chftpttr IY> 161

IMMA t DSVBLOPMSWT OF 1HE COHGBPT IN fflB UPANISADS.

Introductory t

From the ^gveda, down to the Upanisads, there is a gradual evolution of the thought. This can be - proved by the chronological survey of the thought-con­ tent of the Vedas C Samhita ), which, as already observ­ ed, contain the concept of discrimination ( 'Viveka' ) in its germinal form. In tiie prayers to various Deities of the Samhita, there luife now and then the philosophi­ cal references to Truth and Untruth, Sternal and Non- eternal, Body and SJUI, in an in^ilied manner. In the Atharvaveda, in ooms of its hymns of metaphysical character, we find the development of iiie philosophi­ cal thou,ght and the conception of reality is made more and more clear - which is often termed as *Purusa', sometimes as 'Atman', and at times as 'Brahman', In the Brahmanas, v^ilch represent th« transitional phase, in the midst of the ceremonialism and the ritualism pertaining to Sacrifice, the development is still going on, !nius, the 'Agnirahasya' of the Satapatha Brahmana clearly indicates the worship of 4gni as the eternal principle where again it is symbolised as 'Purusa'.

Even in the subtle philosophy of the Sacrifice, thatocaursB at times in the Brahmanas and in some of the stories that occur there, we come across the conception of Truth and Untruth, the supremacy of truth and its 102 discrimination from untruth. The conceptions of •Brahman' and *Atman* occur in prose for tiie first time and their importance is never lost sight of as the back-ground of the v/hole ceremonialism.

The same link is continued in the Upanisadts with a difference. It was inevitable that thlp philo­ sophical portion should have been developed at great length, to the exclusion of the external part of the physical Bacriflce. It was the need of the times. Ihis was, so to say, a revolt against the formation in the SamhltS and the Brahrnanas, but certainly not exclusively a revolt of a reactionary character, because the Upani- sadas not only presuppose the SaftihitS and the Brahmanas, but also owe their debt to them for the crucial part of thought that they contain, %© tb«e. I'hay refer to Saifthita-portion now and then, In support of their philosophical quest for truth; with gteat reverence, they use the Deities with reference to the final truth, they advise various kinds of devotions and use the terminology of sacrifice for the quest they were engaged in. Some Upanisadas i.e. ^>4^- & cKa^o. are the final portions of the BrShmanas and contain material similar to them in character. In the Mandakopanisad, we come across the description - al­ most a glorious one - of the sacrifice, at the very outset; but later on, its limitations are also laid Acaax. bare, implying tiiat the s^xttk spirit of sacrifice is all that matters, though the gross form may be permissible in some form or another. *Agnlcayana' 103 which occurs in Yiajurveda and referred to in the BrShmanas is connected with tiiG Upanisads. In the Kathopanisad, for example, reference is made to the Agnicayana.'^nT^-.^yf^Rxr and ^.«£rwxv3RAT in the Upanisads refer to the same - aspect and show the link. Ihus, it is proper to say that the Upanisads are the natural and gradual growth and development of the crucial thought that was implied in the Vedas {, Samhitas ) and the Brahmanas, though apparently ttiey appear ( and are to some extent, in a sense) to be a revolt and a reaction,

Thus, the late Dr» R.D. Ranade remarks in this connection, in the initial diaptar of his 'Const­ ructive Survey of the Upanisads' - " In the first place, we must note that the Rgveda is a grsat hymnology to the personified forces of the nature, and thus represents the earliest phase in the evolution of religi/^us con­ sciousness, namely, the objective phase of religion. The Upanisads, on the other hand, make the subj«cti'?e phase of religion.

In other words, we may say that as we go from the Vedic period to the Upanisadic period, there Is visi­ ble at every stage the process of a transference of inte­ rest from God to Self... In the Upanisads, we pass from prayer to philosophy, from hymnology to reflection, from hcnotheistic polytheism to monotheistic mystjrficism,. We may say that a beginning was made even at this Rgvedic period of the real philosophical in^ulse which passing through the Br&hmanic period, was to gather force at the beginning of tiie Upanisadic period. ... From the paycholo- 104 glcal point of view, we may say that vrtiile the Rgveda may be regarded as a great work of emotion and imagina­ tion, the Upanisads may be regarded as a work of thought and reason."

The conventional division of the Vedic Lite­ rature into (1) Philosophy of Works ( cB^gsr^:^ ) and (2) Philosophy of Knowledge ( ^irsr^-rus- ), though empha- si^eg in general the character of the Sa&hita - Brfih- nanas and the Upanisads respectively, is not wholly true. Thus, Sri M,P, Pandit, following the line of thought indicated by the late Shrl Aurobindo observes t

" And yet, we cannot forget that the original fount from ^\rl'iich flowed all this heterogeneous mass of literature, is the Mantras, The BrShmanas were more or less exegetical developments with stress on the ceremo­ nial aspect of ths Vedic Religion of worship and sacri­ fice i.e. on its externals, while the Upanisads were a development and enlargement on som

Ws must not forget that liia Samhitas, the Brahiianas and the Upanisads are traditionally regarded as Srti, i.G, revelations; and hence there cannot be unending wars amongst theia. The significance of the t>«rra 'Vsdanta* as applied to %lm Upanisads throws light on liiis Vs-ry nature of the Vedic literature viz, indicat­ ing tiis growtii of Intuitive ttiought. Thus Vedanta means the 'end of the Vedas' as also the 'essence', ttie supreme secrex of the Vsdas, Both these interpretations apply lOS rightly to Ihs Upanisads and allow aielr crowning achieve­ ment in the fivld of revealed thought.

This revolutionary process, as indicated above, in the three important branches of the Vedic literature is highly significant for tracing tlie development of the concept of •discrlsntnetion* ( Veveka ) in this literature. In fact, it forms the basis of and presuppose? the dlgcuss- \on that follows.

In the foregoing Chapters, we have traced the origin of the concept of 'Viveka' and its nature as re­ vealed in tiie Vedic Samhita and the Brahnanas, -?his chapter is specifically devoted to the nature of the concept as it finds place in liie later portions of the Vedas, viz, the Upanisads, H-;rp, we shall try to find out its ax^taJe exact nature and its development, if at all there is any. For our present purpose, vre have taken into conuideration only thirteen principal Bpanisads, Our aim, thnefors, here will be to present the various steges tr-rough %rfiich the concept of 'Viveka* has passod and to shot/ i.tisthcr it has reached lt« culmination. The philosophical, poetic and discursive method of the %± Upanisads appears to be favourable for such a study. That is \ihy thlrs chapter will be the pivot

• 1, I?a, 2, iCrHB.. 3. Katha. 4, Prasna, 5, '".iinSaka. 6, MSndukya. 7. Talttirlya 8, Aitarsya, 9. Chandogya, 10. BrahadSranyaka. 11. Kaitrl. 12. Svetasvatara, 13, Kausitaki 106 of our whole thesis. As we have undertaken the Pre-iiiankara Vedanta as the material for our research, so far as the ooncept of Viveka is concerned, the Upanlsads form the very badc-bone of tiiis study.

Ihough the Upanlsads are ( proverbially ) considered as 'tiie loose sallies of tha mind', it cannot be ignored that they are cefinlte expressions of intuitive thoughts of the ancient ttiinkers. They are not terse, like the Brahraasutras of Sadarayaija. They have a good deal to say about the Ultimate Real­ ity and the way to it. We shall presently turn to our prt»«»* purpose viz* the concept of viveka, as it finds expression in the Upanlsads, 2 Ihe word 'Viveka* occurs only once in the Upanlsads* It is used there In the sense of 'choice' or 'discrimination'. It must, however, ha noted that the word is used firstly, as it occurs in the dally parlance, and then its philosophical import is suggest­ ed. But elsewhere in the Upanlsads, we come across • ftr+>J~f^ • used in ttie philosophical sense, from which ttie vjord is derived. Thus in the Katha, we have 3 the form •fk^^..T%' In this very sense. It means 'dis-

2. - ,r<" Ca^^;)-^-4rr a-^ s^ i^^<^ c^rW^s ^g^^-crr^ •C^^^-^ "

- Ghand. VI, 9, 2. ^ 3, Katha, 1,2, 2, .s^^ar^ter ^rsc'ar JT-iT^^^n^cT•. 107 criminates, • In the same Upanisad, • •^T-t-NTfT^ i 4 is used In the ssnc sense In the forms * '^f'S^ • 5 and • -sf^^^ *. So also In the same Upanisad, »"R4-'4-'*ra- I i2 uag<| in ^Q gaoQ sense in the form

This merely indicates ttiat a good deal of thinking, in this direction, must have already taken place before this term, or such words are used. Of all the Upanlsads, Kal^a uses such words in a bold manner. In other Upanlsads, ve do not come across this yord,

II,.

IHB CONCEPT OF VIVEKA

'ihers are various approaches through which 7 Plan arrives at tfce Ultimate Reality, As Dr, Galrd has put it, " He can look out-ijard upon fee world around him; he can look inxvsrd upon ths sQlf within hlmj and he can look upvjard to ths God abovs him; to tiie Being vho unites the out«^>jard and ln\jard -worlds, and viho 8 manifests himself in both," He further addsi ''^ian looks In-ward, and he looks Inisard tefore he looks up­ ward." I'ne initial approach is, therefore, essentially 4, Katha. 1, k 2, 13, 5, Ibld.lT,3J7 6. Ibid. 11,5 7. Evolution of Ksllgion, I, 77. '5^^^ J^^ .^^^ ^^, 8, Ibid, II, 2. ^c^^TTTg^sFTTT^ 9r^^ ' 108 the cossiologlcal approach - the approach of 'the doctrine of the evolution of this ultluBte principle to form the udverse, as Paul Deassen puts it. The 9 main concern of the "Dpanisadic seers is the search for the ultimate reality. Thus it is stated at the beginning of the bveta^/ataropanisfead t

" Vihat is the cause ? Brahtna ? Itii;nc8 are v"? born ? \txQTQhy do WQ live ? 4nd On what are we established ? Cver-ruli-d by rfhoia, in pains aQu pl'SasurfS, Do v/e llvcf our various coQditions, 0 Is, fcheoLogian-q ?"

Ths cosmolo!::ieol thought starts fron the external •vrorld and eid;? In tJit- inuer Msrld, v-here both the vTorlds, so to say, riieot. In thij sojourn, many out-ward, minor categories are to be- rejected, in order to accept the Eost fundamental category underlying all of them. This involves tiie concept of Viveka.

The various .stages in this ttiought ar3 t

CD Various Po'-«?rs in the Natural Phenomena, knovrti as Deitit^s. (2) Aaat; Gat.

9, Compare - "llie Upani^ads do not contain •Superhuman conceptions, but huraan, absolutely human attempts to come nearer to the truth." - Dr. Winternitz - ' A History of Indian Literature* p.266. 10. Svet I, 1. 109 (3) ^e body of Man - •Puruaa* - • f^xropA ', «Atman». ^ (4) Brahma, the final and most fundamental, comprehending all*

It appears tiiat the tfaeory tiiat 'water' is the fundamental principle foita which tiie whole world is sprung, is the first stage in the cosoological tiiought, 12 In the Brhad£ranyaka, the cuaiverse is said to have been 13 sprung from water* In the C^Sndogya, Hie earth, the ether, the sky, the Gods and man, beasts and birds, grass and trees, insects, ants, flies etc* are said to be the solid forms of water* In the famous dialogue between YSjnavalkya and Gargi, in the BriiadSranyaka, the whole world is said to have been woven warp and woof from water. Commentators like ^ankara interpret water as ttie deity presiding over it (v^R-c^grf^T^mi^^ \'?<^ ). 16 In the Katiia, we come across a statement that the Atman is born from ihe waters* In the Aitareya, Atman is said to hav& created the water - and from water Purusa, i? from Him the vrorld and finally the man* In the Kaulltaki, Brahma says t 'Water is, indeed, my universe'* Rightly 18 says Paul Denssen, " The oldest element witii the Indians

12, Brh* V, 5.1* 13, Chand.VII, K), 1. 14. B^h, 111,6, 1, 16, Katha.IV, 6. 16. Aita. II, 2, 3. 17.KausI, II, 7. 18* ' The Philosophy of the Upanisads' - 190, 110 is water. As early as Rgveda X, 129, 3, the First principle appeared as a *dark undulation*. In ttie Upanlsads also, the conception of the primeval water still survives,"

Hiere are certain passages in ttie Upanisads \Aiere- Qot water, but Fire is said to have been the source of ihe 19 yitiole world. In ttie Kattia, for example. Fire is said to have entered the creation and then assumed various forms 20 in it. In the CSifind. also, Sat is said to have created Fire first and from Fire, tJie whole of the creation,

Bayi^ (3T>T^ ) t 21. Side by side with Fire and Vtater, Earth is said to be the source of tiie creation. Hence, the glorifica- 22 tion of the Earth and its inclusion in the fine lE^eatiis.

*A further step is taken in Brh. 1, 2, 2, where we find liie one element of the primeval waters replaced by 23 three,(viz. Earth, Fire and Water). The leading authority for the number three of the elements ( as the source of the creation ) is Chand. 6, 2. Here ttie waters are no longer the starting point, but take their place between the subtler fire and ttie grosser eartti.' 19, Katiia. II, 5. 20. Chand. Vi, 8, 4. 21. Aid, I, 1. 20, Chand, VI, 8, 4, 22, TaitK. II, 2. • 'Xlie Philosophy ( of tiie npani^ads* 23. Brh. I, 2, 2. C - Paul Dettssen, ( - ( p.191) Ill

24 In the Sariivargaavldya of Chandogya, Ralkva, the philosopher v;ith the cart, refers to V^yu as the fundamental principle of creation. He said to Janasrjti - "Trfhen fire is extinguished, he is dissolved into Wind, Vftien the sun and the moon are set, tiiey retire to the V/ind, When water is dried up, it turns into Wind. In short, Wind is the absorb­ er of all things. He is the breath that animates bodies."

Ether or space ( 3TT^T4T ) t

The next step in this direction was the discovery of Ether or space as the source of the creation. In the 25 Chandogya, vAien Pravahana Jfijali was asked about the origi­ nal principle behind the creation, he replied i

" All creatures are born of space ( STT'^T^ ), It is -ttie highfest and hence the first principle,"

In the same Upanisad, elsev*iere it is said, "Space is higher than Fire, In tiie space itself shine the moon, the sun, the lightening and the stars. It is due to the space that one can call for another. Everything is sprung from the space."

We find here that beginning with water, there Is a gradual evolution of thought in transferring the element to apace, vAiich is the subtlest one, as tiie origin of the

24. Chan. IV, 3, 1-4, 25. Chand I, 9, 1. • Chand. VII, 12, 1. 112 Universe, Shis deserves note from the point of view, whidi we want to develop and to which we shall turn later on.

Asat - Sat t

Over and above these elements, there are references to (a) Asat and Cb) Sat as being the causes of ttiis Universe. Ttiis might be regarded as a further step in the evolution of cosmological thought.

(a) Asat t 26 In the TaitRiriya, a reference is made to 'Asat* as the first principle of creation; and 'Sat' 27 is said to have been lx>rn from 'Asat'. "IlierG was noliiing before ttie creation. Only Death and Hunger were there before everything. This Death thought to Himself tiiat H*. should be Atman and when He thus began to move, water was born," says the Brahma,

Cb) Ml « 28 In ttie Chandogya, tiie theory of 'Asat' be­ ing the cause of the universe is refuted and 'Sat* is mentioned in its place. "How can Sat be born from Asat ? Sat, therefore, is the fundamental, first principle. It thought i 'Let me be many,' It created water. The water thought to itself t 'Let me be many.'

26. TaitR. II, 7, 27, Brh. I, 2. 28. CJhand. VI, ?, 1-4, 113 It created food or matter, fh^n the Gat thought s »I have becorae tiie three deities. How I will enter into it and create names and forms; and ttien the whole world was created.'

(3) gap body of Man •» Prana ^ Hiranvagarbha - rtman.

In the theories previously mentioned th re was one very important gap - viz. 'man*. The individual was neglectad completely. This is filled by the ttieory of Prana, being tlie central principle residing in the body of man, controlling it and also being the centre 29 30. 31 , of the creation. In th© Chandogya, Prasna and Kausitaki, Ht the supremacy of Prana ovsr all oth^r sense - organs is stated thus t It was once resolved, we are told in l^e Chindogya, by the senses of man to decide \Aiich of them was supreme, and for that reason, they went to Prajapati, their creator. The creator replied ttiat, that sense might be regarded as sovereign of them all, which after departing, leaves the body powerless and in a pitiable condition, upon v*iich the senses resolved to run tiie raoe of supremacy. Speech was the first to go out of the body and having got^ outside for a ^ear came back and wondered how liie body could exist inspite of its absence. It was told that the body lived like a dumb man not speaking, but breathing witii ttie breath, seeing with tiie eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with ihe mind, upon which speech returned. Then the

29* Chan^ V, 1, VI, 16. 30. Pralina I, 3, 13.20. 31. Kausit. VII, 2-9. 114 organ of vision departed, and having lived outside for a year c^ae baAgni, Surya, Parjanya, VS"yu, Being as well as Not-Being. The Kausitaki identifies Prana with the Itnian itself, tlw ultimate Reality, vhidi is ageless and inanortal, vrtiich does not increase by good actions nor diminish by bad actions. It says - 34 " ?TST^& is the Ultimate Reality, all these brings make offerings to Him," 35 \Jhen Usasti CniikrSyana was asked ( in tiie ChSn- dogya ) \diat aight be regarded as the ultimate sustratum of all tilings, he said, it was Pranaj for "verily it is into Prana liiat all those beings enter and it is from 36 Prana that they originally spring," In the Samvarga Vidya, PrSna is said to be the final absorbant: but it is not further elucidated and raised to such heights, 37 In tiie same Upanisad, Sanatkumara states Narada that, *just as all the spokes of a viheel are centred in its navel, similarly all these beings and in fact, everything that exists is centred in Prana."

So al»> the second Brahmana of the second Chapter 38 of this Dpanlsad is devoted to the importance of Prana as the vital principle. In the metaphysical language, it is stated there that It pervades the whol« universe. Thus Prana, though primarily mentioned as *Wind» or *Breath', as a physiological entity, has not remained so later on,

34. Kausi. Ill, 2. 35, Chund. I, 11,5, 36, Chand.IV, 3, 3. 37. Chand, VII, 15, I. 38. Chand.II, 2. 116 but has been raised to the position of Atman, the Ultimate Reality, We can clearly see the evolution of thought in all tiiis t How from gross elements the tiiirikers have come to subtle elements like space, and then from abstract principles like Asat, Sat to Prana and thence to Purusa and Atraan,

That the Purusa in the eye i.e. in the human body 39 is stated in the parabole of SatyakSma JSbala and Upakosala in the caiSudogya, Upakosala stiys with Satyakama as his student for t^jelve years. Even after such a long stay, the t6a<*ier does not allow ths student to go a\«iy, Kis wife pleads for the student, but in vain. !Ihen Upakosala goes to a forest and "i^^orships the three fires with devo­ tion, ^e fires acsume forms and instruct him. The first Girhapatya - tells hia that the fundamental truth lies in the sun. Ihe second - Anvaharya - states thalt It exists in tiie moon. The third - Ahavanlya - mentions that it is in the lightening* Upakosala is satisfied with this inst­ ruction and returns to his teacher's abode. The teadier asks the student -

" You look as if you have gained the knowledge of tiuth. Wo told you the truth ? " The student narrates the vtoole account. Satyakama finally 40 states - •* The knowledge it?5)arted by the three fires is not final. It is incomplete. The final truth is neither in the sun, nor in the laoon, nor in the lightening, bait it 39. ChSnd, IV, 10-17. 40. Chand. IV, 14-16. 117

Is in the reflection of the eye of man, Tnis reflection is Vtie Atman. One \i4io knows tiiis becomes lustrous." 41 In another passage of tlie ChS^idogya, it is said - "Now, the light which shines higher than this heaven, on the backs of all, on tJie backs of everyliilng, in tiie high­ est x^rlds, than which there are no higher - verily, that is the same as this light vAiich is here within a person,

"There is this seeing of it - when one perceives by touch this heat here in the body. There is this hear­ ing of it - when one closes one's ears and hears as it ware a sound, as it were a noise, as of a fire blazing,**

This Purusa in man is tha sam% as the Atman, per- 42 vadlng the body and the whole universe. He Is thus des­ cribed -

" Him vtio is hard to see, entered into ihe hidd«n, Set In the secret place ( of the heart) dvfelllng in the depth, primeval - By considering him as God — Ihe wise man leaves joy and sorrow behind." 43 " More minute than the minute, greater than the grsat, Is the soul that is set in the heart of a creature here," 44 " He Is of the size of a •ttiumb." -16 " Heavenly, formless is the Person, 41, Ch5"nd, III, 13, 7, 42, Katha, II, 12. 43, Ibid. 11,20. 44, Ibid,IV, 13. 45. Mund, II, 1, 2, 118

" He Is without and within, unborn, Breatiiless, mindless, pure, Higher than ttie high Imperishable." 46 " The Purusa in the Sun is the same as in me," 47 " The Person himself is every iiiiere here," Tile Purusa in man is tJie oame ars the universal soul, knovm as Hlranyagarbha or Brahman i fn ). Paul Dewasen describas - " We knoif ttiat the -ntire objec­ tive universe is possible only in so far aa it is sustained by a knowing subjoct. This subject as ustain^r of iha objective univsrse ts manifested in all individual subjects, but is by no means iden­ tical with them. For the individual subjects pass away, but the objective universe continues to exist; there­ fore, tiie eternal knowing subject also (Hlranyagarbha ) by I'jhom it is sustained* Space and tin^ are derived from this subject. It is itself accordingly not in spe.ce and does not belong to tinie, and therefore from an empirical point of view, it is In gen-gral non-exis­ tent; it has no empirical, only a metaphysical reality,"

Ihe concept of Prana, Purusa, in the human body and Vae universe, and the Atman lead us to the (eternal)

46, TaitEi'. II, 8. 47. Mund II, I, 10. 119

" consciousness " that is near and dear to us. This " consciousness ", pure, as the First principle of creation, is a special contribution of the Upanisads, This conclusion is a very bold step in the cormological thought. This fundaaental and final theory, naturally sets aside all other theories previously raentianed and here liss once again the working of th- concept of Viveka, v*.ich emphasizes only one truth, cociprehanding all and rejects all Qth^r raiaor tru^uhs as fundamental, C is shall discuss this point later on under the •isychological Approach'. )

(4) Brahma, the fii.al \iord. in the evolution of cosmological thought.

TtiQ evolutionary ttiought, from 'Water* to Sat forms one circle; the thought from Prana to Atman forms another circle. These t-wo circles must meet one another, 'Brahman* is the connecting link between the two. As a - 49 matter of fact, as the Upanisads declare, the 'Atman' is 60 the same as Brahman, Thsy are synonyms for one and the 49. f-Sa. 16, Brah, II, 5, 19, 50. " The terms Brahman and Atman, both denote ttie first principle of the universe, and in tiiis sense are ordi­ narily employed in the Upanisads as synonyms and are Interchanged with one another in the same text or stand side by side, as in the guestion proposed,in the Chand. 5, 11, 1 I • 3^ ^ 3?Tc-HT , -^ •9r5r • where Sahkara re­ marks that Brahman denotes the term to be defined *Visesfeiyam* and Stman, that vjhich defines lt| 'l/lse?anam* that by Brahman the limitation implied In ^tman'is removed and by Xttnan the conception of Brah- raan as a divinity to be ^•rorshipped is condemned. Both ^xpresGlons, however, are as this remark already shows, of indoflnite connotation. - Paul Detissen, ('The Phi­ losophy of th- Upanisads' p.86) 120 same Reality; and yet, th re is a slight difference. Reality looked at from the subjective point of view is Atman; and the sane Reality looked at from the objective point of view ss Is Brahman; and though tiu: Upanisads use the word Atman as the source of the creation, at times, 52 they prefer to use the \jord 'Brahman' also, bt^cause they \-ant to emphasize the objective point of view, which ultimately transcends both the subject and tha objsct. Brahman is that v.iiich pervades everythiag and is tndefl- jBLitBx nable. Ihus, the theory that Brahman is the origi­ nal source of everything finds its expression in the following passage in ths Upanisads,

(1) In the sixth Brahraana of the third Chapter of fJtiQ Brhadaranyaka Upanisad, Gargl asks a number of questions to lajEiavalkya and Yajfiisivalkya replies them one by one. Finally, he refers to Brahman as the final prin­ ciple. Ho further questions can bs a^ed about the Brahman,

Gargl asks - " On \i^at then, pray, are ths worlds of the moon \iJoven warp and woof ? "

Yajnavalkya replies -

" On the v.'orlds of the stars; they on the worlds of the Goao; Gods on tiiG worlds of Indra; the -"^rlds of Indra on the worlds of Prajapatl; and the \7orlds of Prajapati oa the worlds of Brahma."

51. Ch5nd. VIII, 4. 1. 52. Taitfi. Ill, 1. 121

" On what then, pray, are the worlds of Brahma woven ?" asks Gargl,

Yfijnavalkya said - " Ga'rgi, do not question too much, lest your head fall off. In truth, you are questioning too much about a divinity about which furtiier questions cannot be asked}" and Gargl kept quiet.

Thus, water, wind, atmosphere, worlds, the worlds of the Gandharvaa etc, all these ultimately depend on Brahman, the Final Reality, Thqrrest on Brahman; Brahman rests on nothing, 65 (2) In the same Upanisad, in the dialogue between YSJnavalkya and Gargl, such queries are made, Gargl asks - "Across vAiat then, pray, is space woven warp and woof ?"

