Overview of Isavasyopanishad - Understanding of IsavasyoUpanishad

This ppt provides an overview on IsavasyoUpanishad. Providing a better understanding of the 1st listed major upanishad.

1. Isavasyopanishad

2. Agenda Brief Introduction To Upanishad Introduction On Isavasyopanishad Hymn 1-18 References

3. Brief Introduction To Upanishad The word 'Upanishad' has been derived from the root Sad (to sit), to which are added two prefixes: Upa and Ni. The prefix Upa denotes nearness and Ni totality. Thus, this word means 'sitting near by devotedly'. Sad means - destroying all passion and ignorance and all knowledge derived from senses merely - all knowledge that is save that of self. Upanishad are compress part of Vedas. There are 4 Vedas - Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. Each Veda consist of 4 sub sections - Samhita (Mantra & Hymns), Brahmana (Sacrificial Ritual), Upanishad and Aranyakas (i.e - forest books). The Vedas are consider to hold 2 major part - ritualistic part and knowledge part . Ritualistic part -> is considered to be lower form of knowledge. Knowledge part -> knowledge of self is considered as higher form of knowledge. (i.e Upanishadic Knowledge)

4. Brief Introduction To Upanishad…(1) Vedas are considered as Shruti (i.e they are passed along by hearing), there is no human author for Vedas. They were considered to be uttered by Lord Brahma himself. Upanishad are derived from Vedas and are also considered as Shruti. Text like Puranas , Ramayana and Mahabharata are considered as Smriti. (Written by human) Philosophy of Vedas and the related religion is called Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Religion). Vedas + Upanishad + Bhagavad Gita -> Form the Bases of Vedanta Philosophy . There are 108 Upanishad which are well known. Sankaracarya wrote commentaries on Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Manduka, Manudkya, Aitaerya, Taittiriya, chandogya, Brhadaranyaka and possibly Svetasvatara Upanishad. These are considered as major upanishad. Main Theme - Discussion on Brahma, Cosmic Soul - Impersonal , mysterious and supreme being.

5. Introduction On Isavasyopanishad Isha Upanishad is the First Upanishad in the series of Upanishad. It is one of the shortest upanishad after Mandukya Upanishad (12 Shloka). It is also called Isho Upanishad. The fortieth chapter of Shukla Yajur Veda is called Isavasyopanishad. It consist of 18 hymns . Avidya and Avidya are described. Deva loka (the world of the gods and goddesses) and Pitr loka (the world of the ancestors) is described.

6. Hymn 1 ॐ ईशावास्यमिदँ सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्। तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम्॥ 1 ॥ -Whatever moves in this world is enveloped by Isha. Enjoy it with renunciation. Do not covet any man’s wealth for whose wealth it is. Its is said that whatever is there in this world that all is due to the lord. By this one is said to r enounce the worldly pleasure and do not form any attachment towards it .

7. Hymn 2 कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेत् शतं समाः। एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे ॥ 2 ॥ Only performing scripture - ordained works, one should desire to live a hundred years. As there is no other way karma will taint man. This is also a path of Karma Yoga as mentioned in Bhagwat Gita - Doing one duty as prescribed in scriptures and without any desire or worry of result of actions. Acting in this manner one will not accrue bad karma.

8. Hymn 3 असूर्याः अन्धेन तमसा आवृताः नाम ते लोकाः सन्ति । ये के च जनाः आत्महनः सन्ति ते प्रेत्य तान् अभिगछति ॥ 3 ॥ Asurya (devilish) is the the name of the worlds covered with blind darkness, to them pass those who slay the self. Those who are ignorant of self - ha ve the Tamas Guna dominated. Those who have not realised the Self and therefore competent only for work , will be reborn in different spheres ad this is a condition infinitely inferior to realisation of the self.

