Episode 14- Story of 3 friends - Pravahana, Silaka and Chaikitayana

8 Jan 2023 · Stories from Upanishads

Today I will be telling you a story from Chaandogya Upanishad. It is featured in the 8th Khanda of the book, and it is about 3 young well versed scholars named Pravahana Jivala, Silaka Salavat and Chaikitayana Dalbhya. This is a story which involves a deep curiosity amongst these 3 young men. Our Vedic rishis, sages and scholars always regarded experience or anubhava to be the paramount, next they would regard the scriptures or Shrutis and lastly they would regard the reasoning and logic as most important.

So when these 3 young scholars met, were very curious to learn who had what experience of Truth!

They were all well versed in Udgita and wanted to have a friendly discussion on it.

Friends, if you remember I have explained about Udgitha in the episode “Story of Praana”. I would really request the new listeners to listen to that first before listening to this story.

Back to the story,

….3 scholars sat down under a shady Banyan tree, kept their bags beside them. All of them were earnest students of the Vedas, they meditated on Aum, the sound symbol of the Ultimate Reality or God. They followed meditation techniques as per Sama Veda. They decided to exchange their experiences on Udgita, which is the singing hymns of Sama Veda and forms of Vedic sacrifices.

After drinking a sip of water, wiping off the sweat from his forehead, Pravahana said -

“Dear friends, I think you both must start telling your experiences first. Let me listen to it.” Both Silaka and Chaikitayana agreed happily. They knew that Pravahana was destined to become a king later on.

Silaka first questioned Chaikitayana, “May I ask you a question?”

Chaikitayana nodded and said - “yes please go ahead!”

Silaka smiled and asked -“ What is the origin of the Saman or Udgita?”

Chaikitayana smiled and said - “Voice, or Swara. Naturally without swara or voice we cannot chant the Sama veda….and Udgita is a part of this veda!”

Then Silaka asked - “What is the origin of voice or swara?”

Chaikitayana said promptly - “It is the Praana or Vital Breath. Because when the vital breath or Praana stops functioning, one cannot speak and voice becomes mute.”

Silaka immediately asked another question - “Obviously, without Praana one cannot live! So may I ask you, on what Vital Breath or Praana depend on?”

Chaikitayana said -“We may say that all life for which the Praana or Vital breath is indispensable depends on the food!”

Pravahana was quietly listening to the conversation of his two friends and was making mental notes and silently judging their conversation.

Then Silaka asked - “Then what does Food depend on?”

Chaikitayana thought for a second as said -“ Ahhhh…..Upon Water, Life itself is depended to water.”

Silaka exclaimed - “hmmm…Okay!” He asked again -“Then tell me on what is the origin of Water?”

Chaikitayana said - “It is space or Yonder as water comes from the yonder and goes back to it. It falls to earth from space in form of rainfall, fills in rivers and ponds and then again evaporates back as clouds to the space.”

Silaka thought for a second and asked again -“ Okay then tell me what is the origin of yonder or Space?”

To this question, Chaikitayana said - “Let no man carry the Saman beyond the world of Swarga or Heaven or Yonder. We recognise the Saman in the world of Swarga or Yonder, as Saman is hailed as Swarga!”

These three friends were enlarging their kingdom of knowledge. They made a common attempt to share and spread knowledge as they followed a Vedic saying “Do things together!” They realised that they have gone as far as thought can reach. Being aware of the limitations of thought, Silaka told Chaikitayana -

“O Chaikitayana, your saman is not firmly established! We cannot tell the origin of Saman! If at this time anyone who knew the origin of Saman, the your head shall surely fall off! I am afraid we cannot confine or delimit the Absolute Truth to any corner, remote or distant, of the cosmos or space. To the extent it is confined, it will stop being a symbol of Universal Truth which is free from the limitations of time and space! Therefore I believe we have to examine again our fundamental views!”

Till now Pravahana was watching and listening to his friends. He decided to intervene and said - “Both your views are partial and fragmentary. Silaka is keeping his feet on the earth and Chaikitayana has his head in the skies.”

Silaka now quesitoned Pravahana - “Then tell me, what is the origin of this world?”

Pravahana said - “Space, as all these things are created from Akaasa or Space and return to the space, Therefore Akaasa is the supreme support!

Then after a pause, Pravahana continued - “For comprehensive and complete knowledge, we require both. We need not interpret Aakaasa to mean the sky. It means the space or ether. All objects are in space but space itself is indivisible. It is inside and outside all objects. And what appears to divide space is also space!”

Then Silaka asked - “Then, what is the Truth?”

Pravahana explained - “Let us then agree to say that the Truth, the Brahman is all in all! We live, move and have our being in Brahman, both here and hereafter. The wise men always sees this Truth!”

At the end of this conversation, the three friends got up, packed their belongings. They were enriched with the knowledge and experiences from each other as it was a rare spiritual retreat. After having clarified their ideas, the three friends knelt in common salutation to the Aatman as Pranava.

After this the three friends greeted each other and they parted their ways to their individual destinations.

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This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”

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Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.

Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.

The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami

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Episode 28 - Story of King Brihaadratha and the path to moksha – Chapter 1 – Maitreya Upanishad
23 Sep 2023· Stories from Upanishads
Today's story is taken from Maitreya Upanishad. This story is featured in chapter 1 of the Upanishad. This chapter describes the dialogue between the great ascetic king Brihaadratha from the Ikshvaaku dynasty or Solar dynasty and Sage Saakaayana.
Please like, share, subscribe and download my podcast “Stories from Upanishads”, available on multiple podcast streaming platforms. Also, visit my website https://www.storiesfromupanishads.com, listen to my earlier podcast episodes, and read some of the blogs available.
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Episode 27- What is AUM? Maandukya Upanishad Part 2
1 Sep 2023· Stories from Upanishads
The part 2 of Maandukya Upanishad deals with "AUM". It describes verses 8-12 from the Upanishad. It tells us about "AUM", how do you pronounce it? What happens when you chant "AUM" and many other secrets lying hidden in the syllable "AUM"?
How it is connected to Viraat Purush, Hiraanyagarbha, Ishwara and Brahman? Why silence is "Turiya" the fourth quarter of Aatman? How do you perform Aum Kara Dhyaanam?
Come with me and dive into a journey full of mysticism and unknowns.
This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”

Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 26 - “Ayam Aatma Brahma” - Maandukya Upanishad - Part 1
14 Aug 2023· Stories from Upanishads
This is the 1st part of the Maandukya Upanishad in which the teacher describes the 4 states of Self. This episode also describes one of the Mahaavaakya from Upanishad -"Ayam Aatma Brahma" which means - "This Self is Brahman". As told in Muktika Upanishad, Maandukya Upanishad is the most important of all the 108 Upanishads. So come on friends, let's embark on a journey to know more about this wonderful ancient text.
This podcast is available on almost all podcast platforms such as - Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Blubrry Podcasts, and many other podcast players.
You can listen to the podcast on my exclusive website https://www.storiesfromupanishads.com. Furthermore, as a bonus, you can read through some interesting blogs and shop from ExoticIndia. ExoticIndia is India’s leading online store where you can find rare books, brass articles, idols, and many others.
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Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 25- What are the paths of liberation? Part 2 - Muktika Upanishad
16 Jul 2023· Stories from Upanishads
Dear friends,
I am back with the next part of the story - "What are the paths of liberation". The episode will tell you about types of Vaasanaas or desires, what are the fluctuations of the mind and how to control it, what are jivan mukti and Videha mukti.
I hope you will love this episode as you have loved the previous part.
Please visit the website, https://www.storiesfromupanishads.com, read the blogs, and listen to the earlier episodes. Also, you can shop from ExoticIndia, which houses a great collection of collectibles, rare books and artefacts. Please click on the button "Shop Now" to access the website. Do write to me in my email [email protected] as many of my listeners often write to me and discuss with me various topics.
Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit. Excerpts from the Mangal Bhavan are taken from Ramacharitamanas, sung by Anup Jalota.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 24- What are the paths of liberation? A story of Shri Ramchandra and Hanuman Chapter 1 - From Muktika Upnishad
2 Jul 2023· Stories from Upanishads
Muktika Upanishad is the last of the 108 Upanishads which is derived from Shukla Yajur Veda. I have extracted this story from this upanishad which presents a dialogue between Lord Shree Ramchandra and Lord Hanuman, where in Hanuman asks Lord Ram about the vedanta, upanishads and paths of salvation. This episode features adhyaya 1 or chapter 1 from the Upanishad.
Do you know what are the 108 Upanishads? How they are categorised? What are the different shanti mantras of each category of Upanishad? What are the different paths of liberation? What is "Kaivalya", the highest state of emancipation? To know more, please listen to this episode.
Please don’t forget to like, subscribe, follow, rate and leave some review comments on my podcast series - Stories from Upanishads and on this episode. Do write to me in my email [email protected] as many of my listeners often write to me and discuss with me on various topics.
Also do visit the exclusive website of my podcast series - "Stories from Upanishads". The url is https://www.storiesfromupanishads.com/ to get some more information in form of blogs, collection of all my previous podcast episodes and an exciting offer from ExoticIndia. ExoticIndia which offers a unique selection of products that reflect the cultural traditions and lifestyle of India. You can directly access their website using the link provided in the button “Shop now” in my website.
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Episode 23 - Satyameva Jayate - Mundaka Upanishad
18 Jun 2023· Stories from Upanishads
Satyameva Jayate Na-anrtam -
satyena panthaa vitato devayaanah |
Yen-aakramanty-rsayo hyaapta-kaamaa -
Yatr tat satyasya paramam nidhaanam ||
Which means - Truth alone triumphs not untruth. By truth is laid out the divine path, which the seers who are free from desires, reach to the supreme abode of truth”.
This is story from Mundaka Upanishad and describes a dialogue between Sage Angiras and his student Shaunaka. What are the two types of knowledge? Which one is the lower and which one is the higher? What is Satyam or Truth? Can Aatman and Brahman reside in the same body?
Many questions are answered in this story. So hold on tight and enjoy the story from which our national motto was taken.
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Episode 22 - Shat Prashna - Prasna Upanishad - Part 2
4 Jun 2023· Stories from Upanishads
This episode is in continuation of last week's podcast episode on Prashna Upanishad - Shat Prashna. It is a collection of 6 questions asked by 6 different students to their guru Sage Pipalada. In today's episode, the next 3 set of questions and their responses are retold. The 4th question was asked by Gaargya on what is that thing which sleeps when a man sleeps which awakes when he is awakened, who really sees his dreams? The 5th question was asked by Satyakama Saiba on benefits of chanting AUM and how one must recite it. The last question was asked by Sukesha Bharadwaja on 16 parts of Aatman.
This episode also has a small snippet from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan's famous bhajan = "Hari Aum Tat Sat"
So sit back and enjoy today's episode which is treasured with importance of reciting AUM.
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Host feed -
This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”
Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 21 - Shat Prashna - 6 Questions - Part 1
27 May 2023· Stories from Upanishads
This is the part 1 of Shat Prashna or 6 questions from Prashna Upanishad. Once 6 hermits named Sukeshaa Bharadwaja, the descendant of Sage Bharadwaja, Saibya Satyakama, the grandson of Surya named Sauryaayani, Gaargya from the line of Garga, Kausalya Aasvalaayana the son of Asvala, Vaidarbhi Bhargava from the line of Bhrigu and Kabandhii Kaatyaana, the great grandson of Kaatya asked the great sage Pippalada 6 various questions. This episode will cover 1st 3 questions which is about Origins of Life, How many Gods are there and which one is the greatest god in human body, How is Praana born?
Friends, sit back and listen to my latest episode - Shat Prashna or 6 Questions from Prashna Episode Part 1, in you favorite podcast show "Stories from Upanishads" available on ApplePodcasts, Spotify, AmazonMusic, GooglePodcasts and many other podcast platforms.
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Episode 20 - Narada and Sanatkumara
9 Apr 2023· Stories from Upanishads
This is a story from Chandogya Upanishad. In this story devarishi Narada seeks teachings from his brother and sage Sanatkumara on how to attain infinite happiness or Bhumaiva Sukham. This episode also touches upon an another interesting story about Sanatkumar and Lord Shiva. So dear friends, sit tight for an another interesting episode on Stories from Upanishads.
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Episode 19 - Yagnavalkya and King Janaka Part 2
26 Mar 2023· Stories from Upanishads
What are desires? What are dreams? How does the soul transmigrate? Is Self Indeed Brahman? Is Self the light for the man, when there is no sun, moon or fire?
All these questions are answered in the episode - Yagnavalkya and King Janaka part 2, which is the concluding part of the question and answer session between the two learned men from ancient India.
This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”
Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources such as pixebay with royalty free rights, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 18 - Yagnavalkya and King Janaka -Part 1
13 Mar 2023· Stories from Upanishads
BU presents most of the stories from the life of the ancient vedic sage Yagnavalkya and many of them also feature King Janaka of Videha. Today's story is part 1 of never ending conversation between the Sage and the King. In this story, the king learns about Speech, Sight, Hearing, Vital Force, Mind and Heart are forms of Supreme Brahman!
Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”
Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license.
Ananda Shankar - Subh the Auspicious, - Internet Archives
Boom - geomorphic Cinematic trailer, - Pixabay.com
Dark Sad Ambient Piano Pixabay.com
Asian Ceremony - Internet Archives
Prank - Pixabay.com
Sitar and Tanpura - Internet Archives
Synth Bass - Apple Loops
Indian Dreams Sitar - Apple Loops
Country Fun - Pixabay.com
Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
Co-narrated by : Jiniya Goswami
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Episode 17 - Yagnavalya and Maitreyi
26 Feb 2023· Stories from Upanishads
What is immortality?
Knowing that “Truth” itself is "Immortality"! Freedom from all fears is "Immortality"! Fear of death, fear of poverty, fear of insecurity, fear of pain and sorrow, fear of losing a near one, fear of unknown, beyond these fears lies "immortality".
Why do we love our spouse, parents or children?
We love our spouse, parents and our children not because we love them rather because we love ourselves. We love our "Self" or "Aatman"! The “Self” or “Aatman” is everything! Everything springs from the “Self”, it dissolves in It and remains imbued with It during continuance, for it cannot be perceived apart from the “Self”. Therefore everything is “Self”!
Just as a lump of salt when dissolve completely in water and cannot be taken out of it again, but the salt makes every drop of that water salty, similarly, does the individual "Self or Aatman" dissolves into the limitless “Being” or "Brahman" and cannot be separated from it.
Although that “Being” itself carries in it the essence of every individual "Self".
After death, there is no body and once the body is no more, the "Self" or "Aatman" dissolves into "Brahman" and there is nothing to perceive!
The means of immortality is the knowledge of the “Aatman”, with the renunciation of everything as part of it. When “That” is known, whole universe is known. It is dearer than everything else, hence it must be realised when it is heard from a spiritual teacher or guru and reflected through reasoning or logical contemplation.
Our bodies are a powerhouse of energy, which helps us to sustain throughout our lifetime. When our body dies, this energy is released and becomes a part of the energy that sustains the world. This energy helps plants to grow, animals to reproduce, earth and other planets stay in their individual orbits, bring atoms together to make molecules and everything and anything else in this universe. It is the same vibrant energy in all organisms and celestial bodies although it is so fabulously diverse array of bodies, shapes and forms. That cosmic energy, has been around since before the earth existed, is the reason the world exists and will be there well after the universe is gone. So realise that “You” are the cosmic energy, it stands to reason that "You" will be around forever. This is immortality, at least feels like immortality.
Let's find out in today's story on Yagnavalkya and Maitreyi.
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This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”
Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada,
“The Brihdaaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
Co-narrated by : Jiniya Goswami
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Episode 16- Story of King Pravahana, Sage Uddalaka Aaruni and Shwetaketu
8 Feb 2023· Stories from Upanishads
My dear friends and listeners, it’s been a while I could upload any new episode. The reason being multiple, but here I am with a new story from the Upanishads. Before I begin, my earnest request to you to follow, subscribe, like, share and download my podcast. It will immensely help me to keep going and provide you with these contents. Also please do write to me at my email address [email protected]. I receive emails from my listeners and we discuss lot of things and often goes into a discovery session on various questions. It’s real fun and interesting.
Today’s story is a follow up or continuation stories from three characters on which I have already told you earlier. Pravahana’s story was discussed in Episode 14 i.e. Story of 3 friends - Pravahana, Silaka and Chaikitayana and Uddalaka Aaruni and Shwetaketu’s story was discussed in Episode 15 - Tat Tvam Asi - Story of Uddalaka Aaruni and Shwetaketu. I would highly recommend you to listen to them to understand the continuity.
As per the book - The character of the Self in Ancient India by Brian Black brings in portrayal of character contributes in philosophical position of the texts. Such as the character of Shwetaketu, which has been mentioned in the Brihaddarankya Upanishad, Chhandogya Upanishads and Kausitaki Upanishad. As per Upanishadic researcher Patrick Olivelle, there are variations in the character and presentation and different Upanishads present the same story in a different ways. He argues that this variation in presentation is deliberate and that each version has its own narrative logic. So different portrayals of Shwetaketu and Pravahana Jaivali in different Upanishads tells us something about the overall stance. Olivelle concluded that Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad favors the east and is critical about Kuru-Paanchala Brahmins and presents Shwetaketu as a rude and spoiled brahmin. However in Chhandogya Upanishad the portrayal is more conservative and presents the story of Shwetaketu and Uddalaka Aaruni more positively. Thus portrayal of certain characters in the Upanishads is a part of narrative strategy and political positioning of the texts. If incase you have not listened to my story of Tat Tvam Asi, please do listen to that episode. In Brihaadaaranyaka and Chhandogya Upanishad, Shwetaketu’s story introduces the teachings of five fires and the two paths whereas in Kausitaki Upanishad it introduces the doctrine of the path to heaven.
Another important point to note is that in CU seem to emphasize on the formal instructions between the teacher and student more such as Story of Tat Tvam Asi. BU focuses mostly on debates such as stories of Yaagnavalkya.
Today’s story is featured in Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad Chapter 6, section 2. Chronologically this story falls after episode 15, when Shwetaketu gained the knowledge of Tat Tvam Asi from his father Uddalaka Aaruni.
As per book - “Political History of Ancient India” by Hemchandra Raychaudhuri, Pravahana Jaivali was a Paanchaala king and contemporary to King Janaka of Videha. We have already heard his story when he and his two other friends exchanged their experiences of Brahman and how he brought out the significance of Om. As a king Pravahana was a good ruler and was ruling his kingdom as per the ancient Hindu Polity as explained by Bheeshma in Shanti Parva of Mahabharata. Pravahana was a man of action, knower of truth and a preceptor of Aatman.
As we have seen that courtroom of King Janaka of Videha was filled with scholars and well-versed brahmins, so was King Pravahana’s courtroom. It was also filled with innumerable eminent scholars and brahmins questing for fame, name and money.
Today’s story begins from the point when Shwetaketu weaponised with the knowledge of vedas and true knowledge from his father about Brahman comes to King Pravahana’s courtroom.
Completely drenched in arrogance about the knowledge of vedas and Brahman, which he used as a means to measure other’s knowledge, asks the guards of the courtroom seeking to see the king.
The guards informed the king about Shwetaketu’s arrival.
Pravahana knew about the deadly pride, which has coiled Shwetaketu completely like a python. He also knew that this will not bring any fame rather will only aid in his downfall. So he decided to teach him a lesson. He asked the guards to bring him in the courtroom.
As Shwetaketu entered boldly, he saw great scholars, wise men and courtmen sitting in the courtroom. They were all looking at him. They were curious to know about what will happen next. Shwetaketu burned with his pride didn’t bother to pay much heed to these great scholars and rather walked up straight to the king.
The king smiled and without showing much respect said -
“Oh boy! Have you been taught by your father?”
King Pravahana being a Kshatriya, addressing a Brahmin in this manner was quite unexpected. This shook Shwetaketu and other brahmins in the court room.
Taken a back, Shwetaketu replied -
“Yes sir!”
“If you have a doubt, please question me!”
The king nodded and smiled and thought for a while. Then he asked the brahmin -
“Do you know how it is that the beings travel over different paths after death? How they would return to this world?
Shwetaketu was not expecting such a question. He had no idea on what he would respond to. So he said -“No sir, I don’t know about it!”
The king asked his next question -
“How is it that the world of the dead is never filled although many die and pass away?”
Before Shwetaketu could answer anything, the king asked his next question -“ How does the water that is offered as oblation rises and speaks with the human voice as it were?”
The king continued his next question - “What is Devayana that is access to the way of the gods and Pitriyana or the access to the way of the manes and how does one gain access to them?”
Then the king continued, we have heard the words of the mantra from the sages -
Dwe suti ashri-na-vam pitrinaa -
Maham devaa-naa-mut matyaarnaam,
Taabhya-midam vishwa-me-jatsameti,
Yadantra Pitram Maatram cha || iti;
Naahamat ekanchan vedeti howach||
Which means - I have heard of two routes for men, leading to the gods and to then manes. Going along with them all this is united. They lie between the father i.e. heaven and the mother i.e earth.
Shwetaketu was completely stumped, he was at the loss of words and could only nod and said “Sir, I dont know them!”
These questions pertained to the secret lore of the Kshatriyas, and had been jealously guarded by them as Raajaguhya or royal secret.
Completely uprooted Shwetaketu stood there in the courtroom not knowing what to do next.
The king invited him to stay. He asked the court ladies to bring water for washing his feet and customary offerings for the respected guests.
Shwetaketu rejected the invite and hurried away from the court room.
Boiling with anger, he came back to his father the Sage Uddalaka Aaruni. He was so angry that he didn’t even greeted his parents. The sage knew something was cooking up.
Shwetaketu asked his father - “Father, how do you say that you have taught me everything, every branch of knowledge?”
Sage asked - “What happened my child? You seemed to be hurt by someone”
Angry Shwetaketu roared - “That wretched Kshatriya King Pravahana asked me questions and I didn’t know the answers to any one of them! See how I am disgraced in the court room filled with scholars and learned men and women. I could not answer even one question asked by that Kshatriya and it is all because of you!”
Then Shwetaketu told his father about the questions which the king had asked!
On hearing these questions, the sage told his son - “My child, believe me, I have taught you everything I knew of. As far as Pravahana’s questions unfortunately I too don’t have complete answers to them. That’s why they weren’t taught to you.”
Let me propose you something my child, let us both go to the king’s court as a seeker of truth and as students.
Shwetaketu was adamant, and refused to go as he thought he was humiliated by the king in the courtroom. He could not bear any single moment in that courtroom. After repeated pleading, the sage failed to convince his son.
Uddalaka decided to go alone. He went to the courtroom of the king and with all humility greeted all the scholars and the king.
The reception that awaited him was entirely different. The king gave him a seat, washed his feet, and made him the reverential offerings of cattle and horses.
With all humility he told the king - “I am grateful to you my king, for all the honour and offer of gifts! But I haven’t come here for the sake of gifts. I have come here to seek the answers to the questions you have asked my son Shwetaketu. Please grant me the treasure of knowledge, which is far superior than any type of treasure or wealth! I approach you as a student my king!
The king was deeply touched by the sage’s humility and hunger for his knowledge. He knew that it is this sincerity which qualifies the seeker to the reception of the knowledge of Brahman.
With folded hands the King told the sage -
“O Sage Uddalaka, please do not take offence with us. This learnings were never shared with the Brahmins in the past. However, your sincerity and humility is pristine as your earnestness is also excellent and which has won my heart, so I shall teach you about it. So please listen to the answers.”
The king continued, but he started responding to the fourth question first as this would bring out the solution to the other questions. He started explaining Panchaagni Vidya that is the knowledge of five fires.
Friends Panchaagni Vidya is also mentioned in Chhandogya Upanishads in Chapter 5 and also in BU. This knowledge or Vidya presents the symbolic Agni or fire is the object of meditation and has 5 important aspects to it and they are three worlds i.e. heaven, earth and intermediate space, man and woman. This knowledge or Vidya is taught in connection with the ‘Doctrine of Transmigration of Souls’ as the ‘Doctrine of decent’. The Panchaagni Vidya or the Knowledge of the 5 fires explains how the body is linked to the universe and why the mind’s true nature is to manifest its will in the universe. The Five Fires, called the Panchaagnis, are not physical fires but meditation techniques. The Fire, here, is symbolic of a sacrifice which one performs through contemplation. The elemental matter gets converted into life or a person gradually by going through five different stages. These five different stages represent five different sacrifices or Paanchaagni.
In CU, it conceives the entire universal activity of creation as a Yagna or Sacrifice, where everything is connected. This sacrifice knowledge is known as Panchaagni Vidya.
Coming back to the story, the king began is Panchaagni Vidya with the first fire i.e, Swargaloka-
“O sage, that Swarga or heaven is a fire and of that fire , the sun is the fuel or Samit or sacrificial stick, the rays of the sun are its smoke, the days its flames, the four quarters its cinder and the intermediate quarters are its sparks. In this fire the gods offer faith and out of that offering King Moon is born.”
Here what is meant is that heaven is the first fire and sun is the fuel to that fire because the sun illuminates the heaven. The rays its smoke because of its similarity of rising from the fuel, for the rays emanate from the sun, and smoke as we know it comes out from the fuel. The day its flame, because both are bright! Due to sun, the day shines brightly so are the flames which shines brightly. The four quarters are its cinder, because both present a pacified state as it is like a space where there is no heat or lustre. The intermediate quarters its sparks, because they are scattered like sparks. In this fire of heaven possess such attributes, the gods i.e. Indra offer faith as oblation. When Agnihotra is performed, the jivas become Soma Raja I,e, King Moon and enter swargaloka or heaven. Thus out of that offering King moon which are king of manes and Brahmins are born.
Then the king continued to explain about the second fire which is Parjanya -
Parjanya the god of rain is a fire, the year is its fuel, the clouds its smoke, lightening its flame, thunder its cinder, and the rumblings its sparks. In this fire the gods offer Soma Raja or the King Moon. Out of that offering rain is produced.”
This means - the second receptacle of the two oblations in the order of their return is Parjanya which is fire. The year is its fuel, for this fire Parjanya is kindled by that as it revolves with its parts commencing with autumn and ending with summer. The clouds its smoke, being produced from smoke, or because of its cloudy appearance. Lightning its flame, since both are luminous. Thunder its cinder, because both represent a pacified state and are hard. The rumblings of the clouds its sparks, because both scatter and are numerous. In this receptacle of the two oblations the gods, those very priests mentioned earlier, offer King Moon, who was produced out of the offering of ‘faith’ in the fire of heaven, he is offered in the second fire, that of Parjanya and out of that offering of the moon, rain is produced.
The King now started explaining about the third fire. -
“This world is a fire, the earth is its fuel, fire its smoke, the night is its flame, the moon its cinder, and stars its sparks. In this fire the gods offer rain. Out of that offerings, food is produced.
In this the king meant is the world where all creatures are born and experience the results of their past deeds, it contains of actions, its factors and its results. This world is the third fire. The earth is the fuel for this fire as it is kindled by the earth which is provided with numerous materials for enjoyment of living beings. Fire is its smoke, as they both rise above from their abode that is the earth. The night is its flame because both are created when they come in contact with the fuel. That means as flame is produced by the contact of fuel with fire, so is the night by the contact of the fuel of the earth, for the earth’s shadow is called the darkness of the night. The moon is the cinder and is created from flames. The cinder produced from the flames and so is the moon in the night because both represents the pacified state. The stars its sparks because both scatter. The food is produced only when there is adequate rain fall so food is produced from rain.
Again the king continued to explain about the fourth fire.
“The Man is the fourth fire, O sage, the open mouth is its fuel. The vital force is its smoke, speech is its flames, the eyes is its cinder and the ears its sparkle. In this fire the gods offer food. Out of that offering seed is produced.”
This verse explains the fourth fire, which is a man. The open mouth of a man is the fuel as through it a man shines in speech, study the scriptures as fire is with fuel. The vital force rises from the mouth, and is the smoke. The speech is the flames as speech signifies an object where as flames reveals things all around. Eyes is its cinders as both represents the pacified state. The forms of vital forces are the gods and they put in the food for man and the outcome of that food is the seed. As a man when is adult and received complete nourishment are ready to have reproductory building blocks such as sperm and an egg which acts as a seed, thus seed is the outcome of the food.
Now the king tells sage Uddalaka Aaruni about the fifth fire.
“Women are the fifth fire. In this fire the gods offer seed and out of that offering a man is born. He lives as long as he is destined to live.”
Here the king explained that the women are the fifth fire and when gods offer seed and a man is born from it. This means that, seeds such as sperm or eggs in the uterus when come together, fuses to give birth to a human being. That man will live as long as he is destined to live.
Just to tie up the explanations of the Panchaagni, we can think of this as a sequential set of occurrences on how a life is born in its mother’s womb. This process starts when the Jiva which has ascended to the heaven by the virtue of good deeds and when those merits are exhausted, descend to the earth to take up another life in form of rains. Then the Self ends a food grain of a growing plant which has grown because of the rains. This food grain when consumed by a man enters the blood stream and eventually turns into sperm. Finally when after sexual intercourse the seminal fluid along with the Jiva enters the woman’s womb and gets embodied. Friends don’t you think our ancient sages and writers of Upanishads were way advanced in all streams of science including gynaecology. They could think of complex scientific phenomenon and explain them through spiritualistic verses. Amazing isn’t it!
The king didn’t stop after this, rather he continued -
“Then when the man dies, his dead body is offered to the fire. As this lifeless body burns in the pyre fire, the smoke from his burning tissues rise above so this fire becomes his fire, the fuel his fuel, the smoke his smoke, the flame his flame, the cinder his cinder and the sparks his sparks. As the dead body completely burns and turns into ashes. In this fire, the gods offer the man and out of that offering the man emerges radiant that means the man burning on the pyre becomes exceedingly bright as his lifeless body ferociously burns out, having been purified by all the rites performed from his birth till his death.
After explaining all the Panchaagni to Uddalakha, the king started explaining further.
