Introduction: Sixth Chapter:
ChAndogya Upanishad consists of Eight chapters. The first five chapters forms the part of Karma Kanda and Upasana Kanda. Chapter Six, Seven and Eight form the part of Jnana Kanda.
Sage Uddalaka’s son Svetaketu , having gone when 12 years old returned from Gurukul when he was 24 yrs old , having studied all the Vedas.
Chapter Six contains Sixteen sections. My previous post was on Chapter Six, Section-1 to Section-4(Khanda-1 to Khanda-4). The link is here: Essence of ChAndogya Upanishad: Part-6A of 6
Here we will see Section-5 to Section-8 to learn profound knowledge through dialog between Sage Uddalaka and his son Svetaketu.
Here in section-8, we will see one of the four MahaVakyas: “Tat-Tvam-Asi” .
The Essence of Self Knowledge:
Section:-5: (Five Mantras).
Mantra-5.1: The Triplication of Food
Food, when eaten, becomes divided into three parts: i} That which is its grossest ingredient becomes the faecal matter. ii) Its middling part becomes flesh and iii) its subtlest part becomes the MIND.
Mantra-5.2: The Triplication of Water.
Water, when drunk, becomes divided into three parts: i) What is its grossest ingredient becomes the Urine; ii) Its middling part becomes blood; iii) Its subtlest part becomes the PRANA.
Mantra-5.3: The Triplication of Fire.
Fire, when consumed, becomes divided into three parts: i) What is grossest ingredient becomes the bones; ii) Its middling part becomes marrow; iii) Its subtlest part becomes Speech.
Mantra-5.4: Summary: The subtlest effects:
Hence, dear boy, MIND is made up of Food; PRANA is made up of Water and SPEECH is made up of Fire.
Mantra-5.5.: Svetaketu wants further elaboration:
Svetaketu asks: ” Revered Sir, wont you again explain it to me”. The father replies “Be it so my boy”.
Section-6: (Six Mantras).
Mantra-6.1: Simile of Curd transforms into Butter
Dear boy, of the CURD, that is being churned, that which is the subtlest part rises upwards, and becomes clarified BUTTER.
From curd to Butter: The Butter is always present in the Curd, but it could not be seen until the process of churning took place. The churning separated the Butter.
Mantra-6.2: Food transforms into Mind
In the same way, dear boy, of the Food that is being eaten, that which is subtlest part rises upwards, and becomes the Mind.
Mantra-6.3: Water transforms into Prana
Dear boy, of the water that is being drunk, that which is the subtlest part rises upwards, and becomes the Prana.
Mantra-6.4: Fire transforms into Speech
Dear boy, of the Fire, that is being burnt, that which is the subtlest part rises upwards, and becomes Speech.
Mantra-6.5: The Subtlest Effects:
Hence, dear boy, Mind is made up of Food; Prana is made up of Water and Speech is made up of Fire.
Mantra-6.6: Svetaketu wants more clarity:
Svetaketu again asks: ” Revered Sir, further explain it to me”. The father replies “Be it so dear boy”.
Section-7: (Six Mantras).
An Experiment on Life:
Mantra-7.1: Svetaketu was instructed to Fast:
Dear boy, man consists of sixteen parts. For fifteen days do not eat. Drink as much as water as you like, for Prana is made up of water. If one does not drink, his Prana is cut off.
Mantra-7.2: The Effect of Fasting:
For fifteen days, Svetaketu did not eat. Then he approached his father, saying: ” Revered Sir, what shall I say?”. “My dear boy, now chant the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas.” said the father. The boy said: ” They do not at all arise in me, Revered Sir.”
Mantra-7.3a: Simile for loss of Speech:
The father said:” Dear boy, just as, from a large burning Fire, a single ember, the size of a fire fly that is left over, by an amount that is certainly not as great as before, it will now burn.
Mantra-7.3b: Application of the Simile :
Even so, dear boy, of your sixteen parts, only one part is left over now; and by means of that alone, you can not perceive the Vedas. Eat, then you will understand me.”
Mantra-7.4 : Svetaketu eats and recovers his mind:
Svetaketu then ate well, and approached his father again. This time, whatever the father asked him, he answered them all well.
Mantra-7.5a: Simile for recovery of Speech:
The father said:” Dear boy, just as from a large burning Fire, a single ember, the size of a fire fly that is left over, by adding straw to it, it is made to blaze up again; by an amount that is evergreen than before, will it now burn.
Mantra-7.5b: Application of the Simile :
Even so, dear boy, of your sixteen parts, only one part had remained; and that part, being nourished by food, has been made to blaze up once more; and by means of that alone you are now able to know the Vedas!
