Ananda (bliss) - Bhr^guvallI of TaittirIya upanishad

[Guest guest]

namaste.

 

I have a query regarding bliss and this arises from Bhr^guvallI of

TaittirIya upanishad.

 

First, let me give the background and my understanding and then the

query.

 

Because of mAyA, Atman is perceived to be covered by the five koshAs

(the sheaths) and is referred to as the jeeva. These five koshAs are

(ManDUkyakArikA 3.11, TaittirIya upanishad II.1 to II.6, Paingala

upanishad II.5)

 

Annamayakosha, the gross physical body, made of food and matter

prANamayakosha, the vital breath

manomayakosha, functioning of the mind

vignAnamayakosha, the intellectual sheath, functioning of the buddhi,

the intellect, the determinative and discriminative aspect

Anandamayakosha, made of bliss.

>From annamaya to Anandamaya, they successively get subtler. All these,

including the Anandamaya, are all called sheaths because they conceal

the Atman. They are understood empirically as one inside the other,

the annamayakosha being the outermost and Anandamayakosha, the sheath

of bliss the innermost. These five sheaths do not possess absolute

reality. Whatever reality they are perceived to possess, is due to

Atman being their substratum. Through ignorance, the human identifies

Atman with one or more of the koshAs. Even the innermost,

Anandamaykopsha, is a sheath and is not the real I. I interpret

Anandamayakosha as the inner organ antahkaraNa which perceives the

sukha and duhkha (pleasure and pain) and is not the real I.

 

Further on, in Bhr^guvalli, Chapter 3 of TaittirIya upanishad, Bhr^gu

goes to his father VaruNa and asks "Sir, teach me Brahman". VaruNa says

"That from which these beings are born; on which, once born, they live;

and into which they pass upon death - seek to perceive that by tapas.

That is Brahman."

 

So, Bhr^gu performs tapas and comes up with the answer that Brahman is

annam (annam brahmeti vyajAnAt). Having known that, Bhr^gu approaches

his father VaruNa again and asks "Sir, teach me Brahman". VaruNa suggests

further tapas to Bhr^gu. After practising further austerities, Bhr^gu

comes up with the answer that Brahman is prANa (prANo brahmeti vyajAnAt).

On successive exhortations by VaruNa, Bhr^gu successively comes up

with the answers: Brahman is manas (mano brahmeti vyajAnAt), Brahman

is vijnAnam (vijnAnam brahmeti vyajAnAt), Brahman is Ananda (Anando

brahmeti vyajAnAt).

 

This study by Bhr^gu ends up with the statement that Brahman is Ananda.

Now, my question on this is: Did this section of Bhr^guvalli not end

a bit prematurely ? In the statement "Anando brahmeti vyajAnAt", is

Bhr^gu referring only to Anandamayakosha or is he referring to Brahman

is bliss, the ultimate reality ? As I see, Bhr^gu's successive

understandings refer successively to the five koshAs.

 

Any clarification on this is appreciated.

 

Regards

Gummuluru Murthy

------

[Guest guest]

Greetings Murthygaru:

 

Thanks for the contemplative posting and your questin regarding bliss

from TaittirIya Upanishad. Varuna's message is subtle and implicitly, he

conveys that "Sarvam Brahmamayam." More important, Varuna tells Bhrgu to

remove all the actions attributable to Jiva through Austerity. Bhrgu,

the Jiva has to remove all notions (perceptions) by changing his

attitude by practising austerity (sadhana). While changing the egostic

perceptions, Jiva sees Brahman differently and finally, becomes the

Brahman!

 

If we take literal meaning on the context, it is quite conceivable to

hypothesize that the "Ananda" is not a direct reference to Bliss but a

lower level temporary perception of happiness of the mind. In some

references, infinite bliss is referred by - 'Paramanandam' and finite

bliss by 'anandam.' Such distinctions are neither necessary nor helpful!

 

The bottom line message of chapter 3 of TaittirIya Upanishad is that

Brahman is an experience and it can be realized by abandoning all

perceptions (notions)!

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

Gummuluru Murthy wrote:

>

> Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy

> namaste.

>

> I have a query regarding bliss and this arises from Bhr^guvallI of

> TaittirIya upanishad.

[Guest guest]

Gummuluru Murthy wrote:

>

> [...]

>

> This study by Bhr^gu ends up with the statement that Brahman is Ananda.

> Now, my question on this is: Did this section of Bhr^guvalli not end

> a bit prematurely ? In the statement "Anando brahmeti vyajAnAt", is

> Bhr^gu referring only to Anandamayakosha or is he referring to Brahman

> is bliss, the ultimate reality ? As I see, Bhr^gu's successive

> understandings refer successively to the five koshAs.

>

 

yes, and as i see it, the lesson conveyed to

Bhr^gu is that brahman is *in* the five koshas

as well as [although not mentioned outright,

nevertheless it shouldn't be discounted that it

is also] transcending them, in its nirguna aspect.

 

classic advaitic lesson, no?

 

namaste