Concept of Oneness in 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲

The concept of Oneness in the Upanishads (study)

by Chandra Shekhar Upadhyaya | 2015 | 52,584 words

This page relates 鈥楥oncept of Oneness in Prashna Upanishad鈥� of the study dealing with the Concept of Oneness in the Upanishads鈥擲piritual teachings of ancient India in the form of Sanskrit literature. The Upanisads teach us the essential oneness of humanity and guide us to the truth that the whole world is a family.This concept of oneness is the very essence of spiritualism, which constitutes the solid structure of Indian culture.

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Concept of Oneness in 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲

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The 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 belongs to the Atharvaveda. It is the one the most popular 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 among the principal ten 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉. The 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 contains six sections in the form of six questions put to a 峁涐梗颈 by six disciples searching the knowledge of Ultimate Reality, i.e., Brahman, which is the Ultimate Cause of the whole creation. That is why, this 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 is known as the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲. This 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 guides the investigator from known to the unknown, manifest to the unmanifest and grossly material to the supremely spiritual.

The first section of the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 deals with this question asked by Kabandhi 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补, the great grandson of 碍腻迟测补 to Pippl膩da, the expert of spiritual knowledge, expecting that he will tell everything:

鈥�atha kabandh墨 k膩ty膩yana upetya papraccha bhagavankuto ha v膩 im膩岣� 辫谤补箩腻岣� praj膩yanta iti//鈥�^[1]

[Trans: After completion of one year, Kabandhi, the son of 碍腻迟测补 approaches his guru 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 and asks, 鈥榲enerable sir, from whom all these creature, mobile and immobile come into view?]

In this mantra 峁涐梗颈 Kabandh墨碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 asks his guru 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 that how and where from the whole multiform creation has come?, i.e., from what particular cause these whole creation has come into existence and who controls it and how?

Hearing this interesting question from Kabandh墨碍腻迟测腻测补苍补, guru 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 replies:

鈥�tasmai sa hov膩ca praj膩k膩mo vai 辫谤补箩腻辫补迟颈岣� sa tapo鈥檛apyata sa tapastaptv膩 sa mithunamutp膩dayate / 谤补测颈峁� ca 辫谤腻峁嘺峁� cetyetau me 产补丑耻诲丑腻辫谤补箩腻岣� kari峁ata iti//鈥�^[2]

[Trans: To him he said: 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 desired to have offspring; he performed penance. Performing penance, he produced the pair, namely, wealth and life, in the hope that these two would procure him variety of offspring.]^[3]

笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 states that 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 with a desire to make creation, performed tapas, and after performing penance 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 created a couple of rayi and 辫谤腻峁嘺 thinking that these two, i.e., rayi and 辫谤腻峁嘺 will produce various types of creation. Rayi means power or energy and 辫谤腻峁嘺 means the vital principle of life; and it is only by the association of 辫谤腻峁嘺 and rayi that the creation runs smoothly. 峁氠梗颈 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 states that this visible world, which surrounds the whole of us has been made through the alliance of rayi and 辫谤腻峁嘺. They cannot be separated from one another.

笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 states:

鈥�膩dityo ha vai pr膩峁噊 rayireva 肠补苍诲谤补尘腻 rayirv膩 etat蝉补谤惫补峁� yanm奴rta峁� c膩m奴rta峁� ca tasm膩nm奴rtireva 谤补测颈岣�//鈥�^[4]

[Trans: 笔谤腻峁嘺 which is the vital principle of our life is actually the sun which is also the indispensable principle of all living beings; and rayi (which is the energy and shape) is moon indeed. All that is visible and non-visible is rayi indeed. Therefore, all the tangible or touchable are nothing but rayi itself.]

The directly manifesting principle sun is 辫谤腻峁嘺, as only this contains excessively the consciousness that provides life to all. The sun is solidified form of that subtle living force. The moon is regarded as the rayi because it includes the 迟补苍尘腻迟谤腻蝉 of the elements, which cherish the gross elements. Therefore, the entire elements get their sustenance from this lunar energy. The sun (辫谤腻峁嘺) and moon (rayi) are always penetrating in every limbs of our body; and the life force or energy are directly related to the sun and the other blood, body, tissue, etc., are directly related to the moon.

