A Compilation of Glimpses of Some Upnishadic Contents
The Brahma ( Almighty God – Parmatma )
The word ‘Ved’ is from the root ‘Vid’ meaning to know . Thus Ved means ‘knowledge’ . This knowledge is for ever , immortal and eternal .The theme of Upnishads is the ‘Brahma’, the Supreme Being whose existence is eternal truth and an immutable and immortal reality . Brahma is absolute truth .He is beyond sound , touch , form ,and taste Without Brahma mind can not contemplate on any thing , eyes can not see and ears are not able to hear . It can not be defined in terms of dimensional or other qualities, such as , gross or subtle, small or big .The Absolute Truth is without properties , is without qualities ,is without form and therefore it can not and never be an object of not only perception but even of emotions or of thoughts . It can not be comprehended by the mind or appreciated by the intellect , nor can it be perceived by the sense organs . It is consciousness and absolute bliss . The world ‘Jagat’ one perceives with life ‘ Jeev’ and objects ‘Prakriti’ was one infinite whole before creation This universe is nothing but Brahma. This Brahma , which is the cream of Upnishads, is above cause and effect . It is every where – within and without .
One experiences Brahma when the mind is fully merged in the contemplation of
Brahma and all other thoughts have been totally eliminated . This is the declaration of Upnishads . The quest for the Truth is to be done nowhere other than the sacred sanctum of one’s own self . he who has realized his oneness with the entire world and sees his own ‘Self’ as the ‘Self’ in all will no more be affected by the sorrows and desires. He has nothing to gain or aspire for from the world of objects .
Enlightened Man - Awakened Man
When there is no desire there is absolute freedom . When there is no attachment with any thing there is absolute freedom . When there is no ego ( Self) there is freedom. Freedom does not mean freedom of self . Freedom means freedom from self . It brings immense bliss and benediction . He becomes one with the Almighty having surrendered himself completely . All his actions are pious then and for the benefit of the mankind and society which nourished him and gave him the opportunity and ability to tread upon this glorious path and become enlightened . Mahavir was totally enlightened as he had no desires and had no attachment – even with the loin cloth . Kabir and Budh were also awakened men to an extent . So also Christ , though for a brief time . Here is how :-
On the cross Jesus said , “ Lord , why have you forsaken me ”. Jesus was expecting a miracle that would save him from being crucified . Jesus had desire . Nothing happened . He became enlightened only only just before his death when he raised his eyes towards the sky and said, “ Forgive me . Let Thy Kingdom come . Let Thy be done .Forgive them . They know not what they are doing.” The moment he said so , he surrendered his ego – the self with all its expectations . He surrendered his mind with all its desires He totally surrendered . In the let go he became Christ . He was one with the Universe , no expectations , no frustrations. There after he died and did not say any thing .
Background
Vedic civilization , called now by name Hinduism , began almost 5000 years ago followed by Jainism , Budhism and Confucianism . Christianity emerged 2000 years ago , Islam 1400 years ago . Sikhism 500 years ago .
Hindu Vedic scriptures – four Veds , Upnishads , Gita and Purans take you to a period before which no other literature in any form existed in the world . The four Veds – Rig Ved , Yajur Ved , Atharva Ved and Sam Ved were created during the Vedic period when the people did not know the art of writing .The ancient Veds were based on intuitive human knowledge , extra intelligence ,experience and revelation . Serious attempt is made to know – ‘ What life is’ , ‘ How did it come into bein’ , ‘ Who am I’ ,’ What is the purpose of life’, ‘ Is life an empty and meaningless incident’ , ‘ Is there a mission in life’ . Veds do not contain empty philosophical hairsplitting . They seek the truth and dwell deeper and deeper into the very source of life in us . seeking the Truth they go from the gross visible world to the subtlest . The centre source is very subtle and words can not explain it . It has to be experienced completely detached from the outer world which we know from bodily sense organs . Rishis try to understand how the mind works , how the intellect functions .The enquiry is into the very nature of Reality ( Brahma , Paramatma ) . The Veds suggest technique and hypothesis which the seeker of Truth may adopt .
The entire Veds were in early periodhanded down from the teacher to the disciple
only by word of mouth – orally . Ved Vyas then at a much later date collected the
‘Verses’ from scattered scholars , classified ,purified and preserved them in writing .
After editing , he compiled them in four volumes .
During the period of Upnishads the population was small . The land was vast . Thick forests , fertile land gave unlimited economic opportunities for every one Society was ripe with great potentialities. The society had found leisure to think and ask questions . It was a period of renaissance .People had the choice of either conquer the outer world with their undoubted mental development or work inward in depth in man as individual .They took to spirituality and did not pursue outwardly sensual pleasures . This latter recourse was subsequently adopted by Christian civilization . Greeks specialized in the subject of man in society .
Upnishads in their spacious imagination , most scientific spirit of exploration , a gigantic sweep of thought , dug inward in the individual to reveal the secrets of Universe and unrevelled the mystery of self within – the immortal soul .Hinduism is not a religion .( In fact the name ‘Hindu’ was given by foreigners who reached river Sindhu in North West Bharat and learnt from the tribals the name of the river as ‘Hindu’ as they were pronouncing letter ‘S’ as ‘H’ . Even now the Bheels and other tribals do so . They called people living there as Hindus . Muslims later named the country Hindustan – the country of Hindus .) It is a philosophical way of life and unlike other religions is not an adjunct of socio- political system but is wholly spiritual .
