KATHA UPANISHAD - 58. Swami Advayananda.

-

Chinmaya Mission: 

In our Hindu scriptures, it is said that we should not miss this time of the day! The most powerful time for every person!

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

Friday 14, June 2024 07:00.
Chapter 1.3:   17 Mantras:  THE JOURNEY AHEAD
1.3.5 & 6: The Intellect: Avijnanavan and Vijnanavan 
Post - 58.

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

1.3.5 & 6: The Intellect: Avijnanavan and Vijnanavan: 

1 

Yah tu avijnaanavaan bhavati = He who is of a non-discriminating intellect, 

2 

ayuktena manasaa sadaa; = having an unrestrained mind always, 

3 

tasya indriyaani avashyaani =  his senses are uncontrollable 

4 

dushta ashvaah iva saaratheh. =  like the wild horses of the charioteer. 

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

5 

Yah tu vijnaanavaan bhavati = But he who is of a discriminating intellect, 

6 

yuktena manasaa sadaa; =  having restrained his mind always, 

7 

tasya indriyaani vashyaani = his senses are controllable 

8 

sad ashvaah iva saaratheh. =  like the tame horses of the charioteer.

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

These two mantras focus on the intellect, which can be of two opposite types:

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

1-4

 The Avijnana-vani: The undiscriminating charioteer is the most dangerous 

person to entrust for this work. A dull intellect filled with Tamas or a restless Rajasic intellect 

cannot be relied upon to take one safely across Samsara. 

An unthinking driver will cause a lot of problems. Which owner, after having spent a 

fortune on a brand new Mercedes salon, will entrust it to a dull-witted, reckless driver?  

5-8

 The Vijnana-vani: This is the discriminating driver who is cautious about 

following all the road rules, who is skilled in driving, who takes great care to rein in the mind 

so that the horses are well-controlled. A good intellect is the key to a successful journey. 

A good charioteer is sane and sober, thoughtful and discerning, understanding and 

knowledgeable, he is patient, careful and alert to avert any danger on the road. For the 

owner’s peace of mind, it is worth giving the intellect the highest salary. 

The Vijnana-vani is capable of choosing Sreyas instead of Preyas. He possesses the 

fortitude to walk the path of Vidya. As discrimination is the key to the whole journey, it pays 

to take time and get the intellect trained to do this task well – even if that means spending 

two years on a Vedanta Course! 

The message we take from these two mantras is: “Let the Lord be the charioteer of our 

lives. He makes all the difference. Let us place our intellect in His hands. Let us invoke the 

Grace of Gayatri to raise our Buddhi towards the Light and keep it there. Let it not linger in 

the darkness of ignorance.” 

*****

Next

Mantras: 1.3.7, 8, & 9:The Destination: Successfully Reaching the Goal

Continued

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

know the self, know the self in Nature, know the self in Jiva, Further Oneness.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUNDAKOPANISHAD : CHAPTER-3. SECTION-2. MANTRAM-4. { "Other means of Self-realisation." }

-
Image
MUNDAKOPANISHAD CHAPTER-3. SECTION-2. MANTRAM-4.  { "Other  means  of  Self-realisation." } Nayam-atma  bala-hinena  labhyo na  ca  pramadat  tapaso  va' py-alingat, etair-upayair-yatate  yastu  vidvan tasyaisa  atma  visate  brahma-dhama. na  =  not; ayam  =  this; atma  =  Paramatma; bala-hinena  =  by  the  weak  ( in  spirit ); labhyah  =  is  attained; na  =  not; ca  =  and; pramadat  =  insincerity,  careless-ness; tapasah  =  from  penances,  austerities; va  =  or; api  =  and; alingat  = ( literal  meaning - without  proper  sign ),  improper,  unintelligent; etaih  =  by  these; upayaih  =  practices,  means; yatate  =  strives; yah  =  that; tu  =  but; vidvan  =  wise  man; tasya  =  to  him; esah  =  this; atma  =  Paramatma; visate  =  attains; brahma-dhama  =  the  state  of  brahmam. "The  Self  is  not  gained  by  the  weak  ( in  body,  mind,  and  intellect  or  Spirit ),  n
Read more

Mundakopanishad : ( Seven tongues of fire ).Mantram-4.

-
Image
Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram-4. ( Seven  tongues  of  fire ) "kali  karali  ca  manojava  ca  sulohita  ya  ca  sudhumra-varna, sphulingini  visvaruci  ca  devi  lelaya-mana  iti  sapta  jihvah." kali  =  kali ( the black  one ); karali  =  karali  ( the  terrific  one ); ca  =  and; manojava  =  as  swift  as  mind; ca  =  and; sulohita  =  deep-red-coloured; ya  =  who; ca  =  also; sudhumra  varna  =   the  smoke - coloured; sphulingini  =  the  sparkling; visvaruci  devi  =  the  variegated,  the  bright,  all  shining; ca  =  and; lelaya-mana  =  flickering; iti  =  that; sapta  =  seven; jihvah  =  tongues. "The  seven  flickering  tongues  ( jwala-s )  of  flames  are : 1. Kali,  the  black  one; 2. Karali,  the  terrific  one; 3. Manojava,  the  swift-as-mind  one; 4. Sulohita,  the  deep-red  one; 5. Sudhumra-varna,  the  smoke-coloured  one; 6. Sphulingini
Read more

Tat Tvam Asi – You Are That! – Chandogya Upanishad

-
Image
04/06/2019 Tat Tvam Asi – You Are That! – Chandogya Upanishad Uddalaka had a son called Svetaketu. When he was twelve, his father said to him, “It is time for you to find a spiritual teacher. Everyone in this family has studied the holy scriptures and the spiritual way.” So Svetaketu went to a teacher and studied the scriptures for twelve years. He returned home very proud of his intellectual knowledge. His father observed him and said, “My boy, you seem to have a high opinion of yourself; you are proud of your learning. But did you ask your teacher for the spiritual knowledge that enables you to hear the unheard, think the unthought and know the unknown?” “What is that knowledge, Father?” asked Svetaketu. “Just as by knowing a lump of clay, everything that is made of clay can be known, since any differences are only words, and the essential reality is clay. In the same way, by knowing a piece of gold, all that is made of gold can be known, since any differences are only wo
Read more