To this Yffjnavalkya replies - "That 0 Gargl, Brahraanas call tiie Inperidiable ( 3^^? ), It is not coarBe, not fine, not short, not long, not glow­ ing, not adhesive C like water ), without shadow and without darkness, without air and without space, without stickiness, odourless, tasteless etc. Other than It, there is, naught that thinks, naught that understands,"

(3) The source and origin of the universe Is

53, ) Brh, III, 6, 65, Brii, III, 8, 9. 54. ) * 122 56 defined as "That from vAiich all these beings come into existence} tiiat by -which tiiey live, that into which they are finally absorbed, know that to be the eternal,verily, the Absolute,"

This test is applied to various principles, such as food, or matter ( •ar^ ), Prina, mind, Vijnana, and Ananda« Sxcept the final v^ldi is the dnttBugr nature of Brahman, all others are discarded. Hence, the source of everything is Brahimn* The growtto of thought from the gross to the subtle is easily seen here, 57 (4) In idle CSiandogya, Brahman is described in a similar vein, 68 (5) In the Katha, Brahman is described tiius - " There is ttiat ancient tree whose roots grow upward and whose branches go downward. That is "ttie bright, Brahman, tiie imnortal, all worlds are contained in it and no one goes beyond it," 59 (6) In the Bijhadaranyaka and Maitri, it is stated - " !niis vrords was Indeed, formerly Brahman." 60 (7) In the Mundaka, the formless Brahman is des­ cribed ttius - " That whidi is invisible, ungraspable, without

56. Taitt. Ill, 1. 57, Chand. Ill, 14, 1, 58. Katha. II, 6, 1. 59. Brh, I, 4, 10-11, 60, I, 6, 7, 8 Maitri. VI, 17, 123 family, without caste, xi^ithout sight or hearing is It, without hand or foot.

Eternal, all-pervading Biat is the Imperi­ shable T»*iich the wise perceive as the source of beings.

"As a spider emits and draws in. As herbs arise on the eartia. As the hairs of the head and body from a liv­ ing person, So from the Inperishable arises everytiiing here."

C8) The parable of proud Gargya Balaki and Ajata- satan in ihe Kausitaki and tiie BrcJiu.:^i:. is very instructive ira from ttiis point of view*

Gfirgya BfilSki proclaimed that the ultimate Rea­ lity lies in the sun, ttie moon, liie lightning, the thun­ der, the space, the fire, Utie water, mirror, image, echo, voice, body and right and the left eye of man, "

A^atasatm said, " Is that all ?" Gargya said, "That is all," Ajata^tm said, "With that much (only), it is not known," Gargya said, "Let me come to you as a pupil,"

Then AjatesatBU took him by ttie hand and rose. The two went up to a man who was asleep. They addressed him with these words t

*»11iou great, vAiite-robed King Soma t "

He did not rise, A^atasatru woke him by rubbing him with his hand, Ihat one arose, Ajitasatru said -

61, Kausi, IV, 1, IB, Brh, II, 1, 1-15, 124 ^ VJhen this man has fallen asleep tiius, then the person \^o consists of intelligence, having by his Intelligence taken to himself the Intelligence of the senses, rests In that place iiihich is the space wittiln the her.rt.... ks a spider ml^t come out of his thread, as small sparks come forth froc the fire, even so from this soul come forth all vital energies, all \^rlds, all Gods, all beings* The mystic meaning thereof is •The Real of the real* C '^c^'F^ ^c-^r^' )^

Thus the real nature of Brahman lies In this consciousness, vhlch assumes various forms and manifes­ tations. The universe, we feel, only due to this consci­ ousness. Hence, it follo\/s that Brahman of this nature is the source and origin of every thing.

This is the culminating point, the climax of the coscKJlogical thought as It occurs in the Upanlsads,It ' 62 £s expressed In the great sentence as, 'Everything here is Brahman.' (••FrI ^^f^3 »r5T |» )

All the former theories melt into this final theory, though others are relatively real. As Dr. Radha- krtshanan puts It s " The Upanlsads bring out In several fanciful and mythological accounts of creation the great truth of the oneness of the vrorld. Brahman is the sole and \*iole explanation of the world, its material and efficient cause. The entitles of the warld are knots in the rope of development, which begins with matter and ends in Ananda." *

62. Ghand. Ill, 14, 1. • 'Jndian Philosophy* - Vol. I - p. 282, 125 Ttiis conclusion is arrived at through the process of discrialnation C'Vlveka*) and the various theories are the various stages in tiie process of discri- . mi nation - from the gross to the subtle, from tiie plura­ lity to unity, from tiie visible to the invisible.

Now, vihen we reach this final point in tiie cosBKilogical thought, we are in a position to understand the rgal view of th« Dpanlsads# Since Brahman is every thing or vice versa, world dependent on it is beginning- less and endless. In fact, the world does not exist apart from Brahman* Hence, the coBnological theories previously mentioned, seen to be only tentative and rela­ tive, placed in order 'to make concessions^ to ttie empi­ rical view point. Paul Deassen puts it thus - "The universe was still something existing; it lay there befo3?e their eyes. It was necessary to endeavour to find a way ba(& to it. This was accomplished without abancJoning tlie fundamental idealistic principle, by conceding the reality of liie manifold universe, bat at Hie same time maintaining thet this m^uiifold universe is in reality Brahman. Ideally therefore, entered into alliance with tlie realistic view natural to us, 63 and IwrmniiM became thereby pantiieiaa.**

Thus, tiis cosmological approadi has led us to the ultimate Reality. The conception of •Viveka' has been laid bare In this process; because discriminating ttie One truth from the otiwr manifold untruths or xn± relative truths, is tiie very nature of *Viveka».

63. * The Philosophy of t^e Upa&i^ds.' - Paul Deaseea-pJ62 126

nit.

Ttie cosmologlcal argument has reached a conclu­ sion that til re is only One Truth or Reality, viz. Brah­ man or Atman, We have to consider now, \heth r the theo­ logical approach in the tJpanlsads can lead us to any such conclusion, and If so, how t^ethsr sudi a dircrltninatlon is made in tills approadi*

If we cast a -lance at the ancient Vedic lite­ rature that preceded the Upanisads, \^ come across a sort of apparent polythelan gradually developing into a kind of monism or monotheiaa in the Vedic Samhlta, Hie various Gods are the different names and forms of one and the same Reality* Even if it is a), those Gods occupy a highly important place in the Vedic Samhita, They are the pivot round \srfiich all other things relate. In the Brahraanas, even thou^ the Gods, and more than the Gods, the sacrifice for the Gods is gliorified, the original thread of the Oneness of Reality underlying is not lost sight of. The philosophical discussions in the Brahmanas lead us further in the thought, as observed « earlier. The Upanisads carry further this very thread and dlTGCtly state this truth positively. They have - attempted discussions on the nature of this one Reality {-^K ) - as underlying all the Gods and their relation to the one Reality,

• CJhapter III. 127 64 Not all the Gods, but some few of them occur —in the Upanisads; but they have suffered here a sea- change# Firstly, they are no longer the sovereign Gods ruling over the universe, but are po^^ers of Brahman or Atman and hence their supremacy is challenged. "The 65 existence of the ancient Vedlc Gods - Indra, Agni, Varuna etc. is as little denied by the Upanisads as that of the Greek by Xenophan^, But as by the latter, all tile other Gods equally with men are subordinated to tha one God, so in the Upanisads, all the ancient Vedlc Gods are created by the Attnan and dependent on him. From the Atman proceed, like the sparks from the fire, all 66 \gorlds, all living beings, and no less all Gods; On him 67 all the Gods depend; by him, they are created as the 68 guardians of the Universe, "therefor?, when the people say of each separate God, 'sacrifice to this, sacrifice to that, this created universe proceeds from him alone; therefore is all the Gods."

!Ehls peculiar relation between the Atman or Brah­ man and the Gods is altogether new in the Upanisads. Paul Deussen brings out this fact by observing one subtle difference between the Gods as they occur in the Vedlc Sarahlta and In the Upanisads.

"The monotheism vAiich meets us in some later Upani­ sads has not been developed from this ancient Vedlc poly­ theism, which still has its echoes in the Upanisads, but 64. viz. Indra, Agnl, Vayu, Pr^jSpati. Pusan, the Sun etc, 65. "The Philosophy of the Up/fanl^ads" - Paul Deassen-p.l73. 66. Bi^h. 2, 1, 20. 67. Katha. 4, 9. 68. Ait. 1, 1, 3. •"The Philosophy of the Upanisads" - p.175 - Paul Denseen. 128 from entirely different premises. The proof of this is furnished already by liie external fact that the personal God of the Upanisads, usually and apart from exceptions, is not called »Deva* but is 'Isa*, 'Isana' 'IsvaraC and in later times comnonly 'Paramesvar'. Though 69 we may not tiioroughly agree with the learned scholar here, we must confess the difference of the character and nature of the Gods, as they occur in the Vedic Safnhita and in the Upanisads, This can also be proved by the fact 70 that it is stated in ttia 3rhadaranyak-how the Atnian created the divine KsKatriyaa C Indra, Varuna, Soma etc.), Vaii^yas ( the Vasus, Rudras, Idityas, etc, ) and ^udras 71 ( Pusan), " According to Brhadaranyalj-1, 3, 12-16, it is the organs of the Prana, viz, speech, smell, eye, ear, manas, wiiich are by him led beyond tJie reach of death, and now continue to exist as the Gods Agni, Vayu, Aditya, the heavenly regions and the moont" - an idea which we hardly come across in the Vedic Samhlta, !Ihat the Gods are dependent on the highest divinity, viz, the Brahman and are mere manifestations and instruments of the same is well conveyed in the story of the Gods 72 in the Kena, It vjas Brahmaip ijhich made the

" Who are you? " asked the Yaksa. " I am Agni, the all-knower " - replied Agnl " What is your power? " asked the Yaksa. " I can consume anything on the earth" - replied Agni. " Then consume tiiis blade of glass" said the Yaksa and placed it before him. The Fire could not burn it. Then came Vayu. When he introduced himself as the God of Wind, who could blow away everything on the earth, the Yaksa asked him to blow away the blade of grass. He was, how­ ever, unable to do so. Then came Indra, the God of Gods, on vAiidi the Yaksa disappeared. It transformed itself into Uma, tiie daughter of Himavat, and addressed him thus

" That was Brahma, Th\)iigh him it was, not yourselves, that you attained 73a your victory and glory."

It is further stated «- "Thsrc ic the truth of the Brah­ man in relation to nature; whether in tl::^ flash of lightning, or In the tdrik of the eyes, the power that is shown is ttie pover of Brahnian." 73b In the Katlria, this very truth is thus expressed -

•• The sun rises from tiie Brahma« ( Tat) and sets into It, All Gods reside in It, No one can go beyond It, outside of It,"

73a. Ibid.I, 4, 1-4. 73b. Kattia. 4, 9. _ 74 " The Atman residing in the boatadta hearts of all has occupied all things, like the Sun, the Fire, the 75 76 Wind, etc," "This Atman is Aditi," In the Aitareya, liie vord 'Indra' is derived as 'One who sees everything here i.e. the universe* ( X^ '^- =• 3~<-ir= ) - which in­ dicates that Indra is the all-seeing Atman, In the same Upanisad, it is said - "Atmanis Brahman, He is Indra; He is PrajSpati; He is a^.! deities, the Earth, the Wind, the Sky, the Water, the Fire etc," and it is furttier stated that Gods like Agnl have sprung from the body of Divine Purusa and have entered the body of man 79 In this connection, Paul Deeissen observes - "All the Gods pursue their tasks, accorrUng to a verse preserved in X'aitt. 2, 8 and Katha 6, 3, 'from fear' of the Brahman; and according to Kausitaki 1, 5, even Indra and Prajapati the doorkeepers of the heavenly vK^rld, are not able to pcEC9ac8± prevent tlie entrance of the soul of him v4io knows Brahman, or to turn it back. And just as the power of the Gods is dependent on Brahman, so tiielr knowledge also is imperfect; they are not in possession from the 80 very beginning of the knowledge of Brahman, Accordingly in Ghand.8, 7f. they depute Indra to obtain from Prajapati the knowledge of the 4traan, and for the first time after they have obtained it, they \^rbhip him in iiie vrorld of

74, Ibid, 6, 9, 10. 75, Ibid, 4, 7, 76, Ait, 3, 14, 77, Ibid. Ill, 5, 4. 78, Ibid. 79. '3he Philosophy cf the Upanisads' - Deiisoen, 80. Brh. 1, 4, 10; 4, 3, 33; 5, 2, 1. Taitt 2, 8, Kausi. 4, 20, Katha 1, 21. 131

Szxac Brahman as the self: thereupon they possess all 81 worlds and all desires. In this respect, the Gods have no advantage over men « "Whoever of the Gods perceived this ( *I am Brahman* ) he became Brahman; and similarly of the Rishls and similarly of men..,. And to-day also, he >*io knows tills * I am Brahman* becomes this universe and even the Gods have no power to prevent his so becoming; 82 for he is the soul of it,"

In the Isa, the Brahman is referred to as 'Isa* and it is said there that this principle is firm at a 83 place and yet has surpassed all the Gods - that means it is much superior to Gods, In this very Upanisad, there are references to Gods like Agni, Pusan, Yayu, but th-re they are regarded as the various powers of Brahman and hence identified with Brahman, 84a In the Peace-Prayer ( A'H^H-^ ) of the Taitti- riya, there is a prayer to the Gods like Mitra, Varuna, AryaJ Indra and Brhaspati; and it is further said -

•• You are the Brahman, You are the declarer of Brahman" - which ref?rs to their identlficationH with Brahman.

In this connection description of the Divine Purusa 84b in the Mundaka deserves mention -

" Agni is his head; the Vioon and the Sun his eyes;

81. Chand. 8, 12, 6. 82. Brh. I, 4, 10. i^^S^ 83, isa. 4. Sri Aurobindo translates the word^as *Gods*. 84a.Prologue 1, * \*kir^ 84b.Mund. II, 1,4, 132 nuarters his ears; Vedas his speechj Vayu, his breath; the Earth his feet, etc." 86 In the Pra^nopanisad, the disciple asks Bhargava Plppla -

" How many Gods are th?re in the Universe, -who sustain and illumine the creatures ?"

