Prajapati-Indra-Samvada

[Guest guest]

(Chhandogya Upauishad)

 

Prajapati said: " One must search out and must try to understand the

Self or Atman which is free from sin, old age, death, grief, hunger

and thirst, with true desires (Sat-Kama), and true will (Sat-

Sankalpa). Then only he will obtain eternal bliss and immortality. "

 

Indra said: " O Venerable Lord! I want to know the Atman. Please

instruct me. "

 

Prajapati said: " Adorn yourself well; dress yourself well; clean

yourself well and then look at yourself in the basin of water. "

 

Indra did so.

 

Prajapati said: " O Indra ! What do you see? "

 

He replied: " I behold myself in the basin of water well-adorned, well-

dressed and clean. "

 

Prajapati said: " That is the Self, the Immortal, the Fearless-that is

Brahman. "

 

Indra was not satisfied with this instruction. He reflected within

himself: " The Atman also will be blind, if the body is blind; lame,

if the body is lame; one-eyed, if the body is one-eyed; crippled, if

the body is crippled; and will perish if the body perishes. Therefore

I see no good in this doctrine. "

 

He again went to Prajapati.

 

Prajapati Said: " The Self that dreams is the Immortal, Fearless,

Brahman. "

 

Indra was not satisfied with this doctrine also. He

reflected: " Though the dream self is not blind when the body is

blind, not one-eyed when the body is one-eyed, is not destroyed when

the body is destroyed yet it becomes conscious of pain and sheds

tears even in dream. Therefore I see no good in this " .

 

Indra again went to Prajapati.

 

Prajapati said: " The Self that enjoys deep sleep is the Immortal,

Fearless, Brahman. "

 

Indra reflected: " In deep sleep there is utter annihilation. I do not

get any intuitional knowledge, I see no good in this doctrine also. "

 

Indra again went to Prajapati.

 

Prajapati said: " O Indra, this body is mortal. The embodied self is

subject to pleasure and pain. The eye is the instrument of seeing.

The nose is the instrument of smelling. The ear is the instrument of

hearing. But the Atman or Brahman is the silent witness (Sakshi). He

is immortal, fearless. He is distinct from the three bodies, the

three Avasthas or states of consciousness the mind, body and senses. "

 

Indra meditated on Brahman and attained Eternal Bliss and Immortality

through Brahma-Jnana or knowledge of the Brahman.

 

(Source: Essence of Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda)