Vede predstavljaju kravu. Upanišade predstavljaju mleko. Krava nam je potrebna da nam da mleko, a mleko nam je potrebno da nas nahrani.
Upanišade se takođe nazivaju Vedantama. Doslovno značenje Vedante je „završetak Veda“. Ali, duhovno značenje Vedante je „krem Veda, najbolje iz unutrašnje riznice, cilj unutrašnjeg života“. Muktikopanišada nam saopštava nešto veoma značajno:
Tileshu tailavat vede vedantah supratishthithah.
> „Kao što je ulje u susamovom semenu, i Vedanta je suštinski utemeljena u svakom delu Veda.“
Upanišade nam kazuju da postoje dve vrste znanja: Više Znanje i niže znanje. Paravidya je Više Znanje, a aparavidya je niže znanje. Više znanje je otkrivanje Duše. Niže znanje je ispunjenje bezbrojnih zahteva tela.
Prema našem indijskom predanju nekada je postojalo 1180 Upanišada. Svaka je poticala od po jedne grane shakha Veda. Od toga, 200 Upanišada se pojavilo u prihvatljivom obliku, a od tih 200 danas je moguće pronaći 108 Upanišada. Ako tragalac želi da ugleda Istinu, Svetlost, Mir i Blaženstvo, onda treba usredsređeno da proučava ovih 108 Upanišada. Ako istinski tragalac, pravi tragalac, želi da dobije svetlost u izobilju iz Upanišada, onda mora da prouči 13 najvažnijih. Ako bude proučavao najvažnije Upanišade, a istovremeno želi da živi Istinu koju ove Upanišade otelotvoruju, onda će moći da vidi lice Božanskog i srce Stvarnog.
Trinaest najvažnijih Upanišada su: Isa, Katha, Kena, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Chandogya, Brhadaranyaka,Taittiriya, Aitareya, Svetasvatara, Kaivalaya i Maitri.
> Tat ejati tan naijati tad durevad antike...
> To se kreće, To se ne kreće. To je daleko, isto je i blizu. To je unutar svega ovog; To je takođe i izvan svega ovog.Isa upanišada ima ovu posebnu poruku za nas. Za um koji vrvi od želja, ova poruka je besmislena, nebulozna, zamršena, zbunjujuća. Za srce puno težnje ova poruka je inspirativna i prosvetljujuća. Za dušu koja ide u susret otkrovenju ova poruka je ispunjujuća i ovekovečujuća. Braman, Bog, u svom apsolutnom aspektu je neizmenljiv, ali u svom uslovljenom aspektu On je večno promenljiv, večno transformišući, večno evoluirajući, večno otkrivajući, večno ispoljavajući i večno ispunjavajući.
Iznova, Isa upanišada miri rad i znanje, Jedno i Mnoštvo, bezličnog Boga i ličnog Boga na zapanjujući način. Posao koji se obavlja nevezano predstavlja pravo znanje. Kad svesno pokušavamo da vidimo Boga u svemu i svakom, mi se iz dubine duše nudimo posvećenom delanju. To znanje je delanje. Jedno i Mnoštvo: Jedno nam je potrebno radi vlastite samospoznaje; Mnoštvo nam je potrebno radi vlastitog samoispoljavanja. Bezlični i lični Bog: kad živimo u bezličnom Bogu, vidimo Istinu u njenoj prosvetljujućoj Viziji; a kad živimo u ličnom Bogu vidimo Istinu u njenoj otkrivajućoj Stvarnost.
Sin Božiji je objavio: „Ja i moj Otac smo jedno“. Chandogya upanišada smelo tvrdi, u određenoj meri smelije, a istovremeno i ubedljivije:
> Tat twam asi.
> To si ti.Šta to znači? Znači da si ti niko drugi nego Bog. Ko bi drugi bio Bog, ako ne ti?
Jedan zaljubljenik u Boga pokuca na vrata Božjeg Srca. Bog iznutra upita: „Ko je?“
Zaljubljenik reče: „To sam Ja“. Vrata ostadoše zaključana. Čovek je kucao i kucao. Napokon je otišao.
Posle jednog sata opet je došao. Kucao je na vrata Božjeg Srca. Bog iznutra upita: „Ko je?“
Zaljubljenik reče: „To sam Ja“. Vrata ostadoše zaključana. Čovek je kucao i kucao na vrata uzalud. Konačno je otišao.
Pošto prođe još jedan sat, ponovo se vratio i pokucao na vrata Božjeg Srca. Iznutra Bog upita: „Ko je?“
Zaljubljenik u Boga reče: „Moj večno Voljeni, to si Ti“. Bog smesta otvori vrata Svog Srca.
Kad tragalac oseća ovakvu vrstu bliskog i nerazdvojnog jedinstva s Bogom, Bog mu otvara vrata Svog Srca i nudi mu i sam Svoj Presto.
Vizionari Upanišada nisu osećali potrebu da odlaze u bilo koji duhovni centar, ni potrebu da odlaze u neki hram, ni potrebu da slušaju besedu ili propovedi, pa čak ni da proučavaju knjige. Bog je bio njihova jedina spoljna knjiga, i Bog je bio jedini njihov unutrašnji učitelj. Ostvarenje Boga bila je njihova jedina potreba, a ispoljavanje Boga njihova jedina stvarnost.
Veliki nemački filozof Šopenhauer je objavio: „Na celom svetu nema tako korisne i nadahnjujuće škole kao što je izučavanje Upanišada. One su bilo utočište mog života, a biće i utočište moje smrti. One su plod najviše mudrosti. Predodređene su da pre ili kasnije postanu vera ljudi“.
Upanišade nam nude tri lekcije. Prva lekcija je Braman. Druga lekcija je atman. Treća lekcija je jagat. Braman je Bog, atman je duša, a jagat je svet. Kad meditiramo na Bramana, naš život izrasta u blaženstvo koje nas čini besmrtnim. Kad meditiramo na dušu, naš život postaje svesna i brza evolucija. Kad ne zanemarujemo svet, naš život postaje ispunjavajuće ispoljavanje.
Ako izučavate Upanišade, ali ne u površnom, rutinskom maniru, već sa jasnoćom uma, tada ćete videti da ste Bog i vi, vi i Bog, večni. A ako izučavate Upanišade uz pomoć prijemčivosti svog srca, videćete da ste Bog i vi podjednaki. I konačno, ako proučavate Upanišade uz pomoć svetlosti svoje duše, doći ćete do spoznaje da ste tamo na Nebu vi ostvareni i ezoterični Bog, a ovde na Zemlji ste ispoljeni i egzoterični Bog.
> Nayam atma bala-hinena labhya.
> Tu dušu zadobiti ne može slabić.Unutrašnja snaga uklanja sa trona idola kojeg su postavili strah i sumnja. Kad vaša unutrašnja snaga izbije na površinu, podlac i sumnjivac u vama biće preobraženi u jarku svetlost duše.
Upanišade su lice onog novčića čije je naličje svest. Postoje tri stanja obične svesti. Jagriti, swapna i sushupti. Jagriti je stanje budnosti, swapna je stanje sanjanja, a sushupti je stanje dubokog sna. Postoji još jedno stanje svesti koje se naziva turiya, čista svest Transcendentalnog Onostranog.
Mandukyaupanishad nam nudi najvažniji mogući dar. Govori nam o Univerzalnoj Duši. Univerzalna Duša ima dva aspekta: vaisvanara i virat. Mikrokosmički aspekt zove se vaisvanara, a makrokosmički virat. Jagriti, budno stanje, vaisnavara, fizičko stanje i slovo 'A' iz 'AUM'-a, zvukovnog simbola za Prakriti, primalnu energiju, sačinjavaju prvi deo Stvarnosti. Swapna, stanje sna, tijasa, blistavi intelektualni utisci, i 'U' iz 'AUM'-a sačinjavaju drugi deo Stvarnosti. Sushupti, stanje dubokog sna, prajna, intuitivno znanje i 'M' iz 'AUM'-a sačinjavaju treći deo Stvarnosti.
Ali turiya, četvrto stanje svesti, u isti mah otelotvoruje i prevazilazi ova pomenuta tri stanja. S jedne strane, ono je samo jedan od četiri dela, a s druge celina koja kulminira, kraj, i sam Cilj. Turiya je večna Stvarnost, s onu stranu svih pojava. Turiya je Transcendentalni Braman. Turiya je Satchidananda – Postojanje, Svest, Blaženstvo. Turiya je to stanje u kom veoma napredan tragalac u duhovnom životu ili duhovni Učitelj mogu zaista da čuju bezvučni zvuk 'AUM', najvišu tajnu Tvorca.
Najviše blago Upanišada je Sopstvo:
> Yato vacho nirvartante aprapya manasa saha.
> Kad se reči, moć govora, vrate zbunjenog uma, cilj se ne doseže.To Sopstvo se ne može zadobiti mentalnom briljantnošću. Zadobiti se može jedino srcem koje teži i posvećenim životom.
To transcendentalno Sopstvo prekriveno je u ovom svetu relativnog sa pet različitih slojeva: annamaya kosha, sloj grubog fizičkog; pranamaya kosha, sloj vitalne sile; manomaya kosha, mentalni sloj; vijnamaya kosha, sloj uzvišenog razvijenog znanja; anandamaya kosha, sloj Blaženstva. Postoje tri vrste tela koje idu uz ovih pet slojeva. Ova tela se zovu: sthula sharira, sukshma sharira i karana sharira. Sthula znači grubo fizičko, a sharira znači telo. Sukshma znači suptilno, a karana znači uzročno. Fizičko telo, sthula sharira, obuhvata annamaya kosha – materijalnu supstancu (tkivo). Sukshma sharira, suptilno telo, obuhvata pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha i vijnana kosha. Karana sharira, kauzalno (uzročno) telo obuhvata anandamaya kosha – sloj Blaženstva.
> U tamnoj užasnoj noći pojaviše se svici. Oni daju svoju svetlost i osećaju da su oni ti koji su oterali tamu. Posle nekog vremena, zasijaše zvezde i svici uvideše svoju nedovoljnu moć. Nešto kasnije pojavi se Mesec. Kad se Mesec pojavio, zvezde videše i osetiše kako je bledunjava i beznačajna njihova svetlost u poređenju sa Mesečevom. Nekoliko sati kasnije pojavi se Sunce. Kada se pojavilo sunce, radost i dika Mesečeva takođe behu uništeni. Sunčev sjaj rastera svu tamu i svetlost svitaca, zvezda i Meseca izblede do beznačajnosti.
Ovo je Sunce nebesko telo. Svako od nas ima, međutim, jedno unutrašnje sunce. Ovo unutrašnje sunce ima neizmerno veću moć, lepotu i snagu prosvetljenja od nebeskog. Kada to sunce osvane i zasija, ono razvejava hiljdugodišnju tamu. Ovo sunce sija kroz večnost. Ovo unutrašnje sunce zove se Sopstvo, Transcendentalno Sopstvo.
UPA 1. Univerzitet Prinston, Prinston, Nju Džersi, 22. Oktobar 1971.↩
Kao što mi imamo srce, um, vital, telo i dušu tako i Upanišade imaju nešto što je srce, nešto što je um, nešto što je vital, nešto što je telo i nešto što je duša. Srce Upanišada je samoostvarenje, um Upanišada je samootkrovenje, vital Upanišada je samoispoljavanje, telo Upanišada je samopreobraženje i duša Upanišada je samosavršenstvo
Ono što je od presudnog značaja u ovom trenutku jeste samospoznaja. Za samoostvarenje su nam potrebne samo četiri stvari: Prvo, potrebna nam je pomoć svetih spisa, zatim duhovni vodič, zatim jogičke discipline i, konačno, Božija Milost. Sveti spisi tragaocu govore „Probudi se, trgni se, krajnje je vreme da ustaneš. Ne spavaj više“. Duhovni Učitelj tragaocu govori: „Dete moje, trči! Trči najbrže! Ja te nadahnjujem. Već sam upalio plamen težnje u tebi. Sada možeš najbrže da trčiš“. Jogičke veštine govore tragaocu: „U svom životu praktikuješ duhovnost, a ja ti dajem rezultat tvoje prakse. Za tebe smo put učinile prohodnim. Sada možeš trčati najbrže putem na kom nema opasnosti“. A onda, potrebno je još nešto, a to je Božija Milost. Može se trčati i najbrže a da se ne stigne do cilja čak i ako nema prepreka na putu, zato što ljudska bića veoma često savlada umor. Pre nego što stignu do cilja osete da su potpuno iscrpljeni. Ono što je u takvom trenutku neophodno je Božija Milost. Bez Božije Milosti ne može se završiti putovanje. Božija Milost tragaocu kaže: „Gle, cilj je osvojen“.
