The Chandogya Upanishad - 3-7. .Swami Krishnananda.

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Tuesday, June 14,  2022. 19:00.

Chapter - 3 : Sanatkumara's Instructions on Bhuma-Vidya : 

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SECTION 7: UNDERSTANDING :



Mantram-1.


"Vijnanam vava dhyanad-bhuyah, vijnanena va rg-vedam vijanati yajur-vedam sama-vedam atharvanam caturtham, itihasapuranam pancamam, vedanam vedam, pitryam, rasim, daivam, nidhim vakovakyam, ekayanam, deva-vidyam, brahma-vidyam, bhuta-vidyam, ksatra-vidyam, naksatra-vidyam, sarpa-devajana vidyam, divam ca prthivim ca vayum cakasam capasa-ca tejas-ca, devams-ca manusyams-ca pasums-ca vayamsi ca trna-vanaspatin svapadanyakita-patanga-pipilakam dharmam cadharmam ca satyam canrtam ca sadhu casadhu ca hrdayajnam cahrdayajnam cannam ca rasam cemam ca lokam amum ca vijnanenaiva vijanati, vijnanam upassveti."



Vijnana, understanding, is superior even to the action of concentration. All the pros and cons of concentration should be clear to the mind first, before it is applied to the activity called concentration. On what should one concentrate? If one does not understand that and simply tries to concentrate meaninglessly, it will not lead to success. The processes of concentration, the methodology of meditation, the purpose for which the mind is directed in concentration, the problems that one may have to face in the practice of concentration, all these have to be understood beforehand. This understanding is naturally superior, because it precedes the very activity called concentration.




Sanatkumara gives the entire list of Vedas, sciences, arts, etc., mastered by Narada and enumerated in Sections 1 and 2 of this chapter, and says that all this is a kind of understanding. Narada has applied his thought to the analysis of these objects and has grasped the implications in a clarified manner. So he has understood very well all that he has learnt. The capacity of the analytic intelligence always precedes the activity of the mind in the form of concentration or application of thought. All things, the five elements, every branch of learning, gods and human beings, animals and birds, virtue and non-virtue, truth and untruth, good and bad, the pleasurable and the non-pleasurable and whatnot, everything conceivable in life assumes a meaning on account of one's understanding that is attached to it. The meaning that we discover in life is nothing but the understanding of that particular aspect of life. If understanding is absent, meaning also is absent. When meaning is absent, nothing is present. The long list given in this mantra contains every blessed thing in the world. All these things have meaning only because of the understanding that is behind it. The determining factor of the value of any object whatsoever is the understanding behind it, the knowledge that is behind it. The capacity of the knowing subject is superior to the character of the object. Therefore, understanding should be the object of one's meditation.


Mantram-2.


"Sa yo vijnanam brahmety-upaste, vijnanavato vai sa lokan jnanavato'bhisidhyati, yavad-vijnanasya gatam tatrasya yatha kamcaro bhavati, yo vijnanam brahmety-upaste, asti bhagavah, vijnanad-bhuya iti, vijnanad vava bhuyao'stiti, tan-me, bhagavan, bravitv-iti."



To the extent of the reach of our understanding, to that extent we enjoy life. The power that we exert in life, personally or socially or any other way, is due to the extent of our knowledge. A person with knowledge or understanding is powerful. All know this very well. One's power depends proportionately on the depth or extent of one's understanding—vijnana. So, this is far superior to all other principles mentioned earlier. This is beautiful, but there is something more than understanding? Narada is inquisitive to know what is above all that he has understood up to this time.


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Next :

SECTION 8: STRENGTH

To be continued .....


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