It is very remarkable that 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 who created a couple named rayi and 辫谤腻峁嘺, thinking that these two will produce creatures for him, but these two are one without a second. They are nothing but 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself who has become the couple. They are looking two from the stand point of superiority and inferiority. That Reality, who presides the whole universe and who is pure consciousness in essence, that

Reality is one without a second. Swami Muni Narayana Prasad has remarked that,

鈥淥ur direct experience of that Reality is in the form of I-consciousness, the consciousness that is conscious of itself. The Real is called sat and consciousness cit; thus sat is cit in essence. Consciousness does not remain inert, it is always in some functional state, wanting to see for itself what potentials are hidden within itself. This urge incessantly transforms itself as everything, as all the world, actualising the contentment of self-expression (腻苍补苍诲补). This is comparable to the satisfaction felt by children in their play of creating and destroying many things for the sheer joy of it. 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈鈥檚 desire for offspring is nothing but this inner urge.鈥�^[5]

In this way, The 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 describes 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 as the Ultimate Reality of this whole creation and that 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 is non-dual. The sun and the moon which are the symbols of 辫谤腻峁嘺 and rayi are nothing but 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself.

笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 states:

鈥�sa峁僾atsaro vai praj膩patistasy膩yane daksi峁嘺峁� cottara峁� ca tadye ha vai tadi峁ａ弓膩p奴rte k峁泃amityup膩sate te c膩ndramasameva lokamabhijayante/ta eva p奴nar膩vartante tasm膩dete 峁涐梗aya岣� praj膩k膩m膩诲补办峁峁嘺峁� pratipadyante/e峁 ha vai rayirya岣� 辫颈迟峁泍腻峁嘺岣�//鈥�^[6]

[Trans: Verily, 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 is the year. It has two paths, the southern and the northern. Now those who dedicate themselves to deeds like sacrifices and public benefactions win only the world of the moon. The certainly return again. Therefore the 峁涐梗颈s desiring offspring resort to the southern path. This, which is called the path of the dead ancestors, is the wealth.]^[7]

Through the above mantra 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 suggests that 蝉补峁僾补迟蝉补谤补岣�, i.e., year is nothing but 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself. It emerges from 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈. It has two paths -诲补办峁峁嚹乱补苍补尘 (southern) and 耻迟迟补谤腻测补苍补尘 (northern). 鈥淭丑别 six months of southern solstice in which the sun moves in the southern hemisphere, are its south side portions and the other six months of northern solstice are his northern portions.鈥�^[8] According to the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, the southern path is the material path where we perform acts with selfish desires. These are of two kinds, viz., 颈峁ａ弓补 and 辫奴谤迟补. The 颈峁ａ弓补 is related with the acts of ceremonial piety, observances of Vedic ritual and the later to acts of social service and public good.^[9]

Elaborating the nature of northern path guru 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 states:

鈥�athottare峁嘺 tapas膩 brahmacarye峁嘺艣raddhay膩 vidyay膩tm膩namanvi峁膩dityamabhijayanta/etadvai pr膩峁嚹乶膩m膩yatanametadam峁泃amabhayametatpar膩ya峁嘺metasm膩nna punar膩vartanta itye峁 苍颈谤辞诲丑补岣�..//鈥�^[10]

[Trans: But those who seek the Self by tapas, brahmacarya, faith and knowledge, they attain the world of the sun by the northern path. That verily is the abode of 辫谤腻峁嘺s; that is the immortal; that is fearlessness; that is the final goal from where there is no return.]^[11]

According to the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, month verily is 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈.^[12] The dark fortnight is His rayi and brighter fortnight is His 辫谤腻峁嘺. Therefore, the seers perform sacrifices in the brighter fortnight and other common people in the other fortnight.