Pippala mentions nine Gods such as space, Vayu, Aditya, water. Earth, Speech, Mind, Eye and Bar; and ad s that PrSna is the basis of all these; and the basis of PrSna is the Atan.

In the dialogue between Sakalya and YS"Jnavalkya, in the Brhadaranyaka, the number of Gods is ZKKR reduced to one from three hundred and three, Vidagdha ^kalya asks YSjnavalkya -

" Hov many Gods are in the Univerpe ?"

"Three hundred and three," replies Yajnavalkya,

Sakalya asks the same question again.

" nilrty-three", replies Ysjnavalkya.

Sakalya asks the same question to him.

He says - "Six"; and then on further queries, he replies, "Three", and then "two", and then "one and half" and finally, "One", This reply satisfies Sakalya because it is final, sue ultimate, " The Earth is his body, Agnl is his eye; mind his light - he is support of all human souls " - he continues. 85. Pras'na. II, 1. 86, Brh, III, 9, 1-10. 133 ' 87 In the Svetasvatara, this One God Is named as 'Rudra* and is described as the source of the Universe, the maintenance and dissolution of the same. He is the same as the Atiran pervading all. In the same vein, In 88a the Isa also, the Divine Purusa is said to be the same as the individual self. He is not only the controller of all the Gods, but also ttie inner controller of power behind all our sensory and motor powers and our thought - which are also regarded as Gods,

Thus various symbols of Brahman are mentioned in the Upanisads for worship and mediation. The most important of them are Pi-ana and Vayu, ^as'a, Manas and

Iditya and the syllable »OBI*. Almost in all places, Prana or Vayu is considered as a symbol of Brahma*.Shtta Thus in the BrhadSranyaka, he is thus glorified - " But death did not take possession of him, >*io was the middle breath. They ( i.e# the senses ) sought to know him. They said - "Verily, he Is the best of us, since whether moving or not moving, he is not perturbed, nor perirhes. Come, let us all become a form of him, of him indeed, they be- 88 c came a form.,.. As Breath holds the central position among the vital breaths, so wind among these Divinities There is this verse on the subject -

87, Svet III, 2, 3. 88a. Isa, 15, 88b. fli-h, 1,5, 21. 88c, Brh. I, 5, 22, 134 * From whom the Sun rises And in whom It sets' - in truth, from Breath, it rises and in Breath, it sets, •Him the Gods made law C Dharma). He only to-day and tomorrow will be.' 88d In the third Brahmana of the first Chapter, Prana is described thus -

" In ord^r to c^onnuer the demon?, "Tois had to r,ssjsMB. recort to the chanting of Sar-axj For them, Prana was very useful, of all the senses,

" They ( i.^the Gods ) said to this Breath in the mouth, 'Sing for us the Udgitha*. '3o be it', said th*? Br'^ath, and sang for then,

Jftiey C i.e. the devils ) knew. • Verily by this singer, they will ovcrcone ur? Th-',«? one here ( 'nyarn' ) is within mouth ( asya' ). He is called Ayasya /^ngirasa, for he is the

Tne metaphorical language, in the Kau^liitaki (11, 2, 3 ), It if st^^.ted that Frana pervades the 'rfhole Univei'SQ, We rau?t herf remember tiiat even though Prana

8Sd. Brh. I, 3, 7. 3Stxx!iHxli3gx9Dcpte;pC3!9^jbctte 135 is so much glorified here, it is certainly notniuti more than a symbol. Therefore, the definition of Brah­ man as * "^r^ ^ ^^ • as given in the Brhadaranyaka 4, 1, 3 Is judged by Yajnavalkya to be inadequate; so also even though Prana is stated or recognised as the first principle, it is immediately set aside, as for instance Ch"and. 4, ID, 5, • "sriA ^§T , ^ 5T5T , ^ fr|r «. ^nd there are two more passages In Kausltaki, 2, 1 and 2, 2 - in v/hich a beginning seems to be made touardp such a superseding of Prana* Both passages, the one on the authority of the Kausitakl, the other on that of the Paingya, explain the Prana as Brahman, Both draw th-nce the inference that he who knows himself as the Prana that fills all things does not need to beg for food, since he enjoys nourishment in all beings. According to ttie first passage, speech, eye, ear and oianas are the servants of Prana; ac wording to the second, i'hey anconip?.ss it, speech around the eye, this again around the? ear, this around the tnanas, gnd this around the Prana. But of the last also, it is said. He is «et around. Around what is not stated. But in this may be found the first intimation of the great Truth fc mulated in Taitt, 2, 2 that the 'Prana maya Atman' is not the kernel, but only the innermost ^eatii,"

Agni, Manas, Akasa, Aditya and Om are some other symbols of Brahman and their worship and media­ tion are recommended as UpSsanl in the Upanisads.

89. " Ihe Philosophy of the Upanisads" pp 110,111. 136 90 In the Katha* the Importanoe of Agni Is 91 stated by Yams hlnself to Naohiketas* Hieevhere - also in the UpanisadSf Agni is prayed for by the seers* Goutana leaving his teacher* s house worships the Fires, «ho later on instruct hin. So also Upa* tosala.

In the Ghand* 3, 18| vlth reference to Manas and Jikasai it is said •

** The Nenas is to be worshipped in Brahman | thus far, in relation to the self* Next in relation to the aod»head| the 4kaia ( ether, space ) is to be worshipped as Brahman* Thereby bcth are taught, that in relation to the self and this relation to the Qod- head*** Itirtheri it is said, *%rahman as Manas has his four feet the oosmical organs • speech, breath, sye, ear and similarly, as Akas's, the oosmical Ck>ds fire, wind, sun and the heavenly regions*

In Chand 7, 3, the manas occurs as the third of the symbols, beyondiihioh there is a still higher} and in Bzybadiranyaka, 4, 1, 6, the Upanisad, * 7A<^^si^* is attributed to Satyi^ana*

By the side of Hanas, the passage quoted above names the 4kasa C space ), as a symbol of Brahman* In Chand. 1, 9, 1, it is said • **It is the ^as'a, out of

^0, Katha* 1, 14, 16* 91* Isa* 18* * Chand* 4, 6* @ Chind* 4, 10-16. 187 vhieh all these creatures proceed, and into vhich they are again received, the Akasa is older than they all,the ^asA is the ultimate end." So also in Chand* 3, kl2, 7*9, it is said - "This so-called Brahman is the same as yonder space without man and yonder space without oian is the same as this space tfithin man J and this space wltiiin man is the same as this space within the heart* That is the perfect, the imsa^table*"

In the Upanisads, It oiusit be observed, however, ^asfa is only a symbol of Brahman and nothing more than that* Hence, Brahman is discriminat­ ed from 'Akasa,

Thoro are occasional references to the .92 vordiip of the sun in t^ Upanisads* In the Isk, ve come across a prayer to ^e sun termed as *Pusan* and also *Surya*; ^ere is also a reference to the *Purusa' in the sun, in the »nie verse and its iden* 93 tification with the Atman* "In Kausitaki, a ceremony is taught, %iii(± by means of a wori&iip of the rising mid*day and setting sun delivercs from all sin committed by day or by night* Chahd 3, 19,1, enjoins in addition the wor^ip of the sun as Brahman; and that tiiis re-

• B3ph. II, 1,5. Chand. Ill, IS, 1. Chand.VII, 12. 92* Isa. 16. 93* 'Philosophy of the Upanisads** - Paul Detts8en*P*113. 188 presentation Is merely s5rtnfaolic appears from ^at follows^ vhere the sun is reg-rded not as the original ssBxtK£B creative principle, but falling back upon representations as the first-born of creation, "In 94 the Mandukj^a, the conscioucnpss pervading the waking state and tlie dream st-te is said to be "3^C?T^>^^< " and " 37rfVc?r'f^-4,"'H -'l^ " and their v.tjrship is recommfiP-deci, l^r ?im is referred to as che eye of 95 96 the Brahaan in the Xunaakat Of the nine Gods mentioned by Pippalada in thf? Prasna, the sun is one. In the 97 Katha, ths sun is said to pervade the universe; and in like manner the soul.

Of all the symbols of Brahman in the Upa- nisads, *0n' ic of the highest importance and is supreme. It Is a mystic syllable. The vrfiole of the 98 Mandukya is ucvotcd to the description, analysis and glori; f.catlon of thic *Ora*, It is kno\m as •Pranava*; 99 and Its mcditetion is tlius prercribed - " The isystlc syllable *0m* is the bow. The arrow is the Foul, Brahma IF said to be the mark. One should corns to be in It, as the arrow in the mark," 100 In the Katha, Yaiaa describes it thus to Nadfeikstas - "The \jord vrfiich all the Vedas rehearse,

94. Mund. 3. 95. liun^. II, 1, 4. 96. Prasna. II, 6. 97, Katlia. 98. Mund. 1, 12. 99. Mund. II, 2, 4, lOO.Katha. II, 15, 16, 17. 189

And which all austerities proclaim, Desiring \-itiich men live the life of religious studentship 'JJiat word to thee, 7 briefly declare. That syllable, indeed, is the Brahma supreme ! Knowing that syllable, truly indeed, Whatever one dssirGS Is his I That is the best support. That is the supretae support. Knowing that support. One becomes happy in the Brahma-vjo rid," 101 This sacred syllable represents four stages of man's life waking, dreaming, sound sleep, and trance (turiya) as also the past, the present and the future and also that vjhich is above these, 102 In the Ghandogya, a story is given to glorify •Om', Once the CJods were terribly afraid of Death, In order to save themselves fron the Pittack of death, they resorted to the three Vedas, But even there Death found them out. Hence, they fc^ok refuge in 'On'; and became - fearless. The story drives home the truth that wfeo one viv>« resorts to *0m' becomes fearless like the Gods, 101, Wund, 1, £, 3, 4, 6, 7. ion. Chand. 1, 4, 1-3. HO

Besides these major synbolsi many other laiiior symbols of the Brahman are also mentioned* *1heo« 103 Petieally indeed| all the objects of vorship recognised aQ(i3 enimerated in CbSiidm7fl»25f 43, Namani Vac, Manas, Sai^^l^P&i Cittam, dhyinam, vijnanaffl| balatL, annam,apas, tiftlM^v Skjis»^ ®!iara€^^cted, s^and in a similar position, and so also annaa, prana, caksus, ^rotram, manas, in T^itt«3,l» Th£ varmtii of Mie body and t^ buzzing in ttie ear do duly also as symbols of Bri^man on the ground of Qiand* 3, 13, 7-8, Adhere it is said of the light, ;^ich is akpve tti@ haaven and at the same time, within men i.e. of Brahman.*

All tiiese major and minor symbols are afterall symbols and no more. 1!hey are meant for worship and meditation. 'Brahman or Att7mn cannot be realized fcy attaBadarayana.

All this discussion drives us to the conelu* £;ion tiiat the t^eolorjical approadti to Reality as obserrr^ ed in the Upanisads leans ultloately to one single Brah­ man rejecting all otdier multiple Gods. Brahman is tiie one 305 y^al God -• tr^ \ar. • in the Upanisadic language, the

103« 'Bie Philosophy of the Upanisads* • P. Deussen • pp. 115-116. CSc 1D4. B,ti, IV, 1, 4. 106. s'v*.r. 6 • 141 supreme ruler of all other Gods* One Brahman Is the really real one, while all other Gods are simply real, relatively real and not finally real. The process with which this conclusion Is arrived at Is the process of discrimination and the conclusion Itself Is the back­ bone of discrimination, to which we shall turn later.

IV.

The psychological Approach.

The third and 'ttie most ln?)ortant and crucial approach to Reality as evinced by the Upanlsads Is ttie 106 psychological one. In the discussion ttiat has preceded, we have pointed out that even other approaches to Reality viz, cosmologlcal and theological ones, have to resort to the psychological approach at a certain stage. "The Upanlsadic philosophers regarded the cosmologlcal and the theological approaches as only ancillary and the psychological approadi as the only true approach to the 107 ultimate solution," - observes Dr. R.D. Ranade. The cosmologlcal and the theological aspects or approaches can lead independently to the jao^Win^ ^f -the abso­ lute One, but they have taken the help of the psycholo­ gical approach. We have, therefore, introduced the subject in ttie preceding pages. Hrre, it will be detailed out with specific reference to the concept of Viveka in the Upanlsads.

The psychological approach is the approach to the ultimate Reality through the process of one* s mind, through one's self designated as • I '. Deussea explains 106. Vide p.io> . 107. 'Constructive Survey of Upani- gads" - p.- 249. 142

108 the term as " The doctrine of the entrance of Brahman as soul Into the universe enslaved from him." This approa­ ch and the conclusion arrived at through it, in all its Hi

" 0 Kourisher C Pusan ), the sole seer, 0 Controller, 0 Sun ( Surya), offspring of Prajapati, spread forth thy rays; Gath r thy Brilliance ( tejas) ! What is thy fairest form - that of thee I see. He who is yonder, yonder person C Purusa ) - 1 mycell am he ! "

that the consciousness, pure and sinple, iri him is the same as the God.