As long as the house holders or people who are in Grihastya do not know either the meditation on the five fires or the Satya-brahman, they are born from the fire of woman when the fifth oblation beginning with that of faith has been offered in order and again perform rites like the Agnihotra, with a view to attaining the other world. Through those rites they again go through the world of manes, passing in order the deity of smoke etc. and again return, passing in order the rain-god and so forth. Then they are again born of the fire of the woman, again perform rites and so on rotating constantly like a potter’s wheel by their comings and goings between this world and the next.
But when the householder or Grihastya know the meditation on five fire, they are freed from the rotation and reach the flame, which is the deity identified with flame and called by that name, who is stationed in the northern route. They reach him, for monks have no direct relation to the flame. Since there is no restriction with with regard to the time of death, so day is the deity of the day. Death occurs as soon as the term or contract of life is over. There is no rule that knowner of this meditation can die at daytime or those who must die at night. After deity of the day, they reach the deity of the bright fortnight and then reaches the six months in which the sun travels northwards which is the June Solstice when the sun rises considerably north of due east and sets considerably north of due west. Being conducted by these deities, they reach the deity identified with the world of gods. Then they reach the sun, from sun they reach the deity identified with lightning. As they reach the deity of lightening, a being created from the mind of Hiranyagarbha, a denizen of his world, comes and conducts them to the worlds of Hiranyagarba. Once reaching the worlds of Hiranyagarbha, they do not return to this world. The physical body of the man dissolves into the elements which constituted it. But the destiny of the soul depends on the actions performed and the knowledge acquired.
The King continued his explanation -
“While those who conquer the worlds through sacrifices such as Agnihotra, charity, which is distribution of gifts among poors and needy outside the altar and austerity such as Krcchra and Chandrayana without initiation, outside the altar reach the deity of smoke. All the deities are conductors and help to reach to the next deity in the order. From the deity of the night to the deity of the fortnight in which the moon wanes, to the deities of 6 months in which the sun moves southwards which is the December Solstice when the sun rises considerably south of due east and sets considerably south of due west. From this they reach the deity of the world of manes, and from him the moon. On reaching moon they become food for the gods to enjoy them. As the priests drink in sacrifices the shining soma rasa or juice. Similarly the gods too enjoy the ritualist who have got new bodies in the moon ad have become the materials of their luxury, giving them frequent intervals of rest by rewarding them in accordance to their past work. When their past work, sacrifices, charities and austerities are exhausted they reach the ether or space. Then those ritualist living in the air, are blown hither and thither by the east-wind. Then from air they reach the rain and fall to the earth as rain. The rain aids in growing of the crops and plants which becomes food. The food is eaten by the man and woman and produce seeds such as semen and eggs for reproduction. When they are born again, they perform rites such as Agnihotra with a view to go to other worlds. Then they move repeatedly between the moon and the world, passing in the order as mentioned earlier. The ritualist continuously rotate in this manner as a potters wheel until they know about Brahman, so as to attain the Northern way or immediate liberation.
The ones who do not practice either meditation or rites to attain Northern Way or Southern Way become insects and mothes and other lower creatures such as gnats and mostquitoes. This last transmigratory existence is very painful and is extremely hard for one who has fallen into it and get out of it.
Friends, note the word “Worlds” in plural which means it has two planes, higher and lower. Is it a concept of ‘multi-verse’? The purport of these verses is to try our best to give up natural pursuit of work and knowledge and practise those rites or meditation which are enjoined by the scriptures and are the means of attaining Northern or Southern ways which are the two paths. The first path is the path of light called Devayana and other path is the path of darkness, called Pitriyana or Dhoomayana. They respectively correspond to the day and night and also referred to as Uttarayana and Dakshinayana. The knower of Brahman all seasons and time are same, for to him it is only the home-coming of the spirit. When a person returns to his real home, it hardly matters whether it is day or night or what season of the year it is. The one who has attained the real spiritual knowledge goes by the path of light and does not return to the earthly existence. The one with no knowledge or partial knowledge goes by the path of darkness and falls into the eternal cycle of birth and death and suffers. Thus, some go to the world of Brahman and never return, some go the heaven and remain there for some time and return to the earth to complete their works, and numerous others are caught up in the ever-recurring cycle of birth and death. The land of the deal never fills up because those who travel by Devayana lose their individuality and become one with Brahman, if they are gradually able to realise Brahman by Krama-mukti. The significance of sacrifice is that this Agnihotra which is the process of yagna of casting of various sacrifices into the fire alter, is Adhyatmik, with a spiritual dimension. The sense of Brahman as felt in the human heart is the hotree, the officiating priest of the entire sacrifice. The oblations of water goes up as faith, Shraddha and is offered as nectar or soma rasa to the Shining Ones. That is how it speaks with a human voice as it were, on behalf of one who offers it. The significance of such a cosmic Agnihotra is that it enablesone to meditate on Satya Brahman. Thereby one may attain the abode of Brahman - Brahmaloka where one lives foreover and does not return to this world.
After getting enriched by this knowledge Sage Uddalaka Aaruni profusely thanked the king Pravahna for enlighting him about the great mystery of Brahman. It dissolved all his doubts and got answers to all the questions. Before leaving the courtroom, the Sage salute the king - “Namo Gurubhyo Namo Gurubhyah”
Friends, across Upanishads you may have noticed that True Knowledge is not confined to Brahmins and scholars only. There are numerous accounts and stories in which true knowledge of brahman is actually given by a Kshatriya or someone else. We have seen that in Story of King Janasruti and the cart puller Raiwa. In the story of Satyakama, he was taught about Brahman by non-human entities. So true knowledge can reside in anyone. We are all container of knowledge and it is really upto us how we decide to use it and spread it. There is no castism in true knowledge. The true knowledge is a blue ocean where, we are the aquatic animals and plants, swimming in it. It is really upto us how much we can make use of it just like some fishes stay as a bottom dwellers throughout its lifetime and never gets to see or experience what it is like at the surface of the ocean. Similarly there are many aquatic animals who dwell only at the surface and never goes to the bottom and it always remain a mystery for them. The real king are those fishes which can travel across from surface to the Bottom such as a Shark and can experience the waters everywhere. So let us swim through this ocean of knowledge and let us not be confined only to an area rather swim across and gain as much as knowledge we can. This is what this story of Uddalaka Aaruni and King Pravhana tell us. The sage being a learned and respected brahmin left all his ego and went to the king as a student, seeking knowledge and in the end he honored the king by calling him a Guru or a teacher.
So that was today’s episode from BU and I hope you liked it. Now let me ask today’s questions from the story -
What had made Shwetaketu arrogant and proud?What is Devayana and Pitriyana?What are the five fires or Paachaagni?
Please email me your answers to ‘[email protected]" and I will look out for your responses. Until then….
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New episode "Story of King Pravahan, Sage Uddalakha Aaruni and Shwetaketu" is now available in all major podcast launchers.
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The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 15- "Tat Tvam Asi" - Story of Uddalaka Aaruni and Shwetaketu
21 Jan 2023· Stories from Upanishads
Podcast Credits -
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Credits, Acknowledgements and Source Contents
Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
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Transcript of the Podcast
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Tat Tvam Asi - That Art Thou - Story of Uddalaka and Shwetaketu
Dear friends and listeners, today’s episode is very important as it talks about the one of the four Mahavaakya’s mentioned in the Upanishads. Tat Tvam Asi - which means “That Art Thou” or “That is you!” Today’s story is about the great Vedic sage Uddalaka Aaruni and his son Shwetaketu. This story is mentioned in Chaandogya Upanishad, 6th Prapathaka or section. Before we start today’s story a bit about both the principle characters.
Sage Uddalaka is mentioned in many philosophical discussions mentioned in both Chaandogya and Brihaadaaranyaka upanishad, which are two of the oldest Upanishads. He lived few centuries before Gautama Buddha and was one of the most well known Vedic teacher and guru. It is believed that he lived around 7th Centuary BCE.
According to Ben-Ami Scharfstein, a professor emeritus of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University, Uddalaka Aruni was one of the first philosophers in recorded history. Debiprasad Chattopadhyay, the famous marxist philosopher established him as the first “Natural Scientist” in the intellectual history of the world.
He was the first ever sage to find out that the world, including human beings, is fundamentally made up of three elements, food, water and heat, in fact today we’ll learn about it in much detail.
Uddalaka Aaruni was a descendant of Gautama lineage from Kuru-Panchala region. He was pupil of his father Sage Aruna and Patanchala Kaapya. He defeated Prāaciīnayogya Śauceya and likely Bhadrasena Ājātaśatrava in debate. Friends, please dont get confused with Ajatashatru here, Bhadrasena Ajaatasatrava was a brahmin priest at the time of Uddalaka Aruni and Yaagnavalkya, much earlier than the king Ajaatashatru. You may remember that in my earlier episode in which I talked about the debate between Yaagnavalkya and Gargi Vachaknavi, I briefly spoke about Uddalaka Aaruni and how he was defeated by Yaagnavalkya in King Janaka’s symposium. Ironically sage Uddalaka Aaruni was the teacher or guru of Yaagnavalkya. Sometimes in many scriptures he was called Vajashravas.
Now let me bring some controversy before I being today’s story! As per the various Puranas and scriptures it is not very clear that Vajasravas was Uddalaka Aaruni as there may be some differences between the names Auddalaki Aaruni and Uddalaki Aaruni. As per Max Muller, the renowned indologist at Oxford, claims them to be different person! However, as per him,… Adi Shankaracharya considered them to be same Aaruni in his bhasya or commentries on Upanishads. If we believe in Adi Shankaracharya’s commentary then, Sage Uddalaka Aaruni is Sage Vajasravas and he had 3 children named Nachiketa, Shwetaketu and Sujata. We all know Nachiketa’s story from Katha Upanishad. If not, please do listen to my retelling of the famous story in this podcast series. If we believe in Max Muller’s theory, then Uddalaka Aaruni was a different sage from the same lineage of Sage Vajasravas who was father of Nachiketa.
Another controversy, it is also believed that Shwetaketu was not a biological child of Sage Uddalaka Aaruni. It is believed that the Sage practiced Niyoga, in which a woman has a man other than her husband father a child with her, either because her husband is unable to father a child or because he’s dead. This story is kind of touched in Adi Parva of Mahabharata during a conversation between Kunti and Pandu before the divine births of their children through Niyoga with Lord Dharma, Vaayu, Indra, and the Ashvinikumars.
There are many confusion in such off-shoot stories in various scriptures as we also know that Uddalaka Aaruni’s daughter was Sujata, who was married to Sage Kahoda and the famous deformed sage Ashtavaakra was the son of Sujata and Kahoda.
Let me now talk about a bit about Shwetaketu, son of Sage Uddalaka Aaruni and he is known for many things. He was the one who abolished polyandry, the practice of a wife having multiple husbands, as described in the Aadi Parva of the Mahabharata. (A husband having multiple wives, on the other hand, is a well-established practice). And he was the uncle of the famous sage Ashtavaakra, the purported author of the Ashtavaakra Gita. And he is said to have written a text which formed the basis of a certain work of Vatsayaana. Shwetaketu has been referenced across several Upanishads, He is referenced in Brihaadaaranya Upanishad, Chaandogya Upanishd and also in Kausitaki Upanishad.
So, my dear friends let’s concentrate on today’s story. Today’s episode is an ode to the great sage Uddalaka and his Mahavakya “Tat Tvam Asi”.
Sage Uddalaka had a son name Shwetaketu. Until the age of 12 he was like a normal child, spending his time playing with his friends, playing pranks on others and was having a gala time of his life. The great sage thought that it was time when Shwetaketu must be initiated into Brahminhood and must be sent to a gurukul for learning and understanding Vedic scriptures.
One day, the sage called upon young Shwetaketu and told -
“Soumya, there has never being one in our family who is a Brahmin by birth. All of our ancestors were well versed in Vedic scriptures and I think so you should be!”
Shwetaketu like an obedient son, agreed and went away to a gurukul of Sandeepan Muni. He spent 12 long years learning Vedas and other Vedic scriptures which was an achievement in itself. It was a popular belief then, that one can learn all four vedas and other Vedic scriptures in 48 years however, Shwetaketu was able to learn them in just 12 years. He had grown into a handsome man with somewhat arrogant with his supreme achievement, self-assured and bit of swagger. He considered himself to be the master of vedas.
When he returned home from the his tutelage, he touched the feet of his mother and father. The Sage now asked his son - “Soumya, what will you do next?”
Shwetaketu grinned and said -“Next…I want to win the symposiums and debates in King Janaka of Videha’s courtroom.”
As soon as he said that, the Sage understood that his son was sinking into the quicksand of amour propre.
So he wanted to bring him back into the paths of humility and non-arrogance. He was aware that Brahmagyaana and pride were highly incompatible. A person stricken with egoism and pride cannot realise the Self or Brahman! So the sage decided to teach his son.
He asked him -“Soumya, I believe you are now familiar with that wisdom, by which you can hear the unheard, think the unthought and know the unknown?”
On hearing such a question from his dad, Shwetaketu was taken aback. It seemed that his knowledge of scriptures was superficial and couldn’t grasp the import of his father’s question. He wondered how it was possible that the unknown, unheard, and unthinkable could come within the reach of thought and mind!
Puzzled and shaken, he asked his father - “O my revered father, I thought I had learnt and discovered a lot in the past 12 years. But…I am afraid that I am not familiar with the wisdom you are asking? Perhaps my acharyas and gurus in the gurukul never taught me this! I believe it will be best if you tell me about that!”
Saying that Shwetaketu sat at his father’s feet with folded hands and looked at him eagerly.
Uddalaka was happy to see his son, so eager to learn. He understood that his hunger for knowledge is still there and not crushed under the weight of his arrogance.
Uddalaka said - “I will tell you my son! Follow me please.”
Then the sage took his son outside his house into the lush green fields and sat down at a spot where a lump of clay was lying.
He smiled and said to his son -“It is like this, son, if you know well the essence of something , you will. “Know” everything that carries that essence. Even if it takes on hundreds of forms and shapes or may bear thousands of different names.”
Then he picked up a lump of clay in his hands and said -“ Soumya, for instance, by knowing the lump of clay, its texture, its feel, how it moves on a wheel of the potter or how it forms shapes with your hand, you can create thousands of articles from it. You may not know all of their names or even know them but in essence, what you must always know that it is always made of clay! It is clay. So clay is the cause where as articles made from clay such as a clay pot is the effect.”
Uddalaka paused a while, Shwetaketu nodded and looked still bit confused.
Uddalaka continued -
“Okay, let me give you another example. By knowing just one trinket made of copper, one knows and understands everything else made of copper. Everything else has different names, just a name, have different forms, which is just a form, but in reality the truth is it is copper.
Similarly Saumya, if you observe any object made of iron, one understands everything else made of iron. It may have different names and forms but in reality it is only iron.
If you take a lump of gold, and melt it to make beautiful ornaments. Then if we melt it again, they would reduce to their original form that is a lump of gold. Thus gold is the cause where as whatever the goldsmith makes are its effects.
It is like this, Soumya, by understanding the one true reality of the universe, you understand every other thing in the universe. Never mind that it is present in millions of forms and names.”
Shwetaketu sat up straight, looking very inquisitive and eager to understand further. He said - “That makes a lot of sense Bhagwaan. But all those wise men and acharyas never told me or taught me about this one supreme reality, the one universal essence, that is by understanding which everything in the universe may be understood. Please tell me more father. I am eager to know about it!”
Friends just a small break here, doesn’t it feel you warm and fuzzy, that Uddalaka the teacher in this case addresses Shwetaketu as Soumya that means - dear one! In Upanishads, most of the times the teacher address their students as “Soumya” and the student addresses the teacher as “Bhagwaan” - powerful, respected, worshipped and blessed. This indicates the mutual relationship between a student and the teacher.
Now coming back to the story….
Uddalaka stood up, smiled and patted his son and said -“Very well my son, now listen carefully!”
Uddalaka went near a huge banyan tree, and sat under its cool shade. He asked his son to sit down beside him. Shwetaketu obediently followed his father and sat down beside him.
Uddalaka continued -“In the very beginning, there was only Being or One, and only that without a second. Now many people may tell you that in the beginning there was only non-being and only that without a second. But in my opinion that is incorrect and flawed. How can all Being emerge from a Non-Being? So I will say that in the beginning there was only Being without a second.”
Shwetaketu nodded and said - “I agree father!”
Uddalaka continued - “ then this Being wished to become many. So he started to emit heat, which is essential for any life form. Now without outdoing any further, heat propagated further. The heat produced Water, which is again essential for life. Perhaps, Shwetaketu, when a man feels hot, he sweats and when he feels stressed out, he weeps so heat emits water. Now, water also started to propagate further and from it came out food! That’s why perhaps when it rains, there is no shortage of food, we have plentiful of crops all around! Then the life manifested itself as plants, animals and human beings.”
After this Uddalaka looked at the fields where cattle were grazing, the farmers were busy working on the crops. Shwetaketu too looked at the same direction.
“Now look around son, at all the creatures in the universe. All of them are only born in three ways. Either from sprouts, from eggs and from creatures. That life essence Soumya, combined with heat, water and food in a million of different ways to produce a million different manifestations of the original Being.
Now that Being entered everything as the Self and manifested Himself under many forms. In other words, the Being or the One, permeated in every thing that existed in this world.
There is nothing in this universe that is not a mix of these!
As the ancient sages say however new and different something may look, or may surprise us, but we know it is made only of these three - heat, water and food. Therefore, it is clear that the knowledge of Being or One implies knowledge of everything else. We know that its life -essence is the essence of the one original Being. Truly, there is nothing else.”
On hearing this from his father, Shwetaketu was quite baffled. He could not understand how the Being could become many and the Being remains unaffected. So he asked his father -“Taat, then tell me how do these three divinities - heat, water and food - manifest in my body and in yours? Which part of my body is heat, which part is water and which part is food? Tell me Taat, please I must understand it!”
Uddalaka took a deep breath and said - “Soumya, all the food that you eat splits into three parts. The densest part passes out of the body, the not-so dense part becomes the flesh and lightest part becomes the mind.
All the water you drink, splits into three parts. The most viscous part passes out of the body, less viscous part becomes the blood and the least viscous part rises in the body and becomes the breath.
All the heat that you eat, spilts into three - the coarsest become bone, the not-so-coarse portion becomes marrow and the least coarse portion becomes speech.
Friends you may be wondering what is meant by “hear that you eat”. It means, the fat such as oil, ghee, and butter which are produced by application of heat. For example oilseeds give out oil. It also means the heat of the sun. In modern day doctors often say that you must stay in the sun so that you have enough vitamin D in your body and friends, Vitamin D is very important for building the bones! So that what exactly Upanishad talks about! Amazing isn’t it?
Uddalaka continued -
“So Soumya, every elements consist of three parts. Thus mind is made of food, breath of water and speech of heat.”
Shwetaketu after listening to this explanation counter questioned his father -
“Taat, how can you be so sure of this? It is quite fascinating to think about that the mind is made of food, breath is made of water and speech is made of heat !”
Uddalaka smiled and stood up and asked Shwetaketu to stand up.
“Soumya, I would want you to fast for fifteen days and drink only and only water for breath is made of water or else it will cut off if you dont drink! Make sure you do not eat any food in next fifteen days!”
As an obedient son, Shwetaketu greeted his father with folded hands and went away for fifteen days and observed fast. During the next fifteen days drank only water.
After fifteen days, he came back home. He was looking pale, thin and weak but was very much alive.
Seeing his son after fifteen days, Uddalaka welcomed him and said - “Welcome my son, welcome back! Now recite to me the verses of Rig Veda, Verses of Yajur and chants of Sama Veda.”
Shwetaketu, sat down, and tried to remember the verses. He tried for some time and finally gave up! He weakly said - “I don’t recall them, Taat! I studied them for twelve years but somehow I dont recall them at all.”
Uddalaka smiled and said - “I know, I know my son. For the mind is made of food and since you have not eat anything for last 15 days, your mind is not working! That’s why you cannot recall your verses! Just like a small spark of fire that set ablaze a huge heap of straw and hay, similarly your mind will revive when you eat your food. The heat the food produces will revive your tongue and allow your speech to flow. So go and immediately ask your mother for some food. Eat to your heart’s content and come back to me!”
Shwetaketu went to his mother, and she was eager to feed her son as she too knew he was going through a very difficult fast for the last fifteen days. She was very happy to get her son back! She immediately served him delicious meal. Shwetaketu ate to his heart’s content and when done, went back to his father.
Uddalaka now asked him if he can recall any of the rig veda verses. After nourishment through food, his memory came back! He could recite verses from Rig Veda and Yajur Veda and also chant verses from Sama Veda without any difficulty. Shwetaketu realised that mind belonged to the matter. Moreover, whatever is derived from something else cannot have its own independent existence. Thus he felt that he was on the border of a great discovery. He understood that mind is indeed made of food, breath indeed made of water and speech of heat.
His father’s teachings made him realise that what was needed is a change in outlook towards the Reality i.e. Dhristibheda. He now clearly understood that so long as one depends on the senses as tools of knowledge, one is on the material side of things only. Thus the Absolute cannot be grasped. However, he realised another fact - The Absolute cannot be outside us because, if it is outside, we might go on seeking and searching but never realise it.
Shwetaketu rejuvenated after his meals, wanted to know more from his father. He asked - “Father, please tell me more!”
Uddalaka asked him- “Soumya, do you know what really happens in sleep?”
Shwetaketu said -“No Taat, I dont know!”
Uddalaka continued - “Listen Soumya, in the waking state, the mind is like a tethered bird, flying hither and thither in a rare frenzy, and never finding rest. When sleep comes, just as the fettered bird returns to its perch, the mind -bird, exhausted by all the frenetic activities, return to its true resting place, to its purest state, to breath itself, for the mind is bound to the breath and that’s why, when a man is in deep slumber, they say he has returned unto himself.
Friends I dont know, if you feel the same, sometimes I feel when I am in deep sleep, I get a feeling that I am falling down somewhere for a fraction of second! Is that the state when my mind comes back to its resting place! To it’s purest state? I will be glad if you can share your similar experience. Please do write to me.
Soumya, do you know what it means when they say a man is hungry?
Shwetaketu nodded
Uddalaka continued -
Soumya, it means that water has led away all the food he has previously eaten to various parts of his body. When a man is thirsty, it means heat has led away all the water he has earlier drunk! Thus we know that the root of the body is food, the root of the food is water, and the root of the water is heat. And root of the heat is of course that original Being from where the heat first emitted.
Now soumya, what it means when they say a man is dead! It is Speech that goes first, merging into the mind, so that even when his voice is weak, a man is still able to think, and remember. Then the mind goes, merging into the life breath or Praana, so that even when a man does not understand any more, he is able to breathe and thus stay alive! Then the life breath or Praana goes away, merging into the heat. Very soon after the heat leaves, merging into the same Pure Being from where it had emitted. And that Pure Being is the root, the finest essence of all. That is the Truth of the Universe, that is the Reality and that, the very same “That” Shwetaketu, is your essence too. That dear one, who you are!
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, That Art Thou!”
As he heard the mahavaakya from his father, Shwetaketu’s hair stood up on its end.
His realisation of the essence of his being, the thing that made him “him” was no different, apparently, from the essence of the universe. The same energy that allowed him to think and understand, remember, and speak also caused the sun and stars to shine and seas to rise and rain to fall. Shwetaketu contained with him the power of the Cosmos. It was a tremendous revelation crashed into his consciousness just like a storm crashes into the coast. Since consciousness or Chaitanya is one and indivisible, the same consciousness animates both the individual and entire Cosmos or Space. It abides in all that is.
Mesmerised Shwetaketu with folded hands asked his Father - Father please tell me more!
Uddalaka continued - come on Soumya follow me!
They went to a nearby garden which was in full bloom. Flowers of different colors and shapes danced quietly in the cool breeze. There he showed Shwetaketu the honey bees humming around the flowers busy collecting nectar.
Uddalaka said to him - “Soumya, do you see those honey bees buzzing around the flowers?”
Shwetaketu said -“Yes Taat, I can see them. I guess they are collecting nectar from different flowers.”
Uddalaka said -“Yes, dear child, now consider that bees that collect nectar from different flowers and store them into honey combs of a bee hive. Once the golden honey is ready, the different nectars are no longer able to say “I am nectar of this flower or I am nectar of that flower” their individual sweetnesses have now merged into a homogenous, delicious whole golden honey. In the same way, Soumya, all the individual, separate, different existences you see around you - be it honey bees, flowers, dog, worm, moth, tiger or wolf - merge into the pure Being. That is what they all become, when they pass from their physical bodies, with no memory of ever having been separate or different from each other.
That is the Self or Aatman of the world. That is the finest, most subtle essence of everything, the soul of everything, the root of everything, the scaffolding on which everything else stands. That is the truth. That is the Real and That is your Self Your Aatman too.
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, That Art Thou!
Completely bedazzled Shwetaketu was hungry for more! He pleaded again
“Tell me more Father! Please tell me more!”
Then Uddalaka took Shwetaketu to the nearby river which was flowing with its full might. He pointed out at the river and said - “Soumya, the rivers flows into the sea, some flow eastwards into the eastern sea and some flow westward into the western sea. But all seas and oceans flow into each other. Once the river have become the sea, they are no longer able to say that “I am water of this river or that river!” As their individual waters have now merged into the ocean. It is from this very ocean that the rivers were born, although they do not know it and it is into this ocean they eventually return!
If one hugs one’s individuality, and thus cuts himself off from the universal existence, one lives in the world of isolation of relative values. It is only when one experiences the Truth that “I am one with all existence” that one realises the Absolute as one’s own Self. In this way, what appears a block or a hinderance becomes a help. Name and form turn out to be modes of sadhana, a means of realization of truth of all existence as interconnected and interdependent.
That is the Self or Aatman of the world. That is the finest, most subtle essence of everything, the soul of everything, the root of everything, the scaffolding on which everything else stands. That is the truth. That is the Real and That is your Self Your Aatman too.
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, That Art Thou!
After this Uddalaka took Shwetaketu back to the huge banyan tree. He showed him the tree and said - “This huge tree here, if someone cut at its bottom, living sap would flow out of it. If someone cut it at its middle, the living sap would flow out of it. If someone cut it at the top once again the living sap would flow from it. The life-essence or Jivha pervades the entire tree. That’s why even though the tree was hacked from various parts, the living sap flows out of it but the tree itself does not die, it still stands tall and thriving in the soil, nourishing itself with water. But if someone tear off a single leaf, that life essence will withdraw from it and the leaf will die. It will wither and fall and will cease to exist. Similarly if that life-essence leave a tree branch that branch will wither and fall off. And if the Self leave the entire tree, this huge tree which is vibrantly alive will instantly begin to wither away and eventually die.
So as it works for a tree similarly it is for us. The body dies when the living Self leaves it but certainly the Self does not die!
It is that living Self, the life essence that is the Self, Aatman of the world. That is the finest, subtle essence of everything, the soul of everything, the root of everything, the scafolding on which everything stands. That is the true and real and that is your Self, your Aatman too.
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, ,That Art Thou!
Next Uddalaka asked Shwetaketu to bring a fruit of a Banyan tree. Shwetaketu leaped up in the air and easily reached one of the branches which had many fruits attached to it. He pluck one of the fruit and gave it to his father.
“Here it is father! I have got the fruit!”
Uddalaka told him to break it open!
Shwetaketu broke it open and showed it to his father.
Uddalaka asked - “Soumya what do you see in it?”
“I see only tiny seeds, father!” Said Shwetaketu
“Very well, then open up one of the seed!” Said Uddalaka
Shwetaketu applied some force to break one seed open.
Uddalaka asked “What do you see my son?”
Shwetaketu replied -“I see nothing Taat!”
Then Uddalaka said with a grin- “Know this Soumya, that ‘nothing’ which you cannot see, it is from that “nothing” that giant Banyan grows, it is because of this “nothing” that it all exist.
It is that “nothing” believe me, that is the Self, Aatman of the world. That is the finest, subtle essence of everything, the soul of everything, the root of everything, the scaffolding on which everything stands. That is the true and real and that is your Self, your Aatman too.
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, ,That Art Thou!
Mesmerised Shwetaketu, asked for more!
“Okay, then bring me some salt and a pot of water.” Asked Uddalaka.
Shwetaketu went to his home, and asked his mother for some salt and a potful of water.
Once he got them, came back to his father.
“Very well Shwetaketu, can you please mix this salt in the potful of water?”
Shwetaketu immediately put the salt into the potful of water and slowly mixed it.
After a while, the salt had dissolved into the water.
Uddalaka suddenly stopped Shwetaketu and asked - “Can you please give me that chunk of salt?”
Shwetaketu with a puzzled look, said - “Father it has dissolved completely into the potful of water.”
“Okay then take a sip from the top layer of the water.” Asked Uddalaka.
Shwetaketu sipped from top layer of the water
“How does it tastes?”
“Salty, it is salty!” Said Shwetaketu
Now take a sip from the middle portion of the water.
Shwetaketu did as directed by his father. He poured out a little of water into another vessel and drank from the middle portion.
“Its salty too!” Exclaimed Shwetaketu
Now try to drink from the bottom portion of the water.
Shwetaketu did as told. He poured out little more of the water into another vessel and drank from the bottom layer of the water.
And said - “This is salty too father”
“Yes…you see Shwetaketu… the salt is everywhere, but you cannot see it! And so it is with the Supreme Self. It is everywhere, pervades everything, only we do not see it.
It is that Supreme Self - Brahman, that is the Self, Aatman of the world. That is the finest, subtle essence of everything, the soul of everything, the root of everything, the scaffolding on which everything stands. That is the true and real and that is your Self, your Aatman too.
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, ,That Art Thou!
Then Uddalaka took another example.
“Shwetaketu, imagine a man from Gandhar, who is a complete stranger in Panchala and has been blindfolded by someone. He is left to fend for himself. The poor blindfolded man will go in all direction trying to figure out the direction towards his native. Maybe he will be crying out for help. Until some kind person, removes his blindfold and shows him the way to Gandhar. Now if he is a sensible enough, the stranger will eventually find his way back, by making sure to check in the villages and other landmarks along the way and will ensure that he is in the correct track to his native.
Exactly the same way, a man in this world is lost, floundering in every direction, not knowing where he is headed, until he finds a teacher to show him the way. He knows that now he will find his way back home with the help of his teacher, that is back to his own Self.
It is that Self, whose home lies within you, that is Self, Aatman of the world. That is the finest, subtle essence of everything, the soul of everything, the root of everything, the scaffolding on which everything stands. That is the true and real and that is your Self, your Aatman too.
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, ,That Art Thou!
After this Uddalaka took another example.
“Soumya, imagine a man who is gravely ill. His family members gathers around him and one of them asks the sick man - “Do you recognise me?” Another family member asks him the same question - “No, do you recognise me?” As long as his speech has not merged into his mind, and his mind into his breath, and his breath into heat and the heat into the original Being, he recognises them. But once the speech merges into his mind, mind into breath, breath into heat and heat into Pure Being, there is no recognising any more.
It is that Pure Being, into which we all will eventually merge. That is the finest, subtle essence of everything, the soul of everything, the root of everything, the scaffolding on which everything stands. That is the true and real and that is your Self, your Aatman too.
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, ,That Art Thou!
Uddalaka did’nt stop his explanation, he continued -
“Imagine a man who was a thief is caught. He is tied and being dragged to the public square. The mob shouting and cursing him - “Thief! He stole other’s possessions! Heat the axe for him. If he is indeed a thief, and protests his innocence, and takes hold of the hot axe, his hands will burn and everyone will know him for a liar. But if he is innocent, and protests his innocence, then the axe will not burn him, for the truth will protect him like a shield.
It is that shinning Truth, that ultimate Truth, that Truth that shields and protects, that is Self, Aatman of the world. That is the finest, subtle essence of everything, the soul of everything, the root of everything, the scaffolding on which everything stands. That is the true and real and that is your Self, your Aatman too.
Tat Tvam Asi, Shwetaketu, ,That Art Thou!
Shwetaketu now realised that spiritual life and the experience it embodies are not creeds or dogmas. It is not a case of believing something which cannot be proved. In this way, Faith, by itself, would be nothing other than mere opinions. Rational and reasoned belief makes faith a conviction, since it is based on experience. This is the reason why this conviction is called ‘Aparok shanu bhuti’, the direct perception of the Truth. We cannot perceive it with the eyes of others - for such seeing lacks individual basis. Absolute Brahman is the reality that radiates in and through everything in the universe and this fact is not a matter of opinion or faith, rather it is a direct experience.
Friends, that was the story of Uddalaka Aaruni and his son Shwetaketu. The significance of this episode is clear - one should experience the truths of life oneself. This is done by observation and analytical understanding of what is observed. But what is observed and analysed has to be an inseperable part of one’s consciousness or Chetana. This consciousness includes the analytical dimension, but goes beyond to be part of the holistic awareness. In short the spiritual dimension includes the scientific but gives awareness of the Cosmic Reality.
Wasnt it a beautiful story? Uddalaka gave so many examples from daily life, so many metaphors and explain the concepts that Shwetaketu can grasp the concept. He explained Shwetaketu the concept of the mahavaakya - “Tat Tvam Asi” which enunciated the oneness of the Self and the supreme Truth nine times. It is also known as “Upadesh Vaakya” as Uddalaka who gives updesha to his son Shwetaketu. The other mahavaakyas from Upanishads are “Pragyanam Brahma” which is known as “Lakshana Vaakya” which is described in Aitareya Upanishad, it indicates the characteristic of the Supreme as Consciousness. The third mahavaakya is “Ayam Aatmaa Brahmaa” which is also known as “Anusandhaana Vaakya” because a seeker has to keep investigating through it. This mahavaakya was featured in Maandukya Upanishad. The last mahavaakya is perhaps the most famous one and is “Aham Brahmaasmi” which is a “Anubhava Vaakya” as it reveals your experience of being one with Brahman. This mahavaakya was featured in Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad.
Doesn't the story send a thrill down your spine for the each time the tremendous declaration - Tat Tvam Asi, That Art Thou is revealed!
Is’nt it amazing to think about the sages who composed vedas and Upanishads where the first to even engage with the kind of fundamental questions that Chaandogya Upanishad concerns itself with - Where did the universe come from? What is it made of? What makes it work? Who are we really? What is that allows a physical system like the body, which you can touch, see, smell, taste and hear, to produce a mental system like the mind and intellect, which you are aware of and can locate in the region of the brain, but cannot see? What is that allows a mental system to produce an emotional system that you are aware of but cannot locate in the body? Does the emotions emerge from the brain or from the heart or from somewhere else? What is it? Who is it, inside each of us that allows us to experience our feelings, thoughts, ideas and memories? What is the nature of the reality, how can we call this moment, this present, current moment at which we are listening to this podcast - real, if this has receded into the past, into dreamlike memory, by the time we are done listening to this podcast!
Vedas and Upanishads answer all these questions as “Brahman” which in other words means Consciousness or the Absolute or Supreme Self.
Friends, do you think Brahman to be God? What is consciousness or Chetana? I would love hear more from you. Please email your thoughts to my email address.
Interestingly few of the questions which Upanishads concerned so deeply roughly 2500 -3000 year back such as What is the universe made up of? What is consciousness? How and where did life start on earth? What is the meaning of life? How vast is the universe? Where did everything come from? What happens after we die? Does God exist? And these are still among the most unanswered questions in science today. You can google them if you like!
Another food for thought, perhaps many of us have seen the movie “Matrix”! Dont you feel that it has been completely inspired from the concepts which we discussed in today’s story? Especially when Keanue Reeves becomes the One! Isn’t it Tat Tvam Asi? You are the One, it is indivisible part of the Supreme Being or One!
Also you may have seen a movie called “Lucy” in which Scarlet Johannson ultimately merges into a USB drive which is filled with information of the universe. It is ultimate knowledge, ultimate truth and reality. It is actually Tat Tvam Asi!
Vedas and Upanishads believe that both Space and Time are both illusions. We try to use these two concepts to understand the reality. Isn’t it an inspiration to Quantum Physics? Created by our Chetana or consciousness it is boundless, and timeless, it has simply always been and will always pervade everything. In fact the ancient sages said -“there is nothing else beside it” - this entire universe, and everything in it. It is simply a projection of that Consciousness.
From today’s story, we know that the sages who penned the Upanishads believed that there is absolutely no difference the original consciousness that created us and our own consciousness, which allows us to feel, think and experience the world in very different way from how everyone else experiences it. If you really believe this implicitly then sorrow cannot hurt you, death cannot scare you! Life becomes a wonderful experience.
Friends today’s episode was quite heavy, too many things to absorb and understand. Today’s three questions are -
Why do you think Shwetaketu was arrogant after coming back from GurukulWhat are the 4 Mahavaakyas mentioned in the Upanishads
3) Can you explain what does “Tat Tvam Asi” mean?
So please write me back at [email protected],
I will be waiting for your email.
Untill then….
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Episode 14- Story of 3 friends - Pravahana, Silaka and Chaikitayana
8 Jan 2023· Stories from Upanishads
Today I will be telling you a story from Chaandogya Upanishad. It is featured in the 8th Khanda of the book, and it is about 3 young well versed scholars named Pravahana Jivala, Silaka Salavat and Chaikitayana Dalbhya. This is a story which involves a deep curiosity amongst these 3 young men. Our Vedic rishis, sages and scholars always regarded experience or anubhava to be the paramount, next they would regard the scriptures or Shrutis and lastly they would regard the reasoning and logic as most important.
So when these 3 young scholars met, were very curious to learn who had what experience of Truth!
They were all well versed in Udgita and wanted to have a friendly discussion on it.
Friends, if you remember I have explained about Udgitha in the episode “Story of Praana”. I would really request the new listeners to listen to that first before listening to this story.
Back to the story,
….3 scholars sat down under a shady Banyan tree, kept their bags beside them. All of them were earnest students of the Vedas, they meditated on Aum, the sound symbol of the Ultimate Reality or God. They followed meditation techniques as per Sama Veda. They decided to exchange their experiences on Udgita, which is the singing hymns of Sama Veda and forms of Vedic sacrifices.
After drinking a sip of water, wiping off the sweat from his forehead, Pravahana said -
“Dear friends, I think you both must start telling your experiences first. Let me listen to it.” Both Silaka and Chaikitayana agreed happily. They knew that Pravahana was destined to become a king later on.
Silaka first questioned Chaikitayana, “May I ask you a question?”
Chaikitayana nodded and said - “yes please go ahead!”
Silaka smiled and asked -“ What is the origin of the Saman or Udgita?”
Chaikitayana smiled and said - “Voice, or Swara. Naturally without swara or voice we cannot chant the Sama veda….and Udgita is a part of this veda!”
Then Silaka asked - “What is the origin of voice or swara?”
Chaikitayana said promptly - “It is the Praana or Vital Breath. Because when the vital breath or Praana stops functioning, one cannot speak and voice becomes mute.”
Silaka immediately asked another question - “Obviously, without Praana one cannot live! So may I ask you, on what Vital Breath or Praana depend on?”
Chaikitayana said -“We may say that all life for which the Praana or Vital breath is indispensable depends on the food!”
Pravahana was quietly listening to the conversation of his two friends and was making mental notes and silently judging their conversation.
Then Silaka asked - “Then what does Food depend on?”
Chaikitayana thought for a second as said -“ Ahhhh…..Upon Water, Life itself is depended to water.”
Silaka exclaimed - “hmmm…Okay!” He asked again -“Then tell me on what is the origin of Water?”
Chaikitayana said - “It is space or Yonder as water comes from the yonder and goes back to it. It falls to earth from space in form of rainfall, fills in rivers and ponds and then again evaporates back as clouds to the space.”
Silaka thought for a second and asked again -“ Okay then tell me what is the origin of yonder or Space?”
To this question, Chaikitayana said - “Let no man carry the Saman beyond the world of Swarga or Heaven or Yonder. We recognise the Saman in the world of Swarga or Yonder, as Saman is hailed as Swarga!”
These three friends were enlarging their kingdom of knowledge. They made a common attempt to share and spread knowledge as they followed a Vedic saying “Do things together!” They realised that they have gone as far as thought can reach. Being aware of the limitations of thought, Silaka told Chaikitayana -
“O Chaikitayana, your saman is not firmly established! We cannot tell the origin of Saman! If at this time anyone who knew the origin of Saman, the your head shall surely fall off! I am afraid we cannot confine or delimit the Absolute Truth to any corner, remote or distant, of the cosmos or space. To the extent it is confined, it will stop being a symbol of Universal Truth which is free from the limitations of time and space! Therefore I believe we have to examine again our fundamental views!”
Till now Pravahana was watching and listening to his friends. He decided to intervene and said - “Both your views are partial and fragmentary. Silaka is keeping his feet on the earth and Chaikitayana has his head in the skies.”
Silaka now quesitoned Pravahana - “Then tell me, what is the origin of this world?”
Pravahana said - “Space, as all these things are created from Akaasa or Space and return to the space, Therefore Akaasa is the supreme support!
Then after a pause, Pravahana continued - “For comprehensive and complete knowledge, we require both. We need not interpret Aakaasa to mean the sky. It means the space or ether. All objects are in space but space itself is indivisible. It is inside and outside all objects. And what appears to divide space is also space!”
Then Silaka asked - “Then, what is the Truth?”
Pravahana explained - “Let us then agree to say that the Truth, the Brahman is all in all! We live, move and have our being in Brahman, both here and hereafter. The wise men always sees this Truth!”
At the end of this conversation, the three friends got up, packed their belongings. They were enriched with the knowledge and experiences from each other as it was a rare spiritual retreat. After having clarified their ideas, the three friends knelt in common salutation to the Aatman as Pranava.
After this the three friends greeted each other and they parted their ways to their individual destinations.
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This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”
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Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 13 - Proud Balaki
2 Jan 2023· Stories from Upanishads
Today’s episode is named - Proud Balaki! This story is featured in BU Chapter 2, Section 1 and features one of the greatest kings of India - Ajaatashatru. He was also known as Kunika and was son of Bimbisara. He was a contemporary to both Bhagwaan Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. I hope you all must be knowing about Bhagwaan Mahavira and Gautama Buddha!
As a result he is referenced in both Jain and Buddhist literature. Interestingly, name of his mother is different in different literatures. As per Jain literature his mother’s name was queen Chellana where as as per Buddhist literature his mother’s name was Kosala Devi. However, both queen Chellana and Kosala Devi were referred as “Vaidehi” so he was also called “Vaidehi Putra”.
Ajaatashatru is believed to live around 492 to 460 BCE and was one of the most important king of Haryanka Dynasty of Magadha. He forcefully took over Kingdom of Magadha from his father - Bimbisara and imprisoned him. He captured Vaishali and occupied Kashi or Benaras. Under his able rule Magadha became one of the most powerful kingdom of North India. He is believed to have invented two types of weapons which was used in wars in those days, first one being - Ratha-musala (Scythed Chariot) or chariot with swords or spike attached to its wheels, you may have seen that in many movies such as 300 or Baahubali. The second weapon was Maha-shila-kantaka - an engine to throw large boulders. You must have seen this in numerous movies such as in Lords of the Ring, Baahubali and many others. Apart from his military inventions and skilled warfare, he was also very learned, a scholar and was very well versed in various Indian scriptures.
Baalaaki who was the son of Balaakaaa from Garg family was a upasaka and a renowned scholar. However there was some very indifferent about him, ….he was very proud of his knowledge and scholarship. One fine day, he went to the court of the king Ajaatashatru and told him -
“O venerable king, I am Baalaaki Garg… son of Balaakaa Garg. I wish to tell you about Brahman!”
Ajaatshatru was pleased to hear this proposal and immediately announced -“Really, o learned scholar, if you tell me about it then I shall award you with one thousand cows!”
After a pause, the king continued with a smile - “I know King Janaka who is benevolent and generous and loves to listen to great debates and scholastic discussions on spirituality and Brahman! I too have some of his qualities.”
Friends just a pause here, if you look into the timelines, Ajaatshatru lived around 492 - 460 BCE and during that time King Janaka also lived! So again clarifies the point that this King Janaka is not the father of Sita! This Janaka belonged to the same dynasty and was much much later that Ramayan’s Janaka.
Let’s continue with the story -
Baalaaki said - “The being who identifies himself both with the sun and the eye and who having entered the body through the eye resides in the heart as the ego as experiencer and the agent - Therefore I ask you to meditate that being as Brahman!
Ajaatshatru stopped him with a hand gesture and said - “Please don’t talk about him! I meditate upon him as all surpassing. Who exists surpassing all beings in this universe. We both know the same Brahman and you are telling me the same thing now. So stop, please don’t discuss this Brahman. If you know any other Brahman then tell me about that. I would be happy to listen to it! I meditate upon the Brahman with these attributes as the agent and the experiencer and obtain results accordingly. Sruti also say that “One becomes exactly as one meditates upon Him!”
When Ajaatshatru refuted the presentation of sun as the Brahman, Baalaaki tried to put forward another -
“That being who is in the moon, I meditate upon as Brahman!” He wanted to present moon as the Brahman to the king. But the king again interrupted him…
“Stop O Baalaaki, please stop telling me about this Brahman! I meditate upon him as the great, white robed, radiant Soma! That being in the moon and also in the heart or mind as the experiencer and agent. The Considering the moon and the drink yielding creeper Soma that is offered in the sacrifices, I meditate upon that as Brahman. One who meditates upon him as principal and auxiliary sacrifices everyday will never have shortage of food! Because he meditates upon Brahman as consisting of food.
Baalaaki’s presentation of Brahman as moon was completely unsuccessful! The vision of having one thousand cows as a gift from the king lured him to present Brahman in another way!
Baalaaki continued -
That being who is in lightening, I meditate upon him as Brahman!”
As he wanted to continue to talk on Brahman as lightening, the king stopped him again!
“Dear Baalaaki, would you be wasting my precious time talking about the Brahman which I already know? There is one god in lightening, the skin and the heart. It’s attribute is powerful. I meditate upon him as all Powerful, one who meditates upon him as such becomes all powerful and his progeny too becomes powerful. ”
Baalaaki was in a fix! With his limited knowledge, he was getting trapped and wanted to tell something to the king on Brahman which he may not know! He thought maybe he want to think something bigger and larger than sun, moon and lightening!
He said to the king -“ That being who is in the Space or Ether, I meditate him as Brahman!”
The king again stopped him abruptly and said - No, no my friend! This is not the Brahman I want to hear about! There is one god in the space or ether, in the ether enclosed by the heart and in the heart Full and unmoving are its two attributes. I meditate upon him as the full, and unmoving! One who meditates upon him with the attribute of fullness is always filled with his progeny and cattle and when meditated with the attribute of immobility or unmoving, which represents that his progeny will be never extinct from this world and continue his progeny.
Baalaaki was getting frustrated, but the imagination of one thousand cows, he him blind and closed all his doors leading to his brain and heart. He asked another question - “This being who is in the air, I meditate to him a Brahman!”
The king interrupted and said - “ There is one god in air, the vital force and the heart! Its attributes are irresistible and undefeated. One who meditates upon him as these attributes will have an irresistible and undefeated and unvanquished army, the one which never get defeated by its enemies. So please dont talk about this Brahman as I already practice it everyday!
