The BRAHADARANAYAK UPANISHAD of YAJUR VEDA

SANATANA DHARMA
सनातन धर्म 

Hinduism-part 4

SCRIPTURES -Part 2-C-II
(ग्रन्थ)

YAJUR VEDA

- THE UPANISHADS -
 यजुर वेद
उपनिषद् 

BRIHADRANYAKA UPANISHAD

The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad - बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् is one of the older, 'primary'-mukhya मुख्य Upanishads. It is contained within the Shatapatha Brahmana, and its status as an independent Upanishad is considered a secondary extraction of a portion of the Brahmana text. This makes it one of the oldest texts of the Upanishad corpus of the 108 Upanishads. This is one of the few which are extant. It is largely the oldest Upanishad, excluding some parts which were composed after the Chandogya Upanishad and the Jaiminiya Upanisad Brahmana.

The Upanishad means 'sitting at the feet' (of the Guru, to acquire knowledge). The Word 'Brihad' - बृहद + 'aranayak' - आरण्यक' means, 'the great forest/wilderness'. This Upanishad is thus called 'The Great forest of Knowledge'. It is one of 'the' most important Upanishads purely for it's philosophical content.

This Upanishad has three 'Khandas' - खंड sections:

Madhu-khand- मधुखण्ड, Muni-khand मुनिखण्ड and Khila-khand खिलखण्ड

In the Brahadaranyaka Upanishad, we find the great spiritual quote which equates a soul-aatma आत्मा (human being) to the Supreme Soul, Brahman-God ब्राह्मण... when it says:

Aham brahmāsmi- अहम् ब्रह्मास्मी - (I AM BRAHMAN)

                                          Aatma आत्मा (soul) = Brahman ब्राह्मण (God)

Through the above quote this Upanishad gives us one of the most important spiritual guides to the path of soul's journey in search of the ultimate goal of life. It states that each human being is 'Divine' and a part of The Supreme Soul - (God: Brahman). God is within us and not detached from us. 

(Being divine ourselves, and being a part of Him at birth, we go on to make ourselves who we are, through our 'Karma-Action-कर्म').

In the Brahadaranayaka Upanishad we also find one of the most popular hymns which is recited in most schools which have Sanskrit-संस्कृत in their syllabus. This again, spells the Sanatana Dharma philosophy beautifully.

The Spiritual Power of Human Mind

ॐ असतोमा सद्गमय । तमसोमा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मामृतं गमय । ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्तिः ।।

– बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 1.3.28 -

oṁ asatomā sadgamaya, tamasomā jyotirgamaya
mṛtyormā amṛtaṁgamaya, oṁ śānti śānti śāntiḥ

 - bṛhadāraṇyaka upaniṣad -1.3.28 -

Translation:

Lead Us From the Unreal To the Real,
Lead Us From Darkness To Light,
Lead Us From Death To Immortality,
Let There Be Peace Peace Peace.

– Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28 -

The Ethics of this Upanishad revolves around the five primary Yagnyas -यज्ञ. These are a human being's duty and responsibilities towards God-ब्राह्मण, The Rishis-ऋषि, The Ancestors-पूर्वज, fellow Human Beings-मनुष्य and Nature-निसर्ग (including animals and plants). These also include three disciplines which are described as 'Damyata'-दम्यता (self-control), 'Data'- दत्त (charity) and 'Dayadhvam'-दयाध्वं (compassion).

This Upanishad also discusses psychology in some detail where it describes the various material desires of humans, for material comforts. Various human organs and limbs are mentioned as instruments of wealth, along with the senses. Eyes and ears are mentioned as the instruments of wealth because through the eyes and ears we learn the names and shapes of objects which are considered to be wealth. The Upanishad symbolically represents food as object of wealth. It enunciates that food stuff is never exhausted because the consumers create food themselves. This implies that objects of desire never exhaust till the desire is persistent in the subject. The Brahadaranayaka Upanishad also mentions eight senses Grahas - (also called 'Rathas' or 'Indriya')  and extra-senses 'Ati-grahas', namely, Nose-odour, speech-name, tongue-taste, eye-color, ear-sound, mind-desire, hands-work and skin-touch. The mind is mentioned as a desire because it is the basis for pleasure.

In the process it also analyses dreams and deep sleep and goes on to explain that the state of deep sleep is because of lack of sensory experience is due to merger of senses with the perceiver. It concludes that one does not love an object for the sake of the object but for the sake of one's self.

Upanishadic metaphysics is further highlighted and explained how the essence of every object the essence of every other object which is held to be Brahman (meaning, Brahman exists in every object).

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad looks at reality as being indescribable and its nature to be infinite and consciousness-bliss. Human beings are looked upon as the synthesis of the organ of speech, mind, prana (cosmic energy) and the twin cosmic desires of differentiation and unison. The cosmic energy is thought to integrate in the microcosm various sensations like sound, smell and sight and in the macrocosm integrate the individual to the universe.

It acknowledges that metaphysical statements in the Upanishads are meant to guide the reader from the unreal to the real. Its metaphysics is non-dual. It further asserts that everything in the universe is covered with 'Self'. (Once again the Upanishad stresses on the 'Only Supreme God - Brahman' and also that every living being is a manifestation of 'Brahman' - God!)

The nature of reality or Self is described as 'consciousness' - Bliss!

The Brihadaranayak Upanishad concludes in a hymn beautifully, as an invocation:

पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णत पूर्णमउदीच्याते

पूर्णश्य  पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवाशिश्यते

PuranamAdah, PurnamIdam, PurnatPurnamUdacyate

Purnasya Purnam Adaya Purnam Evavasisyate

Translation:

“From infinite or fullness, we can get only fullness or infinite”

The verse describes the nature of the Absolute (Brahman),

Who is infinite, complete... i.e., it contains everything.

इति 

~The End~

A humble presentation by:

Siddharth Satchidanand Sinha

सिद्धार्थ सत्चिदानन्द सिन्हा

ssselan@yahoo.in