What does the word Upanishad mean?

BR. SAMAHITA CHAITANYA

e have heard and studied propel) and 3. avasadana (to de- Wmany Upanishads – Isha cay)”. Thus Upanishad = upa + Upanishad, Katha Upanishad, ni + sad. The prefix upa is used Mandukya Upanishad, Kaivalya in the sense of upasadana - ‘to Upanishad and so on. But what approach’ and the prefix ni is does the word Upanishad mean? used in the sense of nischayena We shall ponder over the mean- – ‘steadfastness’. Though upa ing of the word Upanishad and and ni mean ‘to approach’ and analyse its various significances ‘to be steadfast’ respectively, sad in this essay. can take three meanings ‘to Coining the word destroy’, ‘to propel’ or ‘to de- cay’. Upanishad Thus with upa and ni and with the three different mean- Sri Shankaracharya discusses ings of sad we see that the word how the word Upanishad has Upanishad can have three dis- been coined in his introduction tinct meanings: to the Katha Upanishad. 1. Upanishad = to approach úeosÕee_Óees: fNeÑáj²e-¼efÓe-DNeúeeoÞe-DÙe_úëe (upa) + to be steadfast (ni) Gçe-fÞe-çetNe_úëe... zàçefµeoµe¡ GçefÞeÔeÓe¡à > + to destroy (sad), SaderdhÊtoò viâaraàa-gati- 2. Upanishad = to approach avasÊdana-arthasya upa-ni- (upa) + to be steadfast (ni) pärvasya... räpamidam upaniêat + to propel (sad) and 3. Upanishad = to approach “The word Upanishad is de- rived by adding upa and ni to- gether as prefixes to the root * The suffix ‘kvip’ is added to ‘sad’ to sad* which means 1. visharana change its verbal structure to noun (to destroy), 2. gati (to go, to form. (upa) + to be steadfast (ni) samsara for those who after hav- + to decay (sad). ing attained total dispassion The following is an exposi- towards all the seen (objects of tion of the above three combi- enjoyment in this world) and nations. unseen (objects of enjoyment in 1. To approach (Upa) + To be heaven) and approach (upa – in steadfast (Ni) + To destroy the sense of going near) the (Sad) knowledge and who with cer- Upanishad is that knowledge, tainty and steadfastness (ni – in which destroys the ignorance of the sense of steadfastness) abide those who approach its teach- in it.” ing and steadfastly abide in it. Please note that Sri Shanka- Sri Shankaracharya presents this racharya has said that Upanishad idea in his commentary on the destroys the ignorance of only Katha Upanishad. those endowed with mumu- ëes µe©µe©*eNees oïÔJeÞe©}efNekà-fNeÔeëefNeÓeïÔ²ee: kshutva (desire for liberation) úeÞÓe: GçefÞeÔeèB=oNeeèëeex... fNeIeµe¡ and vairagya (dispassion). GçeúeI Gçe¼eµëe ÓefÞÞeÔ¢Óeëee 2. To approach (Upa) + Cer- tainty (Ni) + To propel (Sad) fÞeÑèeëesÞe Ñár½eëefÞÓe ÓesÔeeµe¡ DfNeIeos: Upanishad is that knowledge, úexúeej=erºeúëe fNeÑáj²eeÓe¡ f|xúeÞeeÓe¡ which propels to Brahman those fNeÞeeÑáÞeeÓe¡à FÓëeÞesÞe DÙe_ëees¼esÞe fNeIe who approach its teaching and GçefÞeÔeÓe¡à FÓëe©èëeÓes> steadfastly abide in it. Explaining this Sri Shankara– Ye mumukêavo dìêÌÊnuâravika- charya says: viêayavitìêàÊò santaò upaniêac- µe©µe©*etÞe¡ ...... ÖeQ ¼eµefëeÓeïÓNesÞe ëees¼eeÓe¡ chabdavÊcyÊô vidyÊm upasadya upagamya tanniêÌhatayÊ niâcayena ÖeQfNeIe GçefÞeÔeÓe¡à > âØlayanti teêÊm avidyÊdeò Mumukêän ...... brahma gamayitìt- saøsÊrabØjasya viâaraàÊt hiøsanÊt vena yogÊt brahmavidyÊ upaniêat. vinÊâanÊt ityanena arthayogena vidyÊ upaniêat ityucyate. “Since this Knowledge guides or propels a seeker of “Upanishad is that knowledge liberation to Brahman, this which splits up, injures or Brahmavidya (knowledge regard- destroys (sad in the meaning of ing Brahman) is called ‘to destroy’ – visharana) igno- Upanishad.” rance etc., which is the cause of 3. To approach (Upa) + Cer- rance. Hence it is said that the tainty (Ni) + To decay (Sad) knowledge of Brahman is Upani- shad. Sri Shankaracharya in the Upanishad is that knowledge, Taittiriya Upanisahd says clearly: which weakens and removes the sorrows of samsara for those GçefÞeÔeÓe¡à FfÓe fNeIe GèëeÓes> who approach its teaching and Upaniêat iti vidyÊ ucyate. steadfastly abide in it. Sri Ramatirtha, the famous com- “By the word Upanishad is mentator on Vedantasara meant the knowledge (of Brah- explains this when he says: man).” ÖeQfNeIeúexÑárf½eÞeex úexúeejúeejÓeeµefÓex úeeoëefÓe Upanishad is a book in fNeÔeoëefÓe fÑáfÙe½eëefÓe FfÓe> the secondary sense BrahmavidyÊsaøâØlinÊø saøsÊra- sÊratÊmatiø sÊdayati viêadayati But by Upanishad we also âithilayati iti. mean books as when we say “Upanishad is the knowledge “We read an Upanishad every which effectively weakens and day,” “Where is my Upani– removes samsara for those who shad?”, “We chant the Taittiriya are qualified for Brahmavidya”. Upanishad daily”. Thus we have seen the three Though from the point of important meanings of the word view