The Brahma ( Almighty God – Parmatma )
The word ‘Ved’ is from the root ‘Vid’ meaning to know . Thus Ved means ‘knowledge’ . This knowledge is for ever , immortal and eternal .The theme of Upnishads is the ‘Brahma’, the Supreme Being whose existence is eternal truth and an immutable and immortal reality . Brahma is absolute truth .He is beyond sound , touch , form ,and taste Without Brahma mind can not contemplate on any thing , eyes can not see and ears are not able to hear . It can not be defined in terms of dimensional or other qualities, such as , gross or subtle, small or big .The Absolute Truth is without properties , is without qualities ,is without form and therefore it can not and never be an object of not only perception but even of emotions or of thoughts . It can not be comprehended by the mind or appreciated by the intellect , nor can it be perceived by the sense organs . It is consciousness and absolute bliss . The world ‘Jagat’ one perceives with life ‘ Jeev’ and objects ‘Prakriti’ was one infinite whole before creation This universe is nothing but Brahma. This Brahma , which is the cream of Upnishads, is above cause and effect . It is every where – within and without .
One experiences Brahma when the mind is fully merged in the contemplation of
Brahma and all other thoughts have been totally eliminated . This is the declaration of Upnishads . The quest for the Truth is to be done nowhere other than the sacred sanctum of one’s own self . he who has realized his oneness with the entire world and sees his own ‘Self’ as the ‘Self’ in all will no more be affected by the sorrows and desires. He has nothing to gain or aspire for from the world of objects .
Enlightened Man - Awakened Man
When there is no desire there is absolute freedom . When there is no attachment with any thing there is absolute freedom . When there is no ego ( Self) there is freedom. Freedom does not mean freedom of self . Freedom means freedom from self . It brings immense bliss and benediction . He becomes one with the Almighty having surrendered himself completely . All his actions are pious then and for the benefit of the mankind and society which nourished him and gave him the opportunity and ability to tread upon this glorious path and become enlightened . Mahavir was totally enlightened as he had no desires and had no attachment – even with the loin cloth . Kabir and Budh were also awakened men to an extent . So also Christ , though for a brief time . Here is how :-
On the cross Jesus said , “ Lord , why have you forsaken me ”. Jesus was expecting a miracle that would save him from being crucified . Jesus had desire . Nothing happened . He became enlightened only only just before his death when he raised his eyes towards the sky and said, “ Forgive me . Let Thy Kingdom come . Let Thy be done .Forgive them . They know not what they are doing.” The moment he said so , he surrendered his ego – the self with all its expectations . He surrendered his mind with all its desires He totally surrendered . In the let go he became Christ . He was one with the Universe , no expectations , no frustrations. There after he died and did not say any thing .
Background
Vedic civilization , called now by name Hinduism , began almost 5000 years ago followed by Jainism , Budhism and Confucianism . Christianity emerged 2000 years ago , Islam 1400 years ago . Sikhism 500 years ago .
Hindu Vedic scriptures – four Veds , Upnishads , Gita and Purans take you to a period before which no other literature in any form existed in the world . The four Veds – Rig Ved , Yajur Ved , Atharva Ved and Sam Ved were created during the Vedic period when the people did not know the art of writing .The ancient Veds were based on intuitive human knowledge , extra intelligence ,experience and revelation . Serious attempt is made to know – ‘ What life is’ , ‘ How did it come into bein’ , ‘ Who am I’ ,’ What is the purpose of life’, ‘ Is life an empty and meaningless incident’ , ‘ Is there a mission in life’ . Veds do not contain empty philosophical hairsplitting . They seek the truth and dwell deeper and deeper into the very source of life in us . seeking the Truth they go from the gross visible world to the subtlest . The centre source is very subtle and words can not explain it . It has to be experienced completely detached from the outer world which we know from bodily sense organs . Rishis try to understand how the mind works , how the intellect functions .The enquiry is into the very nature of Reality ( Brahma , Paramatma ) . The Veds suggest technique and hypothesis which the seeker of Truth may adopt .
The entire Veds were in early periodhanded down from the teacher to the disciple
only by word of mouth – orally . Ved Vyas then at a much later date collected the
‘Verses’ from scattered scholars , classified ,purified and preserved them in writing .
After editing , he compiled them in four volumes .
During the period of Upnishads the population was small . The land was vast . Thick forests , fertile land gave unlimited economic opportunities for every one Society was ripe with great potentialities. The society had found leisure to think and ask questions . It was a period of renaissance .People had the choice of either conquer the outer world with their undoubted mental development or work inward in depth in man as individual .They took to spirituality and did not pursue outwardly sensual pleasures . This latter recourse was subsequently adopted by Christian civilization . Greeks specialized in the subject of man in society .
Upnishads in their spacious imagination , most scientific spirit of exploration , a gigantic sweep of thought , dug inward in the individual to reveal the secrets of Universe and unrevelled the mystery of self within – the immortal soul .Hinduism is not a religion .( In fact the name ‘Hindu’ was given by foreigners who reached river Sindhu in North West Bharat and learnt from the tribals the name of the river as ‘Hindu’ as they were pronouncing letter ‘S’ as ‘H’ . Even now the Bheels and other tribals do so . They called people living there as Hindus . Muslims later named the country Hindustan – the country of Hindus .) It is a philosophical way of life and unlike other religions is not an adjunct of socio- political system but is wholly spiritual .
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