Sasvim sigurno, Božija Milost je tu od samog početka. Još dok se bavimo svetim spisima, za nas je već osvanula Božija Milost. Da nije bilo Božije Milosti, ne bismo se mogli ni otisnuti stazom duhovnosti. I još, da nije bilo Božije Milosti, ne bismo mogli da pronađemo svog duhovnog Učitelja. Jedino blagodareći Njegovoj beskrajnoj darežljivosti tragalac biva doveden Učitelju. Onda će Učitelj odozgo doneti Božiju Samilost, a učenik se mora baviti duhovnim disciplinama. Njegov zadatak je da teži, a Učiteljev da odozgo spušta Samilost.
U unutrašnjem životu svako mora imati jednu stvar – težnju. Ovde na Zemlji, drvo nam daje primer težnje.Ono se ne odvaja od zemlje sa svojim korenjem u blatu, ali cilj mu je da dosegne Najviše. Nas je strah da ostanemo na zemlji. Osećamo da ne možemo dosegnuti Najviše ukoliko ostanemo na zemlji. Ali, drvo nam pokazuje da je to potpuno besmisleno. Koren mu je pod zemljom, ali njegova najviša grana stremi ka nebu. U Upanišadama susrećemo jedno drvo nazvano drvo Ashwathva. Za razliku od zemaljskog drveća to drvo ima koren s gornje strane, a grane sa donje. Ono ima dve vrste grana. Jedne uleću u mreže neznanja pa se opiru, bore i trude, da ponovo dopru napolje, u blistavu Svetlost. Druge nastoje da uvek ostanu uz Svetlost. Kreću se uvis; njihova težnja okrenuta je uvis.
Ovde, na Zemlji, svako ljudsko biće ima sposobnost. Čovek opaža neznanje i iznutra i spolja, ali ima sposobnost da se drži s van granice neznanja. Kako? Pomoću težnje. Zašto? Zato što mu je potrebno neprestano zadovoljstvo. A jedino težnja nam može pružiti to neprestano zadovoljstvo. Zašto težimo? Težimo radi blaženstva, anande. Blaženstvo je samostvaranje i samodoživljavanje. Blaženstvo u Najvišem, Apsolutno Najvišem poznato je kao Ananda Purusha. To blaženstvo je Beskraj, Večnost i Besmrtnost. Postoji još jedna vrsta blažesntva koja se zove ananda atma, a nastupa kada iz beskrajnog Blaženstvo preuzme oblik. U stanju ovozemaljske svesti blaženstvo se naziva ananda atma.
Kada se blaženstvo postepeno spušta u mračnu, nečistu, neprosvetljenu, nesavršenu ljudsku prirodu da bi je preobrazilo, ono nailazi na neprestan otpor. Tu vidimo kako blažesntvo gubi moć zbog navale neznanja, a uživanje, kratkoročno uživanje, uzima maha.U najvišem, trostruka svest – Satchidananda, Postojanje-Svest-Blaženstvo, je jedna celina. Ali kad oni žele da se ispolje, onda to mogu samo putem Blaženstva.
Kada se Blaženstvo spušta, prva stepenica ispod se zove superum. Superum ne označava nešto što je malo superiornije od uma. Nikako. On je beskrajno viši od uma. To zapravo uopšte nije „um“, iako se koristi ta reč. To je svest koja je već prevazišla ograničenosti konačnog. Odatle počinje stvaranje. Forma počinje jednu stepenicu niže. Ova stepenica zove se nadum. Odatle počinje forma, tu mnogostrukost otpočinje u jednostrukoj formi. Sledeća stepenica je intuitivni um. Intuitivnim umom mnogostrukost vidimo na jedan kreativan način. Možemo videti mnogo toga u isti mah; vidimo kolektivnu formu. Iz intuitivnog uma blaženstvo dospeva u pravi um. Ovaj um svaki objekt vidi izdvojeno. Ali iako sve vidi izdvojeno, ne pokušava da sumnja u postojanje svakog objekta. Potom ushićenje prodire u fizički um – to jest, um koji je pood vlašću telesnog. Ovaj um vidi svaki objekat izdvojeno, a uz to i sumnja u postojanje svakog objekta. Prava sumnja otpočinje tu, u fizičkom umu.
Nakon što se spusti kroz sve nivoe uma, blaženstvo ulazi u vital. U vitalu uočavamo silu dinamizma i silu agresivnosti. Sila koju vidimo u unutrašnjem ili suptilnom vitalu je dinamična, a ona koju vidimo u spoljnom vitalu je agresivna. Iz vitala blaženstvo dolazi do telesnog. Postoje dve vrste telesnog: suptilno telesno i pravo telesno. I do suptilnog telesnog blaženstvo se zaista spušta – i možemo ga još biti svesni. Ali, u suptilnom telesnom ne možemo steći niti koristiti istinu. Možemo je samo videti, kao kad neki prosjak posmatra nekakvog multimilionera. Konačno, kada stignemo do grubog telesnog, tu više uopšte nema blaženstva.
Blaženstvo se spušta, ali u grubom telesnom ne vidimo nijednu njegovu trunku. Šta tad možemo? Možemo prodreti u dušu snagom svoje težnje i duša će nas svesno povesti do najvišeg nivoa, do ravni Sadchitanande – Postojanja, Svesti i Blaženstva. Tada već naše putovanje može postati svesno. Dospeli smo do trostruke svesti i možemo svesno početi da se spuštamo u superum, nad-um, intuitivni um, pravi um, fizički um, vital i telesno. Kada postignemo uspeh na fizičkom planu, bolje rečeno, kada smo u stanju da spustimo Blaženstvo sa najvišeg nivoa, a fizičko uspe da to blaženstvo prihvati i upotrebi, okončava se život uživanja. Tada vidimo razliku između života uživanja i života Blaženstva. Život uživanja prate frustracija i uništenje. Život Blaženstva je stalno izrastanje, stalno ispunjenje, stalno dostignuće i stalno ispoljavanje Boga na Njegov sopstveni Način.
Mundaka Upanišada nam je ponudila dve ptice. Jedna se smestila na vrhu drveta života, a druga na jednoj grani niže. Ptica koja je na niskoj grani jede i slatko i gorko voće. Slatko voće joj daje osećaj da život predstavlja uživanje, a gorko joj daje osećaj da je život jad i beda. Ona druga ptica koja se smestila na sam vrh drveta niti jede slatko niti gorko voće. Ona samo sedi, mirna i spokojna; njen život preplavljen je mirom, svetlošću i blaženstvom. Ptica koja jede slatko i gorko voće drveta života razočarana je i zgadilo joj se. Razočarana je jer je uživanje nestalno, efemerno i prolazno; gadi joj se jer se frustracija završava uništenjem. Neizostavno razočarana i s potpunim gađenjem ova ptica se vine uvis i izgubi se u Svetlosti Slobode i Blženstvu Savršenstva ptice sa vrha drveta života. Ptica na vrhu drveta je veliko Kosmičko i Transcendentalno Sopstvo, a ptica ispod je pojedinačno Sopstvo. Ove dve prelepe ptice poznate su pod imenom suparna.
U pojedinim Upanišadama srećemo neprestano suparništvo između bogova i demona. Oni blistavi među njima su bogovi, oni zaokupljeni sobom su demoni. Bogovi i demoni su potomci Prajapatija, Tvorca. Kada bogovi odnesu pobedu, svetlosti duše pripadne vrhovna vlast. Kada demoni odnesu pobedu, telesnoj tami pripada vrhovna vlast. U početku, bogovi i demoni bili su organi Prajapatija. Organi koje je okrepila božanska Volja, prosvetlila božanska Svetlost i inspirisalo Božije Delo postali su bogovi. Organi koje su privukle niske misli, koji su bili željni života čulnog-sveta i uživanja života ugodnosti i koji su izabrali loše i destruktivne ciljeve, postali su demoni. Suvišno je i reći da je beskrajno lakše dosegnuti niže ciljeve nego li dosegnuti Najviši Cilj. Baš iz tog razloga su demoni brojem daleko nadmašili bogove. Ali nama, tragaocima za beskrajnom Svetlošću i Istinom, potreban je kvalitet bogova a ne kvantitet demona.
> Jednom su bogovi sa svojih visina zatražili od govornih organa, nosa, očiju, ušiju, uma i vitalne sile da im pevaju hvalospeve. Svi su s uspehom pevali. Demonima je odmah bilo jasno da će bogovi bez problema pomoću tih pevača steći prevlast, pa su ih potajno, s uspehom, zagadili upadljivim zlom snažne vezanosti za čulne objekte i život uživanja. Uspeli su istog trena sa govornim organima, nosom, očima, ušima i umom. Ali, s vitalnom silom pretrpeli su težak poraz. Vitalna sila ih je slomila u komade i razbacala ih na sve strane. Vitalna sila je izvojevala pobedu bogova. Egzistencija demona bila je napojena Božanskom večnom Svetlošću. Postali su njeni istinski robovi. Podvala ljubomornih demona tako je razobličena, a njihov ponos skrhan.
Ta vitalna sila zvala se syasya angirasa. Ona predstavlja ono suštinsko u udovima. Vitalna sila je trijumfovala. Osim toga bila je ljubazna, saosećajna i velikodušna:
> Organe govora prenela je van domašaja demona smrti. Prevazišavši smrt, organi govora postali su vatra i ona sija daleko izvan smrti.
> Vitalna sila prenela je nos s onu stranu smrti. Nos je tada postao vazduh. Prevazišavši granice smrti, vazduh struji i iza smrti.> Vitalna sila prenela je oči s onu stranu smrti. Oči su postale sunce. Prevazišavši predele smrti, sunce neprestano sija.
> Vitalna sila prenela je uši s onu stranu smrti. One su tada postale pravci. Ti su pravci, prevazišavši smrt, ostali daleko izvan njenog domena.> Vitalna sila prenela je um s onu stranu smrti. Um je tada postao mesec. Mesec, prevazišavši smrt, sija izvan njenog domena.
Brhadaranayka, Upanišada „velika šuma“ nudi ljudskom rodu molitvu bez premca:
> Asato ma sad gamaya.
> Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya.> Mrtyor ma amrtam gamaya.
> Vodi me iz nestvarnog u Stvarno.
> Vodi me iz tame ka Svetlosti.> Vodi me iz smrti u Besmrtnost.
Nestvarno je namršteni pogled smrti; Stvarnost je pesma Besmrtnosti. Tama je kolosalna dika smrti; Svetlost je život prosvetljujuće i usavršavajuće moći Besmrtnosti. Smrt je poruka ništavila. Besmrtnost je poruka čovečijeg oslobođenog jedinstva sa Božanskom Transcendentalnom Visinom.
UPA 2. Univerzitet Kalifornija, Berkli, Californija, 7. Novembar 1971.↩
Ova lepota ne iskušava.
Ova lepota prosvetljava.Ova dužnost nije nametnuta sama.
Ova dužnost je Bogom zadana.```
OM
Upanišade nam nude samospoznaju, spoznaju sveta, spoznaju Boga. Samospoznaja je samootkiće. Nakon samootkrića sigurno ćemo osetiti da je spoznaja sveta u nama i da moramo izrasti u spoznaju sveta. A onda dođe i vreme kada znamo Posednika spoznaje sveta i tada dobijamo Spoznaju Boga. Moramo ući u Spoznaju Boga, koji je posednik univerzuma.
