Dear readers, I have started a new series of blogs wherein I shall be presenting the translations added by my commentaries on the verses of the Upanishads. The Upanishads are the knowledge portion of the Vedas. They are said to have arisen out of the Aranyakas, which in turn are the last sections of the books of Brahmanams. In ancient ages, a lot of contemplation on the Vedic knowledge has been done by the Rishis that gave rise to the Upanishads. This is not the place to explain the process of the Vedic contemplation and would rather directly jump into the core subject of the Upanishads. There a total of 108 Upanishads and each are a part of one or the other Vedic Samhitas. Of these 13 Upanishads find particular importance. I am starting with a small Upanishad called Isha Upanishad that has only 18 verses. However, the Upanishads must not be measured by their quantities. The amount of knowledge that each verse contains is immense and a matter of great contemplation. The word Isha comes from Isha-vasya which means pervaded by the lord. The core idea is that everything that exists and does not is all pervaded by the lord. This idea finds the centre stage and is expressed in multiple ways in this Upanishad.
Isha Upanishad opens with a beautiful verse that explains completion-
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Puurnnam-Udacyate |
Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
Translation-
The visible is complete the invisible is also complete. From the infinite rises the infinite. If we take out infinite from the infinite still infinite remains.
Let there be peace, let there be peace, let there be peace!
Verse 1
ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥
īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat |
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam ||
Translation-
All that is in this existence is pervaded by the lord. One must be supported by this thought of renunciation. Do not desire for anyone’s wealth.
Explanation-
The universal being covers everything visible in this universe. It is present in all that is moving and visible unbroken like a continuous sheath. This visible universe is merely a modification of ‘that’ invisible absolute. So, always be content with that wealth which falls in your way and never envy or desire the wealth of others. Because the wealth belongs to that only. Renounce the delusion of the temporary and see that which is universal and without an end (or a start). One must never waver from this focus. One must never be dependent on the temporary and the fleeting or misunderstanding it as permanent. One must depend on the universal essence without flinching for a moment. That universal essence is complete in the self. Thus, the world is merely a manifestation or projection of that self. It cannot exist without the self. The manifestation shall merge with that in due course of time. The matter shall disintegrate, the chemicals (or molecules) become part of nature once again, the energy shall become one with the universe and the consciousness shall merge with the universal consciousness once again. All attempt to compare is vain. Everything in the visible universe is relative of one another. There will always be a person or an object that is bigger than you and always someone smaller. There is no upper or lower limit. The lowest is still in the middle and the largest is in the middle again unless we find relatively smaller or larger objects. So, is true of wealth. All wealth is infinite and his. The limited capacity of the intellect binds us in the comprehension of only that which is relative. So, we cannot imagine the absolute and infinite. However, a tree forms out of a small seed, which in turn forms out of a minute cell. Thus, a cell can become a huge tree. However, it will not form into a tree unless it has nourishing external elements. Both these elements are mere modifications of the invisible infinite into visible finite. The infinite remains unchanged. The one aspect of duality has meaning because something relative exists. Pain has meaning because pleasure exists and vice versa. Earth has meaning because another matter in the universe exists. The moment the other objects (or subjects) stop existing, the object of focus will cease to exist. For one matter to sustain we need another matter to nourish it. The quantities of the matter in the universe are finite and continuously nourish each other. Something is made when something else is broken. However, the matter can convert into energy which has an infinite existence. Thus, matter merges with the infinite in due course. Thus, ultimately, the finite merges into the infinite. The inherent absolute absorbs the gross back to the subtle. In this entire process, the absolute remains infinite thus, unaltered. Because the gross modification will always remain next to nothing (almost zero). As the big becomes bigger the small naturally becomes smaller and this process can continue for infinity. Thus, it is important to have and enjoy that which comes in one’s way however small it may be. As everything is relative we should realize we can never have all that is gross in this universe. Sooner we realize this the better. For whatever wealth anyone possesses in life, it is infinitesimally tiny and has no significance in the overall existence. It is the limited intellect that creates a delusion of meaning to the gross and finite. The lower intellect is gripped by the idea of pleasures. Thus, it forms a chain of ideas that support the possession of these pleasures.
Verse 2-
कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेत् सतं समाः ।
एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे ॥
kurvanneveha karmāṇi jijīviṣet sataṃ samāḥ ।
evaṃ tvayi nānyatheto’sti na karma lipyate nare ॥
Translation-
If one desires to live on this earth for 100 years, it can only be done by performing righteous karmas. There is no other way that a person may not bond to the consequences of his Karma.
Explanation-
Now we have to accept that we cannot survive here without performing some or the other karma. The past karmas will often interfere with our present in unpredictable ways. These could be favorable or unfavorable to healthy living. However, if one wishes for long life, one must remain physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. The Vedas prescribe ways for a healthy lifestyle and also prescribe means by which one will never be affected by the consequences of the actions. This does not mean that whatever actions we perform will not affect us. It means that if we perform certain prescribed actions and that too in certain ways it will keep us free of any future effect of the actions. Everything that is sent out does not travel straight. But moves in a circular path and reaches the point where it started. It may take some time to reach but it reaches its origin at the end. So, the Vedas prescribe us to watch our actions. These also include mental actions.
