.2.4 of Aitareya Upanishad); mukhaat vak vaachaH agniH----from the mouth vaak, and from vaak agni (quoted from verse 1.1.4 of Aitareya Upanishad).
When this source or face (mouth) is unveiled, we know the One whose words have created the universe.
3.15.3(iv) hi~N ------ the lowing sound of cow seeking her calf.
We have mentioned about hi~N and him in section 3.15.3(i) above. This word him is also known as hi~N. hi~N or him is known as the stobha in Upanishad (refer to chapter 13 of the Chandogya Upanishad). We have already explained the word him (hi~N) in section 3.15.3(i). him / hi~N is the sound of certainty; it is the certainty that we get from praaNa who is eternal; it is the certainty that we are beyond the death. In fact all the senses of certainty is basically him or hi~N. hi~N is also known as the lowing sound of a cow seeking her calf. Thus it is the sound that Consciousness is uttering to seek us, or to seek our real form which is Consciousness itself.
Thus, we quote from verse 6.3.4 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, where to praaNa it is said on 'hinkRitam asi hi~NkRiamaaNamasi' !
hinkRitam asi ---(you are the one who has) done (kRitam) the hi~N-----you have uttered your lowing sound to seek your offsprings (to find them in your own image)
hi~NkRiamaaNamasi---hi~N kRiyamaaNam asi---(you, existing within them)) are (also) uttering the lowing sound (in response)! ----- you as your offsprings are (also) responding to your lowing (seeking) sound!
This is the golden relation; golden = hiraNmaya.
(Hindus should understand, why a 'cow' is worshipped as go (cow---divine cow) maataa(mother) ).
3.16 Verse 16.
puuShannekarShe yama suurya praajaapatya vyuuha rashmiin |
samuuha tejo
yatte ruupaM kalyaaNatamaM tatte pashyaami |
yo'saavasau puruShaH so'hamasmi ||
3.16.1 Disjointed words and Word-word meaning.
puuShan (O puuShan/sun) ekarShe (the sole
observer) yama (the regulator) suurya (the one from
whom everything commences) praajaapatya (who
establishes the rules of prajaapati) vyuuha (arrange
in arryas) rashmiin (the rays) samuuha (consolidate)
tejaH (teja/ radiant dispositions) yat (that which) te
(your) ruupaM (form/aspect) kalyaaNatamaM (most auspicious) tat (that) te (yours)
pashyaami ( I behold)
yaH (the one who is) asou (that) asou (that) puruSaH
(the being) saH (that) aham (I) asmi (am)
3.16.2 Consolidated meaning.
O puuShan (O sun god), (you) the sole observer, (you) the regulator, (you) the one from whom everything commences, (you) who establishes the rules of prajaapati (rules those rear the creation), arrange the rays in arrays, consolidate (your) radiant dispositions, (so) that the aspect of yours which is the most auspicious (form) that I (can) behold.
3.16.3 Etymologies, inner meanings, and a brief explanation.
3.16.3(i) puuShan.
We have already explained the meaning of the word puuShan in the previous section 3.15.3(i).
3.16.3(ii) ekarShi.
The word ekarShe in the verse is the vocative case of the word ekarShi. This word is from the two words, eka meaning 'one' and 'RiShi' meaning 'the one who sees the Truth'. The word RiShi is from the root verb RiSh, meaning to see. Consciousness is seeing, which means that the time is manifested and the events and entities are created. Thus, vRiSh means to rain, and varSha means 'year' or raining of events/time in a complete cycle. As mentioned before, the vision is related to time. The years are being generated from the vision of Consciousness, who is the sun in our solar system.
So, the sun or puuShan is ekarShi. In Upanishads, there is a word called iikShaNa, which means 'to see', to desire'; iikShaNa also means 'action of time'. kShaNa means 'a moment', and also 'twinkling of an eye'. ii means 'faculty'. Thus, the word ekaRShi means the sole observer------ the Soul, or the One who is looking at us and from whom our time is created.
3.16.3(iii) yama.