9. Hymn 4 अनेजदेकं मनसो जवीयो नैनद्देवा आप्नुवन् पूर्वमर्षत्‌। तद्धावतोऽन्यानत्येति तिष्ठत् तस्मिन्नपो मातरिश्वा दधाति ॥ 4 ॥ The self is one. It is unmoving . It is faster than the mind. It is beyond the reach of the senses. It is ever steady. By its mere presence , it enables the cosmic energy to sustain the activities of living beings. Atma does no action, it is the cosmic energy that translates itself into all activities of mind ,life being a manifestation of it. The cosmic energy here is also known as Sutratman and Prana .

10. Hymn 5 तदेजति तन्नैजति तद् दूरे तद्वन्तिके। तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ॥ 5 ॥ It moves and it moves not. It is far and it is near. It is within all this, and it is also outside of all this. It is far for all those who are ignorant and involved in the outside world. It is nearer, as it resides in everyone's heart.

11. Hymn 6 यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मन्येवानुपश्यति। सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते ॥ 6 ॥ The wise man who perceives all beings as not distinct from his own self at all and his own self as the self of every being - he does not hate anyone by the virtue of perception. Also as per Bhagwat Gita - Hymn 6.30 फलमाह यो मामिति। तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामीति सर्वदा योगक्षेमवहः स्यामित्यर्थः। स च मे न प्रणश्यति सर्वदा मद्भक्तो भवति। For those who see me everywhere and see all things in me, I am never lost, nor are they ever lost to Me.

12. Hymn 7 यस्मिन् सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मैवाभूद् विजानतः। तत्र को मोहः कः शोक एकत्वमनुपश्यतः ॥ 7 ॥ What delusion, what sorrow is there for the wise man who sees the unity of existence and perceives all beings as his own self ? Also as per Bhagwat Gita - Shloka 6.22 यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं तत: | यस्मिन्स्थितो न दु:खेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते | Where in established he is not shaken by even th heavy sorrow.

13. Hymn 8 स पर्यगाच्छुक्रमकायमव्रणमस्नाविरं शुद्धमपापविद्धम्‌। कविर्मनीषी परिभूः स्वयम्भूर्याथातथ्यतोऽर्थान्‌ व्यदधात् शाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः॥8॥ He, the self existent , is everywhere , without a body, without muscles and without the taint of sin , radiant , whole and pure an seeling all , knowing all and encompassing all. Appropriately he distributed objects (arthas) through the eternal years.

14. Hymn 9 अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते। ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः ॥ 9 ॥ Those who devote to avidya ( ignorance or pure ritual) enter into blinding darkness. Into darkness greater than that as it were do enter who delight in vidya ( knowledge of ritualistic philosophy) alone. Human should give importance to knowledge and not only to Karma. Also a person should give importance to Karma and not only k nowledge (vise versa) .

15. Hymn 10 अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्ययाऽन्यदाहुरविद्यया। इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥ 10 ॥ One result, they say, is obtained by Vidya ( knowledge of ritualistic philosophy) and quite another by avidya ( ignorance or pure rituals). Thus we have heard from our ancient sages.

16. Hymn 11 विद्याञ्चाविद्याञ्च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह। अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते ॥ 11 ॥ He who understands Vidya and Avidya ,both together, attains to the nature of immortals through Vidya ( Knowledge of ritualistic philosophy) having conquered death by Avidya (pure rituals). By Avidya or devotional practices and rituals including selfless work one overcomes death- Mrtyu or the ordinary life of birth and death and by vidya or knowledge of Brahman we attain absolute immortality .