OM
„Neti, neti“ - „Nije to, nije to“, ili „Nije ovo, nije ono“, poruka je Upanišada. Svi mi ovde smo tragaoci za beskrajnom Istinom. Jedan pravi tragalac nije i ne može biti zadovoljan svojim pojedinačnim životom, pojedinačnim dostignućima, ovozemaljskom imovinom. Ne. Može biti zadovoljan tek kada dostigne Apsolut. A šta je taj Apsolut? Braman je Apsolut.
Mislioci iz davnina pružili su nam sledeće iskristalisano znanje: „Braman ničim ne može biti ograničen. Braman ne može biti smešten u bilo šta, Braman se ne može definisati bilo čim“. To je bila njihova tvrdnja. Ali mi osećamo da je ovo negativan način posmatranja Bramana. Postoji i pozitivan način, i on je ovakav: „Braman je večan, Braman je Beskrajan, Braman je Besmrtan. Braman je s one strane i uvek s one strane“. To je pozitivan put. Mi, tragaoci za beskrajnom Istinom, sledićemo pozitivan put. Ako budemo išli pozitivnim putem u svom životu težnje, trčaćemo veomabrzo i pre ćemo stići do krajnjeg Cilja.
Moramo Bramana videti i u konačnom kao što bismo želeli da vidimo Bramana i u Beskonačnom. Ali ukoliko u toku meditacije možemo imati viziju Bramana kao beskrajnog Sopstva, tada nam postaje lakše da uđemo u svet relativiteta u kom sve vidimo kao konačno.
Vidimo svet unutar sebe, vidimo i svet van sebe. U unutarnjem svetu postoji jedno biće, ali i u svetu izvan postoji jedno biće. Ta dva bića zovu se 'nebiće' i 'biće'. Iz nebića postalo je biće. Ista ta ideja zbunjuje naš um. Kako nebiće može stvoriti biće? Nebiće je ništa. Kako iz ničega može postati nešto? Ali, moramo da znamo da je um taj koji nam kaže da iz nebića može postati biće. Moramo znati da to 'ništa' zapravo jeste Nešto što je izvan poimanja uma. 'Ništa' je život neprolaznog Onostranog. 'Ništa’ je nešto što uvek ostaje s one strane našeg mentalnog shvatanja. Ono prevazilazi našu ograničenu svest. Zato, kad razmišljamo kako svet bića postaje iz nebića, moramo osetiti da ova Istina može da se sazna i razume samo pomoću naše unutrašnje težnje, gde um uopšte ne funkcioniše. Intuicija je ono što nam poklanja blagodet saznanja da je ništa Pesma večno prevazilazećeg Onostranog i da je 'ništa' iskustvo večno ispunjujućeg, večno prevazilazećeg i večno ispoljavajućeg postojanja.
OM
Upanišade i bit prane su neodvojivi. Prana je sanskritska reč. Moguće ju je prevesti na razne načine. Može se nazvati dahom energije ili čak etrom. Ali, prana je životna energija. Ta životna energija nije sazdana od materije, nije fizička, već je nešto što održava i nastavlja fizičko telo. Izvor prane je Svevišnji. Na polju ispoljavanja prana je neophodna. Prana je Duša univerzuma.
U Indiji, terminu prana pripada naročita važnost. Prana nije tek dah. Tokom dana udišemo i izdišemo na hiljade puta ne obraćajući nikakvu pažnju. Ali, kad upotrebimo termin prana, mislimo na životnu energiju koja teče u nama i izvan nas našim dahom.
Prana se deli na pet vrsta: prana, apana, samana, vyana i udana. Životna energija životna sila prisutna u fizičkim očima, nosu i ušima naziva se prana. Kad posmatramo životnu energiju u našim organima za izlučivanje i reproduktivnim organima, to je apana. Samana je životna energija koja gospodari našim varenjem i resorpcijom. Unutar Lotosa Srca, gde je smešteno Sopstvo, gde uočavamo stotinu i jedan suptilni duhovni nerv, i na svakom nervu stotinu grana i iz svake grane nerva po sedamdeset dve hiljade nervnih grančica, tu se prana koja se kreće naziva vyana. Sredinom kičme protiče životna energija. Kada se kreće uvis, doseže najviše a kada se kreće naniže, doseže najniže. Kada jedan tragalac za beskrajnom istinom napusti telo, njegova se prana uzdiže prema najvišem, a kad neka grešna osoba napusti telo, njena prana odlazi naniže. Ova prana koja protiče sredinom tela naziva se udana.
Kada se nađemo u poziciji da u kosmos uđemo uz pomoć svoje životne sile, osećamo da Onostrano ne pripada našoj mašti. Ono nije magla kakve uobrazilje; već je jedna stvarnost koja raste u nama i radi nas. Bog beše Jedno. Želeo je da bude Mnoštvo. Zašto? Osetio je potrebu da Sam božanski i najuzvišenije uživa u beskrajnim formama. „Ekam bahusyam“, „Jedno koje žudi da postane mnoštvo“ - to je bilo Njegovo unutrašnje osećanje. Kada je Svevišnji projektovao Svoju Životnu Energiju, istog trenutka je video dva stvorenja istog. Jedno je bilo muško, drugo žensko. Prana, životna sila je muško, a žensko je rayi. Prana je Sunce. Rayi je Mesec. Od prane i rayi postali smo svi mi. Ali opet, prana je duh a rayi je materija. Duh i materija moraju ići skupa. Duhu je potrebna materija radi njegovog samoispoljavanja, a materiji je potreban duh radi njene samospoznaje.
Veoma često su se vedski i Proroci upanišada služili rečima nama i rupa. Nama je ime, rupa je oblik. U našem spoljašnjem svetu imamo dodira sa imenom i oblikom. U unutrašnjem svetu imamo dodira s bezimenim i bezobličnim. Ime i bezimeno nisu suparnici. Oblik i bezoblično nisu suparnici. Ime otelotvoruje svojstvo spoljašnjeg tela. Bezimeno otkriva besmrtnost duše. Kroz oblik se ispoljava kosmička Svest ocrtavajući se. Kroz beoblično, kosmička Svest prevazilazi sebe šireći se i uvećavajući.
OM
U duhovnom životu termin žrtvovanje često se koristi. Vedski vizionari kazivali su iscrpno o žrtvovanju. Po njima, žrtvovanje konja, asvamedha žrtva, bilo je od najvećeg značaja. Brhadaranyaka upanišada počinje žrtvenim konjem:
Usa va asvasya medhyasya sirah...
> OM. Glava žrtvenog konja uistinu je zora, oko žrtvenog konja je sunce, vitalna sila je vazduh, otvorena usta -vatra po imenu vaisnavara, trup je godina, leđa su raj, trbuh nebo, kopita – zemlja, slabine – četiri strane sveta, rebra međustrane, udovi godišnja doba, zglobovi – meseci i sedmice, noge – dani i noći, kosti zvezde, meso-oblaci, polusvarena hrana (u stomaku) – pesak, arterije i vene – reke, jetra i slezina – planine, dlaka – bilje i drveće, prednji deo izlazeće sunce, zadnji deo – zalazeće sunce. Njegov zev je munja, stresanje tela – grom, puštanje vode je kiša, njegovo njištanje svakako govor.
Zašto su proroci upanišada, proroci veda govorili o konju, a ne o kakvoj drugoj životinji kao simbolu žrtvovanja? Oni su uvideli brzinu konja, dinamičnost konja, njegove vrline vernosti i posvećenosti. Brzina je neophodna, dinamičnost je neophodna, vernost i posvećenost su neophodne radi spoznaje i otkrivanja Apsoluta. Eto, zato su izabrali konja za religijske svetkovine i kao pomoć svom unutrašnjem buđenju.
Pukim žrtvovanjem jednog konja ne možemo steći nikakvu božansku zaslugu. Daleko od toga. Treba da meditiramo na konja, na vrline konja i da prizovemo te božanske vrline da u nas uđu odozgo. Vedski i upanišadski proroci su to činili. Uspelo im je da steknu božanske vrline konja i rezultat toga bio je da su dospeli u Brahmaloku, najviši raj.
Ali čak i u njvišem raju, blaženstvo nije večno. Radi večnog blaženstva moramo snagom svog unutarnjeg vapaja ući u Bramu. Kada imamo taj unutrašnji vapaj, jednom ćemo moći da dopremo do Brame i da tu pronađemo večno Blaženstvo.
Vratimo se konju. U današnje doba ne mora se konj prinositi na žrtvu. Ali moraju se videti vrline konja i iznutra meditirati na božanski ispunjavajuće vrline konja. Samo pomoću svoje koncentracije i meditacije mogu se steći vrline koje predstavlja konj. Veoma često ljudi pogrešno razumeju ideju žrtvovanja. Pogotovo zapadnjaci. Ne mogu da shvate kako mogu steći bilo kakvu božansku zaslugu naprosto ubijajući konja. Oni smatraju da je to besmisleno. Ali, žrtvovanje nije puko ubijanje. Žrtvovanje je poistovećivanje sa svešću konja. Jedino na taj način možemo odozgo dobiti božansko obilje. Uopšte nije neophodno niti treba da ubijemo konja.
Jedno je sigurno, nema ni govora o žrtvovanju bez težnje. Ali, ta težnja mora biti istinska i dolaziti iz dubine srca. Ona nam ne može pružiti spoznaju ukoliko nije istinska. Težnja ne ume da se pokreće na silu. Uznemirenost i težnja nikako ne mogu ići zajedno. Veoma često početnici misle kako moraju biti dinamični da bi težili. To je istina. Ali, ja ne vidim dinamičnost u njihovoj težnji. Ono što vidim je nemir. Oni žele da spoznaju Boga preko noći. Ako ovaj nemir shvatimo kao odlučnost ili dinamičnost, tada se grdno varamo.
Mogu li da ponovim jednu često spominjanu priču? Neki tragalac otišao je duhovnom učitelju. Iniciran je kako dolikuje, i nakon nekoliko dana ovaj tragalac reče duhovnom Učitelju: „Učitelju pošto si me prihvatio, molim te, sada mi daj spoznaju Boga“. Učitelj mu reče: „Moraš se baviti meditacijom veoma dugo“. Posle nekoliko dana učenik ponovo reče učitelju: „Učitelju, daj mi spoznaju, molim te daj mi spoznaju“. Dugo je navaljivao na Učitelja. Jednog dana Učitelj ga zamoli da krene za njim. Učitelj je pošao na kupanje u Gangu i pozvao je učenika da i on uđe u vodu. Kada je učenik ušao do vrata u vodu, Učitelj mu uroni glavu pod vodu i zadrža je tako. Kada je najzad učeniku koji se opirao dopustio da izroni, upitao ga je: „Šta si osećao dok si bio pod vodom?“ Učenik odgovori: „Oh, Učitelju, osetio sam da ću umreti ako ne uspem da udahnem vazduh“. Učitelj reče: „Spoznaćeš Boga onoga dana kada osetiš da ćeš umreti ako On ne dođe i pruži ti život. Ako iskreno osetiš da ćeš bez Boga umreti, ako možeš tako da vapiš za Njim, onda ćeš ga sigurno spoznati“.
Učitelj je ponudio tu istinu učeniku. Nažalost, često vidimo da kada neki duhovni Učitelj ponudi istinu, učenici ga pogrešno razumeju. Oni ga razumeju u skladu sa svojom ograničenom svešću i osećaju da je poruka koju je dao Učitelj sasvim pogrešna. Ali, ako istina koju ponudi Učitelj nije shvaćena kako treba i tako korišćena, tada, na polju ispoljavanja učenik, tragalac, nikada neće biti ispunjen. Najviša Istina će za njega uvek ostati nedostižna
U Upanišadama, Indra i Virochana otišli su Prajapatiju radi najvišeg znanja. Indra je predstavljao bogove a Virochana demone. Kada im je Prajapati ponudio znanje Bramana, Indra se neprestano vraćao i vraćao da potvrdi znanje koje je primio i konačno zaista je spoznao najviše Znanje. Ali Virochana je istinu shvatio na svoj način i nije osećao potrebu da se neprestano vraća i vraća da bi spoznao najvišu Istinu.