Mantra-7.6: Conclusion– The Subtlest Effects:
Hence, dear boy, Mind is made up of food; the Prana is made up of Water and Speech is made up of Fire. From his words Svetaketu understood it- Yes he understood it!
Section-8: (Seven Mantras).
Retracing from Effect to Cause:
Adhyaropa or Superimposition: This process takes us downwards from the Cause to its numerous effects. There is another term in Vedanta, known as Apavada or De-superimposition which is reverse to that of Adhyaropa. In this section we will learn the reverse process. We trace our steps upwards from the effects that we know, to the Cause that we do not know
Mantra-8.1: Example-1:Experience of Deep Sleep:
“Sata Saumya tada sampanno bhavati” : One gets absorbed into the true being that one is .
Once the Sage Uddalaka Aruni said to his son Svetaketu: ” Dear boy, know from me the true nature of Sleep. When a man is sleeping, he is said then to be with with ‘Existence’ dear boy. He has become united with It and is resting in his own nature. ” Hence, ” He is sleeping” – thus do people speak of him, for , indeed, he rests in his own nature.
In sleep, you get into yourself, you enter yourself, you become yourself, and know nothing but yourself. This is sleep. You have withdrawn yourself from all outside connections and relationships.
Mantra-8.2: Example-2:Birds Returning to Roost:
Just as a Bird, tied to a string, after flying in various directions; finding no resting place elsewhere, where it is tied, is where it takes refuge; Even so dear boy, it is with the Mind; after flying in various directions, finding no resting place elsewhere, in Prana alone does it take refuge, for tied to the Prana, dear boy, is the Mind.
Mantra-8.3: Example-3:A message from Hunger:
The nature of hunger and Thirst- know this from me, dear boy. When a man is Hungry, it is said that then Water has led a way what he has eaten. Just as people speak of the leader of cows, the leader of horses, and of men; even so, they speak of Water as the leader of food. A ‘shoot’ is pushed forth from below. One can not know this directly, dear boy; surely there must be some ‘root’ present.
Mantra-8.4: Example-4: The Root and the Shoot:
Where could the root of the Body be apart from food? Even so, dear boy, with Food as the shoot, look for water as the root; with water as the shoot, dear boy, look for fire as the root; and with Fire as the shoot, dear boy, look for Existence as the root. All these creatures, dear boy, have Existence as their root, as their abode, and as their support.
Mantra-8.5: Example-5: A message from Thirst:
Again, when a man is Thirsty, it is said that then Fire has led away what has been drunk. Just as people speak of the leader of cows, the leader of horses, and leader of men; even so they speak of that Fire as the leader of water. A ‘shoot’ is pushed forth from below. One cannot know this directly, dear boy; surely there must be some ‘root’ present.
Mantra-8.6a: Adhyaropa- Tracing the Root:
Where could the root of Food be apart from water? With water as the shoot, dear boy, look for fire as the root; and with Fire as the shoot, dear boy, look for Existence as the root. All these creatures, dear boy, have Existence as their root, have Existence as their abode, and have Existence as their support.
Mantra-8.6b: The Creation and Dissolution of Man:
How, indeed, dear boy, these three Elements, on reaching man, each one becomes threefold triplicated, that has already been explained to you. Dear boy, at the time of a man’s departure, his speech merges in mind! Mind merges in Prana, Prana in fire, and Fire in the Supreme Deity, Existence.
§: The effect is consumed by the cause and is absorbed into its own Self
By the way of the analysis of the constituents of the individual, it has thus been pointed out by Uddalaka, the sage, that everything in this personality is made up of the essence of the three elements, -Fire, Water and Earth. And what we call hunger is nothing but the dissolution of the physical food by the element of water and the absorption into the system. What you call Thirst is similarly the absorption of the Water element in the system by the Fire principle within us. The effect is consumed by the cause and is absorbed into its own Self. This process continues until all effects are absorbed into the final Cause of all things, where they abide absolutely and completely.
That Existence is this same subtle essence. Superimposed on It, is this whole World: Tat Tvam Asi, Svetaketu. That is the Self. That Thou Art, O Svetaketu.
Mantra-8.7b: Svetaketu wants more Clarity:
Svetaketu asks:” Revered Sir, won’t you please explain it further to me?” The father replies: ” Be it so, dear boy.”
Section-9: (Four Mantras).
Honey from different Trees:
“Tat Tvam Asi” ~ Maha Vakya: This we have first seen in Section Eight. Now from section Nine onwards up to section sixteen we will see same Maha Vakya :”Tat Tvam Asi” eight more times.
