Avyakta Upanishad and Naasadeeya Sooktha

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Dear Shaaktha-Bandhus,

 

This posting is on the little known Avyakta Upanishad.

The lines of Avyakta Upanishad run like this:

 

Om ! Let my limbs and speech, Prana, eyes, ears, vitalityAnd all the senses grow in strength.All existence is the Brahman of the Upanishads.May I never deny Brahman, nor Brahman deny me.

Let there be no denial at all:Let there be no denial at least from me.May the virtues that are proclaimed in the Upanishads be in me,Who am devoted to the Atman; may they reside in me.Om ! Let there be Peace in me !

Let there be Peace in my environment !Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !The three states of evolution in the beginning were Avyakta( indeterminate), Mahattatwa(determined indeterminate) and Ahamkara(determinate).

 

For each of these is a sukta.

Avyakta – Naasadeeya Sukta Mahattatwa – Hiranyagarbha Sukta Ahamkara -- Purusha Sukta

 

I will now dwell on Nasadeeya Sooktha and its meaning.

 

 

 

 

Nasadeeya Sooktha contains 7 verses which contain the saraamsa of the Universal truth in a small kernel of a verse:

 

NAASADEEYA SUKTA 1. Naa sa daasee nno sa daasee ttadaaneemnaa see drajo no vyomaaparo yatki maavareevah kuhakasya sharmanambhah kimaaseed gahanam gabheeram

2. Na mrithyu raaseed amritham na tharhiNa raatryaa ahna aaseeth prakethah,Anee davaatham svadhayaa thadekamThasmaad anya nna parah kincha naasa3. Thama aaseeth thamasaa goodha magrePraketham salilam sarva maa idam

Thucche naabhu apihitham yadaaseethThapasah thanmahinaa jaaya thaikam4. Kaamah thadagre samavartha thaadhiManaso rethah prathamam yadaaseethSatho bandhu masathi niravindanHridi pratheeshyaa kavayo maneeshaa

5. Thirashcheeno vithatho rashmi reshaamAdhasvi daasee dupari svi daaseethRethodhaa aasan mahimaana aasatSvadhaa avasthaat prayathih parasthath6. Ko addhaa veda ka iha pravochatKutha aajaathaa kutha iyam visrishtih

Arvaagdevaa asya vivarjanenaAdha ko veda yata aababhoova7. Idam visrishti ryata aababhoovaYadi vaa dadhe yadi vaa na dadheYo asya adhyakshah parame vyomanSo anga veda yadi vaa na veda

 

 

 

This Upanishad is connected with Samaveda. The connection is notable for if perused with a clear mind one will know that Sama is associated with Gaana(music/sound) and Naasadeeya has the root word 'Naasika', the impenetrable yet all-pervading shabda Brahman is the inchoatory point.

 

 

The sooktha is mystical in meaning but upon deep meditation the truth is revealed to the meditator who then keeps mum and enjoys the 'meaningness' of the 'unmeaning'.Rough Translation of the Sooktha:

 

 

It is a verse which asserts in rejection and this contemplative mode runs throughout the Nasadeeya Sooktha.

Then there was neither Aught nor Naught, no air nor sky beyond.What covered all? What rested all? In watery gulf profound?Nor death was then, nor deathlessness, nor change of night and day. That one breathed calmly, self-sustained; naught else beyond it lay. Gloom hid in gloom existed first-one sea eluding view. The one a void in chaos wrapt, by inward forever grew. Within it first arose desire, the primal germ of mind, which nothing with existence links, as ages searching find.The kindling ray that shot across the dark and dreariness- was it beneath or high aloft? What bard can answer this? There fecundating powers were found and mighty forces strove – A self supporting mass beneath, and energy above. Who knows and whoever told, from whence this vast creation rose? No gods had been born. Who then can e'er the truth disclose whence sprang this world, whether framed by hand divine or no-

Its lord in heaven alone can tell, if he can show.

 

Submitted at Her Holy Saffron feet,

 

 

 

Shreeram Balijepalli