The Chandogya Upanishad - CH-2, SEC: 11. Swami Krishnananda.

-

 


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, May 23, 2021. 6:28. PM.
Chapter Two: Uddalaka's Teaching Concerning the Oneness of the Self
SECTION 11: THE INDWELLING SPIRIT (CONTINUED)—ILLUSTRATION OF A TREE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Asya, saumya mahato vrkshasya yo mule'bhyahanyat, jivan sravet; yo madhye'bhyahanyat, jivan sravet yo'gre 'bhyahanyat, jivan sravet, sa esha jivenatmana'nuprabhutah pepiyamano modamana-stishthati.

There must have been a huge tree in front of the kutir of Uddalaka. So he says, "Look at this big tree in front of our kutir." Suppose some one lays an axe on one of its branches, it will immediately demonstrate that it has got life. Juice will flow from that cut part-jivan sravet. Because there is life, it will exude the essence from its body. This will happen if it is cut in any other part of its body also. Madhye'bhyahanyat jivan sravet-suppose one cuts the trunk, then also we will see the juice coming out. Agre abhyahanyat jivan sravet-you may cut a little branch on the top. 

Then also you will see that there is life in it, as juice will exude from that particular part. Sa esha jivenatmana'nuprabhutah pepiyamano modamanaas-tishthati. The exuberant growth of the tree is due to the life that is in the tree. You will find much foliage of trees in certain seasons of the year when the whole vegetable kingdom is highly delighted. What is this delight? What is this happiness that we experience in the blooming of a beautiful tree. It is the manifestation of the life principle in it. It is the working of jiva, that essence which you call life. It cannot be explained in any other way. 

No one can say what this life is. You can simply say there is life, that is all. But what do you mean by life? Life is life. It cannot be explained by any other word. It has no definition, it has no comparison. Life cannot be compared to anything else, for there is nothing like it. It is unique in its nature. It stands by itself absolutely. We simply say life, as if everything is clear. There is life and we lead a life. 

But what is life? 

Nobody knows. Nobody cares to do anything about it, because it is the ultimate Being. It cannot be explained by any other higher reference. So, the existence of the tree, the working of the tree, the living of the tree is due to this vitality which is referable back to pure Being, the Sat. This is present not only in the tree but in everything else. If life departs from the tree, the tree dries up. When you say a particular branch of the tree is dry, what you mean is, that life has departed from that particular part.

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