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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
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Chronology
The chronology of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, like other Upanishads, is uncertain and contested.Stephen Phillips (2009), Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and Philosophy, Columbia University Press, {{ISBN|978-0231144858}}, Chapter 1 The chronology is difficult to resolve because all opinions rest on scanty evidence, an analysis of archaism, style, and repetitions across texts, driven by assumptions about the likely evolution of ideas, and on presumptions about which philosophy might have influenced which other Indian philosophies. Patrick Olivelle states, "in spite of claims made by some, in reality, any dating of these documents (early Upanishads) that attempts a precision closer than a few centuries is as stable as a house of cards".The chronology and authorship of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, along with Chandogya and Kaushitaki Upanishads, is further complicated because they are compiled anthologies of literature that must have existed as independent texts before they became part of these Upanishads.Q, Q108772045, 11-12,weblink The exact year and even the century of the Upanishad composition is unknown. Scholars have offered different estimates ranging from 900 BCE to 600 BCE, all preceding Buddhism. Brihadaranyaka is one of the first Upanishads, along with that of Jaiminiya Upanishad and Chandogya Upanishads.Olivelle, Patrick (1998), Upaniá¹£ads, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-282292-6}}, pages 10â17Fujii, M. 1997, âOn the Formation and Transmission of the JaiminÄ«ya-Upaniá¹£ad-BrÄhmaá¹aâ, Inside the Texts, Beyond the Texts: New Approaches to the Study of the Vedas, ed. M. Witzel, Harvard Oriental Series, Opera Minora, 2], Cambridge, 89â102 The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad was in all likelihood composed in the earlier part of 1st millennium BCE, in the 7thâ6th century BCE, give or take a century or so, according to Patrick Olivelle.The text was likely a living document and some verses were edited over some time before the 6th century BCE.Etymology and structure
(File:Biogradska suma.jpg|left|thumb|Brihadaranyaka Upanishad literally means the "Upanishad of the great forests".)Brihadaranyaka literally means "great wilderness or forest". The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is credited to ancient sage Yajnavalkya, but likely refined by a number of ancient Vedic scholars. The Upanishad forms the last part, that is the fourteenth kÄnda of Åatapatha BrÄhmana of "Åhukla Yajurveda". The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has six adhyayas (chapters) in total. There are two major recensions for the text â the Madhyandina and the Kanva recensions. It includes three sections: Madhu kÄnda (the 4th and 5th chapter of the fourteenth kÄnda of Satapatha Brahmana), Muni kÄnda (or Yajnavalkya Kanda, the 6th and 7th chapter of 14th kÄnda of Satapatha Brahmana) and Khila kÄnda (the 8th and 9th chapter of the fourteenth kÄnda of Satapatha Brahmana).Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 389â397BOOK, India through the ages,weblink Gopal, Madan, 1990, 80, K.S. Gautam, Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, The first and second chapters of the Upanishad's Madhu kÄnda consists of six brahmanas each, with varying number of hymns per brahmana. The first chapter of the Upanishad's Yajnavalkya kÄnda consists of nine brahmanams, while the second has six brahmanas. The Khila kÄnda of the Upanishad has fifteen brahmanas in its first chapter, and five brahmanas in the second chapter.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 399â544Content
First chapter
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad starts by stating one of many Vedic theories of creation of the universe. It asserts that there was nothing before the universe began. Then, Prajapati created the universe from this nothingness as a sacrifice to himself, imbuing it with Prana (life force) to preserve it in the form of cosmic inert matter and individual psychic energy.Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chapter 1, Translator: S Madhavananda, pages 5â29 The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad asserts that the world is more than just matter and energy; it is also constituted by Atman or Brahman (Self, Consciousness, Invisible Principles, and Reality) as well as Knowledge.The Brahmana 4 in the first chapter announces the non-dual monistic metaphysical premise that Atman and Brahman are identical Oneness. It asserts that because the universe came out of nothingness when the only principle existent was "I am he", the universe, after coming into existence, continues as Aham brahma asmi (I am Brahman).Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chapter 1, Translator: S Madhavananda, pages 92â118 In the last brahmana of the first chapter, the Upanishad explains that the Atman (Self) inspires by being self-evident (name identity), through empowering forms, and through action (work of a living being). The Self, states Brihadaranyaka, is the imperishable one that is invisible and concealed pervading all of reality.Second chapter