Survival is the fundamental instinct of life and it strives to survive under all circumstances. So, perform karma in such a way that you stay free from the outcomes of the karma. So that the karma does not start a new start-end cycle. This can be achieved only by karma yoga-Perform karma as service
- Perform karma while realizing that he is the doer
2. Perform karmas that do not have any selfish motives or outcomes
3. Perform those karmas that uplift your consciousness that takes one to enlightenment
4. Perform swa-dharma karma as a duty
5. Perform karma as ordered by the enlightened souls/ Guru/ alike
6. Perform karmas as per guidance by the self
7. Perform those karmas that have arisen out of a firm resolve to do good to self and others
8. Perform Vedic karmas, meditations, yoga, upasanas etc.
Verse 3-
असुर्य नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसावृताः ।
तांस्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः ॥
asurya nāma te lokā andhena tamasāvṛtāḥ |
tāṃste pretyābhigacchanti ye ke cātmahano janāḥ ||
Translation
Those who kill the self go to the world of the asuras after giving up this body. The world of the asuras is covered with darkening and blinding ignorance.
Explanation-
Our past actions define our present situation and tendencies and our current actions define our future. The ones who do not follow the path of Karma yoga will be unceasingly stuck in the cycles of life and birth. After the karmic accounts of both good and bad are settled the person is back to nothing. However, this does not happen since a human simultaneously experiences his past karmas and creates new karmas in the present. Thus, he gets stuck unendingly in the karmic cycle unless he breaks it with righteous actions performed with righteous intentions and motives. There are two categories of actions- one that aligns with the self and the others that align with the temporary mind. All actions that align with the self steadily pushes one towards the light of the self. The opposite happens when one aligns the actions with the temporary mind. One must learn with practice to be obedient to the orders of the self and learn in due course to comprehend these directives. However, if we decide to ignore the guidance of the self we are doomed to face unfavorable consequences. Thus, one must learn to be obedient to the self. The self guides unceasingly. However, our actions at times are misaligned with this guidance. Not listening to the self is like not allowing the self to express completely and thus like killing the self.
Verse 4-
अनेजदेकं मनसो जवीयो नैनद्देवाप्नुवन्पूर्वमर्षत् ।
तद्धावतोऽन्यान्नत्येति तिष्ठत् तस्मिन्नापो मातरिश्वा दधाति ॥
anejadekaṃ manaso javīyo nainaddevāpnuvanpūrvamarṣat |
taddhāvato’nyānnatyeti tiṣṭhat tasminnāpo mātariśvā dadhāti ||
Translation
That does not move and is yet faster than the mind. The one outruns the senses. It does not move yet outruns all that passes by. In its support, the cosmic energy can sustain all that exists.
Explanation-
The universal consciousness is all-pervading. Consciousness is neither matter nor energy. It is the fundamental existence upon which energy and matter are projected. Thus, it forms continuous support upon which energy and matter rest. It is also the basis from which matter and energy originate. It is homogenous, undivided, unmodified, absolute, invisible and in its purest state. Since it is all-pervading it does not move. However, it is swifter than light as it can be at all positions in the infinite existence at the same time. The senses are slower than the mind and the mind is slower than the consciousness. The mind starts from a position, thus, it moves and reaches a new position. However, the same consciousness is everywhere at the same time. It is not limited by time, space or relativity. Thus, it outruns anything that moves as anything that moves is limited by space and time.
Verse 5-
तदेजति तन्नैजति तद्दूरे तद्वन्तिके ।
तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ॥
tadejati tannaijati taddūre tadvantike |
tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasyāsya bāhyataḥ ||
Translation-
It does not move yet is moves. It is too far yet too near. It is inside yet outside of everything.
Explanation-
Consciousness does not have a fixed property like matter or energy. It can move yet at the same time it can be still. It can be near yet it can be far as it is not limited by the idea of position or space. It is difficult to contemplate infinity. The brain is not wired to imagine (let alone comprehension) infinity. We can take the analogy of the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle. As we go to sub-atomic levels, the particles stop to take a specific position. According to quantum mechanics, reality collapses into one possibility or other at certain sub-atomic levels of existence. Thus, as we get subtler two contradictory events can occur at the same time and at the same place. This was probably what the Vedic Rishis experienced when they moved from limited to infinite consciousness. Because these words were written at a time when the rest of the world was playing with sticks and stones! This contradiction can also be explained by Henry Schrödinger’s thought experiment of a cat where he says that there can be a time in the experiment when the cat is both dead and alive at the same time. However, one who observes will only see it as either dead or alive and not both. This is exactly the limitation that the intelligence is stuck in. It cannot cross the barrier of not being able to comprehend the two contradictory possibilities at the same time. Thus, the brain cannot analyze two real concepts- 1) that existence can be infinite (or what is infinity?) and 2) that there is no duality in existence: Everything is one and at the same time multiple. It sees only the multi-fold existence. Thus, the Vedic Rishis urge us here to pass this limitation and get one with the infinite consciousness that can analyze the existence as it is in its purest form. Moreover, the same consciousness has formed the visible universe. In other words, the visible universe is a projection of the universal consciousness in action. As one stops seeing the movement of this consciousness one starts seeing the motionless, absolute infinite consciousness. However, the visible universe is not formed of some other material or quality. It is the consciousness that has expressed itself as this observable universe. And this visible universe shall merge with the invisible consciousness after a period. This will recur in cycles of forming and breaking, yet the invisible consciousness shall remain unchanged in the entire process. It is only the limitation of the instrument called the intellect that limits the comprehension of this unity.