Baalaaki’s bag of knowledge was on the verge of emptiness, he continued his presentation of Brahman as Fire, which was again interrupted and was stopped by the king. The king told him that there is one god in fire, speech and the heart and it’s attribute is being tolerant for others or forbearing. He meditates him as forbearing as his progeny will become forbearing too.
Then Baalaaki tried to present Brahman as Water! That too was an unsuccessful attempt as the king told him that there is one god in water, the seed and the heart. It’s attribute is agreeable and he meditates upon him as agreeable as it results in coming of only agreeable things and not the ones which are contrary.
After this failed effort, the proud scholar told the king about the Brahman represented as a looking glass. The king again told him there is one god in a looking glass and in other reflecting objects such as a sword, and in the intellect, which is made of pure materials. Its attribute is the shining, and he meditates upon him as the shining and as a result his progeny will always shine.
Frustrated Baalaaki now told the king about the sound that issues behind a man as he walks. He meditates upon as Brahman. The king in response said that the vital force is the cause of life in this body to be the one. Life is the attribute. The result of the meditation is that he attains his full term of life in this world, even if troubled by diseases, he will complete his full life term before departing this world.
Again Baalaaki told the king about the being who is in the quarters and is meditated upon as Brahman. King laughed and stopped him. He told the scholar, there is one god in the quarters, the ears and the heart. The Aswin twins are never separated from each other. His attributes are - being attached with a companion and not being separated from one another, the quarters and the Aswins have these characteristics. One who meditates upon this remembering these attributes gets this result.
Then Baalaaki, the son of Balaaka Garg told the king about the being who identifies himself with the shadow and can be meditated upon as Brahman. The king responded that there is one god in the shadow which is external darkness and internally it is ignorance which is a veil or a cover. Its attribute is the death. The result of the meditation is that he will not die prematurely and will be free from death due to some disease.
Then awkward Baalaaki again tried to put in another representation of Brahman. He said that the Being who is in the Self, is meditated upon as Brahman. Ajaatashatru immediately stopped him and said, there is one god in Self or Hiraanyagarbha, in the intellect and in the heart. His attribute is Self-Possessed. The result of the mediation is that he becomes self-possessed and his progeny also becomes self-possessed. The difference of intellect in individuals is also extended to his progeny.
After listening to the explanation of Brahman from the king, the scholar Baalaaki stooped down. He realised that he still doesnt have enough knowledge to debate on Brahman. He was humbled by a king in the courtroom. Baalaaki has realised that the price of wisdom is beyond riches. How can a possession of thousand cows be comparable to the Supreme Knowledge of Brahman? The pride of birth in a high caste, the pride of half baked knowledge are all his folly and are completely meaningless.
Ajaatshatru now asked the scholar-
“Is that all you know?”
Baalaaki with heavy heart and filled with unfathomable shame said - “Yes, my lord, this is all I know!”
The king told him - “I am sorry to say, Baalaaki, by knowing this much one cannot claim that he knows Brahman! You have to learn more, know more!”
Then with folded hands, Baalaaki realising his grave mistake and his foolishness kneeled down in front of the King and said “Please accept me as your student!”
Ajaatshatru told Baalaaki - “what you are asking me is exactly opposite to what is followed as a custom! A Brahmin must teach a Kshatriya, but today a Brahmin has approached a Kshatriya for gaining knowledge on Brahman!….I accept you as my student O Baalaaki!
The king knew that Baalaaki’s view of Brahman was conditioned by the inherent limitations of the physical body. It was only confined to the waking consciousness. But Brahman itself is unconditioned. So the king wanted to demonstrate this fact to Baalaaki.
He took the scholar by his hand and asked him to stand up, hoping that this will ease him a bit. Then they walked across the palace to a place where a man was sleeping under a shade. At first, the king addressed him by calling him as with all nice names. The man didn’t wake up.
King now went close to him and shook him to wake him up. He kept on shaking and pushing him till he awoke.
Now the king asked Baalaaki - “Can you tell me where the consciousness in this man was when he was fast asleep? How did it come back when he awoke?”
Baalaaki shook his head and with shame said - “I don’t know my lord”
The king replied - “O scholar Baalaaki, now listen carefully! Consciousness means awareness. But it need not necessarily mean awareness of something else. Awareness of something else implies the existence of an external object. Pure consciousness, awareness does not depend on the external object as it is self-luminous.”
After a pause, the king spun up another concrete example.
He said - “Baalaaki, the sun continues to shine even if there were no worlds for it to shine upon! The same is the case with consciousness. In the stage of deep sleep, the awareness merges in itself. For there is nothing else for it to be aware of! But it does not mean that it stops being aware! When emerging from a deep sleep, one is aware that one has slept well . This is an indication that consciousness survives. This could as well be called pure consciousness to distinguish it from the consciousness of something else, of some object!”
Baalaaki after listening to this, thought for a while and got a doubt and asked the king -
“Sir, Does it mean that we have only to fall asleep in order to be with Brahman?”
The king smiled and appreciated the question as it was quite a valid doubt. He said - “That was just an illustration Baalaaki! I spoke of sleep consciousness. We are in Brahman all the time, whether we are awake or asleep! All that is is necessary is to aware of this fact. I will give you another example.
Suppose due to some emergency such as a war, a king’s son was brought up among the shepherds. After some years, when the conditions were favourable, he was reinstated in his position as the prince or Yuvaaraj. He now knew he was a prince. The person was the same, but his outlook has now changed! Same is the case with Brahman, Baalaaki! Nothing needs to be done as we are not acquiring Brahman afresh. All that is necessary is to remove the blocks, the path of awareness. Brahman is this the Truth of Truth
Finally the king told Baalaaki - “ The Brahman is immortal, unlimited, infinite. That is all we may express about Brahman. The body is mortal, limited and finite. There is no other or more appropriate description of Brahman than the expression - “Not this, not this” This may be a double negation, but it does not cease to be true, as the fact is - this is Truth of Truth i.e. Satyasya Satyam!
Friends that was today’s story of the proud scholar Baalaki. I hope you enjoyed it as much I enjoyed narrating it to you.
As customary in my show, I will ask you 3 questions from today’s story, and I will definitely acknowledge you and may be invite you for a chit chat in one of my future episodes.
First question - What do you mean by Truth of Truth?
Next question - Was Baalaaki prepared to talk about Brahman? Explain your answer!
Last question - Why did Baalaaki asked the King to teach him about Brahman?
Please that’s it folk for today! Please subscribe, follow, download and ofcourse leave your valuable review comments about my show. It will help me to improve and provide you with better content in the future.
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This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”
Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda, “Eight Upanishads” from Advaita Ashrama, Upanishads.org, “Vedas and Upanishads for Children” by Roopa Pai and several other write-ups and thoughts on Upanishads.
Background Music is sourced from various royalty-free music sources, Apple Loops and Internet Archives with a Non-Commercial 4.0 International license. Aum Shantih chants are from Youtube - source - Gaiea Sanskrit.
The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 12 - What the thunder said?
22 Dec 2022· Stories from Upanishads
Episode 12 - What the thunder said? Da-Da-Da
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My dear listeners and friends, today I am going to move away from Yagnavalkya’s adventures and tell a new story from Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad. The reason why I am doing this is for a purpose! I want to bring in some variety to my storytelling from Upanishads. Yagnavalkya’s debates were high on philosophy and required extreme attention and mindfulness to understand. Today’s story is lighter although still possess deep inner meanings and philosophy which we will unearth! Today’s story - “What the thunder said” is featured in Chapter 5, section 2 of Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad. Let’s enjoy the story!
Aeons ago, gods, humans and demons who were the children of Prajaapati i.e.Viraaj, the Creator, lived together in the tutelage as his students. When their education was formally coming to an end, the pupils decided to ask their teacher - the Creator a final piece of advise and enlighten them, so that they can march towards their life’s destiny and goal.
Before we move on with the story - We must understand few important concepts. The word “Narayana” which we refer to the God himself signifies - Narayam-ayana which means - “the goal of mankind”. To achieve the goal we require a guru. Just like in our modern era, students going to schools to learn academics and life skills are taught by their teachers who are their gurus. The sportsmen and women require coaches who can guide them, train them better so that they can achieve their goal. In professions such as Software or any other, we also have goals and it’s our seniors or leaders who act as our teachers or guru and makes us to realise our goals. Be it education, profession, spirituality or sports we must have goals and which is only be achieved if we have a teacher or a guru. God cannot come down to earth to guide us, and neither we humans can go to God to take his advice. So God takes the form of a Guru to guide us.
We have recited a very popular verse -
“Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Deva Maheshwara,
Guru Shaakshaath param Brahma, Tasmayi Shri Guruvey Namaha.”
Now coming back to the Story - Prajaapati was a master psychologist. He could cure all those who approached him. He knew all his pupils and their nature. So he reserved his upadesha or advise until they approached him.
Gods were first among the pupils to approach the Creator for his final advise. Prajaapati - the Creator did something marvellous! As he spoke, the thunder roared! The sound which gods could hear was a syllable “Da”. The Supreme Father asked his pupils - the gods - “Dear child did you understand my advise?”
The gods looked at each other and with folded hands shook their heads. One of the god said - “Yes O Venerable One, we have understood!”
The gods had completed the word from the first syllable as their guru’s advise and said to the Creator
“You advised us the syllable “Da” - for us which means - “Daamyata” or “Self Restraint” or “Self Control”! You are telling us to exercise Self-restraint!”
The Creator said - “You have understood my child!”
Prajaapati was pleased as he could give his final advise to the gods and they could understand and interpreted it as per their temperament. The gods in general are inhabitants of regions of pleasure and happiness, as a reward for their virtuous qualities. However, the pursuit of pleasures is always very risky and just like walking on a tip of a sword! Unless they put in Self Restraint or Self Control in correct places, they may exhaust their virtue and can become slaves of flesh and pleasure! “Daamyata” or Self Restraint will keep them in check and control! Just like a boat responding to an expert captain or navigator, their heart should respond beating obediently to the call, the exhortation to achieve Self-Restraint!
When the gods went back to their place, next to ask advise from the Supreme Father were the humans.
Humans came to their guru and asked -
“O my father, the all powerful and all knowing One! Please give us your final advise!”
Pleased Creator when spoke the thunder roared - “Da”
The Creator asked humans - “My children, did you understand?”
Humans looked at each other and nodded their head and said - “Yes, O almighty One, we have understood! You have advised the first syllable “Da” which means - “Datta” or “The Giver” . You are asking us to Give and give generously!”
The Creator smiled and said - “You have understood! I am very pleased”
The Creator was pleased because he knew the very nature and temperament of humans. They were suffering from an incurable and chronic disease of greediness. The Creator knew they were greedy and selfish. They always believed in hoarding more than they needed, never letting go of what they considered their own! This advise of “Datta” or giving generously will balance that temperament. The Prajaapati had exhorted them to be selfless!
Humans went back to their place with their advise.
Last to approach the Creator were the demons. They asked their guru -“ O Guru, our Supreme Father! What advice do you have for us?”
As the Creator spoke, the thunder roared - “Da”!
The creator asked the demons - “My children did you understand my advise?”
The Demons looked at each other and happily said - “ Yes, my father, we understood! You have advised the first syllable “Da” which means - “Dayadhvam” Which is being compassionate. You are asking us to be compassionate.
Pleased Creator said - “Yes, you have understood my children!”
The Creator was pleased because the demons could understand his advise of being compassionate as he very well knew their temperament. The demons by nature were cruel, bloodthirsty and violent. So the advise - Dayadhvam or being compassionate will balance their temperament.
The demons went back to their place.
Thus each stormy night, Praajapati’s children never forget the divine advice through the Thunder’s roar as it repeats the Supreme Teachings - “Da - Da- Da” or “Daamyata - Datta and Dayadhvam! The result is peace, Shantih!”
Friends some extra information, which you may find very interesting. Did you know the famous poet T.S Elliot was deeply influenced by Upanishads? As Cleo McNelly Kearns has documented, Elliot had his own copy of Upanishads, which was gifted to him by Harward Scholar Charles Lanman, who taught him Sanskrit in the graduate school.
Elliot had used the concepts from Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad’s - “What thunder said” in his poem - The Waste Land. The basic idea of the poem is that -
A waste land waits for a rain shower to fertilise it. So does the mind of a man waits for the fertilising shower of liberating ideas. They reveal to us latent possibilities of life. If the faith and hope they inspire in us were lacking, life would be a vale of tears. Philosophy - Tattwa Jnana, lightens the burden of life and throws light on the path of life.
I will now read out an excerpt from the poem - The Waste Land” by TS Elliot.
Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves
Waited for rain, while the black clouds
Gathered far distant, over Himavant.
The jungle crouched, humped in silence.
Then spoke the thunder
DA
Datta: what have we given?
My friend, blood shaking my heart
The awful daring of a moment’s surrender
Which an age of prudence can never retract
By this, and this only, we have existed
Which is not to be found in our obituaries
Or in memories draped by the beneficent spider
Or under seals broken by the lean solicitor
In our empty rooms
DA
Dayadhvam: I have heard the key
Turn in the door once and turn once only
We think of the key, each in his prison
Thinking of the key, each confirms a prison
Only at nightfall, aethereal rumours
Revive for a moment a broken Coriolanus
DA
Damyata: The boat responded
Gaily, to the hand expert with sail and oar
The sea was calm, your heart would have responded
Gaily, when invited, beating obedient
To controlling hands
That was all about today’s episode. The three questions -
“What is the meaning, which the gods interpreted from the syllable - Da”,
Next question -
What is the meaning, which the humans interpreted from the syllable “Da”?
The last question -
“What is the meaning, which the demons interpreted from the syllable “Da”?
So please write me your answers to “[email protected]"
Please share, like, subscribe and download my podcast series - “Stories from Upanishads”
This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.
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Episode 11 - Yagnavalkya in King Janaka's Symposium
16 Dec 2022· Stories from Upanishads
Dear listeners, from the last 3 episodes of my podcast, you have been listening to Yagnavalkya’s debates in the King Janaka’s Symposium. You heard the debates of Ashwala, Aartbhaaga with Yagnavalkya in part 1, then followed by debates of Bhujyu, Usasta and Kahola with Yagnavalkya in part 2. Yagnavalkya was almost declared as a winner in the debates when he was challenged by Gargi Vaachaknavi in part 3, however after listening to his philosophies on Brahman, she decided that she must admit that Yagnavalkya was the greatest scholar in the symposium and no one can think of defeating him in knowledge on Brahman. Yagnavalkya was the undisputed winner at the symposium and left with the prize of thousand cows with ten gold coins.
Although Yagnavalkya’s debates in the symposium had ended with this victory and announcement of Gargi as he being the greatest knower of Brahman, her open challenge was not liked by many!
One such scholar was Vidagdha, son of Saakala. After the symposium was over, he confronted Yagnavalkya and and him -
“Yagnavalkya, so far you have been impressive with your knowledge and philosophies on Brahman. Can you answer my questions?”
Yagnavalkya smiled and nodded his headed. This challenge was sudden and he was not expecting anyone to debate him after Gargi’s open announcement. However, ego played a bigger role!
“How many gods are there?” Questioned Vidagdha.
Friends, before Yagnavalkya answers to the question asked, I would like to deviate a bit and tell you a story. This is on Nivid mantras. Once devas wanted to perform a complex yagna or sacrifice. But the yagna hid himself from them. Since there was no other way out devas decided to perform a simpler fire sacrifice. They started reciting Nivid Mantras during the sacrifice. As they were nearing the end of the sacrifice, they realised that they could remember the steps of the complex Yagna. Eventually, their sacrifice was successful.
Nivids are named after Devas or gods. They indicate Viswadevas, and present the number of Vedic gods in form of a riddle as it says the number of Devas or gods is 33 or 303 or 3003. Many modern indologists such as Dr.B.C.Sidharth of Birla Science Institute believe this to be an astronomical unit. As per him, each progression in this arithmetic sequence adds a step of refinement to estimate the length of a year. For instance the Lunar cycle provides a measure of month, however please note that a year is more than such 12 month units. In Medieval times, this was resolved by introduction of leap year. However in Ancient times, this issue was synchronised with lunar month counts to equinoxes. So intercalary or extra days where added after a fixed count of months. 33 intercalary days approximately were added in a year so that it would measure 365 days and 303 intercalary days would add to a year to measure 365.2421. In Rigveda, Sage Vishwamitra has given the number of Gods to be 3339 which is actually an addition of 33+303+3003. This number when considered as the number of intercalary days gives the average year length to be 365.2424.
Now let’s listen to Yagnavalkya’s response. He said boldly “As many as are indicated in Nivid Mantras of Viswadevas that is 303 and 3003.
Vidagdha said - “Very well! Then answer my next question…how many gods exactly are there Yagnavalkya?”
Yagnavalkya said “33 gods”.
“Oh, okay, then tell me how many gods exactly are there?” Again asked Vidagdha.
Yagnavalkya again replied - “6”
“Oh ho! Now you are changing the number again, so I am asking you again tell me how many gods are exactly there, Yagnavalkya?”
Now Yagnavalkya smiled and said “3”
Vidagdha again asked the same question and now Yaganvalkya replied “2”. Vidagdha continued to ask the same question again and now Yagnavalkya relied “1 and half”. Now visually irritated Vidagdha asked him the same question again as Yagnavalkya was changing the response each time.
This time Yagnavalkya replied - “1”.
Now Vidagdha changed the question track as he was quite frustrated with the response and so he asked - “ Which are those 303 and 3003 gods?”
Friends, here Vidagdha first asked the larger number of gods then funnelled to smaller number of gods and finally now asked their identity!
Yagnavalkya replied -
“There are only 33 gods and there are manifestation of them”
Vidagdha asked - “Then which are those 33 gods?”
Yagnavalkya replied - “ 8 Vasus, 11 Rudras and 12 Aadityas, these makes 31 and then Indra and Prajaapati. These all make up to 33 gods.”
Vidagdha asked again -
“Which are the Vasus?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“Fire, the earth, air, the sky, the sun, heaven, the moon, and the stars, these are the 8 vasus. These transform into bodies and organs of all beings which server as support for their work and these gods help every being to live and they themselves live too. Since they help others to live i.e. Vas, therefore they are called Vasus.”
Vidagdha will not let it go so easily, so he continued his questions -
“Which are Rudras then?”
Yagnavalkya calmly replied -“10 organs of human body and 11th one is the mind. When they depart the person dies and makes everyone weep i.e rud, so they are called Rudras!”
Vidagdha again asked -
“Which are Aadityas?”
Yagnavalkya replied -“12 months of a year are Aadityas. As the earth goes through revolution around the sun, they carry a person with it along with his work. Because they go taking i.e. Aadaa, all this with them, therefore they are called Aadityas.”
Then Vidagdha asked again -
“Which is Indra and which is Prajaapati?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“Indra is cloud itself and Prajaapati is sacrifice”
Vidagdha continued -
“Which is the cloud?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“Thunder, i.e. vigour or strength, which can kill others… that is Indra’s function”
We know that Indra in Vedic context and Zeus in Greek mythology are associated with thunder, often they are visualised carrying a thunder. Indra’s thunder is called “Vajra”. So you see here, how Indra is associated to thunder because of his strength and vigour.
Vidagdha again asked -
“Which is the sacrifice?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“Animals, because a sacrifice has no form of its own and depends on its means. The animals are its means, therefore they are called sacrifice!”
Vidagdha asked him -
“Yagnavalkya, in your earlier response you said there are 6 gods? Right? You have been changing your response frequently! So tell me which are those 6 gods?”
Yagnavalkya smiled and said -
“Vidagdha I made no mistake when you asked me about the number of gods, the 6 gods which I mentioned are Fire, the Earth, Air, the Sky, the Sun, and the Heaven! These are same Vasus except the moon and stars which makes it 6 gods. In fact, my previous response of 33 gods are actually included in these 6. They are wider manifestations of these 6 gods!”
Then Vidagdha jumped on with another question trying to clarify the contradictions in Yagnavalkya’s response -
“But you also said there are 3 gods Yagnavalkya? Explain me that now?”
Yagnavalkya calmly pointed to the sky and replied -
“These 3 gods are the 3 worlds alone, From the previous 6 gods, the Earth and fire together make 1 god, The Sky and Air makes another and the heaven and Sun makes the 3rd god. So there are 3 gods! In these 3 gods all gods are comprised and infused!”
Vidagdha again asked him -
“You also told there are 2 gods? Explain?”
Yagnavalkya said -
“Matter and the Vital Force as these comprise of all gods that have been enumerated earlier.”
Vidagdha took a long breath and asked-
Then what about the one and half gods? You told us that too! Explain?
Yagnavalkya explained -
This is the Air that blows! Some scholars say that since air blows as one substance then how it can be one and half? I would debate it as it is one and half because through its presence and all this attains surpassing glory!
Vidagdha again asked -
“Yagnavalkya then you also said there is only one god! Explain us that?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“That one god is the Vital Force or Hiranyagarbha. The Golden Cosmic Egg. It is the manifestation of Brahman, it is also called Tyat or That. It is remoteness, it is the vastness, it is the void! Thus the gods are one and many. Infinite gods are included in the limited number as mentioned in Nivid Mantras. These are again included in successive smaller numbers from 33 to one - Vital Force or Hiranyagarbha! As it is that one Vital Force or Hiranyagarbha that can expand into all those numbers up to the infinite. Thus the Vital Force alone is one and infinite as also possess intermediate numbers. That this one god, the vital force which has different names, forms, functions, activities and powers. These different attributes are due to the individual differences of qualification of each manifestation.
Vidagdha asked him again, now kind of mocking him -
“Do you know who resides in the earth, whose instrument of vision is fire, whose light is the Manas or the thought and who is the ultimate resort of entire body and organs? Only true scholars will know this!”
Friends, in the above question, what Vidagdha wanted to know about the god who as the earth for this body, fire for his eye, weighs all matter through the mind or thinks through the mind, identifies himself with the earth, and is possessed of a body and organs. The elements of the body such as skin, flesh, blood is derived from the mother, which represents the field. The elements such as bone, marrow and sperm derived from the father which represents the seed. He also claimed that only true scholars will know this and challenged Yagnavalkya!
Yagnavalkya said -
“Yes, I know whom are you talking about? It is the very being who is identified with the body! But there is something more about it Vidagdha, won’t you ask me about it?”
Yagnavalkya mocked him back and asked him that his question was not complete! Furious Vidagdha immediately asked him -
“Then tell me what is the cause of this?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“It’s Nectar or Chyle! The watery essence of the food that is eaten by a woman to produce blood in her body. When she is pregnant and she passes on his blood through her placenta or umbilical chord to her foetus. The foetus receives the blood, nutrition, oxygen and other life support from it. This blood from the mother helps to produce the skin, flesh, and blood of the foetus, which are the support of its bone and marrow!”
Friends… just a step back from the story, don’t you think Upanishads are very rich texts, which are way-way advanced from it’s time!
How did our ancient Indian rishis and sages, who composed these Upanishads knew about the embryology way earlier than the science of embryology itself was established in the 18th century. First thoughts on embryonic development came from Aristotle and then the early works on embryology came from various researchers and scholars such as Aldrovandi, Leonardo Va Vinci, Marcello Malpighi and many others. Awesome isn’t it?
Vidagdha continued his questions, again mocking Yagnavalkya -
“Yagnavalkya, do you know a true scholar must know who has lust or sexual desires as his body, who sees everything thing through intellect, who weighs all matters through thought, who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs?”
Yagnavalkya replied back mockingly -
“Yes I know whom are you asking about who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs. The one who is lustful and intelligent, filled with wealth of emotions! Go on Vidagdha you need to ask me something more as your question is really incomplete!”
Irritated Vidagdha asked him immediately -
“What is the cause of this?”
Yagnavalkya smiled and confidently replied -
“It is a women! She is the only one cause for whom the man’s desires are inflamed! She is the one who is full of intellect, she is the only one who is filled with ocean of emotions.
Vidagdha didn’t stop and continued to ask his questions to Yagnavalkya -
“Do you know about the one whose abode is the colours, who sees through the eye, whose thoughts are like light and weighs all matters with it and the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs?”
Yagnavalkya told -
“O Vidagdha your question needs to be completed as I know who is that, who is ultimate resort of the entire body and organs, it the very being which is also present in the sun! So come on and ask me the complete question!”
Vidagdha, again irritated by this, quickly asked him -
“What is the cause of this?”
Vagnavalkya smiled and replied -
“It is the ‘Eye’, dear Vidagdha as eye is the only truth for the human body. What we see is the truth! We see colours using the eye. The mighty Sun has Sun rays which is composed of these colours. As per scriptures, for the sun among the gods is the product of the eye in one’s body. So ‘Eye’ is the ‘Truth’!”
Vidagdha was now feeling the pressure and was desperate to ask something to Yagnavalkya which he may fumble and may not be able to answer! He changed his questions and asked -
“A true scholar would only know that being, whose presence is in the space or Antariksha, whose can see using the ear, who thinks on all matters and weighs them accordingly and the ultimate resort is the entire body and organs.”
Yagnavalkya on hearing this replied -
“Your question is still incomplete! I know the being who is identified with the ear and with the time of hearing!”
Vidagdha asked -
“Then tell me what is the cause of this ?”
Yagnavalkya immediately replied -
“Its the four quarters of Brahman, Vidagdha! As per the scriptures, it is from the quarters that this particular being within the body is produced.”
Vidagdha seemingly frustrated and continued to ask his mindless questions and started testing Yagnavalkya’s patience!
He asked again -
“Yagnavalkya you claim to be a great scholar! Even this assembly of scholars and sages in this great symposium has admitted you to be the greatest knower of Brahman and ultimate truth! You must explain me who is that being who is found in the darkness, who sees using intellect, who thinks, and ultimate resort of the entire body and organs!”
Yaganvalkya replied -
“Vidagdha it is the very being who is identified with ignorance which is comparable to the darkness! Ask me further!”
Vidagdha Saakalya, asked -
“What is the cause of this?”
Yagnavalkya immediately replied -
“It is the Death! It is the darker than the darkest!”
Vidagdha continued his questions
“Yagnavalkya, tell me now who is that being whose abode is some specific colours which reflect, who sees via eyes, who thinks, and who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs!”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“I know whom are you talking about, Vidagdha! I know the being who is in a mirror!”
Vidagdha asked -
“Then tell me what is the cause of that being?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“It is the Vital Force or Praana, Vidagdha! The Vital force or Praana exudes reflection of everything like a mirror!”
Unable to control his anger, Vidagdha continues his questions!
“Do you know whose abode is the water, whose instrument of vision is the intellect, whose light is the thought process, and who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs.”
Yagnavalkya getting bit irritated by mindless questions, replied -
“I do know whom are you speaking of Vidagdha, It is the very being who is in Water.”
Vidagdha asked -
“Who is the cause of this?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“It’s rain or Varuna, because of this water fills in the earth, lakes, and reservoirs”
Vidagdha again asked another question -
“Now tell me, do you know that being whose abode is the seed, whose instrument of vision is the intellect, whose light is the thought process or manas, and who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“I know that being, and that being is identified with the son!”
Vidagdha asked -
“Then tell me what is that being’s cause?”
Yagnavalkya replied immediately
“It is the father, O Vidagdha, as father bears the son or child who is the seed.”
Now Vidagdha was thinking hard to ask his next question, when Yagnavalkya stopped him! Pointing at the Vedic scholars sitting around the courtroom, Yagnavalkya said -
“Wait Vidagdha, it seems to me that these Vedic scholars have made you their instrument like a fire tong so that you can mindlessly argue with me! They must have done that because you do not perceive that you are being consumed by my anger and frustration!”
The scholastic discussions and debate was now taking an ugly turn! It was taking a form of a dreaded argument! Vidagdha Saakalya shouted back at Yagnavalkya-
“Yagnavalkya, you have flouted these great Vedic scholars of Kuru and Panchala with your knowledge of Brahman! They all are afraid of you and made me their fire tong so that I can argue with you!”
Yagnavalkya argued back -
“This is my knowledge of Brahman, I know what are its quarters or the directions and the meditation concerning them and its causes and supports!”
Vidagdha roared back -
If you know that then tell me about the meditation with its results? What deity are you identified with in the East?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“With the deity - Sun!”
Yagnavalkya was realised that his own mind was divided into five forms according to the quarters and through it the entire universe, as his own self, stood facing the east, with conviction that he was the quarters. Everywhere in Vedas it is stated that in this very life one becomes identified with and attains the god one meditates upon. There is a saying in Vedas -“Being a god, he attains the god” Yagnavalkya said Sun is the deity in the East. By this he claimed that he knew the quarters with its deity!
Vidagdha asked -
“On what does the Sun rest?”
This response was on the support of the quarter with its deity.
Yagnavalkya replied -
“On the eye”
As stated in the Vedic mantras and in the Brahmanas - “From the eye came the sun” that means sun came from the eye that is in the body and an effect rests on its cause.
Vidagdha asked again -
“On what does the eye rest?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“On colours, for one sees colours with the eye!”
The eye itself is directed by the colours to perceive them. Therefore the eye, together with sun which is in the East, rests on colours.
Vidagdha extended his questions -
“On what do the colours rest?”
Yagnavalkya answered -
“On the mind! For the one who knows colours through the mind, it is on mind that colours rest!”
The colours are made by the mind or heart. The mind is the intellect, The idea is that since one remembers colours as impressions, through the mind. Therefore the colours rests on the mind.
Vidagdha nodded and confirmed -
“Yes, it is just so!”
Then Vidagdha continued to ask Yagnavalkya about the other quarters.
“Yagnavalkya, tell me what deity are you identified with the South?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“With Yama, the god of Dharma or Justice”
Vidagdha asked again -
“On what does Yama rests?”
Yama together with the South support on the sacrifice, its cause.
Yagnavalkya replied -
On the sacrifice!
Vidagdha asked -
“On what does the sacrifice rest?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“On the remunerations of priests”
The priests officiate in the sacrifice, and the sacrificer redeems it from them by the means of the remunerations and wins the south together with Yama through sacrifice! Hence Yama being the effect, rests on the sacrifice, together with the south. The sacrifice is redeemed through remuneration of the officiating priest. Therefore it is the effect of the remuneration.
Vidagdha asked -
“On what does remunerations support on?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“On faith, because whenever a man has faith, he pays remunerations to the priest! So remuneration rests on faith!”
Faith means liberality! In Vedas, the faith is coupled with devotion. Only if the Yajmana or the organiser of the sacrifice has faith on the priest, he will pay his remunerations.
Vidagdha asked -
“On does the faith support on?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“On the heart! For one knows faith through the heart, therefore it is on the heart that faith finds its support!”
Faith comes from the heart, thus it rests on the heart.
Vidagdha confirmed -
“Yes, it is just so!”
Now Vidagdha began is questions on the West and asked Yagnavalkya about the deity identified with West. Yagnavalkya replied that Varuna or god of rain is associated with West. Varun rests on the water and water on the seed. The seed rests on the heart. Therefore a new born child who closely resembles his father as he has born from his father’s heart! Thus it is on heart the seed rests. On hearing this explanation Vidagdha agreed and confirmed.
Vidagdha continued his questions on the last quarter - North! When he asked Yagnavalkya about the deity associated with North, he replied, Soma. The Soma rests on initiation, which in turn rests on the truth.
The initiated sacrificer purchases the Soma creeper and sacrificing with that creeper along with meditation, attains the identity with North which is presided by moon and named after her. One who is initiated is asked to tell the truth as it is on it the initiation rests on. The truth rests on the heart as one knows truth through the heart. Vidagdha agreed to Yagnavalkya’s explanation and confirmed.
Vidagdha now asked Yagnavalkya about the deity associated with fixed direction above! It is direction overhead. Yagnavalkya replied that the deity was the Fire. In the overhead, there is more light and the fire is luminous. The fire rests on the Speech.The Speech rests on the heart. Yagnavalkya said that because through his heart extending in all directions, has realised all the quarters as his own self; the quarters with their deities and supports are a part and parcel of him. He is identified with a name, colour, form and action. Of these colours together with the east is one with the heart. Mechanical rites, acts of procreation and rites combined with meditation represent the South, West and North respectively, together with their results and presiding deities, are likewise unified in his heart. All the names together with the overhead direction also reach the heart through speech. The whole universe is comprised in these colours, action and name and these are all modification of heart. Then Vidagdha asked Yagnavalkya about the heart which is embodiment of everything. Then Yagnavalkya replied it is the ghost. As when one thinks heart is elsewhere than within us then the body is dead. The dead body would be eaten by the dogs or vultures. The body also consist of a name, colour, form and action and rests on the heart.
Vidagdha still not convinced on Yagnavalkya’s knowledge and wisdom, continued his questions -
“On what does the body and the heart rest on?”
Yagnavalkya said -
“It is Praana!”
Vidagdha counter questioned -
“On what does the Praana rest?”
Yagnavalkya answered -
“On Apaana!”
Vidagdha again continued -
“On what does Apaana rest on?”
Yagnavalkya answered -
“On Vyaana”
Vidagdha asked again -
“On what does Vyaana rest on?”
Yagnavalkya answered -
“On Udaana!”
Vidagdha asked again -
“What does Udaana rest on?”
Yagnavalkya replied -
“On Samaana! This is the SELF which is subtle and indistinguishable, as IT is never perceived, it is undecaying as IT never decays, It is unattached as IT is never attached, It is unfettered and free, IT never feels pain, never suffers injury! ”
The body, mind, and the vital forces are interdependent and work together as an orderly aggregate, it is dominated by the purpose of the individual SELF. That supernatural transcendent Brahman is immediate and direct by which all these upto the Space or Ether are regulated! They rest on them and their causes have their own effects! Only a differentiated object which is within the range of organs can be perceived but the SELF is opposite to that! It cannot be perceived. Whatever is gross and made up of parts decays such as the body, but SELF is opposite to that, hence it is undecaying! A gross object and its parts are always attached to another gross object, but SELF is never attached to anything. The SELF is free where as whatever is gross object is bound by something else. That’s why the SELF never feels pain as it is free and unattached. We as gross object are attached to many things in this world which gives us pain! The SELF cannot be destroyed and never suffers any injury whereas our gross bodies suffer injuries, pain and ultimately we die!
Friends, before I move on with the story, I would really urge the friends listening to this podcast series for the first time to listen to my past episode, episode 5, the Story of Praana, to be precise to understand what is meant by Praana, Apaana, Vyaana, Udaana and Samaana.
After responding to Vidagdha’s question, Yagnavalkya was silent and stared at Vidagdha. He has unnecessarily challenged Yagnavalkya again. So now it was his turn!
“Vidagdha Shakaalya! I challenge you, you MUST answer to my question else your head will fall off!”
Vidagdha was scared and trembling in fear as he knew he had put his foot on a sleeping serpent! He had no other way rather than to accept the challenge ! He shakily nodded!
Yagnavalkya asked -
“There are eight abodes, eight instruments of vision, the eight deities, and eight beings! I ask you about that Being who is to be known only from the Upanishads, who definitely projects those beings and withdraws them into Himself and who is at the same time supernatural. If you cannot clearly tell me of HIM then I curse you that your head will fall off, you will die in an unholy place at an inauspicious moment and even your bones shall not reach home!”
In this Yagnavalkya changed his stance and now asked Vidagdha to explain a own form of the Being who is only known from Upanishad! There are eight abodes which are Earth, Lust, Colours, Space, Darkness, Specific Colours, Water and Seed. The Eight instruments of vision are namely Fire, Intellect, Eye, Ears which takes part in multiple combinations. The Eight Deities are Nectar or watery substance, Women, Eye or the Truth, Directions or the quarters, Death, Vital Forces, Varuna or the rain and Prajaapati or the Father. The Eight Beings are identified with the body and are divided into eight groups of four items such as abode, instrument of vision, light and deity so as to constitute the universe as it is and withdraws them into HIMSELF i.e. into the mind, and who at the same time is beyond the attributes of such limiting adjuncts such as identification with the heart and mind.
Everyone in the courtroom looked at each other, they were all scared and went into a shell! Vidagdha Shakaalya stooped down, unable to explain Yagnavalkya’s question in detail, accepted his defeat and walked away from the courtroom.
It is assumed that Vidagdha might had met this fate due to the curse as there are couple of different instances of the curse of Yagnavalkya.
However, the important message the story provide us that one should not be disrespectful, rather should be submissive to a true knower of Brahman.
Then Yagnavalkya continued and told other scholars in the courtroom -
“O Revered Brahmins and scholars present in this courtroom, whosever wishes to interrogate and debate with me can debate and ask me questions! Or I shall question anyone among you all or question all of you! Are you ready?”
The scholars and Brahmins did not dare to speak up or challenge him!
When the Brahmins and scholars were silent, Yagnavalkya asked them using the following verse -
“As a large tree, so indeed is a man. This is true. His hair is its leaves, his skin is its outer bark! When a man is wounded, the blood flows from his skin and sap flows from a wounded or injured tree. His flesh is its inner bark and his tendons its innermost layer of bark, both are tough. His bones lie under, as does its wood, his marrow is comparable to its pith. There is no difference between a man and a tree! If a tree falls, it springs again from its roots in a newer form, from what root indeed does the man spring forth after he is dead? Is he reborn?
Yagnavalkya was silent for a moment and was trying to judge what answer would the scholars and brahmins say, however, he might have read their thoughts and said -
“Do not say - from the seed as it is produced from a living man! A tree springs from the seed, after it is dead!
If someone pulls out a tree with its roots, there will be no more sprouts. From what root does a man spring forth after he is cut off by death?
If you think he is ever born, I say, no he is again born. Now who should again bring him forth? - Knowledge, Bliss, Brahman, the supreme goal of the dispenser of wealth as well as him who has realised Brahman and lives in it.
A question of birth is possible only if he is not born or yet to be born and not for the one who has already born. After death he is again born by the virtue of the fruits of action. The Brahmins and the scholars did not know about this, they did not know about the root of the universe out of which the dead man is again born.
The story talks about the Knowledge, Bliss, Brahman, Supreme Goal etc. The knowledge is the pure intelligence, which is also bliss and not smitten with pain like sense perception but it is serene, beneficent, matchless, spontaneous, always filled with content and homogenous. Only Brahman has all these characteristics. The supreme goal being the bestower of the fruits of action. Dispenser of wealth i.e. of the sacrificer who engages in the rites. The word “Rati” is wealth and as a possessive force. The supreme goal of him who has realised Brahman and lives in it alone as it has renounced all desires and does no ritualistic work.
The word ‘bliss’ mentioned in the story is not pleasure as we mean it from plain English! Here the word ‘bliss’ is the epithet of Brahman as it has been used as “Bliss, Brahman”. Also in other Srutis it is mentioned that ‘He knew bliss to be Brahman”. The word ‘bliss’ refers to Brahman but there is also negation of knowledge where there is oneness.
So Yagnavalkya was the best knower of Brahman and proudly took away the cows with the gold coins. No one objected him! He walked away along with his pupils, cows and gold coins. Everyone in the symposium greeted him with folded hands as he left the symposium.
So that was the conclusion of the mega story - Yagnavalkya in King Janaka’s symposium. If you remember or may have heard the previous parts of this story, one thing is really highlighted. Yagnavalkya’s boldness and absolute knowledge of the Brahman made all scholars accept their defeat. The talks on Brahman, and the Supreme Self was discussed at length using various examples and scenarios.
Since this story has reached its conclusion, so as I do at the end of each story, I’ll ask you all three questions, if you are able to provide me the correct answer, I will arrange for a special episode with you in near future, just as I have done in the past. So sit tight for the three questions.
Question 1 - How many grahas and atigrahas are there and what are those? The hint - this concept was discussed in the Episode 7, when Yagnavalkya debated Ashwala.
Question 2 - What were the two questions that Gargi Vaachaknavi asked Yagnavalkya in the symposium? Please listen to episode 10 - debate between Yagnavalkya and Gargi.
And the last question - What are the 8 abodes, 8 instrument of vision and 8 deities? This was discussed in today’s episode.
Please email me these responses to my email [email protected]
I hope you enjoyed the episode and learnt something new from it. Please like, follow, subscribe and download my podcast series and episodes from all the major podcast catchers such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Gaana, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and many others.
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Episode 10 -Yagnavalkya in King Janaka's Symposium - Debate with Gargi Vachaknavi
27 Nov 2022· Stories from Upanishads
Hello my dear listeners, hope you all are enjoying Yagnavalkya’s debates in the courtroom of King Janaka. We heard how he defeated Ashwala and Arthabhaaga in part 1, then silenced Bhujyu, Usasta and Kahola in part 2. Part 3 is an important episode as it perhaps describes one of the most celebrated debates in the history of the Upanishads. Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad has recorded this glorious and engaging debate beautifully. This part celebrates our Ancient India’s one of greatest Rishika, and women scholars Gargi Vaachaknavi. So I welcome you all to a great episode in which we will listen to the debates between Gargi and Yagnavalkya and how he stood his ground with his responses. Now I take you all to the courtroom where king Janaka’s symposium was taking place. The symposium was filled with learned men and women debating on the Brahman. During the debate, Kahola lost to Yaagnavalkya. After his defeat, he sat down at his place. Yagnavalkya looked at the members of the symposium. They all were awestruck and wondered how could Yagnavalkya defeat such great scholars on the other. His vision and philosophy on Brahman were astonishing. Yagnavalkya smiled and joined his hands and was about to take leave when he was interrupted by Gargi Vaachakanavi.
She stood up and greeted Yagnavalkya with folded hands. Yagnavalkya was quite surprised to see a woman challenging him as he never expected to be challenged by a woman! He greeted her back and walked towards her. Gargi asked him - “Yagnavalkya, as you explained to Kahola and Usasta that ‘all is pervaded by water, then tell me, who pervades water?”
Yagnavalkya smiled and replied - “O Gargi, my salutations to you for asking such an interesting question! I think water is pervaded by air!” Here in this question, Gargi had asked about the 5 elements or panchabhuta. Prithvi or Earth is the first element of panchabhuta which is pervaded by “Apas”, which is Water. Water is pervaded by Agni or Fire, Agni is pervaded by Vayu or Air and Vayu is pervaded by Aakaasha or Space or Cosmos. Yagnavalkya was well versed on these hierarchical connections of these 5 elements. He very well knew that Earth was pervaded by Water. He knew about -“kham vayur jyotiraphah prithivi vishvasya dharini’ which means - the universe is borne (supported) by space (Kham), air (vayu), fire (jyoti), water (apah) and earth (prithivi). These elements reconnect us with the nature outside of us and help us to connect to our inner Self.Also it is important to understand that Gargi had a presumption that every effect is impregnated by its cause just like the threads woven in a cloth, lengthwise which is called “warp” and breadthwise which is called “woof”, the limited by the unlimited and the gross by the subtle. For an example a “clay pot” which is an effect pervaded by its cause which is “clay”. That means only because of “clay”, the “clay pot” was formed. Similarly in the hierarchy of Panchabhuta, the “earth” is an effect which is pervaded by its cause which is “water”, “Water” which is an effect is pervaded by its cause which is “Fire”. The “Fire” which is the effect which is pervaded by its cause the “Air”. The “Air” which is an effect is pervaded by its cause which is the “Space”! The Space is causeless and infinite. The Space doesn’t have any beginning or end. It is limitless, boundary less and infinite. Friends don’t you think, this concept is actually a combination of various theories such as the “Big Bang”, “origin of earth” and other related theories on how earth was formed. A Belgian priest named “Georges Lemaitre” first suggested the “Big-bang” theory in 1920s, when he theorised that Universe began from a single primordial Atom. As per Scientific American, the Hubble’s law points to a “big-bang” 13.7 billion years ago! An article in the National Geographic states that in the first 10^-43 seconds of its existence, the universe was very compact, less than a million billion billionth the size of a single atom. Then it went through cosmic inflation, and after the inflation as the time passed by, the matter cooled and diverse kind of particles began to form and eventually they condensed to form the stars and galaxies including our earth! By the time the universe was billionth of a second old, the universe had cooled down enough for the four fundamental forces to separate from one another. The universe’s fundamental particles were formed, but still very hot and these particles condense. Until 180 million years after the big bang, it took for gravity to gather clouds of hydrogen and form stars. The hydrogen helped the stars to get ignited. Our Sun was born in this manner. The Earth along with other planets is believed to be born 4.5 billion years ago, as the solidified cloud of dust and gases left over from the creation of the star named the “Sun”. Due to the radioactive decay, gradually the earth heated. The iron and silicates formed the core of the earth over the period of many thousands of years. The earth surface was like a bubbling and exploding volcanoes and flowing red hot lava. As the earth’s core became stable, the water in the rocks and particles formed stream and came out of volcanoes as giant clouds that cooled and rained. Some water also came from comets as they crashed and melted, they produced some more water. As the earth’s temperature cooled down further the gases and vapours condensed to form water droplets and started to rain. The rain fell for centuries and water bodies such as oceans were formed and the earth was covered in water. From the water only few volcanic peaks were exposed. Due to movement of tectonic plates and volcanic activities, rock was formed. Thus earth was formed. Now don’t we find it similar to the cause and effect theory of panchabhuta as mentioned in the Upanishads? The Aakaasha, the space is the cause for Vayu or Air, in this context, the mixture of gases such as hydrogen and oxygen. These gases aided to ignite the stars and fire or Agni was formed. So Air was the cause for Fire. Due to Fire, heat was generated and resulted in formation of water vapours and finally it fell down as rains to form Water. So fire was the cause of water and due to earth quakes and tectonic shifts of plates under water, the rocks emerged and land masses were formed that means earth was formed. So Water becomes the cause of Earth. Interesting isn’t it?
However in his response Yagnavalkya said that “Water” is pervaded by “air” instead of Fire. It would be objectionable response, however he clarified that Fire cannot be independently manifested like other elements as it must take help of other elements such as water and earth. As fire requires air or gases such as Oxygen and Hydrogen to lit so Air becomes its cause. So replied it as Air rather than fire. Now continuing our story further...Gargi without wasting any moment asked him her next question - “What is Air pervaded by Yagnavalkya?”
Based on the hierarchical connections of panchabhuta, Yagnavalkya immediately replied - “Air is pervaded by Space or Antariksha, O Gargi!”
Gargi smiled as she knew that was a straight response to a direct question. Then she asked - “O scholar, what pervades Space or Antariksha?”
This was a tricky question, Yagnavalkya closed his eyes and thought for a while, with extreme calmness he replied -“ Antariksha is pervaded by the world of Gandharvas!”In the modern scientific context, the “World of Gandharvas” can be related to the cosmic dance of our solar system and how it was formed from the residue of the Sun.
Gargi immediately asked -“Then tell me what is the world of Gandharvas pervaded by?”
Yagnavalkya replied - “By Sun!” First, the stars were formed. Our sun is a star which was born first and from the remains and residue of the sun, the solar system was born. So Sun was the cause of the formation of the solar system. Gargi asked again - “By what is Sun pervaded?”
Yagnavalkya firmly replied “By moon!”As per the Appollo Missions Giant impact theory is most widely accepted theory of formation of moon. Before the earth or moon, there was proto earth and Theia and eventually these two bodies collided. Due to this massive impact, nearly all of the proto-earth and Theia melted and reformed as one body, with a small part of a new mass spinning off to become a moon. Gargi continued -“then by what is Moon pervaded?”
Yagnavalkya continued his response - “By Stars” It is well known fact that after big bang, stars were first formed.
“What pervades the Stars, o scholar Yagnavalkya?” Asked Gargi.
“By the world of gods!” replied YagnavalkyaThe gods in Indian Vedic texts were mostly elements such as Varuna or Water, Agni or fire. They were the basic building blocks of universe.
Gargi asked again -“What is world of gods pervaded by?”
Yagnavalkya immediately replied - “By the world of Indra!”As per the Vedic text Indra was the king of gods, so Yagnavalkya said that world of gods is pervaded by world of Indra.
Gargi continued her barrage of questions. She asked -“What pervades the world of Indra?”