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad starts the second chapter as a conversation between Ajatashatru and Balaki Gargya on theory of dreams, positing that human beings see dreams entirely unto themselves because mind draws, in itself, the powers of sensory organs, which it releases in the waking state. Brihadaranyaka in brahmana 3 asserts that the human mind can perceive and construct its own reality. Mind is a means, prone to flaws. It emphasizes the struggle to realize the true, unknowable nature of Atman-Brahman, described as "neti, neti" (not this, not this), beyond qualities or characteristics.In the fourth brahmana of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajnavalkya and his wife Maitreyi engage in a dialogue about love and spirituality. Yajnavalkya states that one doesn't connect with and love forms, nor does one connect or love mind, rather one connects with the Self, the Self of one's own and one's beloved. All love is for the sake of one's Self, and the Oneness one realizes in the Self of the beloved.Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chapter 2 Section IV, Translator: S Madhavananda, pages 347â377 He then asserts that this knowledge of the Self, the Self, and Brahman is what makes one immortal, and the connection is also immortal. All longing is the longing for the Self, as the Self represents the true, the immortal, the real, and infinite bliss.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 425â445The fifth brahmana introduces the Madhu theory, giving this section the name Madhu Khanda. The Madhu theory is one of the foundational principles of Vedanta schools of Hinduism, as well as other Ästika schools of Indian philosophies. Madhu literally means "honey", or the composite fruit of numerous actions on the field of flowers. In this theory, notes Paul Deussen, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad asserts that "Atman exists" (Self exists), that all organic beings (plants, animals, human beings and gods) are all beings are interconnected with each other and Brahman (Cosmic Self); it further asserts that inorganic nature (fire, air, earth, water, space) is the field where the beings act, and where their numerous actions create fruits that they separately and together experience. The Upanishad then states that everything is connected, beings affect each other, organic beings affect the inorganic nature, inorganic nature affects the organic beings, one is the "honey" (result, fruit, food) of the other, everyone and everything is mutually dependent, nourishing and nurturing each other, all stemming from one Brahman, resulting in blissful oneness.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 437â443Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chapter 2 Section IV, Translator: S Madhavananda, pages 377â404 This theory appears in various early and middle Upanishads, and parallels Immanuel Kant's doctrine of "the affinity of phenomena" built on "the synthetic unity of apperception".Alan Jacobs (1999), The Principal Upanishads: The Essential Philosophical Foundation of Hinduism, Watkins, {{ISBN|978-1905857081}}The last brahmanam of the Upanishad's first section is a Vamsa (generational line of teachers) with the names of 57 Vedic scholars who are credited to have taught the Madhu Khanda from one generation to the next.Max Müller, Brihad Aranyaka Upanishad The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 15, Oxford University PressThird chapter
The third chapter is a metaphysical dialogue between ten ancient sages, on the nature of Reality (Brahman), Atman (individual self), and Mukti (liberation). Paul Deussen calls the presentation of ancient scholar Yajnavalkya in this chapter "not dissimilar to that of Socrates in the dialogues of Plato".Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 443â445 Among other things, the chapter presents the theory of perceived empirical knowledge using the concepts of graha (sensory action) and atigraha (sense). It lists 8 combinations of graha and atigraha: breath and smell, speech and name (ideas), tongue and taste, eye and form, ear and sound, skin and touch, mind and desire, arms and work respectively. The sages debate the nature of death and whether any graha and atigraha prevails after one dies. After ruling out six of the sensory actions, they assert that one's ideas (name) and one's actions and work (karma) continue to have an impact on the universe even after one's physical death.Max Müller, Brihad Aranyaka Upanishad The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 15, Oxford University PressPaul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 448â449The fourth brahmana of the third chapter asserts, "it is your Self which is inside all", all Selfs are one, immanent and transcendent. The fifth brahmana states that profound knowledge requires one to give up showing off one's erudition, then to adopt childlike curiosity and simplicity, followed by becoming silent, meditating, and being observant (muni). This marks the beginning of the journey toward profound knowledge and understanding the Self of all things, where freedom from frustration and sorrow is found.In the sixth and eighth brahmana, focus is on the concept of the imperishable (akshara). In these brahmanas, Gargi Vachaknavi and Yajñavalka engage in philosophical inquiries and debates, exploring the ultimate truth and the imperishable nature of reality. The discussions explore deep philosophical ideas, highlighting the importance of seeking spiritual wisdom and the quest to understand the timeless, unchanging reality that transcends the material world.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 450â464The seventh brahmana explores the interconnectedness of the Self with all of existence, emphasizing its role as the inner controller, often without the knowledge of beings. It asserts that the Self is the true essence.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 457â465 The ninth brahmana, the longest in the third chapter, introduces the "neti, neti" principle, which is later discussed along with the analogical equivalence between the physical features of a man and those of a tree. It highlights that the root of a man is his Self.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 466â475Kausitaki Upanishad Robert Hume (Translator), Oxford University Press, pages 125â127 The last hymns of chapter 3 in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad also attest to the prevalent practice of the renouncing ascetic life by the time Brihadaranyaka Upanishad was composed in Vedic age of India, and it is these ascetic circles that are credited for major movements such as Yoga as well as the Åramaá¹a traditions later to be called Buddhism, Jainism and heterodox Hinduism.Geoffrey Samuel (2008), The Origins of Yoga and Tantra, Cambridge University Press, {{ISBN|978-0521695343}}, page 8, Quote: such (yogic) practices developed in the same ascetic circles as the early Åramaá¹a movements (Buddhists, Jainas and Ajivikas), probably in around the sixth or fifth BCE.Fourth chapter