The word yama in verse is a vocative case of the word yama. yama is that personality of Consciousness by whom every creature is restrained and is driven to the state of immortality. Our development and assimilation happen in the domain of Consciousness, which is located on the 'right' or located in the domain of Consciousness, where Consciousness or praaNa is inclined toward the right or the south. The directions south and right are the same. The word for 'south' is dakShiNa in Sanskrit, and this word daakShiNa is related to the Sanskrit word dakSha meaning 'skilled'. The English word dexter means 'right', and dexterous meaning 'skilled'. The words, 'dexter, 'dextrous', and 'daakShiNa' are all interrelated. Another related Sanskrit word is daakShiNya, which means 'bountifulness' that one inherits as a quality by the action of Consciousness in this southern direction.
Thus, yama is the deity situated on the south side or the right side, which is also the direction or inclination of Consciousness where the activities that drive us to evolve are executed. This is the core meaning of 'right/right* direction', and working righteously, and this conveys the significance of the right hand (as well as the right eye). Our assimilation of foods as well as all the senses that we perceive happen in this domain, and the resulting consequences and our changes happen in this domain. This is the domain that regulates the effect of our activities, or karma, and determines the consequences (phala) due to every activity. (* It should be clear from the above narration that 'right' does not necessarily mean the physical right direction.)
Thus, in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, it is said that the deity of the southern direction is yama, and yama is established in yaj~na. yaj~na means the act of worshipping or oblation. The actions and activities, that bring to us divinity and eternity are called yaj~na. The word yaj~na breaks up into ya and j~na. ya means yamana or the act of restraining or processing in the intended manner, and j~na means the immutable, immortal Soul (refer to Section 2.0 above). So, yamana is the regulation by the eternal Soul, and this regulation is implemented in us by the personality of Consciousness called yama. Thus, the deity yama, also known as the deity of death, is one of the greatest teachers of the 'immortal Soul' and His divine words are contained in the book named Kathopanishad (kaThopaniShad).
3.16.3(iv) suurya.The word suurya is a vocative case of the word suurya.The general meaning of suurya is the sun god.
suurya= suu+Ri+ya. The word is derived from the root word suu. The meanings of suu are 'to beget', 'to bring forth', etc. Ri means 'to go or to move to become visible or perceptible'. ya = governing, controlling. So, suurya means the personality of Consciousness, who initiates or commences every event or a thing and who sets in motion the event or the creation that has begun and makes it visible, perceptible, and colourful.
3.16.3(v) praajaapatya.
As mentioned before, the word praajaapatya means the one who establishes the rules of prajaapati. prajaapati means the one who is ruling the prajaa. prajaa = pra+jaa. pra means the one who is prathama or the first, i.e. the one who is before everything. When Consciousness becomes active and about to multiply into many, Consciousness becomes praaNa. So, pra implies praaNa. pra also means one who is the praadhaana or 'principal'.
So, prajaa means, all who are generated (jaa) or created from pra or praaNa, and accordingly, prajaapati means praaNa who takes care of all who are created from praaNa.
puuShan has been addressed as prajaapatya, since Consciousness as puShaan nourishes us, thus establishing the service of prajaapati.
However, there is another significant meaning of the word pra. pra also means prati; prati means ---toward, counter (against), corresponding.
Thus, ruupa means a 'form' and pratiruupa means 'corresponding form'. So, prajaa means those who are generated (jaa) as the 'corresponding form' (pratiruppa) of praaNa or Consciousness. This means, everyone is created in the image of the creator.
In Consciousness, all forms (ruupa) are there as a whole, and at the same time, each form (pratiruupa) exists as an individual entity (svatantra).
ruupa is Consciousness taking the formation, or becoming the formation, and pratiruupa is Consciousness knowing itself as the 'formation' or as what has formed. So, ruupa is what we have described before as sambhuuti, and pratiruupa is what we have described before as vinaasha or anubhuuti.