Postoji priličan broj duhovnih Učitelja na Zemlji koji nude svoju svetlost tragaocima, ali ti tragaoci, na nesreću, ne razumeju poruku Istine koju oni nude. Kako bi mogli da razumeju poruku, značenje, važnost Istine koju nudi njihov učitelj? To mogu samo snagom svoje posećenosti - posvećenosti cilju i posvećenosti Učitelju. Ukoliko imaju osećanje posvećnosti Učitelju i cilju Samospoznaje, onda se Istina može razumeti na način na koji se Istina mora razumeti, i poruka koju nudi duhovni Učitelj da bi odagnao neznanje ne samo da se može ispravno shvatiti, već može naći uporište i u atmosferi Zemlje. Kada Istina stekne stalno uporište ovde, na Zemlji, čovek će dobiti venac večne pobede.
> U konačnom nema sreće.
> Sam Beskraj je sreća.Ništa što je konačno ne može biti otelotvorenje sreće, a da i ne govorimo o trajnom Blaženstvu. Konačno otelotvoruje uživanje, koje nije prava sreća. Beskrajno otelotvoruje pravu božansku sreću u beskrajnoj meri i istovremeno otkriva i nudi celom svetu svoju sopstvenu Istinu, svoje sopstveno Bogatstvo.
Beskrajno se iskazuje kroz beskrajne forme i beskrajne oblike ovde u svetu mnoštva; opet, to Beskrajno uživa na božanski i najuzvišeniji način na našoj Transcendentalnoj Ravni sopstvene svesti. Beskrajno se ovde u svetu mnoštva izražava kroz tri glavne forme. Stvaranje je prvi aspekt Beskrajnog. Drugi aspekt je očuvanje. Treći aspekt je razlaganje ili uništenje.
Ovi termini, stvaranje, očuvanje i uništenje su filozofski i religijski. Sa duhovne tačke gledišta stvaranje je postojalo, postoji i održava se. Kad koristimo termin uništenje, moramo biti veoma pažljivi. Ne postoji tako nešto kao što je uništenje u unutarnjoj viziji Svevišnjeg; to je samopreobražaj. Kada izgubimo svoje želje, osećamo da su one uništene. Ali one nisu uništene; one su samo preobražene u jednu veću viziju koja predstavlja težnju. Započeli smo svoj put sa željom, ali kad smo se otisnuli na duhovnu stazu, želja se povukla pred težnjom. Neprosvetljena svest koju vidimo u formi želje može biti i biće preobražena težnjom u nama. Ono što u svom ograničenom znanju i viziji nazivamo uništenjem, sa duhovne tačke gledišta jeste preobražaj naše neprosvetljene, nečiste, mračne prirode.
> Ekamevadvitiyam.
> Samo Jedno, bez ičega drugog.Iz tog Jednog smo došli u život i na kraju našeg putovanja moramo se vratiti Apsolutnom Jednom. To je putovanje duše. Ako ga doživimo kao spoljašnje putovanje, mi grešimo. Na svom spoljašnjem putovanju imamo polazište i krajnje odredište. Može nam ustrebati nekoliko ili mnogo godina da stignemo do postignutog cilja. Ali, polazište je na jednom mestu a odredište na nekom drugom. Unutrašnje putovanje, međutim, nije takvo putovanje sa početkom tu i ciljem negde drugde. Na našem unutrašnjem putovanju odlazimo duboko unutra i pronalazimo svoju sopstvenu Stvarnost, odnosno svoje sopstveno zaboravljeno Sopstvo.
Kako da otkrijemo svoje zaboravljeno Sopstvo? To činimo putem meditacije. Ima raznih vrsta meditacije: jednostavna meditacije, koju svako poznaje, duboka meditacija koju poznaje duhovni tragalac i viša ili najviša meditacija, koja je meditacija duše, unutar duše i sa dušom za čitavo biće. Kada običan tragalac meditira, on to čini u umu. Ako je malo napredniji, onda to čini u srcu. Ako je veoma uznapredovao u duhovnom životu, on može da meditira u duši i uz pomoć duše radi ispoljavanja Božanskog u ljudskom.
Duhovni Učitelji meditiraju u fizičkom, u vitalu, u umu, u srcu i u dušama svojih učenika. Oni takođe meditiraju u isti mah i na Beskrajno, Večno i Besmrtno. Ovo nisu magloviti pojmovi kad se radi o pravim duhovnim Učiteljima. To su dinamičke stvarnosti, zato što u svojoj unutrašnjoj svesti pravi duhovni Učitelji plivaju u moru Beskraja, Večnosti i Besmrtnosti. Oni se lako mogu koncentrisati, meditirati i kontemplirati na ove tri božanske Stvarnosti koje predstavljaju Apsoluta.
Upanišade su nastale od četiri Vede: Rig vede, Sama vede, Yajur vede i Atharva vede. Svaka veda ima nešto jedinstveno da ponudi ljudskom rodu. Prva i najpoznatija veda je Rig veda. Ona započinje sa jednim kosmičkim Bogom, Agnijem, Bogom Vatre. Vatra znači težnju. Težnja i poruka Veda su nerazdvojne. Ova vatra je vatra unutrašnjeg buđenja i uspinjućeg plamena. Ona u sebi nema dim. Ona ništa ne spaljuje, ona samo prosvetljuje i uzdiže našu svest. Bog-vatra jedini je kosmički Bog koji je bramin. Agni, vatra, iskazuje se putem sedam formi i ona ima sedam značajnih unutarnjih imena: Kali, crna; Karali užasna; Manojava brza poput misli; Sulohita, crvena kao krv; Sudhumravarana, boje dima; Sphuligi, posipač varnica; Vishvaruchi, sav lepota.
Kali, crna, zapravo nije crna. Kali je božanska, sila ili vatra unutar vas koja se bori protiv nebožanskih neprijateljskih sila. Majka Kali bori se sa demonima na bojištu života. Na vitalnom planu vidimo je kao mračnu užasnu Boginju, ali na najvišem nivou svesti ona je zlatne boje. Tamo gde se bori sa neprijateljskim silama vidimo je kao jezivu, ali ona je Samilosna Majka. Mi pogrešno shvatamo njene dinamične crte smatramo ih agresivnim. Majka Kali ima samilost u neograničenoj meri, ali u isti mah neće tolerisati bilo kakvu učmalost, nesavršenost, neukost ili letargiju kod tragaoca. Konačno, Majka Kali je nedostižna lepota. Ta lepota je unutrašnja lepota koja uzdiže ljudsku svest do najvišeg nivoa Blaženstva.
Sama veda nam nudi Božiju muziku, muziku duše. Pored toga, ona nudi religiju Indije, filozofiju Indije i politiku Indije. Sva ova upečatljiva dostignuća Indije potekle su iz Sama vede. Muzici se pridaje izuzetan značaj u Sama vedi. Ona nije ni nalik modernoj muzici, to je baš muzika koja dira dušu. Najveći mudrac iz prošlosti, Jagnavalka, rekao je: „Boravište muzike je Raj“. Upravo Sama veda sadrži ovu rajsku muziku, muziku koja dira dušu, muziku koja okrepljuje život.
Većina vas je pročitala Bhagavad Gitu, Nebesku Pesmu Gospoda Krišne. Tu Gospod Krišna kaže: „Ja sam Sama veda“. On ne kaže da je Rig veda ili Yajur veda ili Atharva veda. Ne, on kaže da je Sama veda. Zašto? Zato što je u Sama vedi Krišna pronašao muziku duše koja je njegova vlastita. Jedan veliki Indijski filozof, Patanđali, svoju filozofiju počinje Sama vedom, upravo zbog njene unutrašnje muzike. Ako bi se iz Božije Tvorevine uklonila muzika, bila bi to jedna prazna tvorevina. Bog Tvorac je Svevišnji Muzičar. Njegova je tvorevina jedino Njegovo Blaženstvo, i upravo putem muzike On nudi sebe i Svojoj deci koja teže i koja ne teže.
U Sama vedi nalazimo najznačajniju Upanišadu, Chandogya upanišadu. Ova upanišada jednaka je Brhadaranyaka upanišadi; ona je daleko Najveća po obimu, ali po mnogima je ne samo najveća, već i najbolja. Pa opet, ima i onih koji su mišljenja da je Isha upanišada koja je malena, jako malena, najbolja, ne zbog svoje dužine, već zbog svoje dubine. Neko će reći da je Svetasvatara ili Katha ili Kena najbolja među upanišadama. Svako ima da iskaže svoje vlastito osećanje važno za suštinu neke određene Upanišade. Chadogya upanišada, koja proističe iz Sama vede, kazuje nešto od najveće važnosti za iskrene tragaoce. Pitanje koje se veoma često postavlja duhovnim učiteljima glasi: „zašto nam je potreban učitelj? Zar ne možemo da spoznamo Boga sami?“ U Chandogya upanišadi postoji jedan naročit metod da se uvere oni koji sumnjaju i ona ljudska bića koja ne poseduju težnju a upuštaju se u raspravu samo rasprave radi.
Chandogya upanišada kaže: razmišljajte o sebi kao o putniku. Skrenuli ste s puta i napao vas je razbojnik. Oduzeo vam je sve dragoceno i vezao vam je oči. Zatim vas je odveo nekud daleko i tamo vas je ostavio. Isprva ste imali vid i mogli ste se kretati naokolo, ali sada je vaša sudbina očajna. Ne možete da vidite, ne možete da hodate, plačete kao bespomoćno dete, ali spasa nema. Sad pretpostavite da neko zatim dođe, odveže vam povez sa očiju i ode. Bili biste u stanju da vidite sve staze oko sebe, ali ne biste znali koja vama odgovara, pa čak i kad biste to znali, ne biste mogli da krenete njome, jer su vam još uvek vezane ruke i noge. U takvom stanju je tragalac koji želi da spozna Boga sam. A sad pretpostavite da naiđe neko, potpuno vas odveže i pokaže vam koja vas staza vodi kući. Ta vam je osoba zaista učinila uslugu. Ako imate poverenja u nju i pouzdanja u sebe, stići ćete do svog odredišta brzo i sigurno. Ukoliko imate poverenja u nju ali nemate poverenja u sopstvenu sposobnost da stignete do cilja, onda će ona poći s vama da vam pomogne. Taj isti učitelj koji vas je oslobodio slepila i pokazao vam stazu poći će sa vama, unutar vas, da vas inspiriše. Delovaće kao vaša sopstvena težnja da bi vas odveo vašem predodređenom Cilju.
Ako dobijete ovakvu vrstu pomoći od nekog duhovnog Učitelja, tada vaš život može biti od značaja, vaš život može uroditi plodom, i vi tada možete trčati najvećom brzinom prema Cilju. U suprotnom, danas ćete ići ovom stazom, sutra onom drugom a prekosutra nekom trećom. Možda ćete imati sposobnost da hodate, ali ćete se neprestano vraćati odakle ste pošli, frustrirani i razočarani. Ako uz sposobnost da hodate znate i pravu stazu i imate pravog Učitelja da vam pomogne, ko vas može sprečiti da stignete do postavljenog Cilja? Kad jednom stignete do svog predodređenog Cilja, dosežete Božje Visine i počinjete da ispoljavate Božju Svetlost ovde na Zemlji. Vi ste ispunjeni – ispunjena mnogostrukost u zagrljaju Jedinstva.
UPA 4. Univezitet Ferli Dikinson, Tinek, Nju Džersi, 30. Novembar 1971.↩
The Upanishads are at once the heart’s aspiration-cry and the soul’s experience-smile. They have the vision of Unity in multiplicity. They are the manifestation of multiplicity in Unity.