The fourth chapter of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad begins with a dialogue between King Janaka and Yajnavalka. It explores various aspects of the "Self exists" theory, its phenomenal manifestations, and its philosophical implications on soteriology. In the first brahmanam of the fourth chapter, the Upanishad states that the Self manifests in human life in six forms: Prajna (consciousness), Priyam (love and the will to live), Satyam (reverence for truth, reality), Ananta (endlessness, curiosity for the eternal), Ananda (bliss, contentness), and Sthiti (the state of enduring steadfastness, calm perseverance).Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pages 475â507In the second brahmanam, the Upanishad explores the question, "what happens to Self after one dies?", and provides the root of two themes that play a central role in later schools of Hinduism: first, the concept of Self as individual Selves (dualism), and second, the concept of Self being One and Eternal, neither coming nor going anywhere, because it is everywhere and in everyone in Oneness (non-dualism). This chapter discusses the widely cited "neti, neti" (नà¥à¤¤à¤¿ नà¥à¤¤à¤¿, "not this, not this") principle on one's journey to understanding Self. The second brahmanam concludes that Self exists is self-evident, Self is blissfully free, Self is eternally invulnerable, and Self is indescribable knowledge.The hymn 4.2.4 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is one of many instances in the ancient Sanskrit text where the characters involved in philosophical debate greet each other with Namaste (नमसà¥à¤¤à¥), a practice in the culture of India.Brihadaranyaka 4.2.4 S Madhavananda (Translator), pages 590â592The third brahmanam of the fourth chapter discusses the premises of moksha (liberation, freedom, emancipation, self-realization), and provides some of the most studied hymns of Brihadaranyaka. Paul Deussen calls it, "unique in its richness and warmth of presentation", with profoundness that retains its full worth in modern times.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, page 482 It translates as follows,The fourth brahmanam continues to build the thematic description of Atman-Brahman (Self) and the state of self-realization as achieved. Yajnavalkya declares that knowledge is Self, knowledge is freedom, knowledge powers inner peace. In hymn 4.4.22, the Upanishad states:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Max Müller, The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 15, Oxford University PressMax Müller and Paul Deussen, in their respective translations, describe the Upanishad's view of "Self" and "free, liberated state of existence" as, "[Self] is imperishable, for he cannot perish; he is unattached, for he does not attach himself; unfettered, he does not suffer, he does not fail. He is beyond good and evil, and neither what he has done, nor what he has omitted to do, affects him. (...) He therefore who knows it [reached self-realization], becomes quiet, subdued, satisfied, patient, and collected. He sees self in Self, sees all as Self. Evil does not overcome him, he overcomes all evil. Evil does not burn him, he burns all evil. Free from evil, free from spots, free from doubt, he became Atman-Brâhmana; this is the Brahma-world, O King, thus spoke Yagnavalkya."The last brahmanam of the Upanishad's second section is another Vamsa (generational line of teachers) with the names of 59 Vedic scholars who are credited to have taught the hymns of Muni Khanda from one generation to the next, before it became part of Brihadaranyaka.Max Müller, Brihad Aranyaka Upanishad The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 15, Oxford University PressFifth and sixth chapters
The fifth and sixth chapters of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad are known as Khila Khanda, which literally means "supplementary section, or appendix".Max Müller, Brihad Aranyaka Upanishad, The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 15, Oxford University Press. Each brahmanam in the supplement is small except the fourteenth. This section, suggests Paul Deussen, was likely written later to clarify and add ideas considered important in that later age.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}; p. 507Some brahmanams in the last section of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, such as the second and third brahmanam in fifth chapter, append ethical theories, while fourth brahmanam in the fifth chapter asserts that "empirical reality and truth is Brahman".Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass; {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pp. 509â510. In the fourth brahmanam of sixth chapter, sexual rituals between a husband and wife are described to conceive and celebrate the birth of a child.Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass; {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, pp. 534â544Teachings
