[Advaita-l] CLARION CALL OF UPANISHADS

[sreenivasa murthy]

                        Clarion Call Of The Upanishads            Yasmin  dyauH  pRuthivI  cAntarikSha-                   mOtaM manaH saha prANaiSca sarvaiH  |            tamEvaikaM  jAnattha  AtmAna-                   manyA vAcO  vimu~JcathAmRutasyaiSha  sEtuH  || Knowthat Self alone that is one without a second , on which are strung heaven, theearth and the inter-space, the mind and the vital forces together with all theother organs, and give up all othertalks. This is the bridge leading to immortality. [ Mundaka: 2-2-15]           The  question arises : wherethe Self viz. one’s true svarUpa has to be known/realized/cognized.Sruti says :               AtmanyEvA AtmAnam paSyAti ||                 He sees the Self in his own self (body).                       [ Bruhadaranyaka 4-4-23]         The next question arises : how(the methodology) the Self viz. one’s true svarUpa can beknown/realized/cognized? MotherSruti ,  in the following mantras , teaches the methodology : (1)Yadvij~JAnAtkiMcidanyat prArthayantE brAhmaNAH kathaM tadadhigama iti?-ucyatE-                   yEnarUpaM rasaM gandhaM                   SabdAn sparSagMSca maithunAn |                   EtEnaiva vijAnAti                   Kimatra pariSiShyatE | etadvai tat ||                             [Katha Upanishad 2-1-3]          How is that known, by realizing which the men of enlightenment donot pray for anything else? This is being said :             What remains here (unknowable to this Self) through which very Self peopleperceive colour, taste smell, sound, touch and sexual pleasure? This indeed isthat (Self asked by Nachiketa). (2)EtamEvArthaM punaHpunarAha-               svapnAntaMjAgaritAntaM-                     cOBau yEnAnupaSyati |               mahAntaM viBumAtmAnaM                     matvA dhIrO na SOcati || Katha Upanishad 2-1-4 Thetext states the same idea over and over again :    Having realized the great and all-pervading Self, through which a man perceivesthe objects in both dream and the waking states, a wise man does not grieve. (3)kathaM tu tadbrahma samyag viditaM Bavati? ityEvamarhamAha –                  pratibOdhaviditaM mata-                         mamRutatvaM  hi vindatE |                  AtmanA vindatE vIryaM                          vidyayA vindatE amRutam ||                          [Kena Upanishad  2-4]Howcan then Brahman be known adequately? To explain this the Upanishad says :   It (i.e. Brahman) is really known when It is known with (i.e. as the Self of)each state of consciousness, because thereby one gets immortality.(Since)through one’s own Self is acquired strength, (therefore) throughknowledge is attained immortality.                                       THEEND        The meaning of the above stated mantras in the light of Sri Shankara’scommentary  becomes self-evident to all, since the mantras refer to thecommon daily experiences of all beings . The common daily experiences have beenused by Sruti as a tool (sAdhana) to reveal one’s true nature. . Withwarm and respectful regards,SreenivasaMurthy.