Swami Muni Narayana Prasad suggests that,

鈥淭丑别 brighter fortnight represents wisdom; actions performed in its span are those befitting this wisdom. A man of wisdom views himself, as a transient manifest form that appears and disappears in the beginningless and endless creative self-unfoldment of the one eternal Reality. He sees himself filled with this Reality, even as a wave is filled with ocean. Whatever he happens to do as a part of this self-unfoldment of Reality, which we called nature, will be for the benefit both of himself as well as the total flow of life. Those 颈峁ａ弓补 karmas natural to the wisdom context, are a reflection of the brighter aspect of life.鈥�^[13]

It is found to be observed that in 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, every month has been taken as an appearance of Parama Brahman, the Highest Reality, which is known as 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 in 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲. The fifteen days of dark fortnight have been regarded as the right portion of 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 known to be the rayi (the cause of gross elements); and the other fifteen days of the bright fortnight are known as the left portion of 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, which is the Ultimate Reality of this whole universe. The fifteen days of the bright fortnight, which is left portion of 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, is known to be the 辫谤腻峁嘺, the main source of every living beings and indwelling form of 笔补谤补尘腻迟尘补苍. Thus, 辫谤腻峁嘺 and rayi are nothing but 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself.

Illustrating the nature of Ultimate Reality, i.e., 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 says;

鈥�ahor膩tro vai praj膩patistasy膩hareva pr膩峁噊 r膩trireva 谤补测颈岣� 辫谤腻峁嘺峁� v膩 ete praskandanti ye 诲颈惫腻 raty膩 sa峁儁ujyante brahmacaryameva tadyadr膩trau raty膩 sa峁儁ujyante//鈥�^[14]

[Trans: The pair of day and night is 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈; the day thereof is 笔谤腻峁嘺 and night is Rayi; those who copulate during daytime; they really weaken their vital force and those who copulate during night; this copulation is Brahmacarya itself.]^[15]

In this mantra, day and night, i.e., the period of one day and one night (one solar unit of time) is imagined to be the Supreme Reality, i.e., 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈. It has been mentioned in the earlier mantras that 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, which is regarded as the Ultimate Reality of this whole universe is 蝉补尘惫补迟蝉补谤补岣�, i.e., the year itself, 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 is the month and here praj膩pati is mentioned by day and night. The above mantra says that, day indeed is 辫谤腻峁嘺 (life) and the night verily is rayi (matter). The day is 辫谤腻峁嘺, which is essential source and life giver to all, self shining, wholly pure in nature and the night is regarded as rayi, the form of gross enjoyments. According to the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, they who join in sexual intercourse during the day, do not reach the goal and waste this inestimable life. But those who join in sexual intercourse during the night, this copulation is Brahmacarya itself.

Elaborating the nature of 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, the Ultimate Reality of this whole universe, the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 states in its fourteenth mantra of first 补诲丑测腻测补 that:

鈥�补苍苍补峁� vai praj膩patistato ha vai tadretastasm膩dim膩岣� 辫谤补箩腻岣� praj膩yanta iti/鈥�^[16]

In this mantra, food (anna) is described as 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, the Ultimate Reality of this universe. From that food, i.e., anna, formed the semen, which is the origin of all creature. When these semen is deposited in a woman, all the beings are born from her. Therefore, food is nothing but 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself, who is surrounding the whole.

According to the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 is Brahman understood in the context of creation. One who knows 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, becomes Prajapati itself and feels oneness with 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, the Ultimate Reality.

The second 补诲丑测腻测补 of the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, deals with this question put by 峁涐梗颈 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补:

鈥�atha haina峁� bh膩rgavo 惫补颈诲补谤产丑颈岣� papraccha, bhagavankatyeva 诲别惫腻岣� 辫谤补箩腻峁� 惫颈诲丑腻谤补测补苍迟别, katara etatprak膩艣ayante, ka岣� punare峁Ｄ佱箖惫补谤颈峁ａ弓丑补 iti//鈥�^[17]

[Trans: Then 叠丑腻谤驳补惫补 of the Vidarbha country asked him (笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补): Venerable sir, how many powers support the created world? How many illumine this? And who, again, among them is the greatest?]^[18]

Hearing this question from 叠丑腻谤驳补惫补, 峁涐梗颈 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 replies that:

鈥�tasmai sa hov膩c膩k膩艣o ha v膩 e峁 devo v膩yuragnir膩pa岣� 辫峁泃丑颈惫墨惫补峁卪补苍补艣肠补办峁岣� 艣谤辞迟谤补峁� ca/te prak膩艣y膩bhivadanti vayametadb膩-峁嘺mava峁ａ弓abhya vidh膩ray膩ma岣�//鈥�^[19]

[Trans: The great 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 spoke to him: decidedly the ether is that God; and then wind, fire, water, earth, speech (motor organs), eyes and ears (sensory organs) and lastly the mind (inner senses) also (are gods) they all started exhibiting their powers and saying; it is we who sustain this body through our support.]^[20]

笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 states that 辫谤腻峁嘺 is the ultimate force and above from ether, wind, fire, water, etc., which maintains and illumines our body.

Narrating the glory of 辫谤腻峁嘺, which is nothing but 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself, 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 states:

鈥�别峁鈥�驳苍颈蝉迟补辫补迟测别峁 蝉奴谤测补 e峁 parjanyo maghav膩ne峁 v膩yure峁/ 辫峁泃丑颈惫墨 rayir诲别惫补岣� sadasacc膩m峁泃a峁� ca yat//鈥�^[21]

This mantra says that 辫谤腻峁嘺 which is 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself, burns as a fire, he is also the sun, again he is the cloud, he is verily the Indra (惭补驳丑补惫腻苍) and also the wind, earth, rayi (the gross elements) and the Gods. This 辫谤腻峁嘺 is being and non-being and immortal too. According to 艢a峁僰ar膩c膩rya, in this mantra, the term 峁诲 indicates murtam (formed) and a峁诲 means 补尘奴谤迟补尘 (unformed).^[22] 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 again says that as spokes are well fixed on the hub of a chariot wheel, similarly all mantras of 峁欢, Yajus and 厂腻尘补, the 测补箩帽补 (sacrifice), the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, the 碍峁迟谤颈测补蝉; during the time of existence of the world are established in 辫谤腻峁嘺.^[23] In this way, everything apparent in this world originate from 辫谤腻峁嘺, which is nothing but 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 itself. He is the Ultimate Cause of all existing beings. According to the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, 辫谤腻峁嘺 is the only support of all beings.

Having shown the importance of 辫谤腻峁嘺 the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 states:

鈥�dev膩n膩masi vahnitama岣� pit峁涐箛膩m 辫谤补迟丑补尘腻蝉惫补诲丑腻/
峁涐梗墨峁嚹佱箖肠补谤颈迟补峁� 蝉补迟测补尘补迟丑补谤惫腻峁単颈谤补蝉腻尘补蝉颈//^[24]
indrastva峁� 辫谤腻峁嘺 tejas膩 rudro鈥檚i parirak峁t膩/
tvamantarik峁 carasi 蝉奴谤测补stva峁� jyotis膩峁� 辫补迟颈岣�//^[25]

笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 says that 辫谤腻峁嘺 is the sacredmost fire for Gods. Again it is 辫谤腻峁嘺, which is the very first 蝉惫补诲丑腻 for fathers. This 辫谤腻峁嘺 is the truth (Reality) and eternal wisdom of the seers. 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 again says that this 辫谤腻峁嘺 is Indra (the king of heaven, this 辫谤腻峁嘺 is the Rudra, the universal destroyer at the time of dissolution, and also he is Surjya, the jyotis膩峁� 辫补迟颈岣�. It is the 辫谤腻峁嘺, who preserves the creation in a proper way and this 辫谤腻峁嘺 is the lord of luminous bodies, such as moon, stars and fire. In this way, the 辫谤腻峁嘺 is seen as chief among all the Gods and it is the basic vital function that keeps all other functions alive. Thus, this 辫谤腻峁嘺 is the chief of all, whose apparent but unreal forms constitute this world.