{{Hindu scriptures |expanded=Upanishads}}The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad has been an important work in Vedanta and it discusses many early concepts and theories foundational to Hinduism such as karma, Atman-Brahman, the afterlife, etc.BOOK, Hans Torwesten, Vedanta: Heart of Hinduism,weblink 1994, Grove, 978-0-8021-3262-8, 55â57,Creation
The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka contains various passages which discuss the beginning of the universe and its creation. A key figure in this process is the deity Prajapati, who creates the world through liturgical recitation, priestly sacrifice, dividing up his own body, copulation, giving birth to various devas and demons.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, pp. 37â39. Oxford University Press (South Asia research) The verse 1.4.1 on the creation states: "in the beginning this world was just a single body (atman) shaped like a man. He looked around and saw nothing but himself."Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, pp. 45â47. Oxford University Press (South Asia research) The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka goes on to state that this single body became afraid and wanted to have a companion, so he split his body into two, made a wife and copulated with her to create all living beings.Atman
The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad teaches the theory of atman (the Self), which is the eternal inner reality in a person. It is described by the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka as follows:This innermost thing, this self (atman)âit is dearer than a son, it is dearer than wealth, it is dearer than everything else...a man should regard only his self as dear to him. When a man regards only his self as dear to him, what he holds dear will never perish.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, p. 49. Oxford University Press (South Asia research).This self is also the source of all vital functions:As a spider sends forth its thread, and as tiny sparks spring forth from a fire, so indeed do all the vital functions (prana), all the worlds, all the gods, and all beings spring from this self (atman). Its hidden name (upanisad) is 'The real behind the real,' for the real consists of the vital functions, and the self is the real behind the vital functions.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, pp. 63â65. Oxford University Press (South Asia research).According to the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka, this self travels through various worlds and takes up a body:It is this personâthe one that consists of perception among the vital functions (prana), the one that is the inner light within the heart. He travels across both worlds, being common to both. Sometimes he reflects, sometimes he flutters, for when he falls asleep he transcends this world, these visible forms of death. When at birth this person takes on a body, he becomes united with bad things, and when at death he leaves it behind, he gets rid of those bad things.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, pp. 111â113. Oxford University Press (South Asia research).However, this self is not just something individual, since the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka states:When a chunk of salt is thrown in water, it dissolves into that very water, and it cannot be picked up in any way. Yet, from whichever place one may take a sip, the salt is there! In the same way this Immense Being has no limit or boundary and is a single mass of perception.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, p. 69. Oxford University Press (South Asia research).Furthermore, this self which is an imperishable reality and the "radiant and immortal person" in all things, cannot be grasped:About this self (atman), one can only say 'notâ, notâ' (neti neti). He is ungraspable, for he cannot be grasped. He is undecaying, for he is not subject to decay. He has nothing sticking to him, for he does not stick to anything. He is not bound; yet he neither trembles in fear nor suffers injury.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, p. 111. Oxford University Press (South Asia research). And yet, its only by reflecting on one's atman that one can gain knowledge:You see, Maitreyiâit is one's self (atman) which one should see and hear, and on which one should reflect and concentrate. For by seeing and hearing one's self, and by reflecting and concentrating on one's self, one gains the knowledge of this whole world.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, p. 69. Oxford University Press (South Asia research).Brahman and atman
Another term found in the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka is Brahman, and this is closely associated with the term atman. According to the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka, "in the beginning this world was only brahman, only one."Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, pp. 49â51. Oxford University Press (South Asia research). Then Brahman, which was "not fully developed", created the "ruling power" among the gods and then it also created all the castes (brahmin, ksatriya, vaisya and shudra) as well Dharma.According to the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka there are "two visible appearances (rupa) of brahman":Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, pp. 65â67. Oxford University Press (South Asia research).- One form has a fixed shape, is mortal, stationary, this refers to the body as well as things in the external world
- the form other is without a fixed shape, is immortal and in motion. It also refers to "the person within the sun's orb" as well as to "breath and the space within the body". Furthermore, "the visible appearance of this person is like a golden cloth, or white wool, or a red bug, or a flame, or a white lotus, or a sudden flash of lightning."