The Ksna. tries to describe the Brahman in ihe

1C)8. IThe PhilosoDhy of the Upanlsads' - p. 1C)9. I6a. 4, 5. 'no.* I^a. 16. 143 same negative manner, " In discussing the nature of Brahman, it is said that he v/ho thinks that he has known him, has not known hira, and he who thinks thnt he- has not known him, alone knows hitn. It is different fi^m all that is kuo^^fn and different from all that is un- knovm, " Bils indicates that it is beyond the category of knowledge, that He is beyond the senses etc. is stated thus - 111 " Kim the eys does not s-se, nor the tongue express, nor the mind grasp. Him we nell^^r know nor are able to reach... Kifjt which cannot be expressed in words but by v*iich the tongue speaks, know ttiat to be Brahman, Brahman is not the bein; who is ^-/orshipped by men, " That wiiich is not comprehended by the mind but by vrf^iich the mind comprehends - knov/ that to be Brahman... " That which IF not hesrd by the ear but by i^iich tlis ear hears - know that to be Brahman... That which is not drawn by the breath but by which the breath is dra-vm - know th^;t to be Brahrian, 112 " lihatever is manifest hides that which is behind the manifest, lihile corampnting on this passage, , 113 uankara rightly remarks that th'- Self cannot be taught through iastruction, as it is not rualifi- ed by generality, nt^rlbuta and activity. Its

* * Indian Idealism* - 'asgupta - p.29. Isa.8. , _ 111. Kena. I, 3,7. 112. Cf. l-p^^^^^-^%iw ^c^^ etc.Isa, 113.'^ .^c^ftf^^psrnars, 9r^l'' - Sankara on I, 3. (16. 144

false idantification with these is denied, 114 Hence Dr. B, Boer rightly remarks •chus - " The ob;Ject of the "alavakara - Upanlsad is simply to define the idea of Bralician ar the One absolute spirit, and to show its distinction from the world."

In the Kath, Yana explains Uaclketac that he has 115 Intuitively Ghoi:;en the right, " Man ha;- to kno\j the real aod within, ilj has to hear, grasp, '3'^pnrate the righteous One from ats body." He clearly indicates that 116 the Self Is not the body; though dwelling within It. He 117 , is different from the body, " lYie man Wno has learned that the S:-lf is separate from the body, the senses and the tnind and has fu^ y known Hitn, the soul of Truth, the subtle principle, such H man verily attains to Hin,

" Soundlass, foralQss, intangible, undying, taste­ less, odorless, viihout beginning, without end... .beyond nature is ths Self."

Ysma dwells on this relatzonship between the body and the S<=lf at great length. In a beautiful imagry, he L explains - 118 "Knov/ that thv- Sf'lf tf thp rider, and the body the chariot; that the intellect is the charioteer, and the raind the reins, Phe rentes are the horses, the roads they 114, •' Introduction to the Kena.* p. 16. 116, Katha. I,^, is 116. » 2, 5,«^ 117. » 1.3, 5 US. >' 1.3, 5-3 145 travel are the mazes of desire. The \iise call the Self the enjoyer wtien he is uni-U-u v/ith thr body, tha senses and the mind."

The imagery of the chariot is significant. Body is said to be the chariot, in \jhich the Self, ths master of the chariot abides. It means Itiat the body l£- a mere vehicle, a means. The Self is quite different from the body, Just as the master is from the chorlot. The reason is said to be the charioteer. Ihii: airo means that the Reason, though a charioteer occupying a better posi­ tion than the body, is different from the master of the chariot.

With roc'^^d to Vriv sennss, and their relation to the soul, it Is said - 119 " TliG scmr;9s have separai.e origin in their several objects, 'I'hay may be activg as in the waking state or they may b? inactiv^^, as in sleep. He v*io knov;s them to be distinct from the- changelet^s self grieves no more. 120 " It cannot be knovm by much I'^arn^ng, scholarship or sharp intellect^ it can only b<_- knoti by him to v*iom it reveals list If. It is neiti^ r virtue, ro? vice, nei­ ther cause, nor Gifect, n^iith r past nor future...." 121 " Any mBii can ses through hi? senses, but it is only \jhfr. he turna a-i-.-ay rrom th« senses that he perceives it. " 119. Katha. II, 3, 6. 120. '' J, ^ .53; 1,2,14- 121. " U. 1, i, 146 it It is only when all the cognitive elements and thought-processes are suspended and arrested, all the powers of reasoning are paralysed, thnt the spiritual touch by which it can be realised is attain.^d. No one can describe it by \AK>rds or conceive it in imaginations. This reality Is only realised ac a mere beness, for all chgracters, all nualities, all descriptions are outside of it, and vjticn all tine knots of the heart that tie us to worldly things are torn asunacr, this great truth and this great reality can be reallEsd ^E the one in­ most self tiipt abidG£ in U5 all, £-3parate from the body, S'parate from all our llvla^ organs, separate from our minds and thought, separate from all that we conceive of."

" 'ihe iaclf is not in tht fipet inj-tance open to ia zhe hearing of men, but that even having h^ard hltn, many are unable to know him, Woni?j?rful is the nan. If found, who ig able to speak about him; wandsrful indeed is he vAio is able to co'uprehend him in accordance with 122 the instruction of a teacher," says tli.i Katha,

Tlie Ur;anisad refers to this sepai*aten3ss of the 123 S;lf v/iisn it says - " As one urflv/s the pith from a rscd, so siust the aspirant .^.ft r truth, with great p rseverance, sep-^rfftf the- ,.;.7lf from tho body. Know the iislf is to be pure an^ immortal." IPA " In the realm of the Self, neith r the Sun, nor the moon, nor tb? ptars, nor thfj light ning ghine 123. Katha. IL.3, i7. 124. » 11.2,is. 14? forth. Whence can there be Fire then ? " - says the seer to show the non-phenomenal character of the ?oul.

Dr. Boer makes a very significant remark in connection with this Upantsad. He says - 125 " According to the Katha: the knowledge of Brahman depends upon a process of thinking, that is to say, thst it is derived from philosophy, not from reve­ lation. By reflection upon the ^orld and the soul, by discrimination, ttie nature of Brahman becomes manifest and it would have been rather surprising, if these bold and original thinkers, the results of vjhose enquiries are deposited in the Upsnisads, had not been aware of the rnanner in which thsy arrived at the notion of Brahman, wtiich is SK> far removed from common thinking and tiie conception of the Vedas."

In the Prasna, the Self is described negatively, in order to show its separatensss from the body thus - 126, " Verily, 0 friend I he T>^IO recognises that shadow­ less, bodiless, bloDdlcss, pure Imperishable, arrives at the Imperishable itself." 127 In the Munda. distinction is made between two kinds of lores - inferior lore ( Apara Vidya ) and supe­ rior Lore C Para Vidya), The superior lore deals with 125. Introduction to the Katha. p. 53. 126. Pf^asn^ .17, 10. 127. riunci I, i,A-. 148

the obtalnment or the realisation of the Self which is uncognisable by the senses or the mind, ungraspable by ttie motor powers, that which has no colour, no ears, no eyes, no hands and feet, subtle, unchangeable etc. 128 Further, it is said * The earth, the sky, the moon and the vital organs are ultimately grounded in it and it is this tiiat has to be regarded as the only real self, every- thinji- else is but mere words.**

Moreover, this Upanisad distingui^es between the lower Self and the higher Self, and describes the 129 latter, the real self as •'unthinkable and subtle. It cannot be perceived by the eyes nor described by words nor attained by the worship of Goes, asceticism or sacri­ ficial deeds...... It cannot bs attained by those who are weak, nor by religious fervour and self-renunciation. He xjhc knows Braliinan becomes himself .-Brahman and being frssd froa the knots of pp.ssions and sorrows passes away

128, * 4s SJtrl ^ankara points out the lcs?er science is in truth, ignorance, it teach^-s no thin ; real, and must, therefore, be rejected, C'>3TT^ i% "f^^ ari^'CTT^

Rahga Ramanuja quotes tv.o beautiful verses in this connection -

129. fHor,c<.i,,,6 149 from ttie regions of passions and senses and becomes immortal. The reality cannot be expressed either in terms of thought in general, or in terras of any phy­ sical entity."

Mandukya suggests the nature of Reality, the 130 true Sslf thus - • Firstly, it describes the waking state in I'Hiich EX external objects are knoi/n. Secondly, the cream stage v/htre one ignores experi;-nces and re­ gains in a diff'Lrent vrarlci altogether, ISiirdly, the stage of dreamless slegp in which no dreams are seen, No decirec are active, w^ilch is regarded as one flow of consciou^ners. The c is a fourth Xtman, which is regarded as having none of th^r? ch?racteristlcs of ths above three gtages, vjhich is invisible, ungraspable, undefinable, unthinkable, vjhlch has no pragmatic use, wherein all appearances have ceased.' The Upanisad declares - " The Fourth, say the wise, Is not subjective experience, nor objective experience, nor experience inttrmedtate between these two, nor is it a negative condition, vihich is nelth<^:r consciousness, nor non- consciousnees. It Is not the knowledge of the senses, nor is it relative knowledge, nor yet inferential know^ ledge. Beyond the senses, beyond tJie understanding, beyond jbks all cxprersion is the fourth. It is pure unitary consciousnepF, v;h?rtin awareness of the world and of its multiplicity is completely obliterated,,.,... It is one, without a second," It i-; not mersly the one moving in tha vjaking state, nor In the dreaming state, nor in sound sleep, but behind all these states and yet aloof

130, rr[an^. S -15 150 from t^ese Is the nature of the Atman, the Reality.*

The source of ttiis discussion appears to be 131 ^ ^ the Brahman, v*if=re there is a meeting of Yajnavalka and Janaka. ' The King had heard from several scholars partial tru"ttis about Brahman, One of them had declared th^t speedi is Brahman; another had Identified Brahman with life; a third had said sight is Br^ahman; a fourtti, ^ hearing; a fifth, mind; a sixth, heart. Ya;)navalkya characterizsci thsra visv? as inadecuate and Brahman thus knoxirti as but 'One-footed', Then he proceeded to give the- Kia^^ an aaalyrlf of the- thrae states of sxperience, vaking, drsaro and alaep, with a view to chovj th-t xlie. 6 If t;hich underlies them is constant ana luminous. Yajnavsikya rpeaks of Indra - Indra, v^o is the person in the right eye. The person in the left eye, Viraj, ie his uite. Their meeting place is the sp^ce of the heart, Ths soul consisting of Indra and Viraj is the eater of finer food that is the bodily self, ThQ Pranas are his nuart.rs. But the real self is not this, not that. It ts ungraspable, indestructible, an^ unattached.' ( * Sahkara sees in thi? section of the Brahman a reference to the four padas of the self, the fir-st three, vhlch are the non-absolute forms in the thi>ee states of esfpisrisnce, ano the fourth i/jhieh ts the raal self, the turi"ya-itman, Indha or Sarlra "atiTian ir. \vhat is eallsd Visva by Gatidapada and Vaisva^ nara by the Man<3, Ths roul which eats the finer food 131. BvK . ill 151 is ^Taijasa. Ihe soul vhose quarters are the Pranas is Prajna, \fliat is referred to as 3^rmvr or Turiya 132 in the Hand, is hsre indicated by the \jorda *not this, 133 not that*. In IV, iii, Janaka asks a question to YajSavalkya - "What is the self f The sage then gives an account of the intelligence-self, which is unattach­ ed and self-luminous in all the changing phases of expe- rieiice. When a person dreams, he has no use for the ex­ ternal sense-organs. There are no chariots th^re, no spans, no roads. The object and enjoyments in dream are all of the soul's own making. As a great fish goes along both bar^s of a river alternatively, just so the slf goes along both these conditions, viz. dream and waking. The infinite being is unattached. That the Atman is self-luminous and unattached will be clearer still when the significance of sleep is understood. As a hawk, or a falcon, having flown around here and there in taf. space, becomes weary, folds its wing?, and is borne down to its nest, so the soul hastens to that state where, asleep, it desires no desires and sees no dream. The self's identity with all is realized in sleep* " The upshot of all this discussion is that 132« " It is unselzable, for it cannot be seized. It is indestructible, for it cannot be destroyed. It is unattached, for it does not attach it­ self. It is unbound. It does not tremble. It is no-t InJ-ured.'^ - Brh . TIL, a,26

fiiso " 35; 2.4-

133. B*^ • iv.l) 152 134 •The Atman is not to be Identified with the body and the sense organs, for these are not found in dream; nor is it to be confused v/ith the aind, for In sleep the mind and Its objects do not exist.* 135 Another story of Indra and Virocama approaching the creator for instruction is very significant for our present purpose in this connection. When the Gods and demobs learnt that the soul is free from the impurities, old €ige, grief, death etc. and one who realizes Him gets all one's desires fulfilled, they sent their representa­ tives, viz. Indra and Virocana respectively. Prajapati, when he saw that they were eager for instruction, said to them - "That which is seen in the eye - that is the self. That is inmortal, that is fearless and that is Brahtaan."

"Sir," inquired the disciples, "is that the self vhlch is seen reflected in the water, or in a mirror? "

"The self is Indeed seen reflected in these" was the reply. Then Prajapati added, "Look at yourselves in the water, and viiatever you do not understand, come and tell me about it." They confessed that they had seen the Self, llien Prajapati bade them put on their finest clothes and look again In the water. This they did and returning to the sage, they said,

"We have seen the Self, exactly like ourselves, wellwadorned and in our finest clothes." 135. Chand. VIII, 7-1. 134. lbi.i. 153

Prajapatl consented* Both of them went aviay well satisfied. After their departure, Prajapatl lamented "Both of them departed without analysing or discriminating and without truly comprehending the Self,"

Then tiie story goes that Vlrocana thoroughly relied on this and never returned to Prajapatl, all the while Identifying the body with the Self, The demons followed him. But as Prajapatl said, It was a false doctrine.

But Indra on his way back to the Gods, realized the Boluuz uselessness of this knowledge. He thought, "As this &:^lf seems to be well-adorned when the body is ^rell-adorned, well-dressed, \Aien the body is well-dressed, so will It be blind when the body is blind, lame when the body is lame, deformed, \*ien the body is deformed. Vflien the body dies, this same Self will also die I In ?uch knowledge, I can see no good."

So he returned to P3?a3ffpatl and asked him for further Instruction. Prajapatl made him stay with him for ttilrty-two years and then taught him -

"That whldti moves about in dreams enjoying sensuous delists and clothed in glory, that is the Self.«

Indra departed; but before he had reached other God®, he realized the uselessness of this knowledge also. He thought - "Bven in dreams the Self is conscious of 154 tnany sufferings* So in this doctrine also, I can see no good*"

So he v^ent back to Prajapatl, who told him this tin^ - "Wien a man Is in sound sleep, fr^e from dreams, and at perfect rest, that Is the Self,"

Indra went away and soon felt tiie uselessness eveo of this knowledge* "In reality", bought he, "one doed not know oneself as t^ls or as that while asleep. One Is not conscious, In fact, of any existence at all. The state of one In deep sleep Is next to annihilation. I csin see no good In this knowledge either."

So once ouDre Indra went back to Prajapatl, v^o ttiis time made known to him the highest truth of the Self, saying - 136 " %l8 body Is mortal, always gripped by deatii, but within It dwells the Imnortal Self. This Self, when associated In our consciousness with the body. Is subject to pleasure and pain, and so long as this association contlnu-ss, freedom from pleasure and pain can no man find* But as this association ceases, th^re ceases also the pleasure and the pain*

Rising above physical consciousness, knowing the Salt t© 'oe distinct Irom the senses and the mind, ona 136# Chand. VIII, 12, 1. 155 rejoices and is free,*

" He is the breath associated with the body, Just as a laall is yoked to a cart. Thus ;noving about in life, laughing, playing, in the coaparxy of -woman and others, he never reniemb€rs his body, because the tody is merely an appendage, an incidental l^ing, practically a non-entity for him.

" This serene Being", Prajapati observes, "V.'ho appears in his own form is the highest Person."

Having quoted this passage. Dr. R.D. Ranade rightly remarks - 137 " lUiere is hers an indication of tiie true nature of ultimate reality as being of the nature of self-consciousness. %at which sees itself by itself, that \rtiich rec»gnia€S itself as identical with itself in file li^t of supreme knowledge - that must be regard­ ed As the final reality. The final reality, therefore, according to the Chirnd. is reached in that theoretic, * Ankara thus comments on this passage -

ft,

137, "Constructive airvey of I-ndlan Phlloaoptiy" - Ranade p.268. 156 ecstatic, self-spectacular state la which Idie Self Is , _ 138 conscious of nothing but Itself." Sri Rangaramanu^a remarks In this connection *

"The illustration of the bull and the cart Indicates that the body and the soul are distinct from each other,"

According to the Talttlrlya, Brahman is pure 139 bliss, M-jhlch IF unthinkable by the mind and unutterable by speech.* In describing the composition of human personality, It divides tt into five sheaths of which the last is the sheatii of pure bliss by which the man 140 completes himself. The story goes that BrgH. went to his father Varuna for Instruction in Brahman, The father gave a sort of •latastha Laksana', a criterion for recognizing Brahman, The f?on thought over and declared that 'Matter* ( Annam ) is Brahma, The father sent hla back and asked him to think niore. He reflected and came to the conclusion t^-st •Pr'ana* ( Breath *) is Brahma. V-^runa sent him back and asked him to think more. He thought and came back xdfh mind as the Brahman, TiiQ father onc« again asked him to perform more penance.

Then having done liiat he declared that •Reason* C"T^-?TT^ ) was Brahma, The father V&B still not pleased and sent

139, "TaWf. l,^.'i. 140, TC.1H . 3 C»^%^^y 157 him back to reflect more. He did so and declared that *Joy' is Brahma. Here ttie story ends, showing that 'Joy' is the final siieatti of Brahman, indicating the nearest approach to Brahinnn, 141 In the Altareya, Brahman^ the Ultimate Reality is identified with or named as 'Indra, and the etymology of the vjord is given as 'one ijho sees the \rorld'. Being in the vjorld or having created the world through His he power, ±lm remains a seer or witness to It,' 142 In the last Chapter of the Upanisads, 'Atman ( vjhlch is the same as Brahman ) is described as One thorough whom one sees or hears or smells or speaks or knows that a thing is sweet or othervrise; and finally He is said to ba 'consciousness* ( Prajnana), It is suggested here that He is not vdiat is perceived by the senses, not the outer world bereft of consci­ ousness. 143 In ttie seventh Chapter of the Chindogya, there is a atory of Karada and Saihat-KuniSra, Narada requested him to teach the lore of the soul that makes man free froK all misery. Ihe teacher asks him \^at he knew already, Narada gives a long list of the various uorks and sciences he has studied* Sanat-Kumara remarks - the "Sh^ls Is ail Mae -/JVame of the fieallty.» He further adds - " But higher than Name is speedij higher than speech is Manas ( I'ind)} higher than Manas is Samkalpa (Will)J higher than Samkalpa is Chltta ( heart ) j 141, Ait. 1, 3, 4. 142. ibid. 143, Chanel- 7. 158 higher than heart is medltetion; higher than meditation is Vijnana; higher than Vijnana (intelligence ) Is strength ( Bala); higher than strength is food; higher than food is water; higher tiian water is lustre; higher than lustre is the ether or sky; higher than sky is memory; higher than that is desire (4sfta); hi^er than that is Prana ( orJt'iva ); vjhen a man knows this, he talks too much; this is due to truth; but at the root of truth is Vl^nana? at Its root is intelligence; at its ro t is faith; at its root Is loyalty ( Nlstha); at its root is action and at the root of action is happiness. VJhat is happiness ? Sanatkumara explains that that which is Great ( 13iBma ) is happiness. There is no happiness in what is small. He explains*the 144 small' ih\jLS - "When there is a difference between the seep and the seen, the hearer and the heard, the knower and ttie known, there is •small' (Alpa). This means the mundane experience of the vorld in the waking state and so on, Th?t which is limited and small is finite, is bound to meet deatii; other than this small, limited mortal is the Real. Ihe non-duel mystic characteristic of the Real Is hsre suggested and moreover on evolution of thought, a discovery from the gross to the subtle principles one after another, till the final discovery of the self is arrived.

144. Ghand. VIII, 1, 5. 159

145 In the eighth Chapter of the same Upanisad, this same truth is explained in connection with the lore of the heart C Dahara-Vidjfa or HSrda VidyS ), If the soul resides in ttie body, ^-jhat happens to Him, after the death of the body ? Is he Identical with tile body and undergoes all those vicissitudes of the body ? Then what remains ? Here the relation between the body and the soul is explained. The teacher says - *• Though old age comes to the body, the lotus of the heart does not grow old. At the death of the body, it does not die. The lotus of the heart, viiere Brahman exists in all his glory - that and not ttie body, is the true city of the Brahman. Brahman, dwelling therein, is untouched by any deed, ageless, deathless, free from grief, free from hunger and thirst. His desires are right de-ires and his desires are fulfilled. The fulfilment of all right desires lies vdthin the soul and not without, Man hardly knows that the ©Durce of all fulfilment of desires is within him; he runs after the outside objects for their fulfilment like a person who moves about here and there on the field under which a treasure is hidden. The truth lies in the search inward, not outward.

In the same Chapter of the same Upanisad, the 146 soul is det^cribed as " The Highest Light shining with

145. ChSnd. VIII. I, 5, 146, Chand, VIII, 3-4, 6, ,1i A 1o

His own light in His own li^\s-tvvo«. form, dissociating himself from the body, clearly indicating that He is different from the body. He is thus further described - 147 "The Self within the heart is like a boundary v/hlch devldes the world from that. Day and night cross not that boundary, nor old age, nor death; neittier grief nor pleasure, neither good nor evil deeds. All evil shuns Ihat, For That is free from irapurityj impurity can it never touch," 148 The dialogue beti^reen Gffrgya BSlaki and AJata- satru in th€ Brahna equally deserves note, Therfi we are told that Gargya T^ent to instruct AjStasatru, but c?me himself instructed by him about the Ultimate Rea­ lity, •Minor t.-orshipc ( Upasatias ) mentioned by G§rgya are already kno\sii to AjStasatru, 147, Chlnd, VIII, 4-1, 148. • (a) Uorship of the person who is yonder in the sun as Brahma, (b) Itorship of the person who is yonder in the moon as Brahma, (c) V/orship of the person who is yonder in lightning as Brahma, Cd) VJorship of the person v*io is in space as Brahma, (e) Worship of the person who is In wind as Brahma, (f) Isforship of the person -who is in fire as Brahma, (g) Uorship of the person who is in water as Brahma, (h) l^Drshlp .of the person vt^o is in a mirror as Brahma, Ci) Worship of the sound which follows after one as he goes as Brahma, (j) V/orship of the person v*io is in the auartsrs of heaven as Brahma, (k) Worship of the person \^ho consists of shadow as Brahma, CD Worshir: of the person who is in the body as Brahma. \ GO (A)

He had practised all these. Then he brings home the real truth thus -

"nrstly, he t^ok him by the hand and rose, The two went up to a man •\4ho vms asleep, Thoy address­ ed him id.th tiiese vrords - " Thougte irreat, i^ite-rob'i^d King Soma ! " He did not rise, Ajatasatru woke him by rubbing him with his hand, Th;t one rose, ^jata- satru said, " '/hen this man fsll asleep thus, \h-rc then was the person \iho con«i:tf of Intel ISgcnce ( Vijnana ) ? \'lhen did he thus cccs br.ck ? "

And this also Gargya did not know. Ajata- satru said - " When this man has falien asleep thus, then the person \iio consists of intelligence, hav­ ing by his Intelligence taken to hlaself the Inte­ lligence of these senses, rests in that place which is the spece \;ithin the heart, IJhen he goes to slGsp, these i^PDrlds are his. Then h- bf corns a a great King, as it \iere. Then hp becomes a great Brahmarja, as it were. He enters the high and thr low, as It were. As a great King, taking with him his people, moves around in his own country as he pleases, even so here this one, taking vrltti him his senses, moves around in his ovrti body as he pleases. How, x^hen one 161 Is In sound sleep, vhen one knov;s nothing whatsoever, having crept out through the seventy-tvro thousand channels called 'hita', which lead from the heart to the pericardium, one rests in the pericardium, Vejrily as a youth or a great King, or a great Brahmana Slight rest ijhen he has reached th

The purport of the story is that Satya is on^. It ip al\irays existent. It is a\jBTe of all the thicQe states, viz, waking, dream and sleep. Out of Itgelf, It craates all things in the world, takes pa^t in it in various forms and yet regains aloof, AjStas'atru distinv^uidies rightly this fundamental doctrine from all other things, including the minor 'jjotshlps, mentioned above, 149 In the dialogue tiiat occurs in the Ghand, between Iruni and his son Svetaketu, the father asks hie son, \/ho had just rettirnf-d from his trach':r's re'^ldence having received education and hence had become rathrr stiff and proud, v^ethcr he had obtained from his teacher the Instruction by which, viien one thing is kno\rti, everything is known, ^s for example,

14<^, Ghand, VI, 1-5. 162 Clay T«»heti tiie/dacjt Is kno\^, all the pots made of clay are kno^ or liien the Iron or gold are knovn, all the objects made of iron or gold are kno\^. In these cases, the clay and the iron or the gold are real, v;hile all 150 the pots made of clay and the objects made of Iron or gol^ are merely names and forma, - modifications - which arise In ttie speech of man, 'Ihe son declines and reauests| his father to Instruct him that lore, Ihe father, Arunl, gives In brief the evolution of the vorld from the Brahman, then he takes some exanrles from sv^ry day life like thp seed ancl the tree, the ?alt and the salty water etc, and proves that on the sam^ analogy, the whole universe, with all its multiplicity is mere name and form, a modification, of something 'vinich is Heal. 151 It is known as *Atman' and every being is In esrence •that*. This alone Is 'Sat' C The really R

150, Chand, VI, 1, 4, 151. Chand. VI, 8, 7. ( Repeated nine times in thst ) Chapter VI. 163 desires, sensations and experiences. 'Just as you can not perceive ttie salt with your eyes, yet you can per­ ceive it by tasting the water, so the ultimate reality also exists Just the same though it cannot be perceived by the senses. And this ultimate reality, the fine essence, la thus the entire universe, and that again is nothing but the highest Self.** 162 , _ " So, here also**, aptly remarks Shri Dasgupta, "we find l^e old teaching strongly emphasized tiiat the ultimate reality Is the subtle spiritual essence of man." 153 He further observes, "The view of the relation of the universe with Brahman that is here formulated in tiie Chand* is entirely different from the view expressed in the Mund. for there the universe is looked upon as be­ ing In some way a real transformation ( Parinama) from the nature of Brahman as opposed to the 'Vivarta' view in Chandogya, \^ere the material cause is the only reality and the transformations are mere illusory forms,^ 164 In tdie concluding two sections of the M^dhu. Brahmana, vriiich aims at establi^ing identity between the Individual Soul and tiie Supreme Soul, there is brought out its discrimination from tiie body in tiiese words s

"Citadels with two feet he did make, "Citadels with four feet he did make. Into the citadels he, having become a bird - Into the citadels ( Puras }, the Person ( Purisaya; entered," 152,'Indian Idealism* - Dasgupta - p.44 154, 163. " « " p 45. 16 i

Citadels with tvo feet and four feet here refer to the bodies of creatures created by the Divine power. Into them a bird i.e. the person - the Itman as Brahman entered. The viord 'Purisaya* means • sleeping in the citadels or cities*. He mart be different from the citadels created by him. There is a unity, says Vae Upanisad, and yet a difference on the empirical level, \^ich does not disturb the essential unity.

