KAIVALYA UPANISHAD : 11. Swami Advaitananda

 =======================================================================

=======================================================================

Saturday, August 27, 2022. 06:30. 
From the Atharva Veda (26 Mantras) : “The HOMOGENEITY of Brahman”
Post - 11.

================================================================ 

3. SARVATMA BHAVA
(Mantras : 8-11, 4 nos.)

=======================================================================

Mantram -11: Churning the Ego with “Om” Upasana

"Aatmaanam-aranim kritvaa, pranavam chottara aranim;

jnaana nirmathana abhyaasaat, paasham dahati panditah."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Translation :

13 aatmaanam-aranim kritvaa, = The Ego is made the “lower Arani”,

14 pranavam chottara aranim; = and Om is the “upper Arani”.

15 jnaana nirmathana abhyaasaat, = When Self-knowledge is repeatedly churned through constant practice,

16 paasham dahati panditah. = a wise man burns up all the cords of his bondage.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commentary :

This is the same simile we came across first in Atma Bodha (Text 3), where it has 

been explained at length. The Arani is an instrument used to kindle fire by rubbing/churning

a rod between two cup-like wooden hemispheres. The heat generated produces the needed 

fire. In this simile, the lower cup is likened to the individual self or Ego and the upper to Om.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13 Since it is the Ego that is the only obstacle that stands in the way of developing 

the Sarvatma Bhava (the theme of this section), we are here taught how to deal with it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14 It is best dealt with by replacing it by the idea of universality represented by the 

Om chanting. Om chanting is a powerful tool given to us by the Rishis of the Upanishads to 

overcome our narrow ego-centred thinking and develop an expanded all-inclusive thinking.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Omkara Upasana :

15-16 This represents the ‘Omkara Upasana’. It can be done with or without 

knowledge of the Self. We note that here the Om Upasana is advised to be done with full 

knowledge of the Self after Sravana. This Upasana is equivalent to doing the preliminary

stage of Nididhyasana.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only when this Upasana is done without desire for any fruit except Mukti, does it 

take one to that goal, namely, burning up of all “the cords of bondage”. The churning of 

Knowledge is essential in this form of worship.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Chanting with knowledge means that as one chants ‘Om’, one is mindful of the three syllables it is made up of and what each one represents:

i) ‘A’ the First Syllable: At the sound of the first syllable ‘A’ one feels he is going 

beyond Viswa or consciousness associated with the gross body Upadhi. One goes beyond 

the Gross level or the waking state.

ii) ‘U’ the Second Syllable: At the sound of the second syllable ‘U’ one feels he is 

going beyond Taijasa or consciousness associated with the subtle body Upadhi of mind and 

intellect. One transcends the Subtle body or the dream state.

iii) ‘M’ the Third Syllable: At the sound of the third syllable ‘M’ one feels he is going 

beyond the Prajna or consciousness associated with the causal Upadhi of pure Ignorance.

One pierces the Causal body and gets freed from Ignorance or the deep sleep state.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The connection of the chanting of Om and the three states has been casually 

mentioned above. 

In the next chapter we go into the details of the three states and see how 

the Supreme Reality underlies all three.

*****

Next-

4. SUBSTRATUM OF THE STATES : (Mantras 12-14, 3 no.)

Mantram - 12: The Waking State Consciousness

To be continued ...

========================================================================