Karma
One of the earliest formulation of the Karma doctrine occurs in the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka which states:Tull, Herman W. The Vedic Origins of Karma: Cosmos as Man in Ancient Indian Myth and Ritual. SUNY Series in Hindu Studies. P. 28}}Afterlife
The text also contains some speculations about the afterlife. In one passage, Yajñavalkya is asked what happens to a man who has died and he states that after death "a man turns into something good by good action (karma) and into something bad by bad action."Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, p. 81. Oxford University Press (South Asia research). The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka also describes how the atman leaves the body at death and takes up a new life.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, p. 119. Oxford University Press (South Asia research). The text describes the process as follows:As a caterpillar, when it comes to the tip of a blade of grass, reaches out to a new foothold and draws itself onto it, so the self (atman), after it has knocked down this body and rendered it unconscious, reaches out to a new foothold and draws itself onto it.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, p. 121. Oxford University Press (South Asia research).Ethics
The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka includes hymns on virtues and ethics.S Wesley Ariarajah (1986), Hindu Spirituality, The Ecumenical Review, 38(1), pages 75â81Harold Coward (2003), Ethics and Nature in the Worldâs Religions, in Environment across Cultures, Wissenschaftsethik und Technikfolgenbeurteilung, Volume 19, {{ISBN|978-3642073243}}, pp 91â109 In verse 5.2.3 it recommends three virtues: self-restraint (दमà¤, damah), charity (दानà¤, daanam), and compassion for all life (दया, daya).PV Kane, Samanya Dharma, History of Dharmasastra, Vol. 2, Part 1, page 5BOOK, Chatterjea, Tara, Knowledge and Freedom in Indian Philosophy, Lexington Books, Oxford, 148, These basic Vedic ethical principles found in the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka later developed into the more complex yamas (ethical rules) found in various schools of Hinduism.BOOK, ÄgÄÅe, K. S., PÄtañjalayogasÅ«trÄá¹i, 1904, ÄnandÄÅrama, Puá¹e, 102,weblink James Lochtefeld, "Yama (2)", The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 2: NâZ, Rosen Publishing. {{ISBN|9780823931798}}, page 777Kaneda, T. (2008). Shanti, peacefulness of mind. C. Eppert & H. Wang (Eds.), Cross cultural studies in curriculum: Eastern thought, educational insights, {{ISBN|978-0805856736}}, Taylor & Francis, pages 171â192Psychology
The verses in the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka contain theories pertaining to psychology and human motivations.Aron & Aron (1996), Love and expansion of the self: The state of the model, Personal Relationships, 3(1), pages 45â58Masek and Lewandowski (2013), The self expansion model of motivation and cognition, in The Oxford Handbook of Close Relationships (Editors: Simpson and Campbell), Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0195398694}}, page 111 Verse 1.4.17 describes the desire for progeny as the desire to be born again. The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad states a behavioral theory that links action to one's nature, suggesting that behavioral habits shape a person:According as one acts, so does he become.One becomes virtuous by virtuous action,bad by bad action.â Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.5Four facts of HinduismAncient and medieval Indian scholars have referred to the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad as a foundation for discussing psychological theories, the nature of psyche, and the interactions between body, mind, and Self. For example, Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka explains the relation between consciousness, the mind and the body.KR Rao (2005), Perception, cognition and consciousness in classical Hindu psychology. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 12(3), pages 3â30RH Trowbridge (2011), Waiting for Sophia: 30 years of conceptualizing wisdom in empirical psychology. Research in Human Development, 8(2), pages 149â164Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad asserts that the mind creates desire, with its basis rooted in pleasure.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} It states that the eye is the cause of material wealth, as wealth is created through sight, whereas the ears represent spiritual wealth, as knowledge is shared through listening.BOOK, The Brhadaranyaka Upanisad with commentary of Sankaracarya, Swami Madhavananda, 1950,weblink In the dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, husband and wife, the Upanishad suggests that one does not love an object for the sake of the object but for the sake of the subject, which is the Self (the Self of the other person).Metaphysics