Now here is a quote from Upanishad (refer to verse 2.7 of Prashnopanishad):
prajaapatiH (as prajaapati) charasi (you move; you are active) garbhe (in the womb) tvam (you) eva (indeed) pratijaayase (generates yourself correspondingly)
tubhyaṃ (to you) praaNa (o praaaNa) prajaaH (prajaa; the offsprings) imaa (these) baliṃ (offerings) haranti (fetch/procure) yaH (you who) praaṇaiH (with the senses/with the sensory organs or faculties) pratitiṣṭhasi (is dwelling correspondingly) ----
As prajaapati you are active in the womb; you indeed generate yourself correspondingly (in the forms corresponding to yourself ).
To you, o praaaNa, the prajaa (corresponding forms generated from praaNa) fetch these offerings for you who dwell correspondingly (dwelling as corresponding forms) with the sensory faculties.
3.16.3(vi) prajaapati and the regulation of Consciousness. soma.
We are narrating below briefly some descriptions of prajaapati and his manifestations in the universe, as mentioned in first chapter of Prashnopanishad (prashna-upaniShad/prashnopaniShad).
When Consciousness as prajaapati was desirous of having offspring (prajaa), Consciousness created rayi and praaNa. The couple rayi and praaNa, are the same as the couple vaak and praaNa. We have mentioned about the conjugal couple vaak and praaNa in the section 3.15.3(ii) (Refer to verse 1.4 of the Prashnopanishad.)
The word rayi implies the domain where all activities are internally oriented. The alphabet ya is a semi-vowel and is also known to be antastha, i.e., situated within (antara) or situated at the end (anta).The semi-vowel ya implies the 'processing by Consciousness within' or inside all activities. We have already talked about this processing called yamana. The word raya means a 'current', and it is the stream flowing inside or the sound/rava listened inside; raya is also the rays within or the inner shine. This inner plane of 'sound' is the plane of listening to or knowing of what is 'told' or 'articulated'. The domain of rayi is the lunar plane or the inner plane, the plane where things are reflected within.
Thus, in the Prashnopanishad (refer to verse 1.5), it is said that rayi is chandramaa, or the moon, and praaNa is aaditya, or the sun. Further, it is said that rayi is all that is without a body or with a body. This means praaNa is the being, or the entity within the body, and rayi, who is the consort or the faculty of praana, has created praaNa in many shapes, in many bodily forms. Thus, Consciousness, as rayi, has embodied Consciousness, or praaNa, everywhere in this materialized universe.
Because the faculty of Consciousness called vaak or rayi has created Consciousness (praaNa) as everything, so whoever leaves the physicality first enters this lunar domain (or domain of rayi), and whoever takes birth in the physicality first enters the lunar domain and then the terrestrial plane.
The regulation of the sun (Consciousness whom we see as the sun in our external sky) keeps us externally oriented, and this external orientation is our wakeful state.
Our wakeful state is dominated by the sun, or aaditya. So, aaditya's time is called 'day' or 'aha'. aha (or the day) is the exclamation with which aham or 'I am' rises in every moment. This has been mentioned in the Upanishad.
chandramaa (the moon) or the lunar domain belongs to rayi. The moon's time is the night. Our internal orientation is governed by chandramaa, or the moon. This is also the domain that regulates our dreams, our feelings of joy and suffering, and our transformation. (Refer to verse 1.13 of the Prashnopanishad.)
The regulation by prajaapati is manifested in the annual cycles of the earth, i.e., in the year (samvatsara), in the lunar cycles, i.e., in the months consisting of the waxing period and waning period of the moon, and in the diurnal cycles, which are days and nights (aho-raatra).
We have explained the meaning of the word samvatsara in Section 3.8.3.9. samvatsara is a complete cycle of regulation administered to a yearling or to a prajaa. There are two distinct wings of the regulation called samvatsara: one is northern, or uttara, and the other is southern, or dakShiNa. The course to uttara, or to the northern direction of Consciousness leads to divinity. In your every moment, there is a nonphysical part, the part beyond the physicality; whether one knows or not, this divine part beyond the physicality exists in a repository of Consciousness where your divine entity is developing.
