UPANISHADS OF INDIA

Jabalyopanishad

                This is different from Jabaalopanishad. Here the sage Pipaladi asks Jabali about the great secrets of the ultimate truth:

“Kim tatwam ko jeeva:

Ka: pasu: easha: ko mokshopaya ithi”.

[What is the principle? What is the life? What is cow? Who is Eashan? What is the means to moksha or salvation?]

                Jaabali gives the following answer: Your question is most sublime. So I will teach you whatever I know. Then Pipaladi asks how he knows about this secret? Jaabali says he learned it from Shanmukhan and the question comes from where did Shanmukhan know this? And Jaabali says he learned it from Eashen and the question is again how he learned it? To this he answered that he learned it through upasana. And Pipaladi pleads him to teach all those secrets to him. Jaabali imparts all those mysterious lore to him. He adds that Pasupati is the cause of all jeeva and the cow is the embodiment of the same aatman.

                Then Pipaladi becomes curious to know about the cow and Jaabali reveals the fact that the very life itself is the cow and God is named Pasupathi because of the same aatman in both. And Pipaladi ask again this question:

“How can one name praana as cow? How does God becomes Pasupati”? Jaabali gives the following answer:

“Just as a cow or other cattle live as captives under their masters, the soul also dwells as a captive of the Lord”.

                Pipaladi still asks how one can derive such knowledge and Jaabali says one can gain such knowledge by wearing Viboothi (holy ash) and a detailed description of the Viboothi and attendant mantras are given in the ensuing slokas:

                One who becomes a true devotee like this- whether he is a Brahmachari or Sanyasi- becomes free from all minor and cardinal sins. He becomes like one who has taken a dip in all Holy Rivers. He will not have rebirth.

Atharva Siropanishad

          This is a beautiful Upanishad which deals with the real nature of God. The name suggests going out of heart and head and going beyond the top of the head.

          Devas go to Rudra loka to meet Rudra Bhagavan and make the following request: “oh Lord please tell us about your good self.  Teach us who you are?”.

Lord Rudra (Siva) gives this answer. I am one. I am in the past, present and future. There is nothing without me, nothing beyond me. It is me that is residing in all beings. I am mortal and immortal. I am eternal and non eternal. I am clear and unclear. I am Brahma and Abrahma; puman, apuman and woman, I am the Vedas.

           In the following stanzas we get a number of adjectives for God which gives us a glorious picture about the nature of the ominipotent.  Some of the adjectives are Ankiras, Jeshtan, Sreshtan, Varishtan, Water, Thejas, Guhyan, Aranyan, Aksharam, Kshram, Pushkaran, Pavithram, Agram, Madhyam, Bhagyam, Purobhagyam, Jyothi roopam etc.

    One who knows this knows all Gods, all Vedas and Vedangas.

   Devas became conscious about the glorious nature of God and began to praise him. In praising him they also use all kinds of glorious epithets. The following line

“You are Brahama roopa,

You are Vishnu roopa,

We praise you.

You are Agni roopa, you are Indra roopa, You are Soorya roopa, You are Vayu roopa,

We praise you.

You are Soma roopa, Ashtagraha roopa, Bhuva roopa, Swar roopa, Mahar roopa, and we praise you.

You are Prithyu roopa, Anthareeksha roopa, Jala roopa, Theja roopa, Kala roopa, Mrithyu roopa, Amritha roopa,

Wee praise you.

You are Aakasha roopa, Vishwa roopa, Sthloa oopa, Krishna roopa, Sukla roopa, Sathya roopa, Sara roopa,

We praise you”.

They contemplate on Lord Rudra and continue the praise in several quality hymns. The prayers go in the following line:

1)      He who is Rudra is verily the Lord.

2)      He who is Maheshwara is verily the Lord.

3)      He who is Uma is verily the Lord.

4)      He who is Vinayaka is verlty the Lord.

Towards the end of this Upanishad we get the meaning of various concepts like Om, Pranava, Saravavyapi, Sookshma, Vydutha, Rudra, Eashana, Mahadeva and so on.

This is an excellent explication of the real nature of Aadhiparasakthi or the Supreme force. Anyone who wants to really understand God has to come to this Upanishad for the meaning and the Philosophy ingrained in the terms Parabrahma or the Supreme Soul.

                                                                                                Dr. Karickam