Upanishads explained by Narayanalakshmi: Debate on Brahman

DEBATE IN JANAKA’S COURTROOM (8)

(AGAIN GAARGI QUESTIONS YAAJNAVALKYA)

(Gaargi again stands up to question Yaajnavalkya; but this time it was not to oppose the great Sage; but to help him explain Brahman-state to others who were simply wasting his time in futile arguments.

She simplifies her question and allows him to answer it in a detailed way.

She warns the others sitting in the assembly, that they should not taunt him with questions any more but salute him with reverence, as he is truly a Knower of Brahman; and that he was not carrying away the cows out of greed for wealth; but was intent on proving to King Janaka, their levels of ignorance.)

(Anyhow, ignoring her warning statement, Shaakalya stands up to ask some more questions. He was intellectually proficient only and was not a true Knower of Brahman; so he meets a tragic end for disrespecting a Knower of Brahman.)

(1)

अथ ह वाचक्नव्युवाच ।

ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तो

हन्ताहमिमं द्वौ प्रश्नौ प्रक्ष्यामि ।

तौ चेन्मे वक्ष्यति न वै जातु युष्माकमिमं कश्चिद्ब्रह्मोद्यं जेतेति ।

पृच्छ गार्गीति॥१॥

Then, the daughter of vacaknu, questioned.

“Revered Brahmins!

I shall dare myself to present two more questions.

If he answers them, none of you can defeat him in describing Brahman.”

(Yaajnavalkya said)

“Ask Gaargi”.

(2)

सा होवाच ।

अहं वै त्वा याज्ञ्नवल्क्य

यथा काश्यो वा वैदेहो वोग्रपुत्र उज्ज्यं धनुरधिज्यम् कृत्वा

द्वौ बाणवन्तौ सपत्नातिव्याधिनौ हस्ते कृत्वोपात्तिष्ठेत्

एवमेवाहं त्वा द्वाभ्यां प्रश्नाभ्यामुपोदस्थाम् । तौ मे ब्रूहीति ।

पृच्छ गार्गीति॥२॥

She said; “Yaajnavalkya! As does a man of Kaashi, or the king of Videha, the scion of a war-dynasty, might string his bow; stand facing straight at the target; join the two opposing arrows which cause extreme pain; and keep the bow in his hand ready to shoot,

so also, I to you - point out two questions.

Answer them both.”

(Yaajnavalkya said)

“Ask Gaargi”.

(3)

सा होवाच ।

यदूर्ध्वं याज्ञ्नवल्क्य दिवः यदवाक् पृथिव्याः यदन्तरा द्यावापृथिवी इमे

यद्भूतं च भवच्च भविष्यच्चेत्याक्षते

कस्मिँस्तदोतं च प्रोतं चेति ॥३॥

She said; “Yaajnavalkya!

That which is above the Dyau, below the Prthvee,

that which is in-between,

that which is Dyau and Prthvee;

and that which was in the past, is in the present and the future;

what is all this interwoven and pervaded by?”

(4)

स होवाच ।

यदूर्ध्वं गार्गि दिवः यदवाक् पृथिव्याः यदन्तरा द्यावापृथिवी इमे

यद्भूतं च भवच्च भविष्यच्चेत्याक्षते

आकाशे तदोतं च प्रोतं चेति ॥४॥

He said; “Gaargi!

That which is above the Dyau, below the Prthvee,

that which is in-between,

that which is Dyau and Prthvee;

and that which was in the past, is in the present and the future;

is all this interwoven and pervaded by Aakaasha.”

(Aakaasha here means the expanse of Brahmaakaasha.

This Brahmaakaasha is the expanse of knowledge.)

(5)

सा होवाच ।

नमस्तेऽस्तु याज्ञ्नवल्क्य यो म एतं व्यवोचः ।

अपरस्मै धारयस्वेति ।

पृच्छ गार्गीति॥५॥

She said; “Yaajnavalkya!

I bow to you with reverence, for you have answered rightly.

Be prepared for the other question.”

(Yaajnavalkya said)

“Ask Gaargi”.

(6)

सा होवाच ।

यदूर्ध्वं याज्ञ्नवल्क्य दिवः यदवाक् पृथिव्याः यदन्तरा द्यावापृथिवी इमे

यद्भूतं च भवच्च भविष्यच्चेत्याक्षते

कस्मिँस्तदोतं च प्रोतं चेति ॥६॥

She said; “Yaajnavalkya!

That which is above the Dyau, below the Prthvee,

that which is in-between,

that which is Dyau and Prthvee;

and that which was in the past, is in the present and the future;

what is all this interwoven and pervaded by?”

(7)

स होवाच

यदूर्ध्वं गार्गि दिवः यदवाक् पृथिव्याः यदन्तरा द्यावापृथिवी इमे

यद्भूतं च भवच्च भविष्यच्चेत्याक्षते

आकाशे तदोतं च प्रोतं चेति ।

कस्मिन्नु खल्वाकाश प्रोतश्चेति ॥७॥

He said; “Gaargi!

That which is above the Dyau, below the Prthvee,

that which is in-between,

that which is Dyau and Prthvee;

and that which was in the past, is in the present and the future;

is all this interwoven and pervaded by Aakaasha.”

(She asked)

“What is that Aakaasha interwoven and pervaded by?”

(8)

स होवाच

एतद्वै तदक्षरं गार्गि ब्राह्मणा अभिवदन्ति

अस्थूलमनण्वह्रस्वमदीर्घमलोहितम-

स्नेहमच्छायमतमोऽवाय्वनाकाश-

मसङ्गमरसमगन्धमचक्षुष्कमश्रोत्रम-

वागमनोऽतेजस्कमप्राणममुख-

ममात्रमनन्तरमबाह्यं ।

न तदश्नाति किंचन न तदश्नाति कश्चन ॥८॥

He said; “Gaargi!

The Knowers of Brahman speak of it as immutable (changeless).

It is neither gross nor subtle (cannot be defined);

neither short nor long (cannot be measured);

neither red nor sticky (cannot be heated or melted);

neither shadow nor darkness (cannot hide anything and is not the ignorance);

neither Vaayu (air), nor Aakaasha (sky), nor attached (to anything for support).

It is without taste (cannot be tasted), without smell (cannot be smelt), without eyes and ears (cannot be seen or heard), without a vocal organ (it cannot speak), without a mind (it cannot think), not shining lustrously (it is not a shining object), is without Praana (it is not a breathing live entity), without face (it is not a deity with face), without measure (it is beyond measures.).

It is endless (and beginningless).

(Beginning, end etc are all words that define the world of sense perceptions.)

It has no inside or outside (since outside and inside are just conceptions of the mind.).

It does not eat anything (does not experience); nor is it eaten (is not experienced) by anybody (as a second object; since it is without a second).

(It is not a deity that you can worship like a god with form.

You yourself are that! You understand a deity also by the understanding power shining as Aatman. ‘That’ alone is ‘you’. There is nothing that is outside of Aatman!)

(9)