TaitterIya Upanishad SaRRumuRai at Kuwait: Highlights of the Upanishath : Part I

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

SrI Veda PurushAya nama:

 

Once again , it is a delight to know that

the graduates of the Kuwait city class will be

performing SaaRumuRai in a few days there and

celebrate in the spirit of togetherness with their

AchAryan:

 

" Saha nAvavathu , Saha nou bhunakthu ,

Saha veeraym karavAvahai ,tEjasvi naavadhItamasthu ,

maa vidhvishAvahai, (PraNavam ) Saanthi: Saanthi: Saanthi: "

 

(meaning according to Dr.NSA Swamy ): " May the ManthrA

(that is being studied ) protect us both together ! May we

both gain power! Let the study of both of us be powerful!

May we not hate each other! (PraNavam) May there be

Peace , May there be Peace , May there be Peace ! "

 

This upanishath belongs to the KrishNa Yajur Vedam and is

found in its AaraNyakamm section . VedAnthins have always been

drawn to it since the subject matter of this Upanishath

deals with the doctrine of Brahman. Sage VyAsA in his Brahma

SoothrAs has drawn inspiration from the TaittirIya Upanishath

manthrams and has created nunber of adhikaraNAs based on

the manthrams of TaittirIya Upanishath . The fascination of

this particular Upanishath for VedAnthins is because of its

clear definition of Brahman as " Sathyam Jn~Anam Anantham Brahma

(Brahman is real , Knowledge and Infinite " . This

upanishath statement has been intrepreted differently by

the AchArya RaamAnujA , Adhi Sankara and MadhvAchArya

to defend their own " metaphysical doctrines " .

 

This Upanishath has three chapters (vallis): SikshA valli,

Brahma Valli(Aananda Valli /BrahmAnanda Valli) and Bhrugu valli .

 

SikshA Valli deals with the various disciplines that

are essential for " the mastery of the Vedic learning " .

 

The second chapter (Ananda valli) eloquently expounds

the essential nature of Brahman.The lakshaNa vaakyam /definition

( Satyam Jn~Anam Anantam Brahma )is given here. The knowing

of Brahman , its five entities ( Annamaya , PrANamaya ,

ManOmaya , vij~nAnamaya and finally Aanandamaya) and

" the attainment of the highest good " are all desctribed

in this second chapter.It is indicated that the knowledge of

Brahman as Aanandamaya is the essential way for the attainment

of Brahman.That Brahman according to TaittirIya Upanishath

is Aanandamaya and this definition is used by Sage VyAsa

to create the Brahma Soothram: " AanandamayO abhyAsAt " (I.1.6).

 

The third chapter covers the instruction of VaruNa to

His son , Bhrugu on Brahman:

 

" Brahman is that from which all this is born ,

in which all these are residing and that into

which all these merge in the end " . This is another

definition of Brahman and Brahma Soothra karthA

adopted this to arrive at the Soothram , " JanmAdhyastha

yatha:(from which the origin etc;of the universe proceed " .

 

From a VisishtAdhvaithic point of view , this Upanishath

declares : " The Ultimate reality is one non-second Supreme

ParamAthman , characterized by infinite auspicious

Qualities (anantha kalyANa guNams) and that it is

the internal of all entities sentient and insentient .

Difference between the sentient and the entities is

Real. The difference between these entities and

the Supreme Brahman is also Real. The individual

soul becomes endowed with Aananada on account of

gaining the blissful Brahman " .

 

The doctrine of Brahman is the fundamental theme

of VedAntha and in this contxt, TaittirIya Upanishath

plays a key role in defining Brahman.TaittirIya Upanishad

definition is picked up by the other Upanishads

according to AchArya RaamAnuja and MadhvAchArya to

establish that there is only one Brahman and

not two (para/nirvisEsha and apara/savisEsha Brahman)

as propunded by Adhi Sankara . Para is the form of

Brahman that is devoid of all determinations/attributes

/nirvisEsham/nirguNam ; apara is the lower form of Brahman ,

which is endowed with attributes (SavisEsha or SaguNa Brahman).

This one Brahman is recognized a sSavisEsha /SaguNa Brahman

in VisishtAdhvaitha darsanam and is recognized as the primary

cause of thre cosmic functions: Creation , Sustenance and

Dissolution of the Universe. This Saguna Brahman is

the UpAsya Brahman (the one intended for UpAsana).

 

In the next posting , adiyEn will cite specific passages

from TaittirIya Upanishad as translated sensitively by

Dr.N.S.AnantharangAcchAr Swamy based on SrI RanganAtha

Muni's Upanishad BhAshyam in Sanskrit in his recently

released monograph entitled " Selections from Upanishads " .

 

For detailed commentary on the three darsanams of

Advaitham , VisishtAdhvaitham and Dhvaitham developed

in the Post-Upanishadic period , adiyEn refers you

to the following outstanding monographs of Dr.S.M.S. Chari

released by Musnshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt.Ltd

(www. mrmlbooks.com):

 

1. The Philosophy of Upanishads , 2002

 

2. The Philosophy of vedAntha SoothrAs

 

3. Advaita and VisishtAdvaitha ,Revised Edition 1999

 

4. Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the Alwars ,1997

 

I have drawn heavily from some of the above books as well as

the Monograph of Dr.NSA Swamy of Bangalore . The two volumes

of detailed study of ChAndhOgyam and BruhadhAraNyakam is

getting ready for all of our benefit and I thank all

who gave support to make this effort possible.

 

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan