PRASHNA UPANISHAD.4 - by Rishi Pippalada

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Saturday, May 21, 2022. 19:00.

#6 Questions, 67 Mantras : “Questions from Disciples Answered”

##KABANDHI’S QUESTION : Query No 1: “Matter & Energy”

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Mantram- 1.4 The Reply : Twin Aspects of Creation

Tasmai sah uvacha:

1.praja-kaamah vai prajapatih; Then he (Pippalada) replied:

2.sah tapah tapyata;  sah tapahtaptva,

3.sah mithunam utpadayate  rayim cha pranam

4.chetyetau me bahudha prajah  karishyata iti.

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1 Tasmai sah uvacha:  

prajaa-kamah vai prajapatih;  =  Then he (Pippalada) replied:  “Prajapati, the Lord of the

creatures,

2 sah tapah tapyata;  sah tapahtaptva,  =  decided to perform penance;  and having performed penance,

3 sah mithunam utpadayate  rayim cha pranam  =  He brought about the mutual union of  

Matter and Spirit (Life-force),

4 chetyetau me bahudhaa prajah  karishyata iti.  = thinking that by such union many creatures 

would be produced by them.”

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The answer is pitched in such a manner that it opens a whole wide subject of

absorbing interest. The very origin of creation is traced, and the result is left limitlessly open

for further discussion.

1-2 This briefly introduces this verse. In Tattwa Bodha, we have the hierarchy from

 i) Brahman downwards. From Brahman + Maya arises 

ii) Ishwara, the Supreme Creator. Ishwara also stands for the consciousness in association with the 

causal body.  A step below that is consciousness with the subtle body, which we had termed 

iii) Hiranyagarbha (the“Cosmic Womb”) in Tattwa Bodha and which is here termed as 

iii) Prajapati. This is consciousness in association with the Total Mind. It is at the mind level that the

 “Tapas” or austerity is performed. The thinking or willing with concentration is the austerity.

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RAYI & PRANA : THE TERMINOLOGY

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1 BRAHMAN = The Supreme Being, Non-Dual Reality

2 ISHWARA = The Causal Consciousness, The Unmanifest Seed

3 HIRANYAGARBHA = The Manifested, “The Cosmic Womb”

   PRAJAPATI = “The Creator of Living Beings”

   Also called PRANA itself sometimes

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4 RAYI  :

Matter                                                   

Object, the “Eaten”, Food                  

Gross Elements                                   

Inert, insentient, visible to senses                     

4. PRANA :  

Energy, Power

Subject, the “Eater”

Subtle Elements (Tanmatras),

 Dynamic, sentient, invisible to senses

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3 From the point of view of Prajapati, both Matter and Energy are equal in status. It

does not matter that the first is the gross visible and the second is the subtle invisible. The

Samskrit terms Rayi and Prana for these two are preferred because they contain different

connotations to the above English equivalents, which are used in a different sense in

modern science.

4 Here, Prajapati places the responsibility on these two primary aspects of creation

to produce the endless stream of objects born from them. Rayi and Prana are the parents of

creation from Prajapati’s standpoint. Both have equal status, as we shall now see…

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Mantram 1.5 The Equality of Rayi & Prana – 1. All is Rayi

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