It is mentioned in the Prashnopanishad that samvatsara consists of northernly and southernly motions. These motions are known as uttaraayana and dakShiNaayana, respectively. (We have mentioned uttara and dakShiNa in the previous paragraph.)Those who have experienced immortality take the northern course (uttaraayaNa) after departing from the earth, and the others take the southern course (dakShiNaayana), which presides over the compulsory recycling from birth to death and death to birth. uttara means uttaraNa, or 'crossing over'. This is why 'uttara' also means 'answer', i.e., getting the answers to all the questions. Most of the narrations in this section are from Prashnopanishad=prashna (question) + upaniShad. In this Upanishad, answers have been given to the questions asked.) These phenomena of departure in northern and southern directions are parts of the northern and southern directives or regulations of Consciousness, and appear as the summer solstice (uttaraayaNa) and winter solstice (dakShiNaayana). (We have earlier explained the meaning of the southern direction (dakShiNa)).
What churns out of the activities of Consciousness as our day (aha) and night (raatra/raatri) are also experienced in the same way as the lunar waxing and waning periods by the souls who live in the lunar domain after departing from the earth, or from the state of physical existence; and as the two solstices by the divine fathers who live in pitRi loka (abode of the divine fathers). Thus, one day and night cycle in the abode of the divine fathers is equal to our one (solar) year, and one day and night experienced by the departed souls in the lunar domain is equal to our one (lunar) month.
All these pairs of periods, namely, day-night (aho-raatra), waxing-waning periods of the moon (shukla pakSha and kRiShNa pakSha), and the two solstices (uttaraayaNa and dakShiNaayana), are the two wings of the 'flying time' or Consciousness. Thus, the waxing period is called shukla pakSha. pakSha means 'a wing', and 'pakShii' means a bird or the one who has the faculty to wing. It is noteworthy that the two flanks or the two wings are associated with the left and south sides, or to the north (uttara) and south (dakShiNa) directions.
It is mentioned in the Upanishad that we are rejuvenated by the waxing moon during the shukla pakSha (waxing period of the moon) and consumed during the kRiSNa pakSha (waning period of the moon). Consciousness flowing out as the streams of 'senses and feelings' that constitute our living existence is called soma. chandramaa, or the moon, is the source of soma and is within everyone as the inner plane, antariikSha, or the lunar plane. This flowing soma is also described as the divine bird (paakShii), and we have mentioned the same as 'flying time' in the previous paragraph. The moon, or chandramaa, is also called chandramas. The end part of the word chandramas is mas. mas means to measure or meter, and mas also means 'a month'. A month is also called 'maasa'. How we listen to a word or how we feel a sense is decided by the regulation of the lunar plane. The intensity of pain or joy, or the typical perception of a sense (which is unique in every individual), is controlled by the lunar domain. Consciousness, whom we have described as anva-aaharya-pachana-agni and dakShiNa-agni in Section 3.8.3 (ix), is in the core of chandramaa or in the core of the lunar domain.
The moon reflects the sunlight and also absorbs a portion of it. Similarly, we are absorbing soma as well as being illuminated by soma, and this is how we are changing and evolving. Thus, soma is metered, measured, and administered in specific ways to every being.
The regulation of the moon is happening within the regulation by the sun that is causing our day and night. The diurnal motion of the earth, her spinning about herself, is causing the day and night. As mentioned before, this is the same as the cycles of inhaling and exhaling in us that make the pluses of our life and allow us to be stable in our bodies. (See Section 3.1.3 (iii)--- vaasa----fragrance and praaNa.)
At every moment we rise to something that we have desired or that has appeared to us. It may be a desire to eat, or it may be a vision of a flower. In the next instant, a new moment comes or rises in me, and the previous one sets down. This is happening all the time. With every new sense, with every new perception, we rise, and at that moment our sense of 'self' asserts itself and gets involved or tainted with what we sense or perceive; thus, in every moment we rise in a morning, with a specific colour.
3.16.3(vii) mitra and varuNa.