Explaining the majesty of 辫谤腻峁嘺 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 asserts:

鈥�辫谤腻峁嘺syeda峁� va艣e 蝉补谤惫补峁� tridive yatprati峁ａ弓hitam/ m膩teva putr膩nrak峁sva 艣r墨艣ca 辫谤补箩帽腻峁� ca vidhehi na iti//鈥�^[26]

[Trans: Whatever there appears in the world; whatever there is in the heaven; is all under the control of 笔谤腻峁嘺; O 笔谤腻峁嘺, protect us as mother protects her sons; bestow upon us the splendour and the talent.]^[27]

The 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 announces that all things in this earth as also all things that exist in heaven are under the control of the 辫谤腻峁嘺. This 辫谤腻峁嘺 is protecting us as the children are protected by the mother. Therefore, it is verily the 辫谤腻峁嘺 which maintains the body. Apart from this 辫谤腻峁嘺, there is no other power or energy which can be able to carry the body. All the sense organs are effective only for the command of 辫谤腻峁嘺.

Swami Muni Narayana Prasad says in the this context鈥�

鈥淓verything in this world, and in all the worlds, is not merely animated by 辫谤腻峁嘺 but is a manifest appearance of 辫谤腻峁嘺. Heaven, or a world hereafter, if any, also has existence derived from 辫谤腻峁嘺.鈥�^[28]

The third chapter of the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 deals with this question asks by Kausalya 膧艣惫补濒腻测补苍补:

鈥�atha haina峁� kausalya艣c膩艣val膩yana岣� papraccha vagavankuta e峁 pr膩峁噊 j膩yate katham膩y膩tyasmi帽艣ar墨ra 膩tm膩na峁� v膩 pravibhajya 办补迟丑补峁� pr膩ti峁ａ弓hate kenotkramate 办补迟丑补峁� b膩hyamabhidhatte kathamadhy膩tmamiti//鈥�^[29]

[Trans: O鈥� Lord what is the source of 辫谤腻峁嘺, which is the ultimate source of all, how does it enter into this body, how again does he dwell by dividing himself, in what way does it depart, how does it maintain itself outside the body, how does it maintain itself inside?]

Here in this mantra we find six questions put by 膧艣惫补濒腻测补苍补 to sage 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 -(i) How the 辫谤腻峁嘺 is born? (ii) How does it enter into this body? (iii) How again does he dwell by dividing himself? (iv) While migrating from one body to the another how does it go out? (v) How does it maintain itself outside the body and (vi) how does it maintain itself inside? 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 replies that, just as the shadow exists only because of the 辫耻谤耻峁, in the same way, this 辫谤腻峁嘺 is also inseparable from Brahman, the Highest Reality.^[30] While answering the third question of the disciple, the teacher cites an example that as a king appoints his entrusted persons to look after the affairs of various villages, towns, and regions and accordingly appointed persons also perform their activities, similarly 辫谤腻峁嘺 also propels the 补辫腻苍补, 惫测腻苍补 and 蝉补尘腻苍补, etc. and sends those to various parts of the body to do their respective functions.

The reference of this fact has been elaborated by R.G. Desai in the following 尘补苍苍别谤鈥�

鈥淛ust as a king directs his officer to look after designated regions, Prana delegates various functions to subdivisions. Main breath is seated in the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. The medial breath is located in the middle of the body and the lower breath is located in the lower organs. The Atman is seated in the heart there are hundred and one nerves, and each nerve has a hundred branches and each branch has seventy鈥搕wo thousand sub branches through which Prana pulsates.鈥�^[31]

笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 states that knowing the origin of 辫谤腻峁嘺 (how and where from 辫谤腻峁嘺 comes), its entrance to the body, its omnipotent, omnipresence and its external and internal (i.e. physical and spiritual) appearance, one can achieve the immortality or liberation.

