The Chandogya Upanishad : 2.3 : Swami Krishnananda

-

07/03/2019

The Chandogya Upanishad : the tripod of Indian Culture, being constituted of the Upanishads, the Brahmasutras and the Bhagavadgita.

Chapter One: Vaishvanara-Vidya -2

2.THE COURSE OF THE SOUL AFTER DEATH -3.

Ignorance breeds further troubles in the form of likes and dislikes, selfish actions and their consequences which bring about a birth of this kind, and eventually sorrow. In this connection it is said, in conclusion, that those who live a life of spiritual meditation are not affected by this law.

This is a solacing conclusion that the Upanishad gives. You are affected by the law when you cannot understand the law. A person who knows what law is cannot be harmed by law. This is the case with any kind of law, whether it is governmental law or the law of electricity or the law of social life or the law of the spirit.

It is ignorance of the way in which law works that binds us to the operation of the law. If we are thoroughly conversant with the intricacies of the working of the law, naturally we will abide by that law. And why should we be bound by it or harassed by it, or punished by it? We do not know how the law works. The whole difficulty is here.

So, we cannot even abide by it. How can one abide by a law of which one has no knowledge? So, ignorance is the real trouble; every other trouble is subsidiary and an offshoot of it. One who knows this truth of the universe, is free from every sin and trouble.

Now, here, the words "one who knows this" signify something that occurs again and again in the Upanishad. We should repeatedly mention here that "one who knows this" does not mean one who has read the Upanishad, or one who has read it and understood what it says. No, not like that.

Here, in the case of the Upanishad, knowledge means 'life' itself. It is 'living'; it is the extent to which this knowledge has become part of one's life. This is the knowledge that we are speaking of here in the Upanishad. Knowledge is being; this is the central philosophy of the Upanishad.

This we cannot forget, when we study the Upanishad. Knowledge is life; knowledge is being, knowledge is existence; knowledge is what you are.

To be continued ...


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Chhandogya Upanishad - CH-2, SEC-8, POST-2. Swami Krishnananda.

-
Image
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, March 14, 2021. 07:31. PM. Chapter Two: Uddalaka's Teaching Concerning the Oneness of the Self SECTION 8: CONCERNING SLEEP, HUNGER, THIRST AND DYING POST-2. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sa yatha sakunih sutrena prabaddho disam disam patit-vanyatrayatanam-alabdhva bandhanam evopasrayate, evam eva khalu, saumya tan mano disam disam patit-vanyatrayatanam-alabdhva pranam evopasrayate prana bandhanam hi, saumya, mana iti." You have no support anywhere in this world, except your own self, as the peg is the resting place of the bird in the illustration. But, this is a point which nobody can remember. You seek support outside, and so go on working hard every day to come in contact with things external, thinking that your support is outside, but it is not there! You can not find a final support anywhere in the world. Everybody is sick of y
Read more

The Chandogya Upanishad : 1.13. Swami Krishnananda

-
Image
====================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------- 11/04/2020. Chapter One: Vaishvanara-Vidya The Self as the Universal Whole (Continued) Post-13. --------------------------------------------------------------- 1. The specific action that is taken up for discussion here is, what is called in the language of the sacred lore, Prana-agnihotra, or the sacrificial offering to the Universal Fire. The food that we take every day is a holy oblation to the All-pervading Vital Fire. This meditation is Prana-agnihotra. Agnihotra is the consecrated offering into the sacred Fire. Ritualistically or exoterically conceived, this means the daily performance of the yajna, or sacrifice, by a householder.  #The Upanishad makes out that this agnihotra is perpetually taking place in our own bodies, of which we have to be conscious in our meditation. The external sacrifice ceases to be external any more. Viewing everyt
Read more

The Chandogya Upanishad - 3-11 : Swami Krishnananda.

-
Image
 ======================================================================= ========================================================================= Sunday, September 18,  2022. 07:00. Chapter - 3 : Sanatkumara's Instructions on Bhuma-Vidya :  SECTION 11: HEAT. ======================================================================= Subtler principles are always superior to the grosser ones, because they are more pervasive in character. Hence, if water is superior to the earth principle, fire is superior to the water principle. Mantram-1. "Tejo vava adbhyo bhuyah, tasmad-va etad-vayum agra-hyakasam abhitapati, tad-ahuh, nisocati, nitapati, varsisyati va iti, taja eva tat purvam darsayitva'tha'pah srjate. tat-etad urdhvabhis-ca tirascibhis-ca vidyudhih ahradas-caranti; tasmadahuh vidyotate, stanayati, varsisyati va iti, teja eva tat purvam darsayitvatha'pah srjate, teja upassveti." Mantram-2. "Sa yastejo brahhmetyupaste tajasvi vai sa tajasvato lokanbhasvato&
Read more