The message of the Upanishads is the life divine, the life of transformed humanity, and the life of an illumined earth-consciousness. The Upanishads tell us that the renunciation of desire-life is the fulfilling enjoyment of world-existence. This renunciation is neither self-denial nor self-rejection. This renunciation demands the transcendence of ego to breathe in freely the life-energy of the soul and yet to live a dynamic and active life in the world where one can achieve Infinity’s Height, Eternity’s Delight, and Immortality’s Light.
Each major Upanishad is a pathfinder in the forest of experience that comprises human life. Each major Upanishad offers us the intuitive knowledge and the inner courage to find our way through the labyrinth of curves and dead ends, doubts and subterfuges. We come to realise that life is a glorious adventure of the aspiring heart, searching mind, struggling vital, and unsleeping body. We explore the hidden places of illumining individuality and fulfilling personality. Gone is our mind’s obscurity. Gone is our heart’s poverty. Gone is our vital’s impurity. Gone is our body’s insincerity. The train of Light has arrived. The plane of Delight is come.
The Upanishads teach the seeker that Delight is the manifestation of divine Love, Consciousness is the manifestation of the soul-force, and Existence is the manifestation of Being. In Delight Brahman is Reality. In Love Brahman is Divinity. In Consciousness Brahman contemplates on the Vision of perfect Perfection. In the soul-force Brahman becomes the achievement of perfect Perfection. In Existence Brahman is the Eternal Lover. In Being Brahman is the Eternal Beloved.
For God-realisation we need a Guru. The Katha Upanishad says, “A seeker cannot find his way to God unless he is told of God by another.” The Mundaka Upanishad says, “A seeker must approach a Self-knower for his inner Illumination.” The Prasna Upanishad says, “O Father, you have carried us over to the Golden Shores.” The Katha Upanishad says, “Arise, awake! Listen to and follow the great ones.” The Mundaka Upanishad says, “A guru is he whose outer knowledge is the Veda and whose inner knowledge is the contemplation of Brahman.”
A seeker who studies the Upanishads and leads a life of self-enquiry and self-discipline is not and cannot be a mere player on the stage of life, but is rather a spiritual art director and a real divine producer. Further, he has two broad shoulders and does not mind the burdens of the world. He feels that it is his obligation to assuage the bleeding heart of humanity. His life is the independence of thought and spirit. His heart’s dedicated service receives rich rewards from above. He has mastered his own philosophy of life, which is to please Divinity in humanity.
> Tach chaks ur debahitam...
> May we, for a hundred autumns, see that lustrous Eye, God-ordained, arise before us ...To live a hundred years is not just to drag out our existence here on earth. One has to fight against ignorance. Desultory efforts cannot carry us to God. It takes time to realise God. It takes more time to reveal God. It takes even more time to manifest God. That is why the Seers of the Vedas prayed for sound health, long life, a life beyond a hundred autumns. They also warned us that anything that is deleterious to our health has to be avoided.
> Uru nastanve tan
> Uru ksayaya naskrdhi> Uru no yandhi jivase
Give freedom for our bodies.
Give freedom for our dwelling.Give freedom for our life.
Vivekananda, the great Vedantin of indomitable courage, voiced forth, “Freedom — physical freedom, mental freedom, and spiritual freedom — is the watchword of the Upanishads.”
In order to achieve freedom, we need energy, power, and spirit. And for that, here is the mightiest prayer:
Tejo joh si tejo mayi dhehi...
> Thy fiery spirit I invoke.
> Thy manly vigour I invoke.> Thy power and energy I invoke.
> Thy battle fury I invoke.> Thy conquering mind I invoke.
The Upanishads always hold the intrepid view of life. Progress, constant progress, is the characteristic of the Vedic and Upanishadic age.
> Prehi, abhihi, dhrishnuhi.
> Go forward, fear not, fight.Fight against what? Bondage, ignorance, and death. Life is ours. Victory must needs be ours too. Anything that stands in the seeker’s way has to be thrown aside without hesitation. His is the life that knows no compromise.
The main longing of the Upanishads is for the Ultimate Truth. This Truth can be achieved by a genuine seeker who has many divine qualities, and whose love of God preponderates over every other love. The seeker needs three things: vrate, self-dedication; kripa, grace; and sraddha, faith. These three qualities embodied, satya, truth, is unmistakably attained.
Who wants to remain alone? No one, not even the highest, the first-born, Viraj. There came a time when He felt the need of projecting the cosmic Gods. He projected the Fire God, Agni, the only brahmin God, from His mouth. Indra, Varuna, Yama, Ishana and others were projected from His arms. These are the kshatriya Gods. Then He projected the Vasus, the Rudras, the Maruts. and others from His thighs. These are the vaishya Gods. He projected Pushan from His feet. Pushan is the sudra God.
A brahmin embodies knowledge. A kshatriya embodies strength. A vaishya embodies prosperity. A sudra embodies the secret of self-dedication. These four brothers are the limbs of the cosmic Being. Although they are outwardly distinguishable by their quality and capacity, in spirit they are inseparably one.
Brahman, or the Supreme Self, is the greatest discovery of the Upanishads. No human soul knows or will ever know when ignorance entered into us, for earth-bound time itself is the creation of ignorance. Still, a man swimming in the sea of ignorance need not drown. The Seers of the hoary past, the knowers of the Brahman, in unmistakable terms tell us that all human beings can and must come out of the shackles of ignorance. The knowers of the Transcendental Truth also tell us that the individual soul is in reality identical with the Supreme Self. The only problem is that the individual does not remember its true Transcendental Nature. Finally they tell us that “to know the Self is to become the Self.” On the strength of his direct realisation, a knower of the Brahman declares, “ aham brahmasmi,” “I am Brahman.”
In concluding this talk on the Upanishads, “The Crown of India’s Soul,” my realisation declares that the mind-power, the heart-power, and the soul-power of the Upanishadic consciousness are boundless. In the realm of philosophy, Shankara embodies the mind-power; in the realm of dynamic spirituality, Maharshi Ramana, the great sage of Arunachala, embodies the mind-power. The Christ, the Buddha, and Sri Chaitanya of Nadia, Bengal, embody the heart-power. Sri Krishna and Sri Ramakrishna embody the soul-power. In Sri Aurobindo the vision of the mind-power reached its zenith, and the realisation of the soul-power found its fulfilling manifestation on earth. These spiritual giants and others are steering the life-boat of humanity towards the Transcendental Abode of the Supreme.
UPA 5. Harvard University, Boston, MA, 3 December 1971↩
In the domain of realisation, Brahman is the Sovereign Absolute. In the domain of revelation, Brahman is the Omnipresent Reality. And in the field of manifestation, Brahman is the immortalising Perfection.
Brahman the Creator is the Consciousness-Light; Brahman the Fulfiller is the Consciousness-Delight. Brahman is the inner Soul of all and the only Goal in all.
AUM
When we look within, Brahman is Consciousness-Force. When we look without, Brahman is Self-Manifestation. When we think of Brahman with the mind, earth-bound mind, limited mind, sophisticated mind, unaspiring mind, our life becomes sheer frustration. But when we meditate on Brahman in the heart, in the silent recesses of the heart, our life becomes pure illumination.
AUM
To a non-seeker, Brahman is unknowable. To a beginner-seeker, Brahman is unknown. To a master-seeker, Brahman is knowable, Brahman is known. Further, he himself grows into the Consciousness of Brahman.
> Sarvam khalu idam brahma.
> Indeed, all is Brahman.The Eternal is existence within. The Eternal is existence without.
There is no abiding happiness in the finite. It is only in the Infinite that we can hear the message of eternal Delight: anandam brahma and anantam brahma. These are the two major aspects of Brahman. Anandam brahma is the life of the all-illumining Delight and the all-fulfilling Delight. Anantam brahma is the Life of Infinity.
Here on earth the Life of Infinity constantly grows for the fulfilment of the Absolute Brahman. That is why the Upanishadic Seers sing from the depths of their hearts about the transcendental Delight of the Brahman:
> Anandadd hy eva khalv imani bhutani jayante,
> Anandena jatani jivanti,> Anandam prayantyabhisam visanti.
From the transcendental Delight we came into existence; in Delight we grow and play our respective roles; and at the end of our journey’s close we enter into the Supreme Delight.
Again, when the Seers saw Infinity in Brahman, they sang:
> AUM,
> Purnam adah, purnam idam, purnat purnam udacyate.> Purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate.
Infinity is that.
Infinity is this.From Infinity, Infinity has come into existence.
From Infinity, when Infinity is taken away, Infinity remains.Brahman is active. Brahman is inactive. The active Brahman inwardly does and outwardly becomes. Also, the active Brahman outwardly does and inwardly becomes. But the inactive Brahman is the total Freedom of inaction and complete Freedom in inaction.
Brahman is at once the eternal unborn and the eternal birth and growth of existence. Brahman is ignorance-night. Brahman is knowledge-light. Brahman the ignorance-night needs total transformation. Brahman the knowledge-light needs complete manifestation.
The whole universe came into existence from Brahman the Seed. When Brahman wanted to project Himself, He first projected Himself through four significant worlds: ambhas, the highest world; marichi, the sky; mara, the mortal world, the earth; and apa, the world beneath earth. Then Brahman sent forth the guardians of these worlds. Next, He sent forth food for them. Then Brahman came to realise that He Himself had to take part in His Cosmic Game, so He entered into the Cosmic lila (Game) through His own Yogic power. First He entered into the human body through the skull. The door by which Brahman entered is called the Door of Delight. This door is the highest centre of consciousness. This is known as sahasrara, the thousand-petaled lotus. It is situated in the centre of the brain. The realisation of the Yogi enters there and becomes one with the Consciousness of the Brahman.
Brahman has many names, but His secret name is AUM.
> Pranavo dhanuh saro atma...
> AUM is the bow and atma, the Self, is the arrow; Brahman is the target.Through repeated practice the arrow is fixed into the target, the Brahmic Consciousness. That is to say, through regular concentration, meditation, and contemplation, the seeker enters into the Absolute Consciousness of the Brahman.
Creation is the supreme sacrifice of the Brahman. Creation is by no means a mechanical construction. Creation is a spiritual act, supremely revealing, manifesting, and fulfilling the divine splendour of the Brahman. The divine Architect is beyond creation, and at the same time manifests Himself in and through creation.
Brahman created out of His Being priests, warriors, tradesmen, and servants. Then He created the Law. Nothing can be higher than this Law. This Law is Truth. When a man speaks the Truth, he declares the Law. When he declares the Law, he speaks the Truth. The Truth and the Law are one, inseparable.
Indian mythology has divided Time — not earthbound time but eternal Time — into four divisions: satya yuga, treta yuga, dwapara yuga, and kali yuga. According to many we are now in the kali yuga. Brahman in the kali yuga is fast asleep. He is in inconscience-ignorance-mire. In the dwapara yuga He awakes and He looks around. In the treta yuga He stands up, about to move forward. In the satya yuga, the Golden age, He moves fast, faster, fastest, towards His Goal. The message of the Vedas, the eternal message of the Aryan culture and civilisation, the realisation of the Indian Sages and Seers, is movement, inner progress, the life’s march towards the destined Goal.
> Charai veti, charai veti.
> Move on, move on.UPA 6. Yale University, New Haven, CT, 8 December 1971↩
> Tat savitur varenyam
> Bhargo devasya dhimahi> Dhiyo yo nah pracodayat.
We meditate on the transcendental glory of the Deity Supreme, who is inside the heart of the earth, inside the life of the sky, and inside the soul of the heaven. May He stimulate and illumine our minds.
The Gayatri Mantra is the most hallowed mantra of the Vedas. It is the mother of all the mantras. Mantra means incantation. A mantra can be a one-syllable word or a few words, a sentence or a few sentences. The Gayatri Mantra can offer to the sincere seeker the Light of the Infinite, the Delight of the Eternal, and the Life of the Immortal.