In the last section, there is another quotation 165 from the Rgveda. It shows how the one soul has become many titirough His Divine M&yas ( I.e. powers ). This accounts for the relation betveen the Brahman and the world. The Brahman is one, the names and foims, the manifestations are many, indicating the distinction between tiie two. This different nature of the soul Is indicated in the dialogue between Kor ala. Hie son of 156 Kulitaka and Yajnavalkya, in the Brh. He asks -

"Vlhlch one, 0 Ya^navalkya, is in all things ? •» Yajnavalkya replies -

"He who passes beyond huri^er and thirst, beyond sorrow and delusion, beyond old age and death - Brahmanas, v*io know such a «>ul overcome desire for wealth, for worlds and live the life of mendicants.**

Dialogue between Yajnavalkya and other questions

155. Bvh IE .3. 5 156. Ibici. 165

IP the third Chapter Is also very significant from oar present point of view. There Usasta, the son of Chakra asks Yajnavalkya about the soul. He replies -

" He is your soul C Atman ), which is In all things."

" Which one, 0 Yffjnavalkya, is in all things?" aSks Usasta.

Y£jnavalkya replies -

•• He who breaths in your breattilng(vli. prana ) is tiie soul of yours, which is In all things. He also breaths out with your breathing out (aparm) is tile ,«?oul of yours, whldti Is in all things. He v*io breaths about with your breathing about ( O^°T ) is the soul of yours, \rfiich is In all things. He who breaths up with your breathing up (udana) is the soul of yours, which Is in all things. He is your a>ul which is in all things."

Usasta said - ** This has been explained to me just as one might say *Thls is a cow. This Is a bonu horse.* Explain to me him ^lo Is just the Brahma pres­ ent and U}t beyond our ken, him la who is the soul of all things." "He is your soul, which is in all things", replies "iaSSavalTKya, ''•'\lnlLdh one, "& "fa^rai^aYjKTa, Is In all things ?" asks Usast. Yajnavalkya replies -

" You could not see the seer of seeing. You could not hear tiiie hearer of hearing. You could not think Idle tiiinker of thinking. You could not tmder- 166 stand the understander of understanding. He is your 167 soul, vihich is in all things. togEczt Anght else than Him is \.}retched."

In the fourth Brahmana of the First Chapter of the Bih. mention is made of Atman as the First principle, othervlse named as Purusa, with a firm conviction tiiat the Ultimate Beality Is nothing else but our own soul, which we refer to as »!• - the con­ sciousness underlying our personality. It Is said ±kxt there -

** In the beginning, tills world was soul ( Atman ) alone in the form of a person. Looking around, He saw nothing else than himself. He said first - • I am*. Thence arose the name *I». there­ fore, even to-day, \iAien one is ad ressed, he says first, *It is I' and then speaks vliatever name he has*

Since before all this world, he Imrned up all evils. Therefore, he is a person."

Tills gives the significance of the word «Atman*, which means *I*. Naturally this I refers to nothing else but to the Atman according to the Upanisads. 168 ^ In ^e same 'Dpanlsad, when t>argl asks 'ia^anaval- 167. '•37flts--«rzrr^7C'' - &>:> '^• 158. Brh. Ill, 6. 16? kya -

" On \^at then, pray, are the worlds of Brahma woven ? " He replies -

"GSrgi, do not cpiestion too much, lest your head fall off. In truth, you are questioning too much about a divinity about irfhich furttier questions cannot be asked."

Gargl kept IIBDK quiet. Thus, it is proved that water, wind, atmosphere, ttie world of the Gandharvas, etc. all these depend on the Brahman, the final Real­ ity, They rest on the Brahman, not Brahman on them; and its nature cannot be furttier discussed.

Even in the dialogue that occurs •"here between 159 YajSavalkya and Gautama, YC;Jnavalkya says -

" He ( the Soul ) vAio is dwelling in the eartti, yet is other than the eartii, whom the earth does not know, \^ose body the eartti is, who controls the eartii fi'om within - He is your soul, the inner con­ troller, the Immortal. He MAIO dwelling in the waters, yet is other than the waters, whom the waters do not know, otiose body the waters are, ^o controls the voters from within. He is other than the fire, ottier than tile atmosphere, other than the wind, other ttian ttie sky, other tiian the Sun, other than the quarters of heaven, other than the moon and the stars, other

169. BvVj.lH.y 168 than the space, other tdian tte darkness, other than the light, other than all things, other than brsath, other than speecli, other than tlie eye, the mind, the skin, the understanding, the semen. He is the unseen seer, tiie un­ heard Hearer, the unthought Thinker, the ununderstood understander, other than Him, there is nothing,

" The most notable contribution in the Brh, consists In ttie emphasis tiiat it gives to tte fact tiist the Self is the dearest of all dear things", observes Sri Dasgupta. In the famous dialogue between YSjnavalkya and Haitreyi, tiie unlaue character of the Self and its dis­ tinction from other entitles is thus expounded -

Yajnavalkya is about to renounce his home, his wife Maltreyi asks him the way to imn-ortality. He replies -

••LD, verily, not for love of husband is a husband dear, but love of the soul, a husband is dear«

•1.0, verily, not love of the wife is a wife, dear, but for lov« of the soul, a wife is dear.

••Lo, verily, not for love of the sons are the sons dear, but for love of the eoul sons are dear* "Lo, verily, not for love of the wealtti is wealth dear, but for the love of the soul wealth is dear. "Lo, verily, not for love of Brahaanhood is Brah- manhood dear, but for love of the soul Brahman- 169

hojd dear.

•^o, verily, not for love of anything is any­ thing dear, but for love of the soul every tiling la dear. It Is the soiil that should be seen, tSiat ^ould be hearkenpd to, that should be pondered on, 0 Maitreyl. Verily, with the seeing of, with th*» hearkening to, v.dth the thinking of and with the understanding of the soul, tills world is known,"

•All the caate differences and all other kinds of diversities are based upon a false notion of "differ­ ence" ( bheda ), for in reality, there is nothing else but the Self* Miat we perceive around us In this Self ? Just as a lump of salt vhen thrown in water los^s itself in It and It cannot be separated out of it, and in what­ soever part the water is tasted, It appears as saline, so Is this infinite universal consciousness and all the diverse forms and namss that arise out of the universe around us are ultimately merged and lost in It, It is only in the region of duality that th re is the percelver and the perceived, the bearer and that \^lch Is heard, tile thinker and the object of thought, tiie knower and the kno\a\, Bie ultimate reality being the Self of all, ^rfio Is there to perceive anything, who is there to hear anything, who Is there to know anything, how can the ultimate percelvsr which la the essence of all be perceiv­ ed by anything else ? 161 Biis self is further desCTibed in another passage, uhere it is identified with the experience of dreamless sleep as beyond all desires of sins and of fear; it is a blissful experience through which one forgets all else that one knows, and it is the essence in which all the normal relations offather, mottier, Gods, aseetics, sinners and worldly man cease, which is beyond sin and virtue, viherein the heart transcends the realm of all sorrow. Ko one can perceive this Self, for there is no perceiver when it is perceived, because the pure perceiving illumination of this supreme essence never ceases to shed its eternal li^t. 411 tiie senses of the man cease to operate here, but yet the underlying consciousness of all knowledge remains just the same. All ordinary cognitions are Ju bound to be unavailing here, for they all imply impurity of contents; but yet, as it is the underlying ground of all knowledge, sensible or mental, its own illumina­ tion shines forth its pure effulgence without any change any impurity or any limitation. It is this realization that is true immortality. Being in the heart, unborn and undecaying, it is at the same time the Lord of the Universe; it cannot be touched by good or bad deeds, and it is itoc this which is the goal of all true seekers; it is for this that people renounce the world, and yet it can only be pointed out merely by the negative pro­ cess that it is not anything that one can speak of. It is the great Self of man, the Brahman, and he who knows Brahman becomes Brahman.* 161. BrK 171

162 Anoidier passage in this Upaniajad brings out in this characjrfteristic negative manner the nature of the soul as the ultimate reality. In the course of the dialogue between Gargi and YajnavaLkya, she asks - " Across ^at then, pray, is space woven, warp and woof? •*

To this YSjnavalkya replies -

"That, 0 Gsrgi, Brihmanas call the IinpTrisha- ble C Aksara ), It is not coarse, not fine, not short, not long, not glowing, not adhesive, without shadow, without air and without space, vdthout stlcklnt"ss, odourless, tasteless, ;d.thout eye, without ear, with­ out voice, without wind, without energy, without breath, \/ithout mouth, without personal or family name, unaglng, undying, without fear, imnortal, stainless, not uncovered, not covered, without mea­ sure, without inside and without outside.

It consumes nothing soever. No one soever consumes lt«"

He further adds - "Othera than It, there is naught that sees, naught ttoat hears, naught that thinks, naught that understands,"

Equally noteworthy is the dialogue between 163 Janaka and Yajnavalkya, from this point of view, Janaka a^s -

162. 3vh.in.8 « * 163. I kl d 11"^

** But ^en the sun has set, and the moon has set and the fire has gone out and speech is hushed, vhat light does a person here have ?**

Yajnavalkya replies -

** This soul ( Stman ), indeed, is his light, for with the soul, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his WDZk and returns. **

"Vftiich is the Soul 7 asks Janaka.

Yajnavalkya replies - •• The person here, \rfio among the senses Is taade of knowledge, \»ho is the light in the heart. He, remaining the same, goes along both -worlds, appearing to move about, for upon becoming asleep, he transcends this vorld and the forms of death.

All the actions of the senses done through the breath and the intellect are ascribed to Him, though really He is simply the light and not the doer of those actions.

Whatever appears in a dream - chariots, roads, spans, pleasures, etc. are actually not there, but are projected through Him.

He is sleepless. He looks down upon the sleep­ ing. Having taken to himself, light, there returns to his place tiie golden xcs person, the one spirit.

People see his pleasure-ground. Him no one sees at all." 173

To Janaka YSjnavalkya says furtiier tiiat in the dreamless sound sleep, the real nature of the ^oul is revealed. Baere He is totally aloof from everything - beyond desires, free from evil, without fear. Verily that is his ( true ) form in ii^ich his desire is satis­ fied, in whidi the Soul is his desire, in vriiich he is without desire, and without sorrow. He l3 not followed by float good, he is not followed by evil, for then he has passed beyond all sorrows of the heart. There is no com­ ing and going for the Supreme Soul, 5ven the actions good and bad done by a man associate the Jteva after death, but certainly not the Supreme Spirit. As the sleigh of a snake lies on an ant-hill, dead, cast off, even ia so lies this body. But this incorporeal, inmiortal life is Brahma indtad, is light, indeed," Further he observes -

"Verily, he is the great, unborn soul, who is this (Person ) consisting of knowledge among the senses. In the space within ttie heart lies the ruler of all, the lord of all, the king of all. He does not become greater by good actions, nor inferior by bad action. The soul is not this, it is not that... It is unattached, for it does not attach itself. It is unbound. It does not tretable.

This etertial great?v^ss of a Brahaan Ip not increased by deeds, nor diminished By knowing it, one is not stained by evil action^.'

The ultimate reality of this Self-consciousness itc to the exclusion of everything else is once again brought 174 164 out in the Janaka-yajnavalkya dialogue in Brti. 11,2, 6. King Janaka asked YSjEfavalkya vAiat was the light of man, YajSavalkya first said tiiat the light of man vaa the sun. It is on account of the sun that man 1? able to sit (Mid to Bove about, to go forth, for work and to return. "When the sun has set, 0 Ysjnavalkya'*asked King Janaka, "vhat is the light of man ? " Yajnavalkya said that tiien ttie moon was the light of man. For having the moon for light, man could sit and "when bctii the sun and the mooa have set", asked King Janaka, "Uhat is the light of man? •* "Fire, Indeed," said Yajnavalkya, "is man*s light. For having fire for his light, can sit and move about etc." "When the sun has set, when the moon has set and when tiie fire is extinguished, what is the light of man?" asked Janaka. "Now, verily," says YSjnaval- kya, "You are pressing me to the deepest question. When the sun has set, when the moon has set and when tiie fire is extinguished, the Self alone is his light."