The fourth section of the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 deals with this question put by 骋腻谤驳测补 Saury膩ya峁嚹� to 峁涐梗颈 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补:

鈥�atha haina峁� saury膩ya峁嚹� 驳补谤驳测补岣� papraccha bhagavannetasminpuru峁 办腻苍颈 svapanti kanyasmi帽 j膩grati katara e峁 诲别惫补岣� svapn膩npa艣yati kasyaitatsukha峁� bhavati kasminnu sarve sa峁僷rati峁ａ弓hit膩 bhavant墨ti//鈥�^[32]

[Trans: Venerable sir, what are they that sleep in this person? What are they that keep awake in him? What god is it that sees dreams? Whose is this happiness? In whom are all these established?]^[33]

笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 answers very beautifully of these esoteric questions that, when the sun sets, the rays of the sun get merged into it and become differentless from the sun, in the same way, all the sense organs become unified in the Supreme Being during the somnolent stage (蝉惫补辫苍腻惫补蝉迟腻). At the same time 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 says that just as several birds (in the evening) resting on the tree, in the same way, all the sense organs wing towards the Supreme Power. 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 suggests that in the dream state the mind sees all that it has seen during wakefulness. It pictures all that it has heard, that all it has felt, it experiences the same objects perceived in different places. Seen and unseen, heard and unheard, perceived and non-perceived, the mind sees all when it is in the dreaming state.

R.G. Desai has explained this 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲ic fact in a very beautiful 尘补苍苍别谤鈥�

鈥淭丑别 five elements, ten senses, mind, ego, the manifest and the unmanifest, the sense objects like touch, taste, sight, smell and sound, intelligence and all it understands, the heart and what it feels, light and what it lights, and all that sustains it. All these are regulated by the supreme being.鈥�^[34]

According to 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补, the 膧迟尘补苍 which is the seer (诲谤补峁ａ弓腻), the toucher (蝉辫谤补峁ａ弓腻), the hearer (艣谤辞迟腻), the smeller (驳丑谤腻迟腻), the taster (谤补蝉补测颈迟腻), the thinker (尘补苍迟腻), the ascertainer (产辞诲诲丑腻) and the doer (办补谤迟腻) is seated in the imperishable Supreme Soul or 笔补谤补尘腻迟尘补苍.^[35] 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 maintains that, he who knows the shadowless, the bodiless, the colourless, pure and imperishable Supreme Being, attains the immortality. Knowing the real nature of Brahman the seeker becomes one with Brahman the Ultimate Reality.

The fifth chapter of the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 makes an attempt to deal with the term Om and it is considered as the symbol of Parabrahman. 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 says that 翱峁僰腻谤补 is the imperishable term. It represents total Brahman. In this context Rohit Mehta has suggested that, 鈥淥M is a word of three letters. It covers a sound range starting from the root of the tongue to the closing of the lips. In this range, the three letters are uttered successively. But in this uttering of the word, the articulate sound is only between the first and the third-it is a range where the tongue moves between its root and the lips. Thus in the three letters of the word OM, A and M remain inarticulate鈥搃t is only the U which represents the articulate sound.鈥�^[36] According to 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补, Om is both para and apara Brahman. Brahman (the Ultimate Reality), the indestructible, everlasting, invisible, unconceivable principle of all the existing forms is regarded as Para Brahman, and Brahman as occurring in all the destructible, momentary and perceptible elements in this universe is known to be apara Brahman.

笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 asserts that he who meditates on the first 尘腻迟谤腻 (A) or measure, is illumined thereby and comes quickly to this world after death. While explaining this view Keshoram Aggarwal has rightly observed that, 鈥淭丑别 person meditating upon 翱峁卥腻谤补 as one of its three aspects 鈥�产丑奴岣�, bhuba岣� and 蝉惫补岣�鈥欌€搃s if attracted by 鈥�产丑奴岣�鈥� the worldly riches, worships the 鈥�产丑奴岣�鈥� aspect of 痴颈谤腻迟, he after death comes directly to this world led towards its goal. The first Mantra of 翱峁卥腻谤补 is in the form of the 峁欢veda and has its connection with the earthly world. Therefore, through its meditation, the Mantras of 峁欢veda lead the striver to the human body.鈥�^[37] 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 maintains that, he who meditates on the first two 尘腻迟谤腻s, i.e., A and U, attains the region of the moon. Having experienced greatness in the lunar world, he returns again in this world.