of the meanings of the root Upanishad. sad, destruction of ignorance, leading to Brahman and decay Upanishad is primarily the of samsara, Upanishad refers di- Knowledge of Brahman rectly to Brahmavidya (knowl- edge of Brahman), since the Thus Upanishad destroys books too are meant to give the ignorance, propels a dispassion- very same knowledge they are ate person to Brahman and re- also called Upanishads in a sec- moves the sorrows of samsara. ondary sense. Here are a few A book is inert and insentient common examples to explain and it cannot qualify for the this idea: above definition. A book is only 1. ÛeïÓex Nen Deëe©:> Ghìtaø vai Êyuò. a medium of knowledge. It is ‘Ghee is verily life’. Life is knowledge alone that can different from ghee. Ghee is weaken the sorrows of samsara a substance while life is the by propelling a person to Brah- sense of being alive. Since man and destroying the igno- ghee helps in increasing one’s vitality it is called life and sad can mean ‘to sit’ by way of praise. apart from the three mean- ½eex¼e½ex ºerNeÞeµe¡ > ings of sad given before. Thus 2. using these meanings of ni LÊÜgalaø jØvanam and sad: ‘The plough is life’. Here also since the plough provides for Upanishad = to approach farming, which is the liveli- (upa) + below (ni) + to sit hood in an agrarian commu- (sad). nity, it is praised as life it- This meaning indicates that self. this knowledge is to be at- Ghee and the plough are tained by approaching a praised as life as they are in- Teacher, sitting with an atti- strumental for life. In the tude of humility (indicated by same way the book too is the prefix ni - below) at his called the Upanishad as it is feet to absorb the teaching. instrumental in giving Brah- Thus this definition clarifies mavidya. Thus the book is that one should get this Upanishad only in the second- knowledge by being devoted ary sense. to a teacher, not pursue it in- Sri Shankaracharya says: fNeIeëeex µe©×ëeëee NeïÓÓeëee GçefÞeÔeèB=oes dependently for it would only NeÓe_Óes > ±eÞÙes Óe© §e´Óëee> lead to confusions. VidyÊyÊm mukhyayÊ vìittyÊ 2. The prefix upa indicates to upaniêacchabdo vartate. Granthe approach as before. When tu bhaktya. the prefix ni is added to the “The primary meaning of the root sad it means to sit down word Upanishad is knowl- or lie down. Hence Upanishad edge. The text being Upani- is that knowledge which one shad is only in the secondary should approach as one’s su- sense.” preme welfare lies in it. This idea is expressed by Sri Other meanings of the Shankaracharya in his intro- word Upanishad duction to Taittiriya Upani- shad: 1. Upa means to approach as GçefÞeÔe²²ex Nee Dúëeex çejx }esëe FfÓe> mentioned before. But ni can Upaniêaààaø vÊ asyÊø paraø also mean, apart from stead- âreya iti. fastness, ‘below’ or ‘under’, “It is called Upanishad as the l The word Upanishad supreme good lies in it.” means primarily knowl- edge of Brahman and sec- Implication of the ondarily the book. word Upanishad l The Upanishads are to be It is interesting to note that learnt by approaching a the word Upanishad by itself Master and serving him reveals the anubandha-catush- with devotion. taya – the four preliminary l The word Upanishad also considerations, which are to reveals its anubandha- be laid down by the author catushtaya (preliminary before the beginning of any considerations). work. These four are: These Upanishads (as texts) generally form the end-portion 1. Adhikari (the qualified per- of the Vedas and are hence son): The one who desires called the Vedanta (lit: end of the liberation, has dispassion, is Veda). They are the culmination humble, is determined etc. of the philosophy of the Vedas. 2. Vishaya (subject matter): They are India’s greatest contri- Brahman. bution to the world. 3. Phala (result): Destruction of The great German mystic of ignorance leading to the ces- the ninteenth century, Schopen- sation of samsara. hauer, expresses the glory of the 4. Sambandha (relationship): The Upanishads, “From every sen- relation of bodhya-bodhaka- tence (of the Upanishads), deep, bhava, the teacher and the original and sublime thoughts taught, the text being the arise, and the whole is pervaded revealer of knowledge. by a high and holy and earnest spirit. In the whole world there Conclusion is no study... so beneficial and so elevating as that of the To summarise: Upanishads. They are the prod- l Upanishad is that knowl- ucts of the highest wisdom. edge which destroys igno- They are sooner or later to be- rance, leads a qualified as- come the faith of the people... It pirant to Brahman, weak- has become the solace of my life ens samsara and in which and will be the solace of my lies one’s supreme welfare. death.”