PRASHNA UPANISHAD - 50: 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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Tuesday 26, Mar 2024. 06:30.

Mantram - 4.11 Q – 4E:  Sruti Quotation: Merging into the Supreme

Post-50.

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Mantram - 4.11 Q – 4E:  Sruti Quotation: Merging into the Supreme

1. 

Vijnaana aatmaa saha = “The cognizing self (conditioned Ego), together with 

 devaih cha sarvaih; -  all the deities (of the 10 sense organs and mind), 

2. 

Praanaa bhootaani = as also the (5) sub-Pranas and all the (5) elements – 

 sam-pratishthanti yatra = all these merge into that which 

3. 

Tad aksharam vedayate =  is known to be That Immutable One. 

yah tu, Somya, =  He who (thus knows), O beloved one, 

4. 

sah sarvajnah sarvam = that omniscient one, being all,  

eva avivesha iti. = he verily enters everything.” Thus says the Sruti. 

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In 4.7 we have mentioned the step-by-step merging of the body, senses, mind, Prana 

and Self, the grosser into the subtler in that order. It is as if each item from the grossest 

level is packed into bags increasing in size, with one bag being packed into the next, until 

everything is packed into the bag called ‘Prana’ and then delivered to the Self. 

In this quoted verse we see the same thing is being said, with one refinement in the 

procedure: In line 1, Vijnaana Aatmaa refers to the “conditioned Ego” which is the Jiva or 

individual soul. This Jiva is also included in the list that is packed. In order the Jiva would be 

higher than Prana; the ‘Prana’ would be packed into the ‘Jiva’ bag before jiva merges finally 

into the Supreme Self. This refinement is added in this mantram.. 

4.

 Omniscience is explained as the experience of “being ALL”.  

Identity of Jiva with Brahman:

In other words, the final merging of Jiva into Brahman, which is not different from 

what we call God-realisation, is essentially becoming one in identity with all other beings. 

Actually having such a momentous experience is the hallmark of a realized sage. He “enters 

everything.” This is the experience of Cosmic Consciousness. 

At this point it would be useful to compare and contrast the two identities we have 

practised. The first belongs to the realm of Apara Vidya or the lower, secular level; the 

second belongs to Para Vidya or the transcendental level.  

i) The Apara Vidya Identity: This identity is in the realm of Creation. There is Duality 

there always due to the presence of the illusory power called Maya in it. Einstein’s Theory of 

Relativity, showing identity between matter and energy, is a case of Apara Vidya. 

In this the identity is between the cause and the effect at all levels of creation from 

Hiranyagarbha downwards. The merging spoken of is that of the effect into its cause, e.g. 

the senses into the mind, and the mind into the Prana, and Prana into the Jiva. At the outset 

we are taught the importance of seeing no difference between Rayi (the effect) and Prana 

(its cause). The two are to be seen as two sides of the same coin.  

ii) The Para Vidya Identity: This identity is in the realm beyond Maya. It concerns 

Pure Consciousness only where there is no Duality at all. Creation is considered to be 

“Unreal”. It is a totally different order of identity than the one in Apara Vidya.  

In this the identity is beyond the reach of cause and effect. We are dealing with a 

realm which is the “causeless Cause” of all creation. Causality does not apply to the non

dual realm, in which everything is one unified Consciousness. The identity is between the 

individual consciousness and the universal consciousness. The former is discovered to be 

only a myth; it never existed in the first place, yet all people have it due to the presence of 

the delusion under Maya. The one Supreme Consciousness, Brahman, is all that there is. It is 

Absolute Existence. 

Thus the identity is the discovery that our essential nature, the essence of Jiva, is 

nothing but Brahman or universal Consciousness. There is no concern with the ‘unreal’ 

creation in this identity. Everything unreal has to be discarded in order to realize this 

oneness with Brahman.  

We shall see more of this identity in the last two chapters.

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Next

SATYAKAMA’S QUESTION 

Query No 5: 

“The Development of Power” 

Continued

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