Kaivalya Upanishad

Kaivalya Upanishad

This is one among the prominent Upanishads of India. There is no better lesson for mukthi or salvation. It starts with the santhipata “Ohm Sahanavavathu”. This is a dialogue between Brahma and Aswalayana maharshi. The sage approaches Brahma in all humility and requests him to impart Brahma vidya. He wants to know the means by which all wise people overcome their sins of previous births and attain moksha and brahma gives him the following reply. He stresses the importance of sraddha (concentration) and Dhyana (contemplation) and Yoga in order to attain Brahmajnana. He advises him to follow the same path of great yogis. In the third stanza he gives a very important verdict.

“Na karmana na prajaya tanena

Thyage naivac amritha

Tatwa maanaswuku

Paraena naakam nihitham guhaayam

Vibrajathae yadhya thio vishandhi”

[The great truth (Paramatma) cannot be understood through wealth, children or karma. The only means for this is thyaga or sacrifice. This is the glorious path shown by the Yogis. Brahma loka is attainable only by great yogis.

            Stanza 4 prescribes the most important abhyasa (practice) towards attaining Brahma loka. It demands great learning of the ultimate truth regarding and meticulous practice of Yoga. Only such Yogis will be eligible to attain amrithatwa.

   Stanza 7 gives us all the qualifiers of the great paramaatman. In order to portray him numerous words like achinthyan, avyakthan, ananantha swaroopi, kalyanakaari, adwayan, adwiteeyan, sarvavyapi, anandachaithanyam, aroopan, amrithaswaroopan, aadhimadhyanthe viheenan, chitaanandhan, parameswaran, mukkannan, neelakantan etc are used.

            Stanza 8 clearly states that the same like Brahma, Siva, Indra, Akshara, Brahma, Prana, Agni, kalan, Bhuda, bhavya, sanathana etc. One who understands this overcomes death. One has to see the same soul in all the elements and he alone attains eternal life. The following stanzas also give a detailed description of the same line of thought.

            When we come to stanza 16 we find the philosophy of ‘Tatwamasi’ very well delineated.

“Yat param Brahma sarvaatma.

Viswasyaayatanam mahat sukshmarth sukshmataram

Nityam tatwamevatwa mevatat"

[That parabrahma which is immortal, which is beyond the eyes of even complex machines and remains the cause of anything and everything in this universe that soul which is the spirit (prana) of all creations, that is in you. That thou art”

            Stanza 19 reads as follows:

Maievasakalam jaatham

Mai sarvam prathistitham

Mai sarvam layam

Yaathi tad Brahmaadwaya asmyaham

            [Everthing orginates from me, everything resides in me and in the end everything merges in me . I am that Adya Brahma.]

            Stanza 20 to 24 depicts the resplendent God who is all powerful. We get superb picture of the qualities of Parabrahma who is beyond the reach of all. He is Chit Swaroopa. He comprehends everything even without intelligence; sees everything without eyes; hears everything without ears. He alone prescribes the Vedas. He is the creator of Vedas. All the Vedas praise Him alone. He is beyond birth and death. Sins don’t touch Him so is righteousness. He is beyond body, mind and intelligence. As per as he is concerned there is no earth, water, fire, air or sky. Only one who realizes such magnitude can attain eternal life or moksha.

                       

            The final stanza emphasis the same argument and states that one who understands the ultimate truth becomes eligible for Kaivalya mukthi.

                                                                 Dr. Karickam