Mantra-9.1: Simile: Many Trees, One Honey.
Dear boy, consider this example: Bees procure(dislodge) Honey from different trees, by collecting their juices and reducing then into one essence. Then, these juices have no differentiation, such as ” I am the juice of this tree, I am the juice of that tree.”
Mantra-9.2: Application: Many Creatures, One Existence.
Even so, dear boy, all these creatures, having merged into Existence, do not know, ” We have merger into Existence.
Mantra-9.3: Endless Rebirth for the ignorant.
These creatures that are here(in ignorance), the tiger or lion, the wolf or boar, the worm or flying insect, the gnat or mosquito- whatever they are that they become again.
Mantra-9.4a: Conclusion — “Tat Tvam Asi”
That Existence is this same subtle essence. Superimposed on It, is this whole world.(The whole world has That as its Self, its Essence.) That is the Truth; That is the Self. ” That Thou Art”, O Svetaketu.
Mantra-9.4b: Svetaketu wants more Clarity:
Svetaketu asks:” Revered Sir, won’t you please explain it further to me?” The father replies: ” Be it so, dear boy.”
Section-10: (Four Mantras).
Rivers merge into Ocean:
Mantra-10.1: Simile: Many Rivers, One Ocean.
These rivers, dear boy, flowing to the east are called ‘ Eastern’ rivers and flowing west, ‘western’ rivers. They rise from the Ocean and merge in the ocean, becoming the Ocean once again. There these rivers, as themselves, they do not know “I am this river, I am that river.”
Mantra-10.2: Application: Many forms, One Existence.
Even so, dear boy, all these creatures, having merged into Existence, do not know, ” We have merger into Existence.
Mantra-10.3: Endless Rebirth for the ignorant.
These creatures that are here(in ignorance), the tiger or lion, the wolf or boar, the worm or flying insect, the gnat or mosquito- whatever they are that they become again.
Mantra-10.4a: Conclusion — “Tat Tvam Asi”
That Existence is this same subtle essence. Superimposed on It, is this whole world.(The whole world has That as its Self, its Essence.) That is the Truth; That is the Self. ” That Thou Art”, O Svetaketu.
Mantra-10.4b: Svetaketu wants more Clarity:
Svetaketu asks:” Revered Sir, won’t you please explain it further to me?” The father replies: ” Be it so, dear boy.”
§§: Ultimate cause dissolves in the Absolute:
What is the ultimate cause? The cause ultimate can only be that which is not absorbed into a higher cause. The absorption process ceases when the ultimate cause is reached. The grosser forms get absorbed into the subtler ones, and the subtler ones reach the causal state, the so called ultimate cause from the empirical point of view. This ultimate cause dissolves in the Absolute. There, everything comes to a cessation. The individuality gets dissolved, as it were. It gets tuned up to the ultimate Reality. So, there is an absorption of the grosser element of the earth into the water element, the water element into the fire element and the fire element into the ultimate Reality which is called Sat, pure Being.
End of section-10 of 6th Chapter of Chhandagyo Upanishad:
“The most familiar form of Energy is the Photon, a massless, irreducible particles of light”.
[pg-339: Death by Black Hole]
Conclusion:-
Chhandagyo Upanishad investigates philosophically the most meaningful and most conceptualised thoughts in Indology such as Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theology, Transcendentalism, Phenomenology, and Epistemology. However the concept of Brahman has undoubtedly been the fundamental element or minor root of the Chhandagyo Upanishad. In this connection, I would request my esteemed readers to read one special post ” The Divine Art” which is highly conceptual and intellectual. Link is here: ” The Divine Art”
Recommended readings:
- Back to the Truth: 5000 years of ADVAITA by Dennis Waite.**
- THE TEN PRINCIPAL UPANISHADS: Translated by Shree Purohit** Swami and W.B.Yeats
- Brahma Sutra Bhasya of Sankaracharya: Translated by Swami Gambhirananda.**
- Commentary of ChAndogya Upanishad: By Swami Krishnananda.
- ChAndogya Upanishad: By Swami GuruBhaktananda.
- EIGHT UPANISADS -VOL-1 with commentary of Sankaracharya, Translated by SWAMI GAMBHIRANANDA.
- THE TAITTIRIYA UPANISHAD: SHIKSHAVALLI-ANANDAVALLI-BHRIGUVALLI with Sri Shankara’s Commentary By Sri Swami Satchidanandera Saraswati.
- A-U-M Awakening to Reality : By Dennis Waite***
- Panchadasi: Swami Vidyaranya:
- Information available on internet.
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