Yagnavalkya replied -“By the world of Viraaj.”Friends, Viraaj is one of the 12 manifestations of Brahman. It is the sum of all manifestations emerge from Hiranyagarbha or Golden Cosmic Egg. Viraaj is the ego-sense or body sense of Hiranyaagarbha and is the ruler of all material manifestations. The Upanishads state that In the beginning of each creation, Hiranyagarbha mixes the five great elements, namely space, air, fire, water, and earth in the same order to project Viraj, the universal body. The elements first appear in their subtle forms and later in their gross form. Then he mixes them in different proportions to create the diversity, consisting of millions of macrocosms, fourteen worlds specific to (each of the macrocosms) and globular gross bodies fit for each world. All that is called Viraj, the being ness or the Universal Body of the Lord. Viraj is the materialized form of Ishvara Brahman who contains Hiranyagarbha as his Cosmic Soul. Gargi smiled and asked again - “What pervades the world of Viraaj?”
Yagnavalya replied -“By the world of Hiranyagarbha!” Hiraanyaagarbha is the golden cosmic egg, perhaps the single primordial atom as stated in the big bang theory! In Vedic terms, it emerges out of Ishvara as a projection or expansion into the quality of rajas. He is the cosmic Self, who represents Ishvara's creative potency and soul consciousness. Vedas depict Hiraayaagarbha as Brahma the God of Creation. All the worlds and beings are either his children or projections. Just similar to what is explained in the Big Bang Theory.
Then Gargi again asked “By what is the world of Hiranyagarbha pervaded ?”
Yagnavalkya stopped Gargi immediately and said -“Stop! Dont ask too many questions else your head will fall off! You are questioning about something that should not be reasoned about!” This series of questions and answers between these two ancient Indian scholars revolved about the elements composing the universe! To understand these texts further, we must know that the implication, is that the cause, the subtle and unlimited is woven like warp and woof of a cloth, in the effect, the gross and the limited and that cause always pervades the effects. However, this cannot be extended to everything as a point will come where there is no other cause. That point is causeless as the only cause of entire Universe is Brahman, which is the source of all. We still dont know what created the primordial single atom which caused the big bang! That primordial single atom is causeless, so Hiraanyaagarbha is also causeless. Hence Gargi’s question asked of the effects which were pervaded by some cause, till the point we come to the Self, which is within all! All objects below the Self consist of Panchabhuta. Self is the only Truth of Truth! The Truth is the Pancha Bhuta or 5 elements and Truth of Truth is the Supreme Self or Brahman, which is within all! The cause of Hiranyagarbha cannot be determined by logic. It's beyond any reasoning. Brahman is the Cause of Everything! Since Gargi was pushing Yagnavalkya to know the cause of supreme cause, Yagnavalkya stopped her and warned her as it is causeless.
Friends as a matter of fact, Gargi’s debate is mentioned across two sections of chapter 3 of Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad. In the section VI Gargi was told to be quiet after she inquired about the causes of Brahman. Then Uddaalaka challenged Yagnavalkya in section VII of chapter 3. After Yagnavalkya’s triumph over Uddaalaka, Gargi challenged him again in section VIII. For this podcast we’ll keep it more convenient and easy to understand, we have decided to club the debates between Gargi and Yagnavalkya featured in sections VI and VIII into one so that it becomes more understandable.
All scholars and learned men and women in the symposium were frustrated as they were unable to defeat Yagnavalkya in debate on Brahman. Uddalaka’s defeat had brought in an atmosphere of agreement that Yagnavalkya is the rightful owner of the cows and gold coins. Suddenly Gargi got up again. Everyone in the symposium looked at her. She again greeted Yagnavalkya and announced -“I, Gargi, daughter of Vaachaknavi, seek permission from all the scholars and brahmins in the room to ask Yagnavalkya two questions! If he answers them satisfactorily then none of you can ever beat him in describing Brahman!”Hearing such bold statements from a rishika was quite surprising for the learned men in the courtroom. They felt bit ashamed and a bit insulted. However, they were all helpless as many of them failed to defeat Yagnavalkya in the debate on Brahman. They all agreed and permitted her. Then she turned towards Yagnavalkya, and said to him -“Just like a warrior from Kashi or Videha who would string an unstrung bow along with two arrows which when shot at the enemy can bestow terribly painful blows! Similarly, I stand in front of you, O great scholar Yagnavalkya with two questions, which are as sharp as those two arrows. If you are the knower of Brahman then you must answer me!”
Curious Yagnavalkya said -“Ask O Gargi”Gargi was glad to receive the great scholar’s permission. She asked -“Yagnavalkya, by what is that pervaded, which is above the heaven and below the earth, which is that which is in between heaven and earth, and which they say was.. in the past, is… in the present and will be… in the future?”What Gargi’s question meant was, what is that which is above the heaven which is the upper half of the cosmic shell and below the earth, which is the lower half of the cosmic shell? What is in between these two halves of the cosmic shells and which we know by the authority of the scriptures was in the past, is present in the current moment and will be doing its function in the future as well. Which is that which is described as all this, in which, the whole universe is unified!
Yagnavalkya replied - “It is space O Gargi! !! Aakashey Tadotam cha Protam cha!!It is the space which is above the heaven and below the earth, it is the space which is in between this heaven and earth. It is this space which was in the past, which is in the present and will be in the future. It is the space which the only truth of origin, continuance and dissolution.” This response from Yagnavalkya, pleased Gargi. She with folded hands greeted the scholar and said - “I bow to you O great Yagnavalkya, you have answered my first question! Now here’s my next question!”Pleased Yagnavalkya said - “Ask O Gargi! I am waiting for your next question!”Gargi asked -“O Yagnavalkya, by what is Unmanifested Space pervaded?”Yagnavalkya immediately replied - “O Gargi, the knowers of Brahman say, that is that what you have asked!”Gargi smiled, and asked - “Then tell me what is that immutable… which the knowers of Brahman speak of?”
Yagnavalkya referred his answers to the knowers of Brahman so that whatever he responds will not be contested or challenged by anyone. He continues -“It is the changeless and immutable Brahman! It is neither complete nor it is incomplete! It is neither short nor long! It is not of red color or any other color! It is neither shadow nor darkness! Then,… is it air? No it is not air,.. then it may be the space… but it is not space either! It is neither sticky or attached nor it is unattached! Neither it is savor nor it is odor. It is without eyes as he sees without eyes nor he has ears as he hears without ears! It is not vocal and does not have a mind! It is non-luminous and has no lustre like fire, nor without the praana the vital force of the body. It doesn’t have a mouth or opening, It is not a measure, It is not porous! It is without interior or exterior. It does not eat anything, or is eaten by anybody! It is devoid of all attributes, qualities or parameters for it is one only without a second, so what is that… which cannot be described, which has no attributes?”Yagnavalkya continued - “O Gargi, due to the mighty rule of this changeless Brahman, the Sun and moon follows its routine and hold their positions. Due to the mighty rule of this immutable Brahman, the heaven and the earth maintain their positions. Due to this mighty rule, the moments, muhurtas, days, nights, fortnights, months, seasons and years held in their respectable places, under this rule, some rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna flow eastwards from the snow cladded mountains of Himalayas and others such as Indus flows westward in its own course, notwithstanding their power to do otherwise they remain in their own course. O Gargi, under the mighty rule of this Immutable, learned men praise those who give gifts in personal sacrifices or in charity, during sacrifices or yagna, the gods also praise those who provide then sacrifices, and the ancestors praise them when they offer them water or tarpan. “O Gargi, here is another reason for the existence of the Immutable, because until one knows it, one is bound to suffer transmigration and that must exist the knowledge of which puts a stop to it for this is but logical. Who in this world, without knowing this Immutable, will offer oblations in the fire during sacrifices, perform sacrificial rituals and undergo austerities even for many thousands years and performs all these acts but yet is perishable? Who departs from this world without knowing the immutable Brahman is miserable, and the one who departs from this world after knowing this Immutable Brahman is a Brahmin or the knower of Brahman.”O Gargi, this immutable Brahman cannot be seen by anyone as it is the vision itself! It is never heard but it is the hearer. It is never thought by anyone as it is the Thinker. It is never known by anyone as it is the Knower! There is no other vision, no other Hearer, no other Thinker, no other Knower as this is the Immutable Brahman which is the unmanifested space itself. The Brahman is immediate and direct, which is the self within all and is beyond the relative attributes of hunger and by which the unmanifested space is pervaded. It is the extreme limit, the ultimate goal, the Supreme Brahman which is Truth of Truth which begins with Earth and ends in Space or Ether.”
Gargi smiled after listening to his response of Yagnavalkya. With folded hands she turned towards the learned men and scholars participating in the symposium and said - “O revered brahmins and scholars, you should never hope of defeating great scholar Yagnavalkya in the debate about Brahman! None of you shall be able to beat him in describing the Brahman.”After this, she sat down at her place!
That was part 3 of the story of Yagnavalkya and his participation in King Janaka’s symposium. Yagnavalkya and Gargi were ancient Vedic India, prominent scholars. I will have a special episode just on Yagnavalkya and Gargi Vaachaknavi in the future.
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The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
Co-narrated by : Jiniya Goswami
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This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify, Gaana, Google podcasts, Wynk Music and more. Click on the link in the episode description or visit www.hubhopperstudio.com.”
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Yagnavalkya in King Janaka's Symposium - Part 2
12 Nov 2022· Stories from Upanishads
Yagnavalkya in King Janaka's Symposium
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This is the part 2 from the interesting events and debates which took place during the symposium arranged by King Janaka of Videha. We heard about Yagnavalkya’s decision to take home thousand cows with ten gold coins tied to their horns and how he was stopped and challenged by eminent scholars such as Ashwala and Aartabhaaga. They both got involved in a debate with Yagnavalkya and eventually accepted their defeat. While Yagnavalkya wanted to leave the symposium, he was again challenged by few other eminent scholars. Before I start the today’s story, one point I would like to mention is that in my view this Upanishad was written post Mahabharata era as this mentions Parikshit, who was the grandson of the great pandava, Arjuna. This part 2 of the story is about the various debates between Yagnavalkya and scholars such as Bhujyu, Usasta and Kahola. So sit back and listen to some of the greatest thoughts which are mentioned in the Brihaddaaranyaka Upanishad.Bhujyu the grandson of the scholar Lahya, stopped and challenged Yagnavalkya. Yagnavalkya smiled and greeted Bhujyu with folded palms.Bhujyu asked -“When I was a student and was travelling to the kingdom of Madra, we visited Patanchala’s residence. He was a descent of Kapi. We came to know that his daughter was possessed by a Gandharva. We wanted to help the girl so we started inquiring the Gandharva.”After a pause, Bhujyu continued -“We asked Gandharva who he was?”The Gandharva said his name was Sudhavan who was a descendant of Sage Angiras.“We wanted to test the Gandharva further!”We asked him about the limits of the world so questioned him where were the descendants of Parikshit?”After a pause, Bhujyu looked at Yagnavalkya, and with a serious expression asked him -“Yagnavalkya, now I ask you the same question, Where were the descendents of Parikshit?”Friends, few things to clarify here, firstly Gandharva, means a celestial non-human being who can change its form and shape and possess humans. Gandharvas have been mentioned numerous Indian mythologies and ancient scriptures. Secondly, I want to throw some light on the timeline of this Upanishad. It is very clear that Bhujyu asked the Gandharva and Yagnavalkya about the descendants of Parikshit. As per Mahabharata, Parikshit was the son of Abhhimanyu and grand son of the great Pandava Arjuna. So in all possibility this upanishad was written quite some time after Mahabharata. So it also demonstrates that Mahabharata might not be just an epic or mythology rather might have actually occurred, as we know the documented existence of Yagnavalkya, Gargi and many other characters as mentioned in this Brihaddaaranyaka Upanishad! Well, these are my thoughts based on the logic I just presented. Thirdly we must also understand about the Ashwamedha Yagna or the famous horse sacrifice as this will be one of the response of Yagnavalkya. The chosen horse is left to roam around throughout the kingdom and beyond its borders. Whichever areas or regions the horse wanders into is claimed by the yaajamaana king of the horse sacrifice. If the king or ruler of that land or area doesn’t challenge the king who has arranged Ashwamedha, the Yaajamaana king claims that portion of land as part of his kingdom. As per the scriptures, this sacrifice produces both collective and individual results. Whether combined with meditation or performed exclusively through it, it is the highest of all rites. As per Smritis - there is nothing more heinous than killing a noble Brahmin nor anything more meritorious than the horse sacrifice. So let’s get back to the story. Yagnavalkya thought for a while and then replied -“Parikshit had performed Ashwamedha Yagna during his reign. So the Gandharva had told you that the descendants of Parikshit went to where the performers of horse sacrificers go! Thirty two times the space covered by the sun’s chariot in a day makes this world. Around it, covering twice the area, is the earth, around the earth, covering twice the area, is the ocean. They pass through a very slim opening at the junction of two halves of cosmic shell. The opening is as slim as an edge of a razor or wing of a fly. Fire in form of a falcon, delivered the descendants of Parikshit to the air and the air took them to where previous performers of horse sacrifice were. Thus the Gandharva praised the air as symbolising the cosmic vital force. Therefore the air is the diversity of individuals and also is the aggregate. One who knows this as such conquers further death. So friends, thing to note here that Yagnavalkya actually explained the dimension of cosmic orb. He said that thirty two times the space covered by the sun’s chariot in a day makes this world which is surrounded by the mountain Lokaaloka. This is the world which constitutes the body of Viraaj, and in which people reap the fruits of their past actions. This is the limit of Loka and beyond that is Aloka. The air is vital force as it is the inner self of all beings whether moving or stationary. It is also outside them. The air is the diversity of individuals in forms relating to the body, the elements and the gods. The air is also an aggregate as one cosmic vital force. One who knows this attains identity with the air in its individual and collective form. After dying once he dies no more. After listening to Yagnavalkya’s response, Bhujyu felt satisfied, he decided to sit down and accepted his defeat. Yagnavalkya was again victorious. He was ready to leave the symposium as everyone looked at Yagnavalkya. All of them were quiet as they were quite impressed by his knowledge and wisdom. Yagnavalkya waited for another challenge from the wise men and women gathered in the symposium and his wait was fruitful. Usasta the son of Chakra was inquisitive and eager to question Yagnavalkya! He always wondered about the Self as a distinct entity and wanted to know more on that! He got up, greeted Yagnavalkya and asked him -“Yagnavalkya, explain to me the Brahman that is immediate and direct - the Self that is within all?”The meaning of Usasta’s question is deep. He wanted to know what is that “Self” which is within all! The word “Self” refers to the inner self or Aatman. He wanted to know clearly what is meant by “Self” which is within all.Yagnavalkya was quite surprised to hear such a high philosophical question from Usasta. He thought for a while, and replied -“This is your “Self” that is within all! That which breathes through Praana is your “Self” that is within all! That which moves downwards through Apaana is your “Self” that is within all! That which penetrates through the Vyaana is your “Self” that is within all! That which goes out through Udaana is your “Self” that is within all! This is your “Self” that is within all!”Now dear listeners, before I go on with Yagnavalkya’s explanation to Usasta’s question on the “Self” as a distinct entity, I would like to throw some light on the terms such as Praana, Apaana, Vyaana and Udaana. I hope you have listened to the Story of Praana which is featured as a part of this podcast series. If not please listen to it. Well in short, Praana is the vital life force. As per Nisva-sattva-samhita Nayasutra there are 5 types of vayus or winds and they are Praana, Apaana, Udaana, Vyaana and Samaana and explained as -Praana - Movement is inward and downward, it is the vital life force. Balanced prāṇa leads to a balanced and calm mind and emotions. Its location are - Head, lungs and heartApaana - Movement is outward and downward, it is related to processes of elimination, reproduction and skeletal health (absorption of nutrients). Balanced apāna leads to a healthy digestive and reproductive system. Its location is Lower AbdomenUdaana - Movement is upward, it is related to the respiratory functions, speech and functioning of the brain. Balanced udāna leads to a healthy respiratory system, clarity of speech, healthy mind, good memory, creativity, etc. Its location in the human body is in Diaphragm and throatSamaana - Movement is spiral, concentrated around the navel, like a churning motion, it is related to digestion on all levels. Balanced samāna leads to a healthy metabolism. Its location in human body is in the NavelVyaana - Movement is outward, like the circulatory process. It is related to circulatory system, nervous system and cardiac system. Balanced vyāna leads to a healthy heart, circulation and balanced nerves. Its location in human body is originating from heart and distributed throughout the human body. So here Usasta actually indicated and questioned about the life force within the organism and what is the “Self” within that. Now coming back to explanation of Yagnavalkya’s response to Usasta - The one which is immediate, direct and unobstructed is the Brahman. It is the vastest and self of all and within all. The body and sense organs are immersed in your self i.e it is the Self of the body and sense organs. There is a 3 levels of hierarchy which can be visualised as a body which is the outermost and within it there is another subtle body consisting of the organs and the third one is the Brahman whose existence is doubted. Yagnavalkya then explained the physiology of body using the examples of vayus. He saif “that he breathes through Praana” which means Praana is inhalation through mouth and nose which is unobstructed and direct and also makes Praana breathe. That is the individual self of the body and organs. Similarly Yagnavalkya takes examples of other vayus by which body and organ are made to breathe and do other functions as these vayus are associated with several functions of the body. The body is just like a wooden puppet, which cannot do anything unless it is guided and operated by someone. Similarly the human body and organs must be operated and guided by an intelligent principle without which they cannot perform any function such as breathing. The intelligent principle is the “Individual Self” which aids the body and organs to perform their own functions. Hence that principle distinct from the body and organ exists and makes them functional. On hearing the explanation of Yagnavalkya, Usasta was angry and impatient. He started accusing Yagnavalka to be a trickster as he was not giving him direct answers rather was answering him using different examples and metaphors. He said to the scholar - “Yagnavalkya, you have indicated it as one may propose one thing and then being in doubt will say something else. You too have used various metaphors and examples to explain Brahman just like someone for instance to describe about a cow or a horse may say using certain characteristics of that animal such as ‘a cow that walks’ or ‘a horse that runs’. You too have tried to explain Brahman using certain examples like breathing and praana in similar way. Please provide me a direct and immediate explanation of Brahman - the self that is within all instead of telling me in all these in metaphors? This question irritated Yagnavalkya a bit, as he didn’t expect Usasta to say all these in the symposium which will full of learned men and women. Yagnavalkya stood his ground and said -“I stick to the examples what I said earlier Usasta. You want me to present Self as one would present it in a jar! Unfortunately it is impossible because of the very nature of Self. The Self is the witness of vision. There are two types of vision - ordinary and eternal or real. The “Ordinary” vision is the function of the mind as it is connected with the eye, therefore it is an act which is performed. This has a beginning and an end. It is not eternal. The “Eternal” or “Real” vision is the one which doesn’t have a beginning or an end. This vision belongs to the ‘Self’ and is like the heat and light of fire. This is the very essence of witness. The ordinary vision is an act, affected by the objects seen and reveals only its colour and form but not the inner self that infuses it. Therefore you cannot see that inner self which is the witness of vision. Similarly you cannot hear that which is the hearer of hearing, you cannot think that which is the thinker of the thought, you cannot know that which is the knower of knowledge. This is the Self that is within all and everything else such as the body or the subtle body consisting of organs is perishable. Only Brahman is imperishable and changeless. This is the very nature of the thing and hence it cannot it described as we can describe a cow or a horse.” After listening to this explanation of Brahman, Usasta was speechless and silently accepted his defeat and sat down in his place. The goshti was again buzzing with whispers and wonders. All learned scholars, sages and priests were talking to each other, trying to understand what they heard during all these debates. King Janaka too was in a deep thought on the explanation of Brahman provided by Yagnavalkya. Silently most of the scholars started admiring Yagnavalkya’s knowledge, power of debate and philosophy on Brahman and Self. Then after a while, Yagnavalkya was again called for another debate by the scholar Kahola who was the son of Kaushitkeya. He asked him the same question but from a different angle -“Yagnavalkya, can you please explain to me Brahman that is immediate and direct, the Self that is within all? This is your self that is within all. Which is within all?”Basically it can be debated as both Kahola and Usasta had asked Yagnavalkya the same question. Did they ask about the same Self or different Selves? Although some thinkers and scholars have contemplated it as two different selves, but as per Adi Shankaracharya both of them had asked about one same Self. Both Kahola and Usasta had used the word “your” before Self. The same body and senses cannot have two different selves. If one of the two be Brahman in primary sense, the other must be secondary, similarly with Selfhood and being within all, then these terms become contradictory. If one of the two Brahmans be the Self, Primary and Withinall, then the other must be secondary, Non-self and not within all. Therefore both the scholars inquired about the same Self.Yagnavalkya, thought for a while and replied to Kahola -“Kahola, it is that which transcends hunger and thirst, grief, delusion, decay and death! Knowing this very Self, the learned men and Brahmins renounce the desire for sons, for wealth and for the worlds and lead a saintly life. That which is the desire for sons is the desire for wealth and that which is the desire for wealth is the desire for the worlds, for both these are but desires. Therefore the knower of Brahman having known all about scholarship should try to live upon that strength which comes from knowledge, having known all about this strength and scholarship, he becomes meditative, and having known all about the meditation and its opposite, he becomes a knower of Brahman! The knower of Brahman can behave in whatsoever manner, but he is just like that and rest everything is perishable. “What Yagnavalkya meant was, that Self is that which beats hunger and thirst. Hunger and thirst are humanly vital functions. Grief is a desire, as it is the discomfort one feels when ones enticing things remain unfulfilled or not done. This feeling kindles desire. Delusion is a mistake, raising from incorrect notions and a source of all troubles. Both grief and delusion affect human minds. Decay is a state in which a thing or body modifies and times out. It gradually loses its beauty. Beautiful human body gets covered in wrinkles with time and decay. The death is the fall of a body and is the final stage of modification and beyond that, the organism ceases exist anymore. The vital functions such as hunger and thirst, depreciation of minds such as grief and delusion and gradually fall of human body such as decay and death are in unbroken succession. Knowing this very Self, is knowing own’s reality. The supreme Brahman is eternally devoid of any relative attributes and is ever satisfied. The learned men and Brahmins who knows this Self, will renounce the desires of having sons, that means lead a life of demons and devils. One who performs meditation along with correct rituals may win the world of Gods or mediation on Hiranyagarbha, which is the divine wealth! It is only through the knowledge of Brahman, the renunciation takes place. They renounce the objects of desire which lead them to the world that is not Self. The knower of Brahman renounce their rites and accessories such as the sacred thread and lead a life of monk of highest order or Paramahamsa. The Self is to be realised, to be heard of, to be reflected on. For Self knowledge is to be attained and the Self is devoid of attributes such as hunger, thirst, grief, delusion, decay and death, is to be known as different from the means and results of actions. Knowledge and ignorance cannot co-exist together as they are contradictory as light and darkness! Therefore the knower of Brahman must not have any relation with the worldly matters and renounce everything and must lead a life of a Paramahamsa. This strength comes from the knowledge. The knower of Brahman has the knowledge of Self. The knower of Brahman must be in a true state of Self and eliminate all worldly pleasures and detach himself and remain eternally free. Kahola, after listening to this explanation didn’t had any further guts to ask anything else! He greeted Yagnavalkya with folded palms and sat down in his place. Yagnavalkya was again victorious and was undefeated in the debates. Will Yagnavalkya prevail above other scholars? Will he remain victorious? Will he be able to take home the cows along with the gold coins? Let’s find it out in the part 3 of this great debate. So, until then -
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The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami
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Episode 28 - Story of King Brihaadratha and the path to moksha – Chapter 1 – Maitreya Upanishad