The Gayatri Mantra has four feet. The first foot consists of the earth, sky, and heaven. The second foot consists of the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, and the Sama Veda. The third foot consists of prana, apana, and vyana. The fourth foot consists of the Sun, the solar being.
A seeker of the infinite Truth must meditate on the Gayatri Mantra. The result that he will get is incalculable.
Bhumir, earth; antariksam, sky; and dys, heaven, make up the first foot of the Gayatri. Whoever realises the significance of the first foot wins everything that is in those three worlds.
Rcah, yajumsi, samani, make up the second foot of the Gayatri. Whoever realises the second foot of the Gayatri wins the knowledge-sea of the three Vedas.
Prana, apana, and vyana, the three forms of the vital force, make up the third foot of the Gayatri. The knower of this foot wins all the living creatures that exist in the universe.
Turiyam, the quaternary, the Solar Being Transcendental who alone shines, is the fourth foot. He who realises this fourth foot shines with infinite magnificence.
Subtle is the path to moksha, liberation. Hard is the path to liberation. But a genuine seeker can reach the Goal solely by meditating on the Gayatri Mantra. When one is freed from the fetters of ignorance, one grows into the supernal glory of the Transcendental Self. Liberation can be achieved, must be achieved, while the seeker’s soul is in the body. To fail to realise God on earth is to swim in the sea of ignorance with two more swimmers: ignorant birth and shameless death. Liberation attained, the bonds of grief destroyed. Before liberation, like the Buddha we have to proclaim, “This fleeting world is the abode of sorrow.”
The teeming desire-night that has occupied the heart of the seeker must needs be driven out by the glowing aspiration-light. This done, the seeker attains to the Brahman. An Immortal he becomes. The Light Eternal is his new name. Today the seeker feels that the Gayatri is his mind’s inspiration. Tomorrow he will feel that the Gayatri is his soul’s realisation.
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With inspiration a seeker sees the Truth.With aspiration a seeker realises the Truth.
With realisation a seeker becomes the Truth.Inspiration is might.
Aspiration is light.Realisation is life.
Inspiration runs.
Aspiration flies.Realisation dives.
Inspiration is the Smile of God.
Aspiration is the Cry of God.Realisation is the Love of God.
```The Gayatri is eternal knowledge divine. When this knowledge dawns in the seeker’s aspiring heart, he need no longer seek for anything, either on earth or in heaven. He reveals what he achieves. He manifests what he reveals.
In the Vedas there are two most significant words: satyam and ritam. Satyam is Truth in its pure existence. Ritam is Truth in its dynamic movement. There is another word, brihat, which means vastness in form. What we call creation is the manifestation of the Unmanifest, asat. According to our scriptures, the manifestation took place with the anahata dhvani, the soundless sound, AUM.
The Gayatri is dedicated to Savita, the Creator. The root of the word Savita is su, to create or to loose forth. This mantra is known also as Savitri Mantra, for Savitri is the Shakti of Savita. This mantra was envisioned by Vishwamitra, the great Rishi. Savita is regarded as Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva. Brahma, the Creator, with Brahmani as his Shakti; Vishnu, the Preserver, with his Shakti, Vaishnavi; and Siva or Rudra, the Destroyer, with his Shakti, Rudrani, regularly visit the Brahman. The Eagle is the vehicle-bird of Vishnu. The Swan is the vehicle-bird of Brahma. The Bull is the vehicle-beast of Siva.
The Gayatri Mantra is the divine magnetic needle. The magnetic needle points to the north, hence the ship does not lose its direction. The Gayatri Mantra always points to the transcendental Height of the Supreme, hence the seeker does not miss his Goal: Existence, Consciousness, Bliss.
UPA 7. Columbia University, New York, NY, 10 December 1971↩
The journey’s start and the journey’s close. Human aspiration is the journey’s start. Divine manifestation is the journey’s close. Birthless is the journey’s birth, and endless is the journey’s end.
We came; we shall return. We came from the Supreme Being. To the Supreme Being we shall return. We embody the earth-consciousness and the Heaven-consciousness. The earth-consciousness inspires us to meditate on the transcendental Truth and realise the transcendental Truth in the soul of Heaven. The Heaven-consciousness inspires us to meditate on love and manifest love in the heart of earth.
We know, we grow, and we become. We know in Heaven. We grow here on earth. We become the transcendental Truth. What we know is Reality. What we grow into is Immortality. What we eventually become is divinity’s Perfection. Reality embodies Immortality and Divinity. Immortality and Divinity manifest Reality.
The Upanishads teach us the significant truth that each individual seeker must have inner peace and outer freedom. It is in inner peace that we can have true outer freedom. From the Upanishads we learn how to discover God, the inner man, and see man, the revealed God. The Upanishads tell us that the dedicated human beings, the surrendered human souls are God’s necessity, and each realised human being is given God’s unreserved infinite capacity.
Here is the secret of the Upanishads: love, serve, and become. Love God’s Life in man, serve God’s Light in man, and become God’s perfect Perfection here on earth.
In two words we can sum up the message of all the Upanishads: aspiration and manifestation. Aspiration is the way, and manifestation is the Goal. Aspiration is the song of the infinite eternal Consciousness abiding within us. Manifestation is the dance of unity’s multiplicity within and without us. Aspiration is the height of our Delight, and manifestation is the light of all-nourishing and all-fulfilling Delight.
AUM
Each soul needs involution and evolution. When the soul descends, it is the soul’s involution. When the soul ascends, it is the soul’s evolution. The soul enters into the lowest abyss of inconscience. The soul evolves again into satchidananda — Existence, Consciousness, Bliss — the triple Consciousness.
The soul enters into inconscience. For millions of years it remains there, fast asleep. All of a sudden one day a spark of consciousness from the ever-transcending Beyond opens its eye and then the hour strikes for self-enquiry. “Who am I?” it asks. The answer is tat twam asi, “That thou art.” The soul is thrilled. Then again it falls asleep. Again it enters into self-oblivion. More questions arise after some time: Whose am I? I am of That. Where have I come from? From That. To Whom am I returning? To That. For Whom am I here on earth? For That.
Then the soul is satisfied. The soul now is fully prepared for its journey upward — high, higher, highest. At this moment the soul sees the Self, an exact prototype of the Supreme Being here on earth, and the evolution of the soul starts properly. The soul, from the mineral life enters into the plant life, from the plant to the animal life, from the animal life to the human, and from the human into the divine life. While in the human, the soul brings down Peace, Light, and Bliss from above. First it offers these divine qualities to the heart, then to the mind, then to the vital, then to the gross physical. When illumination takes place, we see it in the heart, we see it in the physical mind, in the vital, and in the gross physical body.
The Upanishads are also called Vedanta. Vedanta means the end of the Vedas, the cream of the Vedas, the essence of the Vedas. It is said that Vedanta is the end of all difference — the point where there can be no difference between the lowest and the highest, between the finite and the Infinite.
AUM
Our journey starts with aspiration. What is aspiration? It is the inner cry, inner hunger for the infinite vast. Aspiration has a most sincere friend — concentration. How do we concentrate; where do we concentrate? We concentrate on an object, on a being, on a form, or on the formless. When we concentrate with the help of the mind, we feel that eventually we shall see the vastness of the Truth. When we concentrate with the help of the heart, we feel that one day we shall feel the intimacy with the universal consciousness and God the eternal Beloved. When we concentrate with the help of our soul’s Light, we feel that man is God in His preparation, and God is man in his culmination.
The unaspiring mind is our real problem. The human mind is necessary to some extent. Without it we would remain in the animal domain. But we have to know that the human mind is very limited. The human mind is insufficient. In the human mind there cannot be any abiding Light, Life, or Delight. The human mind tells us that the finite is the finite, the Infinite is the Infinite. There is a yawning gulf between the two. They are like the North Pole and the South Pole. Whatever is Infinite can never be finite, and vice-versa. Infinity, the human mind feels, is unattainable. When something is finite, it is simply impossible for the human mind to feel that that, too, is God. Also, this mind quite often feels that because of His greatness God is aloof and indifferent.
When we meditate in the heart we come to realise that God is infinite and God is omnipotent. If He is infinite, on the strength of His omnipotence He can also be finite. He exists in our multifarious activities; He is everywhere. He includes everything; He excludes nothing. This is what our inner meditation can offer us. Our heart’s meditation also tells us that God is dearer than the dearest and that He is our only Beloved.
Inspiration, aspiration, and realisation — these are the three rungs of the spiritual ladder. When we want to climb from the finite to the Infinite with God’s boundless Bounty, the first rung is inspiration, the second rung is aspiration, and the third rung is realisation, our destined Goal.
To achieve the Highest, we become inspiration, aspiration, and realisation; and to manifest the Highest here on earth, we become Compassion, Concern, and Love. This is how we start our journey; this is how we end our journey. Again, when we become one with the Inner Pilot, inseparably one with the Inner Pilot, there is no beginning, there is no end. His cosmic lila, divine Game, is birthless and endless.
In human realisation, God within us is aspiration and realisation bound by earth-consciousness, bound by earthly time. But in divine Realisation, God is the Beyond, the ever-transcending Beyond. He plays the Game of the ever-transcending Beyond. He Himself is the aspiration of the ever-transcending Beyond, and He Himself is the manifestation of the ever-transcending Beyond. When we consciously know Him, realise Him, become inseparably one with Him, we too play His divine Game, the Game of Infinity, Eternity, and Immortality.
AUM. AUM. AUM.
UPA 8. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 26 January 1972↩
Life is a problem. Even so is death. The aspiring Aryans of the hoary past wanted to solve these two problems. Soon they came to realise that their senses could be of almost no help to them in solving these two major problems. They also came to realise that it is the knowledge of the ultimate Reality alone that can solve, once and for all, the problems of life and death.
All of a sudden two divine soldiers came in. Nobody knows where they came from. These two soldiers were Inspiration and Aspiration. The first soldier, Inspiration, commanded them: “Give up the study of the body.” They immediately did so. The second soldier, Aspiration, commanded them: “Take up the study of the soul.” They immediately did so. Lo, the King and the Queen from the Golden Shore of the Beyond garlanded them, the seekers, the seers, and the knowers of Light and Truth.
What do the Upanishads actually mean? If you ask a Western seeker, he will immediately say, “Very simple. Sit at the feet of the Master and learn.” If you ask an Eastern seeker the same question, he will quietly say, “Very difficult. Transform human darkness into divine Light.” Both the Western and the Eastern seeker are perfectly right. No Master, no discovery of the transcendental Reality. No transformation of darkness, no manifestation of Divinity on earth.
Who needs the Truth? A seeker. When does he achieve the Truth? He achieves the Truth when he becomes the surrendered and divine lover.
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His first achievement is God the Creator.His second achievement is God the Preserver.
His third achievement is God the Transformer.His fourth achievement is: Thou art That.
His fifth achievement is: I am That.His sixth achievement is: He and I are one.
His seventh achievement is: He am I.In the Creator he sees.
In the Preserver he feels.In the Transformer he becomes.
```The heart of the Upanishads is the purusha. The life of the purusha is the message of the Upanishads. Who is the purusha? The purusha is the real dweller in the body of the universe. The purusha is three-fold: the outer atman, the inner atman, and the paramatman.
The outer atman is the gross physical body. The outer atman is that which grows in the body, with the body, and for the body. The outer atman is the identification of one’s body with the gross aspect of life. Here we live, we are hurt, we hurt others, we enjoy pleasure from others, we offer pleasure to others. This atman exists, changes, develops, and finally decays.
The inner atman is the discriminating Self. The inner atman identifies itself with the aspiring earth-consciousness. It identifies itself with air, ether, fire, water, and earth. The inner atman is the thinker, the doer, and the direct messenger of God. The inner atman manifests its inner realisation through outer experience.