When we rise with something, the others in our domain of 'knowledge' get shrouded, so that what rises at that moment is prominent. This rising is governed by the deity called mitra, and the shrouding by the deity varuNa. They are the famous pair of deities, mentioned in the Vedas as mitraa-varuNa. mitra means a friend; mitra manifests what you desire. Whatever you desire that rises before you, and that is the front or the east. Here is a verse on the deity mitra from verse 3.59.1 (Third maNdala-fifty-ninth sukta--first hymn):
mitro (mitra) janaan (the creatures) yaatayati (move to regulate) bruvaaNaH (by speaking/by the words) ----Mitra (mitra), by his words, keep the creatures moving in the regulatory paths;
mitro (mitra) daadhaara (holds) pRithiviim (the earth/the physical world) uta (as well as) dyaam (the heaven/divinity)------Mitra (mitra) holds the earth as well as the heaven;
mitraH (mitra) kRiShTiH (attracted/attached; all those attracted/attached to mitra) animiShaa (with blink-less gaze) abhi (toward) chaShTe (looking)----Mitra (mitra) with a blink-less gaze is looking at all those attracted to him.
mitraaya (for mitra) havyam (offer) ghRita-vat (like ghRita) juhota (oblation) ---- For Mitra, (mitra) offer oblation, which is like ghRita*.
(*ghRita is known as the clarified butter that is offered to agni, or the 'fire invoked' in Vedic rituals. However, ghRita means which is 'suitable for striking, or for the sacrifice or oblation'. gh/gha = to strike; Rita = fit, suitable.)
Our days and nights are caused by mitra and varuNa. Through these days and nights are acting the periods of the moon or the regulations of soma; we have explained this before. The days and nights are parts of the lunar periods, and lunar periods are the parts of the months, or mas or maasa. Accordingly, the moon is called chandramas. These months are parts of the two solstices, namely utaaraayana and dakShiNaayana, and by the regulations of
Consciousness in the lunar centre, the departing souls either move in the northern course (utaaraayana) or in the southern course (dakShiNaayana). Further what comes out of the solstices are the seasons (Ritu).
The solstices, the days and nights, and the lunar periods are acting on us in every moment (as explained before); similarly, the seasons are also acting in every moment.
3.16.3(viii) The six seasons----ShaD (Six)-Ritu (Season).
The word for the season is Ritu. Ri means 'to flow toward', and Rita means the 'truth in realized or materialized form'. Ritu or the seasons are the streams of Consciousness flowing to sustain our existence.
The first season is vasanta, or the spring. This word is also from the root verb vas, meaning 'to dwell', 'to stay'. Whenever we sense or perceive anything, we dwell in it or sit on it. Thus, when you eat the food, it becomes your seat, your dwelling place. This is the spring, or vasanta.
You get engrossed in it and start consuming it; eat and chew it. This getting 'engrossed' is the season 'griiShma' or the summer. The word griiShma is from the root verb 'gras' meaning 'to seize by the mouth', 'to consume'. So, you consume the food. The heat that Consciousness or radiant praaNa in you generates enables you to consume the food or take it in you for assimilation or consumption. The water as saliva, as the digestive liquids secrete; the feelings and tastes during the consumption process or the eating, start raining (varShaNa) within you, wetting you. This is the rainy season, or varShaa. This creates nourishment or a certain development in you, to which you get attached, or a new refuge is created for you. This new refuge is like the earth after the rains, during the autumn, seeded and fertile, affluent with greens, opulent rivers, and falls. That you get a new space or a shelter is autumn or sharad. sharad is from the word sharaNa, meaning a 'refuge' or a 'shelter'.
The repeated experience of anything creates a space or a refuge, and eventually, it becomes 'very certain' and natural as the instinct. This certainty is him or hi~N (refer to the section 3.15.3.i above). The season (pre-winter) that comes after autumn is called hemanta, and this word is from the root word him or hi~N.
When the activities or the entire cycle of a specific process of perception ends, it is the winter, or shishira. The entire experience remains stored in the domain of instincts (also called pitRi-loka or the abode of the fathers). shi means 'composure, calmness'; shira is the head or brain where the physical location of the instincts exists.
The winter is the time for hibernation. It is the time or the season of quietude, stillness. It may be noted that many great souls attained enlightenment during the winter seasons.
3.16.3(ix) vyuuha (arrange in arrays) rashmiin (the rays)---arrange the rays in arrays.
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