RELS101 Introduction To The Study Of Religion

The Upanishads are the sacred scriptures of infinite knowledge and wisdom. There are roughly two hundred texts, out of which only fourteen are of utmost importance. These Upanishads provide philosophical and spiritual insights on human life with all its complexities. In this essay we will dive deep into the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Easwaran2009), which deals with the attainment of wisdom. The word “Brihad-aranyaka” translates into the great forest of wisdom. It consists of six adhyayas or chapters. The essay focuses on this particular paragraph from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad :

You are what your deep, driving desire is.

As your desire is, so is your will.

As your will is, so is your deed.

As your deed is, so is your destiny. [ Brihadaranyaka IV.4.5 ]

The text opens with the dialogue between Yajnavalkya who is a great sage, and his wife Maitreyi. It is time for Yajnavalkyato leave home in the pursuit of truth. Maitreyi too has a thirst for immortality (Easwaran2009). Hence, the parting dialogue between them becomes a session of deep spiritual instruction. Thus, Yajnavalkya decides to impart his knowledge to his beloved wife. He tells her about the most important aspect of the Upanishads that is, the Self. He explains that once we are able to identify the Self within us, we will be free from grief and separations. Maitreyi further wants to know the truth about immortality and whether the acquisition of material wealth will help her attain salvation(Gough2013).The wise sage advises Maitreyi to understand the Self through meditation and self-realization. He further gives examples to validate his previous statement. The mystic says that an individual cannot understand the sound of a conch or a drum without understanding the instrument and the person playing the instrument. Similarly, an ocean cannot exists without water, flesh cannot be felt without touch, aroma cannot be smelled without the nose, thoughts cannot be processed without the mind, emotions cannot be felt without the heart. Therefore, nothing can exists without the Self which is supreme. He informs the inquisitive Maitreyi that dissimilarity arises when an individual identifies himself with the body and this is bondage(Easwaran2009). When this identification ceases, the Self is no longer a separate entity.

The sagacity of Yajnavalkya is unquestionable. He reflects on the inner desires, dreams, passions and senses that is the driving force of all living creatures. A person is what his ultimate desire is because he will act and think according to his inner desires. All our actions will lead us to our own destiny.  As William Shakespeare had once said, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves” (Wilkins,MandBritain2015). Since we are the makers of our own destiny, it is important to have knowledge about the infinite power of the Self or the Atman (Soul). The Atman is omnipresent and imperishable. It was never created and hence it cannot be destroyed. This very realization will help us in being equipoised and balanced in equanimity during tough times. The detachment from the physical body and the worldly desires will assist us to navigate any situation in life.  Our actions and words are very significant as that will determine our next journey(Balaji2014). It is often said that what one thinks is what one becomes. The ascetic further says that the Atman carries forward all the knowledge and wisdom that it gained in its past life to the next life (Muller2013). Thus, engaging in profound knowledge and acting wisely will help us sail through turbulent times. The entire universe consists of cosmic energy. When a person dies, his Atman dissolves in this celestial energy. Our karma (action) is going to decide our future destination. One whose karma is bad and malicious will become a contaminated soul and one whose karma is that of righteousness and purity will be reborn with all the goodness within (Rajagopalachari2016). The rishi (sage) throws light upon the fact that unfulfilled desires will bring us back to this materialistic world to work towards the fulfillment of the desires. One who can detach himself from his desires is sure to attain moksha (liberation).  As mentioned in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, “When all the desires that surge in the heart are renounced, the mortal becomes immortal. When all the knots that strangle the heart Are loosened, the mortal becomes immortal, Here in this very life,” (Esawaran2009).

Thus, the realization of the Self will bring in us a sense of calmness, patience and self-control. When we have the power to be self-controlled, we can train the mind exactly where we want it to be. We remain undeterred from the external difficulties of life. As mentioned in the Bhagvad Gita,” Detachment is not that you own nothing, detachment is that nothing owns you.” People see detachment as being away from everything wherein, the greatest detachment is being close to everything and not letting it consume and own you. We are not just our body but enlightened souls with unfathomable powers and once we attain the wisdom to understand this, our journey on Earth will be a smooth one.

References

BALAJI, V., 2014. The Body of the Atman in the Katha Upanishad. Vivekananda, p.14.

Easwaran, E., 2009. God makes the rivers to flow: Sacred literature of the world. Nilgiri Press.

Gough, A.E., 2013. The philosophy of the Upanishads and ancient Indian metaphysics. Routledge.

Muller, F.M., 2013. The upanisads. Routledge.

Rajagopalachari, C., 2016. Upanishads. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (1963).

Wilkins, M.M. and Britain, G., 2015. An Overview of the Upanishads in the West. Upanishads In Daily Life.