Keshoram Aggarwal has explained this 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲ic fact very beautifully and commented 鈥�

鈥淚f the striver worships the two syllable 翱峁卥腻谤补, i.e., if he worships the 鈥�产丑奴岣�鈥� and 鈥�产丑耻惫补岣�鈥� aspects of 痴颈谤腻迟 with a desire to achieve the luxury in these two regions then he goes to the lunar world pertaining to mind. The Mantras of Yajurveda lead him upwards to the lunar world in the intermediary region. He enjoys comforts in the perishable heaven and when the virtues of his worship come to an end, he again comes back to the mortal world.鈥�^[38]

But, he who meditates on all the three letters (A, U, M) as a single being becomes unified in the sun. After that, through the mantras of 厂腻尘补veda he uplift himself to the Brahmaloka. Then he perceives that the Ultimate Reality, i.e., Brahman resides in his own body. In this state he is non-different from Brahman, i.e., he becomes one with the Supreme Brahman.

In the sixth chapter of the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 厂耻办别艣腻叠丑腻谤补诲惫腻箩补 asks the great 峁涐梗颈 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补:

鈥�atha haina峁� suke艣膩 bh膩radv膩ja papraccha bhagavanhira峁噛an膩bha岣� kausalyo r膩japutro m膩mupetyaita峁� pra艣namap峁沜chat/so岣峚艣akala峁� bh膩radv膩ja 辫耻谤耻峁峁� vettha, tamaha峁� kum膩ramabruva峁� n膩hamima峁� veda yadyahamimamavedi峁峁� 办补迟丑补峁� te n膩vak峁amiti sam奴lo v膩 e峁 pari艣u峁膩ti yo鈥檔峁泃amabhivadati tasm膩nn膩rh膩myan峁泃a峁� vaktum/sa 迟奴峁ａ箛墨峁� ratham膩ruhya pravavr膩ja/ta峁� tv膩 p峁沜ch膩mi kv膩sau 辫耻谤耻峁 iti//鈥�^[39]

[Trans: Venerable sir, 贬颈谤补峁噛补苍腻产丑补, the son of Kosala, approached me and asked 鈥樀竽灏够灞鼓迓岵�, do you know the 辫耻谤耻峁 of sixteen 办补濒腻蝉? I replied, I know him not. Now I ask you the same question, who is the 辫耻谤耻峁 with sixteen 办补濒腻蝉 and what are these 办补濒腻蝉?]

峁氠梗颈 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 explains the nature of 辫耻谤耻峁 of sixteen 办补濒腻蝉 and says that this 辫耻谤耻峁 is seated within our body. 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 again states that the 辫补帽肠补-颈苍诲谤颈测补蝉, i.e., ear, skin, eye, tongue and nose; the 辫补帽肠补-迟补苍尘腻迟谤腻蝉, i.e., sound, touch, form, taste and smell; and the 辫补帽肠补-mah膩bh奴tas, i.e., space, air, fire, water and earth and the manas are the sixteen 办补濒腻蝉 of this 辫耻谤耻峁, who is the Ultimate Reality of this whole universe. According to 笔颈辫辫补濒腻诲补 those sixteen 办补濒腻蝉 are present in our body also, as the Supreme Reality resides in our body. The reference of this fact has been described by R.G. Desai thus -鈥淛ust as rivers that flow meet the ocean and merge into it and lose their identity, the individual being loses his identity in the universal spirit. The supreme spirit is like the nave of a wheel to which all the spokes are attached. Once one knows this fact, he becomes immortal.鈥�^[40]

From the above discussion, perhaps it can be said that the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 describes 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 as the Ultimate Reality of this whole universe. As the one sun illumines the entire universe, in the sameway 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈, the immanant and transcendent Reality illumines the whole. The 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 again and again suggests that brahmacarya or continence should be performed in human life for attaining the Absolute. Like the Mu峁囜笉aka 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲, the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 also gives attention to truthfulness of life. Because according to this 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 everything in this world is fully established in truth or satya, and by the path of truth or satya one can achieve the Ultimate Reality. According to the 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 all the things and beings surrounding us are the outcome of that Ultimate Reality. Therefore, there is no difference between man and other existing beings. The 笔谤补艣苍补鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 advises us to think for other peoples also. One should think for the prosperity, happiness and success of others existing in the same society, which will help us to build a harmonic society, where the feeling of humanity will be found in each and every people.