PRASHNA UPANISHAD - 45 : Rishi Pippala.
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#6 Questions, 67 Mantras: “Questions from Disciples Answered.”
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GAARGYA’S QUESTION
Query No 4:
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Saturday, 20 Jan 2024. 07:00.
Mantram - 4.6 Q.4D – Prajna: The Experiencer of Deep Sleep.
Post-45.
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Mantram - 4.6 Q.4D – Prajna: The Experiencer of Deep Sleep.
1
Sah yadaa = When he (the deity called the Mind)
tejasaa abhibhootah bhavati, = becomes overwhelmed by rays of light,
2
atra eshah devah = then in this state he, the Mind deity,
svapnaan na pashyati. = does not see dreams.
3
atha tad etasmin shareera = Then at that time, in this body,
etat sukham bhavati. = there passes an experience of happiness.
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1
Tejasaa Abhibhootah:
When the mind tires of being entertained by dream, i.e. when even this small ‘hole’ in the
mind (to view the impressions in memory) gets sealed at some point during dream, the
person is said to slip into deep sleep.
2
Now there is no dream to engage the mind. The senses were already resting in
dream; now the mind itself has a complete rest in deep sleep.
3
In this state a beggar is equal to a king. All go into this state, whether he is a thief
or a saint. All enjoy deep bliss in it. Deep sleep is a “leveller” of people.
As explained by the “City” simile earlier, everything goes to bed in the body, except
the Pranas. They continue to function in all the three states, since the body has got to be
kept alive. The Pranas are the emergency services which remain open 24 hours a day.
Understanding the deep sleep state gives us the key method of learning more about
spirituality. We get an idea about where the Atman or Self is seated.
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IN SEARCH OF REST :
Everything in Nature seeks rest; all wish to reach their original “HOME”. Until
they reach it, they can never be satisfied. This applies even to each item that makes up
the human being. Here is the summary so far of each person:
i) The Body:
It longs every day to return to its place of residence to its family.
ii)
The Senses:
The 10 sense organs of action and perception within the body also
long every day for a period of rest from the hectic activity they are engaged in. While the
body goes to sleep, they, too, return to their “home”, the mind, and retire for their rest.
iii)
The Mind:
Mind also gets tired. Soon after the senses have retired, it enjoys
some self-entertainment by going to the land of dreams. But how long can it go on with
this play? Soon, it dozes off. Where is its home? No one knows, because the mind is our
only known instrument to know anything. When it goes to rest, who is there to know
where? We can say it goes peacefully to rest because it has faith that the Pranas will
keep the body alive while it sleeps. The Pranas are thus the “home” to which the mind
retires.
iv)
The Pranas:
Finally, of course, we come to the Pranas, which is the sole
unknown left in our mathematical equation. To which “Home” do they go for their rest?
The great Rishi Pippalada has to tell us the Truth here without any possible
explanation: the Pranas seek their rest in the Supreme Self. That is their ultimate resting
Tree! And so this implies that everything is “proceeding towards the Self”.
The Self is the only Reality which needs no rest Itself. It is Eternal and Immortal!
That is the Truth towards which the Rishi has been driving his six eager, dumbfounded
students.
The whole of the Vedas drive its adherents towards the Upanishads to rest there.
And the Upanishads drive their adherents towards the Supreme Self to find rest in the
Eternal! The next verse speaks in detail about this much-sought after Rest.
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Next
Mantram - 4.7
Q.4D – Prajna: Always Heading Home.
To be continued
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