ISAVASYA UPANISHAD : Mantram : 11..

ISAVASYA UPANISHAD :

or


VAJASANEYI    SAMHITA    UPANISHAD



Mantram-11.



Vidyam  cavidyam  ca  yastad  vedo-bhayagm  saha,



avidyaya  mrtyum  tirtva  vidyaya-mrtam-asnute.



vidyam  =  vidya;

ca  =  and;

avidyam  =  avidya;

yah  =  who;

tat  =  that;

veda  =  known;

ubhayagm  =  both;

saha  =  together;

avidyaya  =  by  avidya;

mrtyum  =  death;

tirtva  =  crossing;

vidyaya  =  by  vidya;

amrtam  =  immortality;

asnute  =  enjoys,  obtains.



(11). "He  who  knows  at  the  same  time  both  " Vidya  and  Avidya,"    overcomes  death  by  'Avidya'  and  obtains  immortality  by 'Vidya.' "


Discussion-1 In  explaining  the  great  theory  of  'action  in  inaction' the  Rishi  have  given  this  pregnant  Mantram  to  their  Bharatheeya  generations.


In  the  first  Mantram  of  this  section,  they  condemned  both  'Vidya  and  Avidya' as  guiding  us  only  to  a  dark  age  when  an  individual  ( or  generation )  pursues  each  one  of  this  pair  exclusive  of  the  other.


Thereafter,  quoting  the  greater  Maharishi-s  of  the  ancient  periods,  the  'Seer' of  the  'Isavasya Upanishad' is  now  summarising  how  they  are  to  be  pursued  in  happy  synthesis.


When  they  are  not  to  be  undertaken  individually,  the  next  possibility  that  would  suggest  itself  to  any  student  would  be  that  both  'Vidy  and  Avidya' are  to  be  pursued  in  a  synthesis.


Synthesis  of  material  activity  ( Karmam )  and  spiritual  knowledge  ( Jnanam )  has  been  often  advocated  by  modern  teachers  of  synthesis.


But  the  exact  technique  of  it  has  not  been  fully  made  clear.


Here  in  the  Upanishad,  it  has  been  explained  beyond  all  doubts,  and  the  expressions  are  as  perfect  and  complete  as  a  scientific  statement.


It  is  said  that  he,  who  combines  in  himself  both  'Vidya  and  Avidya' together,  would  overcome  "DEATH  BY  AVIDYA  AND  OBTAIN  IMMORTALITY  BY  VIDYA".

NEXT : Discussion-2. "Swami Adi Sri Sankarachrya's  debate  with  Sri  Bhaskara  on  this"  .....

To be continued  ....