17. Hymn 12 अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासते। ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्यां रताः ॥ 12 ॥ Those who worship asambhuti ( non becoming or Prakriti ) enter into blinding darkness, they enter even into even greater darkness as it were who delight in becoming Sambhuti. Sambhuti - Signifies the Hiranyagarbha - the first manifestation of Brahman. जो अजन्म, जन्माभाव की अवस्था का अनुसरण करते हैं वे घोर अन्धकार में प्रवेश करते हैं। और जो केवल जन्म, प्रकृति के अन्दर जन्म में ही रत रहते हैं वे मानो उससे भी अधिक घोर अन्धकार में प्रवेश करते हैं।

18. Hymn 13 अन्यदेवाहुः सम्भवादन्यदाहुरसम्भवात्‌। इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥ 13 ॥ One result they say is obtained from worship of Sambhavna( the becoming or Hiranyagarbha) and a quite another from that of Asambhava (the non becoming or Prakriti) . Thus have we heard it from the wise who explained it to us. Sankara says that the result of worshiping Sambhuti or Sambhava ( Hiranyagarbha ) is the attainment of eight fold yogic powers and the worshipping Asambhuti or Asambhava ( Prakriti), leads absorption in Prakrti.

19. Hymn 14 सम्भूतिञ्च विनाशञ्च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह। विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्याऽमृतमश्नुते ॥ 14 ॥ Becoming ( Sambhuti ) and destruction ( Vinasa) - He who knows this pair conjointly ( saha) with destruction passing over death and with becoming wins the immortal.

20. Hymn 15 हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्‌। तत् त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥ 15 ॥ Like a lid, the shining golden orb covers the entrance of the Truth in thee. Remove it, O Sun, so that I who am devoted to the tue may hold that. One is advised to meditate upon the Bhraman as residing in the Sun, in the heart and in the eyes because manifestation of Divine are associated with these regions. This particular verse is the dying prayer for the illumination of the one who has been devoted all through his life to the conception of the Deity as manifestation in the Sun. He wants to see the spiritual entity behind the shining orb of the material Sun.

21. Hymn 16 पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन्‌ समूह। तेजो यत् ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥ 16 ॥ O Pusan (i.e - enlightened), the sole Seer, O Controller, O Sun, O son of Prajapati, spread forth your rays ! Gather your splendour (tejas) ! What is your locale form - that of you I see. He who is yonder ( i.e - at a distance) , yonder person ( purusa) - I myself an he !

22. Hymn 17 वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मांतं शरीरम्‌। ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥ 17 ॥ Now let my breath be merged in the all pervading immortal Prana, and the body be reduced to ashes. Om. Mind ! remember, past deeds remember ! As the course of departing soul entirely depends upon the predominant thoughts at the dying moment, the devotee is, at the time of death, asking the mind to fill itself with memories of the good deeds of once life, so that one may take the higher passage as mentioned in Hymn 18.

23. Hymn 18 अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान्‌ विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान्‌। युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नम‍उक्तिं विधेम ॥ 18 ॥ O Agni, Lead us by the fair path that we may reap the good we have sown. Thou knowest all our deeds. Lord, destroy all crooked-going sins in us. We salute thee with our words again and again. The Fair path here is reference is made here to deva-yana or the path of the gods. In Vedanta two paths are mentioned by which the departed souls may proceed to enjoy the fruits of karma done during their life on earth. One is called deva guyana - ‘the path of the gods’ or arcirmarga - ‘the path of light’ and the other pitr yana - ‘the path of the manes’ or dhuma marga -’the path of the manes’ or dhuma marga - ‘the path of darkness’ The former leads to Bhrama known as Satya Loka and the later leads to Chandra loka.

24. Hymn 18… Continued One who goes by the devayana, has not to come back again to this world, but remains in brahma loka till end of the cycle and then gets absorbed in Bhraman. This process of emancipation is called kramamukti or gradual or indirect salvation in contradistinction of Jiva-Mukti or direct salvation even while alive in the body, which is attained only by the realization of the true nature of the self. But all other who are of ordinary knowledge and actions and do some charitable or good work in their life time go to Candra Loka and they remain their till for their enjoyment of the fruit of their good karma, till it is exhausted . They come back again with some residue of their past karma to be reborn on the earth to undergo all the pains and pleasure of their life here.

25. References

26. Thank You !