The paramatman reveals itself through the process of Yoga. Neither is it born, nor does it die. It is beyond all qualities. It is all-pervading, unimaginable, and indescribable. It is Eternity’s Reality, and Reality’s Divinity.
Each Upanishad is a mighty drop from the fountain of eternal Life. This drop can easily cure the teeming ills of human life. The infinite Power of this drop can free us from the endless rotation of human birth and death.
The mind, assisted by the body, creates bondage. The heart, assisted by the soul, offers liberation. The unaspiring mind thinks useless thoughts and down it sinks. It thinks too much and sinks too fast. The blind body is constantly digging its own grave. The heart wants to love and be loved. God gives the heart the life of oneness. The soul wants to reveal God. God fulfils the soul, and by doing so, He brings down the Message of Perfection in the Divinity of manifested Reality.
UPA 9. Brown University, Providence, RI, 9 February 1972↩
Existence is cherished by the aspiring consciousness and by God’s own highest Reality. Reality and existence have to go together. Reality without existence is an impossibility, and existence without reality is an absurdity. Divine Reality and Divine Existence always go together.
Existence expresses itself only through Truth. This Truth conquers everything that is untruth. India’s motto, satyam eva jayate, means ‘Truth alone conquers.’ What is this Truth? This Truth is at once the Depth of God’s Heart and the Height of God’s Head.
Truth is our inner promise. Our inner promise, soul’s promise, is that in this incarnation we will realise God, not by hook or by crook, but under the able guidance of our spiritual Master, because we feel that this is what the Supreme within us wants. What for? So that we can serve Him in His own Way.
The highest way of feeling this Truth is to feel this: “If He does not want me to realise Him in this incarnation, but in some future incarnation, I am fully prepared to abide by His decision.” But the seeker must have a dynamic feeling. If he just says, “Oh, let me play my role. Let me be nice, sincere, truthful, obedient, and when the time comes, He will do it all,” then relaxation comes. Very often when we say, “Let me play my role, and God will take care of my realisation,” God does take care of our realisation. But if we feel that if we can become fully realised as soon as possible, then we can be of real help to God, then we are bound to get our realisation faster.
If we have Peace, Light, Bliss, only then can we be of real service to mankind. The idea of God-realisation at God’s choice Hour must come from the very depth of our heart, and not from our mental knowledge. Unfortunately, it usually does not come from the heart, it comes only from the clever mind which says, “I have read in books and I have heard from the Master that if I do not want anything from God, then God will give me everything.” It is better to pray to God to give you peace of mind so that you can see the Truth in totality. To ask God for peace of mind is not a crime. If you do not have peace of mind, wherever you are, whether in the subway, or in the country, or in Times Square, there will be no God there for you. God has given us some intelligence. In the morning if you say, “God, it is up to You whether I eat or not. I will just stay here in bed,” God is not going to put food into your mouth. No, God has given you the necessary intelligence to know that you have to put forth some effort. You have to leave the bed and take a shower and eat by your own effort.
In the inner life, if you want purity, humility, peace of mind, and other divine qualities, then you have to make an effort to get them. It is true that if you don’t pray to God for anything then He will give you everything, but this truth has to be understood in its highest way. If you don’t pray to God, or aspire for God-realisation, or even think of God, then how do you expect God to give you everything? He will give you everything on the strength of your absolute faith in Him combined with your sincere inner cry.
The Upanishads come from the Vedas. Now what is the difference between the gifts which we get from the Vedas and the gifts which we get from the Upanishads? The Vedas are like a storehouse — everything is there, but it is not kept in proper order. Also, in it there are quite a few things which are unimportant for the modern world, for present-day life, for evolved human beings, for the intelligent or developed mind. The Upanishads come to our rescue. They take the inspiration and aspiration from the Vedas, but they have their own originality. All that is good in the Vedas the Upanishads gladly take and offer in a special manner.
Without the Vedas, the Upanishads do not exist. The Vedas are the source. But the wealth of the Vedas can be offered properly to the generality of mankind only through the Upanishads. The Upanishads have the capacity to enter into the source, and the capacity to offer the illumining, fulfilling wealth of the source in a way that can be accepted and understood by humanity at large. They are the end or cream of the Vedas; they are called Vedanta. On the mental plane, on the spiritual plane, on the psychic plane, on the moral plane, all of India’s achievements come from the polished, developed, aspiring, and illumining consciousness of the Upanishads.
Buddhism is a form of Vedanta philosophy. But Buddha’s philosophy emphasises a special aspect of Vedanta. We speak of Buddha as the Lord of Compassion. We speak of Buddha’s moral ethics. Where did all this come from? From Vedanta. But while expressing the Vedantic or Upanishadic truth, Buddha offered his own inner light in a specific way. That is why ordinary human beings find it difficult to believe that Vedanta was the original source of Buddha’s teachings.
In the Western world we have Pythagoras and Plato, two great philosophers. You can see that the philosophy of both of them, and especially of Plato, has been greatly inspired by Upanishadic thought. Unfortunately, people believe that the Western world did not accept anything from an Eastern source, but it is not true. Sufism, this emotional or psychic mysticism of the West — where does it come from? Again, from the Upanishads, the same source.
The world has received many significant things from the Upanishads, but unfortunately the world does not want to offer credit to the source. No harm. A child takes money from his parents and tells his friends that it is his money. Friends of his age believe that it is his, but adults will say, “He does not work. Where can he get money?” They know that he has got it from his parents. Millions of people have been inspired by the Upanishadic lore, consciously or unconsciously. In India and in the West there are many paths, many religions, which have taken abundant light from the Upanishads. But they find it hard to give credit to the source.
The Upanishadic Seers abide within us. They do not need any appreciation or recognition. What do they want? What do they expect? From the genuine seekers and followers of Truth, what they want and expect is the application of the Truth which has been offered. If the Truth is applied in our daily lives, no matter where it came from, divinity will loom large in us, and divinity will offer appreciation, admiration and glorification to the source. Even God does not expect or demand anything more from us as long as we apply the Truth in our own lives consciously, constantly, devotedly, soulfully, and unconditionally.
UPA 10. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, 11 February 1972↩
> Aum bhur bhuvah svah
> Tat savitur varenyam> Bhargo devasya dhimahi
> Dhiyo yo nah pracodayat.Translation:
We meditate on the transcendental glory of the Deity Supreme, who is inside the heart of the earth, inside the life of the sky, and inside the soul of the heaven. May He stimulate and illumine our minds.
Comment:
Illumination needed; here is the answer. Transcendental illumination transforms the animal in us, liberates the human in us, and manifests the Divine in us.> Purnam adah, purnam idam, purnat purnam udacyate.
> Purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate.Translation:
Infinity is that.
Infinity is this.From Infinity, Infinity has come into existence.
From Infinity, when Infinity is taken away, Infinity remains.Comment:
Infinity is the concealed Breath of the Pilot Supreme.
Infinity is the revealed Life of the Supreme’s Boat. Infinity is the fulfilled Body of the Goal Supreme.> Asato ma sad gamaya
> Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya> Mrtyor ma amrtam gamaya.
Translation:
Lead me from the unreal to the Real.
Lead me from darkness to Light.Lead me from death to Immortality.
Comment:
The unreal in us desires the pleasure-life of the finite. The Real in us aspires for the God-Life of the Infinite.
Darkness is the discoverer of the doubting and frustrated mind. Light is the discoverer of the aspiring and dedicated heart.
Death — where is the cat? Miaowing nowhere. Immortality — where is the lion? Roaring all-where.
Anor aniyam mahato mahiyan
Atmasya jantor nihito guhayam.Translation
Smaller than the smallest life, larger than the infinite Vast,
The soul breathes in the secret heart of man.Comment
The soul is God’s eternal child and man’s great-grandfather.
As God’s eternal child the soul unceasingly plays. As man’s eternal grandfather the soul perpetually enjoys rest.> Vedaham etam purusam mahantam
> Aditya-varnam tamasah parastat.Translation
I have known this Great Being, effulgent as the sun beyond the boundaries of tenebrous gloom.
Comment
Before our realisation this Great Being quenched our heart’s thirst.
After our realisation we feed the soul’s hunger of this Great Being.Satyam eva jayate.
Translation
Truth alone triumphs.
Comment
Truth is God’s Crown offered to God by God Himself.
Truth realised, God is forever caught.> Devebhyah kam avrnita mrtyum
> Prajayai kam amrtam navrnita.
Translation
For the sake of the gods, he (Brihaspati) chose death.
He chose not Immortality for the sake of man.Comment
Brihaspati houses the flowing life of the gods and treasures the glowing love of man.> Uru nastanve tan
> Uru ksayaya naskrdhi> Uru no yandhi jivase
Translation
For our body give us freedom.
For our dwelling give us freedom.For our life give us freedom.
Comment
God’s Compassion is the freedom of our body. God’s Concern is the freedom of our dwelling. God’s Love is the freedom of our life.> Agnir jyotir jyotir Agnir
> Indro jyotir jyotir Indrah> Surye jyotir jyotih Suryah.
Translation
Agni is Light and the Light is Agni.
Indra is Light and the Light is Indra.Surya is Light and the Light is Surya.
Comment
Light is Love revealed.
Light is Life manifested. Light is God fulfilled.Anandadd hy eva khalv imani bhutani jayante
Anandena jatani jivantiAnandam prayantyabhisam visanti
Translation
From Delight we came into existence.
In Delight we grow.At the end of our journey’s close, into Delight we retire.
Comment
God has written an open letter to His human children. His letter runs: “My sweetest children, you are the only delight of My universal Existence.”> Hiranmayena patrena satyasyapihitam mukham;
> Tat tvam, pusan, apavrnu, satya-dharmaya drstaye.Translation
The Face of Truth is covered with a brilliant golden orb. Remove it, O Sun, so that I who am devoted to the Truth may behold the Truth.
Comment
The Face of Truth awakens us.
The Eye of Truth feeds us. The Heart of Truth builds us.> Saha nau avatu, saha nau bhunaktu
> Saha viryam karavavahai.Translation
May He protect us together.
May He own us together.May He make unto us vigour and virility.
Comment
God, Guru, and disciple:
God is Compassion and Protection;Guru is Concern;
The disciple is dedication. When these three work together, perfect Perfection shines, and it will shine through eternity.> Yenaham namrta syam
> Kim aham tena kuryamTranslation
What shall I do with the things that cannot make me immortal?
Comment
God is eternally proud of man because he embodies God’s Immortality.Madhuman me parayanam
Madhumat punarayanam.Translation
Sweet be my departure from home.
Sweet be my return.Comment
My sweet departure from my eternal home has made me feel how brave I am.
My sweet return to my eternal home shall make me feel how fortunate I am.> Agne naya supatha, raye asman;
> Visvani, deva, vayunani vidvan;> Yuyodhyasmaj juharanam eno
> Bhuyistham te nama-uktim vidhema.Translation
O Agni, O Fire God, lead us along the right path so that we can enjoy the fruits of our divine actions.
You know, O God, all our deeds.O God, take away from us all our unaspiring and binding sins and destroy them.
To You we offer our teeming, soulful salutations and prayers.Comment
Heart’s aspiration is the right path.
God’s Compassion is the genuine guidance.The fruits of our divine actions are Peace, Light, and Bliss.
Sin is the smile of self-limiting bondage. In our prayers and salutations abides God the illumining Saviour.> Uttisthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata;
> Ksurasya dhara nisita duratyaya;> Durgam pathas tat kavayo vadanti.
Translation
Arise, awake, realise and achieve the Highest with the help of the illumining, guiding, and fulfilling Masters.
The path is as sharp as the edge of a razor, difficult to cross, hard to tread — so declare the wise sages.Comment
“Arise, you need God.
Awake, God needs you.”Who brings this message? The Master.
The road may be long, but not endless. The goal is not only an endless life, but an ever energising immortal breath. A wise sage is he whose outer life is the manifestation of the Truth’s inner life.> Yo vai bhuma tat sukham
> Nalpe sukham asti> Bhumaiva sukham.