Verse 1.3.28 acknowledges that metaphysical statements in the Upanishads are meant to guide the reader from unreality to reality. The metaphysics of Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad often presents a kind of non-dualism or monism. For instance, in verse 2.4.13 Yajñavalkya asserts that everything in the universe is the Self. Some passages state that Brahman is the whole:Clearly, this self is brahmanâthis self that is made of perception, made of mind, made of sight, made of breath, made of hearing, made of earth, made of water, made of wind, made of space, made of light and the lightless, made of desire and the desireless, made of anger and the angerless, made of the righteous and the unrighteous; this self that is made of everything.Olivelle, Patrick (1998). The Early Upanisads Annotated text and translation, p. 121. Oxford University Press (South Asia research).Upanishadic metaphysics is further elucidated in the Madhu-vidya (honey doctrine), where the essence of every object is described to be same to the essence of every other object. The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad looks at reality as being indescribable and its nature to be infinite and consciousness-bliss. The cosmic energy is thought to integrate in the microcosm and in the macrocosm as well as the individual and the universe.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}Different interpretations
The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad has attracted secondary literature and commentaries (bhasya) from many scholars. In these secondary texts, the same passages have been interpreted in differently by various sub-schools of Vedanta, including Advaita (monism), Dvaita, and Vishistadvaita.BOOK, Wendy Doniger, Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism,weblink 1988, Manchester University Press, 978-0-7190-1866-4, 39â44, BOOK, Madhva, The Principal Upaniá¹£ads: Chandogya-Brihadaranyaka,weblink 1999, Dvaita Vedanta Studies and Research Foundation, iâiv, The phrase "neti, neti" (not this, not this) is a profound concept found in the Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad, and it has been interpreted differently by Shankara and Ramanuja. Shankara interprets it as a negation of all empirical attributes and forms. According to Shankara, Brahman (ultimate reality) is beyond all distinctions and is the only true reality, and everything else is an illusion (maya). Ramanuja interprets "neti, neti" not as a complete negation but as an acknowledgment of limitations of human language and conceptualization when describing Brahman. This perspective emphasizes the infinite and glorious nature of the Divine, suggesting that the negation is more about the limitation of our understanding than about Brahman itself.BOOK, Raghavachar S S,weblink Ramanuja On The Upanishads, 1972, 71-73,Popular mantras
PavamÄna Mantra
This is from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.28)Translation:}}Editions
- Albrecht Weber, The {{IAST|Ãatapatha-BrÄhmaá¹a}} in the MÄdhyandina-ÃÄkhÄ, with extracts from the commentaries of {{IAST|SÄyaá¹a}}, HarisvÄmin and DvivedÄnga, Berlin 1849, reprint Chowkhamba Sanskrit Ser., 96, Varanasi 1964.
- Willem Caland, The {{IAST|Åatapatha BrÄhmaá¹a}} in the {{IAST|KÄá¹vÄ«ya}} Recension, rev. ed. by Raghu Vira, Lahore 1926, repr. Delhi (1983)
- Ãmile Senart, Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad, Belles Lettres (1967) {{ISBN|2-251-35301-1}}
- TITUS online edition (based on both Weber and Caland)
- Sivananda Saraswati, The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: Sanskrit text, English translation, and commentary. Published by Divine Life Society, 1985.
Translations
- Robert Hume, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Oxford University Press
- Max Müller, The Upanishads â includes Brihadaranyaka, The Sacred Books of the East â Volume 15, Oxford University Press
- BOOK, Sarvepalli, Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, 1994, The Principal Upanishads, New Delhi, HarperCollins Publishers India, 81-7223-124-5, 1953,
- Swami Madhavananda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Translations by Johnston, NikhilÄnanda, Madhavananda
- The Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad (with the Commentary of Åaá¹ karÄcÄrya) original Sanskrit and English translation
In literature
Poet T. S. Eliot makes use of the story "The Voice of the Thunder" and for the source of "datta, dayadhvam, and damyata{{-"}} found in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Sections of the story appear in his poem The Waste Land under s:The Waste Land#What the Thunder Said.5B40.5D|part V "What the Thunder Said"]].BOOK, Bloom, Harold, T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land, 2006, Infobase Publishing, New York, 58,References
{{reflist|30em}}External links
{{wikisourcelang|sa|बà¥à¤¹à¤¦à¤¾à¤°à¤£à¥à¤¯à¤à¥à¤ªà¤¨à¤¿à¤·à¤¦à¥|Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Sanskrit)}}- weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150511165242weblink">GRETIL etext
- Bá¹hadÄraá¹yaka Upaniá¹£ad mp3 recordings of classes by Swami Tadatmananda, Arsha Bodha Center
- Video/Audio classes, Reference texts, Discussions and other Study material on Brihadaranyaka Upanishad at Vedanta Hub
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