The Chhandogya Upanishad - 47: Swami Krishnananda.

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Wednesday, 10 Jan 2024. 07:00.

Chapter 4: An Analysis of the Nature of the Self

Section 7: Prajapati's Instruction to Indra Concerning the Real Self

Mantram - 2 & 3.

Post-47.

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Mantram - 2.

"Taddhobhaye devasura anubudhire te hocuh, 

hanta tam atmanam anvicchama, 

yam atmanam anvisya sarvams-ca lokan apnoti sarvams-ca kaman iti, 

indro haiva devanam abhipravavraja virochano'suranam 

tam hasamividanaveva samit-pani prajapatisakasam ajagmatuh."

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Both Indra and Virochana met each other, perhaps on the way, but one did not speak to the other about the purpose for which he was travelling. Each one was keeping the idea as a secret. Indra and Virochana are deadly enemies. They did not say anything to each other as they were very much preoccupied with the objective for which they were travelling. So, both went to Brahma's place and approached him as humble disciples with the sacred offering of samit. And having gone there, it does not appear that they said anything. From what the Upanishad says, it appears that they stayed there for thirty-two years without saying anything, observing austerity, controlling their senses and living a very disciplined life. They lived in the abode of Brahma, having said nothing either between themselves or to Brahma himself.

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Mantram - 3.

"Tauhadvatrisatam varsani brahmacaryam usatuhtau ha prajapitir-uvaca, 

kim icchantav-avastam iti. tau hocatuh, ya atma-apahatapapma 

vijaro vimrtyur-visoko vijighatso'pipasah satya-kamah satya-samkalpah 

so'n vestavyah sa vijijnasitavyah, sa sarvams-ca lokam apnoti sarvams-ca kaman, 

yas-tam atmanam anuvidya vijanati iti bhagavato 

vaco vedayante, tam icchantavavastam iti."

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Then after thirty-two years of this kind of living there, Brahma seems to have observed their stay and asked them: "What is the matter with you? Why are you staying here for so many years observing self-discipline? What do you want?" Then both of them said the same thing, "We are here for some purpose." "What is that purpose?" queried Prajapati. They replied, "O Great Lord, we have heard your great proclamation. You made an announcement that the knower of the Atman fulfils all desires, has mastery over all the worlds and is unaffected by pains of any kind. In search of the knowledge of the Atman have we come here. This is the purpose of our visit, and for this reason it is that we have been living here for thirty-two years observing austerity." "Oh, that is very good," said Prajapati. And inasmuch as they had already undergone some discipline, Brahma did not ask them to undergo any further vow or any other formality. He immediately started giving initiation: "You want to know the Atman? Here is this knowledge." He gave a very pithy and precise instruction which could be interpreted this way or that way. It was like the statement—"The Greeks the Romans shall conquer." No one knows what the exact meaning of the statement is. It may mean that Romans shall conquer the Greeks, or the Greeks shall conquer the Romans. Prajapati's instruction was enigmatic.

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Next

Mantram-4.

To be continued

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