Introduction to the Shwetashwatara Upanishad - Sri Aurobindo.

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06/04/2020.

The Shwetashwatara Upanishad itself declares that it contains “the secret of the Veda”.  

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1.

Sri Aurobindo translated Chapters 4-6 of this Upanishad, which distill the essence of the Rishi’s vision that unifies the two great dicta of the Upanishads :

“one without a second” and “all this is the Brahman”, 

presenting thereby an integrated view of all existence as the Brahman.  

2.

The name itself, while attributed to a Rishi of that name, has a significance which cannot be overlooked.  Shweta (also Shveta) is translated as “white”, Ashwa means “horse”, and tara translates as to be carried beyond.  The horse is the symbol of the energy in creation, as we identified in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad’s parable of the horse of creation.  Thus, the name takes on the sense of the white, or pure, energy that carries one beyond.

3.

This Upanishad has some special characteristics in that it apparently is attempting to focus on the forms of creation, where others tend to focus more on attaining the formless.  It describes the unity of the forms with the formless, but continues to bring before our vision the vast variety of forms in the world and describes them as the Brahman.  It also was composed in a poetic style that is therefore not as succinctly expressed as some of the other Upanishads.  The Rishi is bringing together here the concept with the form of expression to create an impression on the mind.

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