UPANISHADS OF INDIA - 7

PRASHNOPANISHAD PART –III

Now it is the turn of Kausalyan (Son of Aswala) to approach the great sage Pippalada Muni. He asks the following question: “Bhagavaan where does praana (soul) originate? How does it enter into the body? After that how does it divide itself into five elements and remain there? How does it contain the external universe and at the same time attain spiritual dimensions?

“Thasmai sa hova chaati prashnan prischase.

Brahmishto si ithi thasmathe ham braveemi.” – Part 3:2

Pippalaadan says to Kausalyan that he asked the most difficult question. “This is not easy for ordinary people to comprehend, but because you are a very disciplined disciple I will divulge the secrets to you.

“aathmana eesha praano jaayathe ethaisha purushe

Chayaithasminaetha dathatham mano krithe naayathu smin sareere” - Part 3: 3

[The praana originates from the paramaatman.  As the shadow of human beings exists with the human body, just like that the soul exists with the Paramaatma (Over Soul). It enters the body as per the wish of the mind].

As an emperor deputes his ambassadors in different parts of the realm, the Over Soul designates his aatman to different bodies.

Stanza VI gives a beautiful description of our heart and says that the soul resides in the heart. Our heart has 100 main veins. Each one of this has hundreds of blood vessels and each blood vessel has 72000 blood capillaries. The soul which is called vyana travels through these veins always.

Stanza VII says that there is one important vein among the 100 main veins called sushumna. Aatman (udaanavayu) which travels from the foot to the head always ultimately goes through sushumna. It sends the righteous ones to heaven and others to the world of sinners. Those who have good and bad equally to their credit will be sent to the world of human beings.

Stanza X gives a very important lesson about the journey of the soul. The future of the soul depends on the mental state at the time of its exit. That soul enters to different stages of life as per its final wish.

Stanza XI reads like this:

“Ya eevam vidwan praanam vedha na hasya praja

Hithaye mritho bhavathi thadesha sloka: .”

[The race of a wise one who understands this secret will never perish. He /she attains moksha and the final stanza (XII) clearly states that the one who discerns the origin, state and the magnitude of the soul finds his way to salvation].