From all these passages taken at great length from because of their supreme importancej^ltiie Upanisads, we arrive from a psychological approach to ths crucial doct­ rine 'that the inmoFt self Is of the nature of pure con­ sciousness, vrhlch is tiie ground of all our experiences and v/bichis at the saine time, the inner controller of all the diverse poirers of nature and in the living bodies, which cannot, however, have any further independent reality from it.* And this reality of pure consciousness, we can deduce from the passages given above, is different from the body, vdth aaUL its organs, the mind with all 164, Bvb ir.5.6 17 5 its functions, the Intellect with all its reaeoning faculties. It is through this negative process, i/hich is the process of discriraination ( Vlveka ) that we can arrive at the genuine experience of the Soul, which is of the nature of pure consciousness' devoid of all its 165 adjuncts. In the words of Dasgupta, "the dominant spi)rlt of tiiese Upanisads reveals an idealism in \^lch all reality is ascribed to the Xfoek spirit as the ultimate inner essence of man, v^idi is different from what we ordinarily understand by ^ul, the five senses, and the vital powers of ttie mind. In understanding ttie nature of the Self, we are gradually pushed to a mystical conception of it, v^hlch is so subtle as to transcend the realms of tiiouiht; it cannot be grisped by the senses or by the cognitional modes of our experience, it can only be realised through self-control, the cessation of all desires." This ray?tic« conception can only be arriyed at and realized through what is known as the process of 'Vlveka* as demonstrated above. Ihis we may call the discrimination between the true and the untrue (Sat-Asat-Vlveka) or the discrimination between the eternal and ttie transcient ( lUtya-anitya-Viveka ) or the discrimination between the one and l^e many ( Bka* aneka-Vlveka),

'Vlveka in the Bthical approach to Reality.

Now, we turn to the ethical approach to Reality as evinced in the Upanisadp and see if there is the it' process of Vlveka in iit and if it is there, in \iiida. 165. 'Indian Idealism' p.49, 176 aspect it is present there.

Ttie ethical problem arises in the Katha, In the leg<9nd of Naclketas, who dissatisfied witti the behaviour of Ills father approaches Yama, He stays thtars for three ciay3 and Mxsxa ttiree nights without food. When Yama re- turPS, he apollglses and bade him to ask for ttiree boons. The first two are imraedlately granted, twt after ttie third, v*iich asks for the knowledge of the Self that survives after death, Yama hesitates. He IF prepared to offer so many plcarant things - wealth, chariots, horS€8» beautiful heavenly demssls and even long Life, But Naclketas doss not concede. He ic firm about his boon. Ultlmgtely this pleases the God of Daath, as he finds In Naclketas a very rars p:rron prepared to give up the pleasant for the good, Yaraa says to him -

"Hie good is one thing; the pleasant is another, Saese two, differing in tiieir ends, both proopt to action. Blessed are they that choose the goodjtabey that choose the pleasant miss the goal.

"Both the good and the pleasant present them­ selves to men, The wise, having examined both, distin­ guish the one from the other. The wise prefer the good to the pleasant; the foolish driven by fleshly desires prefer ttie pleasant to "ftie good."*^

Yama congratualtes Naclketas for this discrimi­ nation he has made and furliier glorifies this great attitude in terms of knowledge ( vldya) and ignorance Cavldya). 1-Jhat is good is called Vldya ( knowledge of the 177

supreme)and \i*iat Is pleasant is called Avldya, Ignorance In the worldly existence. They are said to be opposite and divergent.

Xaroa says -

" Living in the abyss of Ignorance, yet wise in their own concept, deluded fools go round and round, the blind led by the blind.

"o the indlFcrimlnate youth, di-celved by tbfl vanity of arthly pos«;-.«sions, tbc path thfit leads to the eternal abode is not rsvealPd.^This •••jorld alone is real; th.-re is no hsri-aftsr.* TJrinklng thus, he falls again and again, birth after birth, into rrjy jaws."

Yama further explains that the good is always eternal - beyond the ken of tin^, vAiile the pleasant is of tine trans«lent. "That Tfjhich is eternal cannot be gained by the transient," says Yama, "the eartaily treasure lasts but till to-morrow. For did I myself, wishing to be the King of Death, make sacrifice v/ith fire ? By the sacrifice of momentary things, I won the eternal.**

Naclkstas, himself, it seems, is a-'A-ara of this fact, Vnen hig angry father asks him to go to tiie God of Death, he thinks, "After all, man is born like the fruits of the field and dies like the same," implying thereby the ephemeral nature of human life. Again when Yaraa offers Jka so taany worldly pleasures to him, he replies thus, implying the momentary nature of the 17 8 former -

" Ephemeral things I That -which is a mortal's, 0 Sod-maker, Even the vigour ( tejas ) of all the po\«rs, they wear away. Even a \jliole life is slight indeed. Thine be the vehicles I Thine b*» the dance and song I ... Uot with wealth is a man to be gatirfied. VJhen one has come into the pr sence of undecaylng Innortals, V^et decaying mortal, here below, that understands, That mediatates upon the pleasures of beauty and delight, Would delight in a life one long ?"

Thus we find that tha discrimination between the good and the pleasant and that between the eternal and the pleasfifcH* are at bottom oue and zhe same as the Upa- nlsad itself sugg6St.s«

In the Mun^aka and the Chand. al?o this dis­ crimination is ftated under the terminology of knowledge or v/igdon par-excellence ( Par§ Vldya ) and «juEEJL]uutg« le?ser knowledge ( ignorance ) ( Apara Vidya). Thn former Is the supreme love that conduces to the eternal bliss (akfara ), \ffiile the lattsr is the Isrser knowledge -

)C6 Katha. I, 24-28. 179 including ttie Rgveda, Yajurveda, Sfima and Atharvaveda, accentuation, ritual^ grammer, glossary, prosody and astronomy.

As Sri Sankara points out, the lesser science is In tr\i^ ignorance, It reaches nothing real, and mu^t thsr-:fors he rejected. The Upanlsads do not say thi

Excessive addiction to the worldly pleasures that arise out of body^consclousness is a doctrine of the materialists, Virociiiana approaahed Frajapati, as referred to in ttie story in Ghand, VIII, 8,4-5, was satisfied with thl5 thought liiat body Is ihe same as thp S(?lf and the fulfilment lies in sati?fylng its naeds and conforts," Now^Virochana satisfied in hl« thoUT^t, \mnt to th^ /isuras and preadied to th^m Uif' doc^irinn that thfi tndily SGlf- aloris is to be vrorsbipped, th?>.t It ^^l.on^ 1" to he •.-irved, \Q>7 •Introduction VD the Ka^i^a' p. 43, X Hanga Hatnaauja quotes two beautiful verses in h?.n coranientary on this passage - 18(^ and he who vrorshlps the body and serves It gains both worlds - this and the next. Therefore, they call even how a man vAio does not give alms here, who has not faith and offers no sacrifices, an Asura, for this is the doctrine of the Asuras,"

The secret of tiie dialogue between YSJnavalkya and Maitreyi also appears to be this, YSjnavalkya was leading a rich life in the company of two wives. But one fine morning, he decided to leave his house and his estate and wished to renounce and take up the life it of a monk. When asked by his beloved wife \^etiier a man would attain iiBna>rtallty ttorou^ wealth, he categorically answered - "No, Thereby your life may be the life of a rich person. But there is no hope of immortality tiirough wealtti," inqplying tiiereby that wealth, with all its worldly pleasures is a hindrance to l^e goal of life. His fur tiler advice to his wife Maitreyi discusses the issue further, as already noted by us. The upshot of the discussion was that all things - wife, husband, riches, gods, Brahmanhood, sons etc, are dear to us, not for tiieir sake l»t for the sake of Atnan who is very dear to ua. It is most natural to love tiiese things in life, but the truto behind them ia generally neglected viz, •* The infinite ia blias, thf^re is no bliss in ttiings finite" as it is said else>iiere In Chind, Atman, who is 181

Infinite Is the real good (Sreyas ), while thirst for worldly pleasures, worldly love Is pleasant ( Preyas). ''Yajnavalkya maintains tiiat self love lies at the founda­ tion of all oliier kinds of love. Love of wealth and property, clan and country are special forms of self- love. The love of the finite has only Instrumental value, while love of the eternal has intrinsic worth. Only the love of the Eternal is supreme love,which is Its own reward, for God is love."

Here Is not merely discrimination between the good and tiie pleasant, but also a way to the good tiirough the pleasant, paved by an altogether different approadht to life - one has to choose the Atman, see the Itman in all things, everyvAiere and give up psychological attachments to the unessential* Of course, Yajnavalkya himself physically and psychologically rejected these things and accepted only the Itman*

Thus at times, the Upanlsadlc seers describe wise men as totally indifferent to the cravings of the worldly life, all the iiriiile realizing the soul. '*It was in this ^y, we are told by the Brh. that the wise men of old began to feel that there was no use for them of any wealth or fame or progeny. '*Vftiat shall we do with progeny", they asked, "if tt does not bring to us nearer the Sternal? ** In tills manner did Idiey have all ambition for progeny and wealth and fame and adopt the life of an ascetic* In the same vein the same Upanisad gives 182 further characteristics of the ascetic life, in-as-much as it tells tiiat "A Brahmin ought to grow disgusted with all vis(3om and lead a life of child-like simplicity, giving all desires for the sons, the vealtii and the people at large,"

It is this fundamental psychological renunciation or :teJectlon of worldly pleasures and cravings for them t^at has become the subject-matter of a number crucial passages in t^e Upanisads* In the Isa for example. It is ^ald -

" By l^e Lord enveloped must this all be - ... Wil^ this renounced, then mayest enjoy. Covet not the wealth jcft of any one at all.**

Thus in the Brh« IV, 4, 9, 7, it is said -

" Vftien are liberated all The desires tiiat lodge in one's heart. Then a mortal becomes Irmnortal I !aiereln he reaches Brahman,"

In jdxc a famous passage of the Narayatiopanisad, it Is said that persons obtain lmtm>rtallty neither through

ifes. Isa, 1. 183 actions done with an end in view, nor through offspring, nor by vealtii; hit they do so only by renunciation.

There is the famous prayer in the Brfa. for ^e realisation of the truth, for light, for immortality, from the every day mundane life full of untrutii, dark­ ness ( i.e. ignorance ) and nnrtality. It runs tiius -

" Lead me from ontrutli to Trutiij Lead me from darkness to Light; Lead me from death to lomortality" - implying that the life without A^i^n - its realization, is a life to be abandoned and transformed.

In the Katha. sense-organs are said to be extra- vert - wilh their faces turned outward; hence a wise man rare is he - in order to realize the Itman turns his mental eye inwards, abandoning and avoiding their temp­ tations in the external vorld. In the tiiird chapter of the Brahman, YajHavalkya replies to a number of queries and finally arrives at the truth of the soul and its inaccessibility through the normal facultiss, Biere he now and then observes and emphasizes -

•• Aught else than Him is wretdied" - 181 comparable to titiat great utterance in the Qiahd -

•*Thet vhich is great is bliss; tiiere is no happiness in tile small."

In unity lies the beauty of life, not in divided con­ sciousness*

The Svet« says in one of l^e powerful stanzas that if a man covers the sky by means of skin, he vould attain liberation from misery, without knowing God, implying that without knowing Him, there is no end of IT' @ misery. The Kena in the same vein declares -

"If one have known (It ) here, then there is truth. If one have knovn (It ) not here, great is the destruction."

seeing the Trutii underlying in everything and in every one is a part of Viveka, as the Upanisads observe. In the Hena, we have -

"Discerning ( It) in every single being, the wise. On departing from this world become immortal,"

i7o# svet. i"7i@Kena. II, 13. ( Katba. Ibid ft " ( 185

'ft17 -Z W• In tiie Im. also, a realized person is l^us described -

** Now, he who on all beings Looks as just in ttie Self ( itman ), And on the Self as in all beings - He does not strii^ away from Him."

173 @ The Isa, Lord of the creation is thus described -

« It is within all this, And it is outside of all this,**

From all such passages In tiie Bpanisads, we have every reason to believe thstt the ancient seers ana thinkers advise or proclaim only one goal for man viz, the realization of the soul or Brahmaif here and now, 411 that conduces to this aim is ethical and every­ thing that is detrimental to it is unethical and deserves to be rejected totally. As the Self or soul does not limit himself to body, liie body-consciousness, all self­ ishness and self-seeking and everything tiiat is, there­ fore, * small* and limited has to be abandoned for the sake of the * great* v^lch is unlimited, eternal - in fact beyond tiae range of time and space - all pervading full of bliss forever. The concept of Viveka is mainly ethical and in Viveka, therefore, Is the consummation and means of the ethical approach of the Upanisads.

'^2-* Isa. 6. 7. '-/a @ Ibid. 5. 186

!Qius, in the Upanisads, vihatever approadi ve may take, cosmological, theological, psychological or ethical • ve arrivedt at one and only one conclusion - viz* Brahman or Atman is the One fundamental principle underlying all other principles of a lover order* Hence, Viveka in its fundamental sense is fairly veil developed here* Along with this, other aspects of the concept such as the Discrimination betveen the Sternal and tiie Non- eternal, tiiat betveen the Soul and the Body, that bet­ veen the One and the Many, that betveen the good and tiie pleasant, that betveen tiie Seer and the Seen, tibat betveen essential and the non-essential, that betveen the Great and l^e Small are also developed and find a significant and important place in them, as discussed above* We have, moreover, in the Upanisads, ttie method of Viveka applied in arriving at the basic conclusion*

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