Translation
The Infinite is the satisfying happiness.
In the finite no happiness can ever breathe.The Infinite alone is the fulfilling happiness.
Comment
The Life Infinite is the Delight Infinite.
The finite is a stranger to the infinite Happiness.Infinity without Delight means the creation without a Creator. Indeed, this is absurd.
Delight without Infinity means the Creator without the creation. Indeed, this is equally absurd.> Na tatra suryo bhati
> Na candra-tarakam> Nema vidyuto bhanti;
> Kuto ‘yam agnih:> Tam eva bhantam anubhati sarvam
> Tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhati.Translation
There the sun shines not, nor the moon and the stars, nor the lightning, let alone this earthly fire.
Only when illumining Light shines, everything else shines; the self-revealing Light illumines the entire universe.Comment
The outer sun asks us to see, and when we look around we see all darkness.
The inner sun makes us see what we eternally are: the Light Infinite.Nayam atma bala-hinena labhyo.
Translation
This soul cannot be won by the weakling.
Comment
True, a weak aspirant cannot realise his soul. Again, who can really be strong before he has realised his soul?
A weak aspirant is God in His perfecting aspiration. A strong aspirant is God in His manifesting realisation.> Yo devo’ gnau yo’ psu yo visvam bhuvanam avivesa
> Ya osadhisu yo vanaspatisu tasmai devaya namo namah.Translation
We offer our supreme salutations to this divine Being who is in fire, in water, in the plants, in the trees, and who has entered and pervaded the whole universe.
Comment
Fire is aspiration.
Water is consciousness.A plant is a climbing hope.
A tree is an assuring confidence. The divine Being is the concealed Breath and revealed Life of the universe.> Vidyam cavidyam ca yas tad vedobhyam saha
> Avidyaya mrtyum tirtva vidyayamrtam asnute.Translation
He who knows and understands knowledge and ignorance as one, through ignorance passes beyond the domain of death, through knowledge attains to an eternal Life and drinks deep the Light of Immortality.
Comment
Ignorance is the knowledge of the physical mind.
Knowledge is the secret of the soul. When the physical mind surrenders its existence to the illumination of the soul, death dies; Immortality dawns.> Bhadram karnebhih srunuyama devah
> Bhadram pasyemaksabhir yajatrah;> Sthirair angais tustuvamsas tanubhih
> Vyaséma deva-hitam yad ayuh.Translation
O Cosmic Gods, may we hear with our human ears all that is auspicious.
O Gods who are truly worthy of worship, may we see with our human eyes all that is auspicious.May we enjoy our life given by You, offering constant praises with our sound body and earthly existence to You.
Comment
To hear an auspicious thing is to invoke God the Inspiration and God the Aspiration.
To see an auspicious thing is to feel God the Light and God the Delight.The philosophy of the Upanishads.
The religion of the Upanishads.The spirituality of the Upanishads.
The Yoga of the Upanishads.```
When we think of the Upanishads, immediately our minds enter into these particular subjects — philosophy, religion, spirituality, and Yoga.The philosophy of the Upanishads is the vastness of the mind.
The religion of the Upanishads is the oneness of the heart.
The spirituality of the Upanishads is the immortality of the soul.
The Yoga of the Upanishads is the total manifestation of God here on earth.
The vastness of the mind needs God the infinite Consciousness.
The oneness of the heart needs God the supreme and eternal Beloved.
The immortality of the soul needs God the ever-transcending Beyond.
The total manifestation of God needs man’s constant inner hunger.
God is Purity in the vastness of the mind.
God is Beauty in the oneness of the heart.
God is Life in the immortality of the soul.
AUM
The philosophy of the Upanishads tells me, “See the Truth.”
The religion of the Upanishads tells me, “Feel the Truth.”
The spirituality of the Upanishads tells me, “Grow into the Truth.”
The Yoga of the Upanishads tells me, “Become the Truth.”
God tells me, “You are the Truth.”
When I see the Truth, I know what God’s Compassion is.
When I feel the Truth, I know what God’s Love is.
When I grow into the Truth, I know what God’s Concern is.
When I become the Truth, I know what God’s Selfless Life is, and what His unconditional Duty is.
When I realise that I am the Truth, the full manifestation of Divinity’s Light begins.
The Upanishads offer to each aspiring heart countless messages. There are quite a few messages which are at once most significant and most fulfilling. Here is a stupendous message about life and death. Before death and after death, what happens? This is the message of the Upanishads:
```
Before death, life is a seeker.After death, the same life becomes a dreamer.
Before death, life struggles and strives for Perfection.
After death, the same life rests and enjoys the divine Bliss with the soul.Before death, life is God’s Promise.
After death, life is God’s inner Assurance. This Assurance of God’s we notice while we fulfil God in our future incarnation.```
Life for each individual is an act of inspiration and revelation. Life is an experience; even so is death. Our human life is God’s sacred flame mounting towards the highest Source. Human death, the so-called death, is a secret play of God’s Will.AUM
When we study the Upanishads we start with the concentration of the mind. This concentration of the mind is the most difficult thing that we can ever think of. We know what the mind is, we know what concentration is, but when it is a matter of concentration of the mind, it is extremely difficult to do.
Once some spiritual aspirants went to their Master and said, “Master, we have been meditating for so many years — for ten long years. How is it that we cannot control our minds?” The Master said, “My children, God-realisation is not so easy. Had it been easy, you would have by this time controlled your minds. God-realisation is extremely difficult — here is the proof. We consider the mind to be our best instrument. We consider it to be the highest, the most developed part in our human life. But look at its helplessness.” Then he went on to say, “You are all standing before me. Now if somebody stands up right on the shoulders of one of your spiritual brothers, what will happen? Immediately your brother will be irritated, he will feel disturbed. His prestige will be hurt. He is also a human being. How does someone dare to stand on his shoulders? The same thing happens to the mind. When the mind is agitated by our thoughts — low, undivine, uncomely thoughts — it does not allow us to become calm, quiet, and serene enough to meditate on God.”
The origin of the mind is divine; the mind itself is divine. But unfortunately the mind that we are using right now is the physical mind, which cannot help us at all in our upward journey. This mind has consciously or unconsciously accepted three undivine friends: fear, doubt and jealousy. I said in the beginning of this talk that the vastness of the mind is the philosophy of the Upanishads. Now, when vastness wants to appear before the physical mind, the physical mind is horror-struck. It is afraid of the vastness. Further, it looks at its own insufficiency, its own limited capacity, and says, “How is it possible? I am so weak; I am so impotent; I am so insignificant. How can the vastness accept me as its very own?” First it is afraid of vastness, then it doubts. It doubts the very existence of vastness. Then, by God’s infinite Grace, fear leaves the mind and doubt leaves the mind. Alas, now jealousy comes in. The mind looks around and sees that there is some fulfilment in the vastness, whereas in its own existence there is no fulfilment, there is no joy. Jealousy starts. Fear, doubt, and jealousy — these three undivine forces — attack the mind and make it meaningless, helpless and hopeless in our upward journey. When the mind is attacked by fear, doubt and jealousy, something else consciously and deliberately enters and feeds the mind, and that is our ego. With ego starts the beginning of our spiritual end.
AUM
We have to go beyond the domain of the physical mind with the help of philosophy, religion, spirituality, and Yoga. The seeking mind operates in philosophy. The crying heart operates in religion. The illumining soul operates in spirituality. The fulfilling Goal operates in Yoga.
There are two approaches to the Goal. One approach is through the mind, the other is through the heart. The approach of the mind is not safe; it is not secure. But one eventually can reach the Goal. It is not that if you approach God through the mind you will not realise God. You will realise God, but the road is arduous. You may doubt your aspiration, you may doubt God’s Compassion for you. Hence it may take you hundreds, thousands of years to reach the Goal. But the approach through the heart is safe and sure. We can do one of two things: either we can identify ourselves with the subject or the object — with the Supreme Pilot, the Eternal Beloved — or we can surrender our existence at every second to the Inner Pilot. Either we have to become totally one with the Will of the Inner Pilot, or we have to surrender totally, unconditionally to the Inner Pilot. When we approach God in either of these ways, His Infinity, Eternity, Divinity, Immortality we feel immediately as our very own.
If we follow the messages of the Upanishads step by step, if we start first with philosophy, then with religion, then with spirituality, and finally with Yoga, then God-realisation need not and cannot remain a far cry. God-discovery is our birthright. If we really want to discover God, then we can start right from the beginning: philosophy, religion, spirituality, and Yoga. When we fulfil the demands of philosophy, religion, spirituality, and Yoga, God fulfils all our demands. Their demands are very simple: aspiration and self-control. Our demands are God’s gifts: Peace, Light, Bliss and Power.
Do we really care for God’s gifts? If we really care for God’s gifts, then God will offer us the capacity to receive His infinite wealth. In our ordinary life when we want something from somebody else, that person won’t give us the capacity to receive it. He will demand our own capacity. If we have the capacity, if we work for one day, then the boss will give us the salary. But in the spiritual life, God wants to know whether we really want the salary — Peace, Light, and Bliss. If we want them, then He Himself will energise us and be our aspiration and self-control. He will work in and through us. He will work as the seeker within us, and at the same time He will work as the Pilot for us. He Himself will be both Employer and Employee. If we really want God, God will play at once both the roles. He will be the Employer and the Employee. He will be the Seeker and the Fulfiller.
UPA 34. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 1 March 1972↩
Do you want money? The Upanishads will teach you how to get it. Do you care for power, honour, name and fame? The Upanishads will show you how to acquire them. Or do you prefer the higher realities — inner Peace, Light, and Bliss? These too — especially these — the Upanishads will teach you how to achieve. Whether you care for the temporal or the eternal, the Upanishads embody the path which will lead you to your goal.
Upanishad means "Brahma-Knowledge" or "the Knowledge of God". This knowledge illumines earthly darkness and transforms human ignorance. At the end of our spiritual journey we see darkness growing into Light, and ignorance into inner Wisdom.
In this book, The Upanishads: The Crown of India's Soul, Sri Chinmoy, renowned philosopher and spiritual Master from India, offers his illumining light on the principal Upanishads to all seekers of the Truth. From the vast sea of wisdom offered in the Upanishads, Sri Chinmoy isolates and expands the most inspiring and illumining truths. From his thirteen talks on the Upanishads the aspiring reader can derive tremendous assistance in understanding the secrets recorded by India's ancient sages.
Brahman, the Self, the nature of man's life-force, the essence of sacrifice, being and non-being, the evolution of the soul, the Gayatri Mantra, life and death — these are just a few of the subjects with which Sri Chinmoy deals. His penetrating intuitive vision shows him the very heart of the Upanishadic wisdom, and in his sublime and soul-elevating language he clarifies philosophical problems which may puzzle even great scholars and advanced seekers.
In Sri Chinmoy his disciples, followers, and admirers find the most sincere concern. His inner Wisdom and divine Light love, serve, and guide the searching human mind and the aspiring human heart. It usually happens that one experiences the Truth, and another, without experiencing the Truth, explains the Truth. The Indian sages of the hoary past experienced the Truth. Later, very few Indian spiritual masters had the experience of that same highest Truth. But many Indian scholars and writers have become exponents of the Vedic and Upanishadic lores without having had an iota of inner experience of the Ultimate Truth. This is not at all true of Sri Chinmoy, for he has experienced this Ultimate Truth. His understanding of the Upanishads comes not from mere intellectual application, but from direct personal experience of these inner truths.
In Sri Chinmoy sincere seekers see not only the embodiment of the eternal Truth in its purest life and soul, but also its spontaneous revelation and soul-stirring manifestation.
The Upanishadic seers are proud of Sri Chinmoy because he is. Sri Chinmoy is proud of them because in his inner existence he is always with them in the glowing Dream of the Supreme which is becoming the manifesting Reality of the Supreme.From:Sri Chinmoy,Upanišade: Kruna duše Indije, Sri Chinmoy Lighthouse, New York, 1974
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