KATHOUPANISHAD - 74. Swami Advayananda.

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Tuesday 07, January 2025, 15:30.
KATHA UPANISHAD  
Part 2 – Total 49 Mantras 
Chapters 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3 
Chapter 2.1: (15 Mantras) 
BRAHMAN – ABSOLUTE INTELLIGENCE 
 Mantram - 2.1.9:  Brahman – the Ultimate Support  
Post - 74.

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BRAHMAN – ABSOLUTE INTELLIGENCE 

 Mantram - 2.1.9:  Brahman – the Ultimate Support  

1 Yatah cha udeti sooryah = That from which the Sun (Hiranyagarbha) arises, 

2 astam gacchhati yatra cha; = and into which it merges or sets – 

3 tam devaah sarve arpitaah That upon which depend (are fixed) all the Deities. 

4 tat u na atyeti kashchana. = None ever transcends That, (the Supreme Brahman). 

5 Etat vai tat. = This is verily That! 

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We are now closing in on our main subject of discussion, Brahman, which is the answer to Nachiketas’s third boon. This is the knowledge for which Nachiketas spurned all the wealth and pleasure he was offered. This manram begins to point out directly the supremacy of Brahman over the whole hierarchy of Creation. 

 


1-2

 Udeti Sooryah, Astam Gachhati: “the rising and setting Sun”. Notwithstanding 

the fact that the sun actually never rises or sets, but it is the earth that spins around, still we 

see it as rising and setting. The Rishi uses this as a simile. The sun represents everything that 

emerges from the womb of Hiranyagarbha. In Indian cosmology, creation and dissolution 

are two cyclical events just as day and night are. Day represents creation and night 

destruction.  

3

 Devaah: “the Devas”. All the Deities are assistants of the Sun, who is Hiranyagarbha. If even Hiranyagarbha takes his origin from Brahman and finally dissolves into Brahman, then what to speak of all his assistant Deities. All of them depend on their existence as well as power, capacities and abilities on Brahman. We on Earth who are much lower in the hierarchy than all the Deities depend at most times on them to obtain special favours. Our dependency is much more than that of the Deities. Our dependency is not even mentioned in this verse. It is taken for granted. Another way to look at our dependency on Brahman is to think of ourselves as objects in creation which are fixedonto Brahman just as gems are fixed on a string to produce a necklace, or as a stamp is fixed on an envelope. All the elements, the objects and beings are fixed on Brahman. 

4

 There is nothing that is higher than the Supreme Brahman. At the same time, there 

is nothing other than Brahman! The only sensible conclusion we can draw from this is: The 

one Lord who is seen to be the entire subtle creation (verses 4.6 and 4.7), is also at the 

heart of the entire gross creation. Brahman is not just transcendental or beyond this 

creation, but wholly immanent in every part of creation. 

5

 The great truth emerging from all this is that the Supreme Being, Brahman, can be contacted in and through His Creation! The Mahavakya is repeated yet again. 

*****

Next

Mantram - 2.1.10: Brahman is Both “Here” & “There”

Continued

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

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