Episode 27- What is AUM? Maandukya Upanishad Part 2

Episode 26 - “Ayam Aatma Brahma” - Maandukya Upanishad - Part 1

Episode 25- What are the paths of liberation? Part 2 - Muktika Upanishad

Episode 24- What are the paths of liberation? A story of Shri Ramchandra and Hanuman Chapter 1 - From Muktika Upnishad

Episode 23 - Satyameva Jayate - Mundaka Upanishad

Episode 22 - Shat Prashna - Prasna Upanishad - Part 2

Episode 21 - Shat Prashna - 6 Questions - Part 1

Episode 20 - Narada and Sanatkumara

Episode 19 - Yagnavalkya and King Janaka Part 2

Episode 18 - Yagnavalkya and King Janaka -Part 1

Episode 17 - Yagnavalya and Maitreyi

Episode 16- Story of King Pravahana, Sage Uddalaka Aaruni and Shwetaketu

Episode 15- "Tat Tvam Asi" - Story of Uddalaka Aaruni and Shwetaketu

Episode 14- Story of 3 friends - Pravahana, Silaka and Chaikitayana

Episode 13 - Proud Balaki

Episode 12 - What the thunder said?

Episode 11 - Yagnavalkya in King Janaka's Symposium

Episode 10 -Yagnavalkya in King Janaka's Symposium - Debate with Gargi Vachaknavi

Yagnavalkya in King Janaka's Symposium - Part 2