DA-DA-Da Instruction

 SELECTIONS

FROM

BRHADAARANYAKA UPANISHAT

[BRAHMAA’S INSTRUCTIONS]

GIST OF THE PASSAGE IN BRIEF

When you hear the sound of thunder as Da Da Da, understand that it proclaims the teachings of Brahmaa, the Creator.

DA - DAMA

Those, who are rich and have access to abundant pleasures must perform the penance of self-control and abstain from all the sense pleasures.

Understand that the sense pleasures are momentary and actually result in painful experiences only. Objects never contain the quality of pleasures in them.

Mind alone imagines the pleasures as contained in the objects and seeks them for fulfillment.

Understand the truth that Brahman is a state of fulfillment; and remain silent in the state of fulfillment only, empty of all perceptions, by the acquirement of true knowledge.

DA - DAANA

Those who are attached to their possessions must develop detachment and practice charity. Possessions are nothing but the ideas held on to by the mind as ‘mine’.

Nobody can possess anything actually.

All objects are just sensations experienced in the emptiness of Brahman.

Do not hold on to the ghosts seen in emptiness.

Develop dispassion and detachment through proper reasoning methods.

Understand the truth that Brahman is a state of fulfillment and remain silent in the state of fulfillment only, empty of all perceptions.

DA - DAYAA

Those who are selfish and rude must practice unselfishness and must show kindness to all the living beings, animals and humans alike.

See the Self (the essence of Reality that is common) in all and love all as yourself. Never hurt anyone by word, act or thought.

Understand the truth that Brahman is a state of fulfillment and remain silent in the state of fulfillment only, empty of all perceptions.

This is what Brahmaa taught to his three classes of children – Da Da Da!

The instruction was the same; but the three classes of beings understood the same sound in different manners, as per their own mind-structures.

The perceived world also is seen differently by every person according to his own mind-capacity. That is why we have so many philosophies and theories prevailing in the world.

A person who knows Brahman has no philosophy at all as his.

He remains silent in the knowledge of Brahman.

Thunder rises from clouds.

Cloud is ready to pour out as rains.

Cloud is the potential state which is ready to burst out as experiences with perceivers attached to them.

It thunders and makes sounds.

The same sound is heard differently by everyone.

Each interprets the sound in their own way, because they see the duality.

Ignorance alone makes one hear the sound of differentiation.

A knower hears no sounds.

He need not make effort to control his senses, because he is never attracted by the sense objects.

He need not make effort to give off his possessions in charity, because he possesses nothing; not even the sense of a limited ego.

He need not make effort to be kind to another person, because he sees no second person.

A Knower of Brahman is Brahman only.

ॐ

त्रयाः प्रजापत्याः प्रजापतौ पितरि ब्रह्मचर्यमूषुः  

देवा मनुष्या असुरा;

Three classes of Praajaapati’s sons- (Creator’s sons)

Devas the shining ones (Saatvic in nature),

Manushyas, Manu’s descendents (Raajasic in nature),

and Asuras (Taamasic in nature)

lived with their father,

strictly following the discipline of Brahmacharya (celibate student hood).

उषित्वा ब्रह्मचर्यं देवा ऊचुः

ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति

तेभ्यो हैतदक्षरमुवाच द इति

व्यज्नासिष्टा व्यज्नासिष्टा व्यज्नासिष्टा इति

व्यज्नासिष्मेति होचुः

दाम्यतेति न आत्थेति

ओमिति होवाच​ व्यज्नासिष्टेति ॥ १ ॥

After the completion of their disciplined course of life,

Devas said -“Kindly give us instructions”.

He spoke to them this letter ‘DA’.

He asked - “Have you understood?”

They said - “We have understood. 

It means; Have control; for you are not like that.”

He said -“AUM (So it is); you have understood rightly.”

(Devas had access to abundant pleasures; so they understood that they had to practice self-control. Dama became their practice.)

 अथ हैनम् मनुष्या ऊचुः

ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति

तेभ्यो हैतदक्षरमुवाच द इति  

व्यज्नासिष्टा व्यज्नासिष्टा व्यज्नासिष्टा इति

व्यज्नासिष्मेति होचुः

दत्तेति न आत्थेति

ओमिति होवाच​ व्यज्नासिष्टेति ॥ २ ॥

Then Manu’s descendents said -“Kindly give us instructions”.

He spoke to them this letter ‘DA’.

He asked - “Have you understood?”

They said - “We have understood. 

It means - Give; for you are not like that.”

He said -“AUM (So it is); you have understood rightly.”

(Manu’s descendents were attached to objects and people. They held on to the possessions only, as their identity. They understood that they should develop detachment and give off their possessions to the needy. Daana became their practice.)

अथ हैनमसुरा ऊचुः ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति

तेभ्यो हैतदक्षरमुवाच द इति

व्यज्नासिष्टा व्यज्नासिष्टा व्यज्नासिष्टा इति

व्यज्नासिष्मेति होचुः

दयध्वमिति न आत्थेति

ओमिति होवाच​ व्यज्नासिष्टेति ॥

Then Asuras said -“Kindly give us instructions”.

He spoke to them this letter ‘DA’.

He asked -“Have you understood?”

They said - “We have understood.

It means; Have kindness; for you are not like that.”

He said -“AUM (So it is); you have understood rightly.”

(Asuras were cruel by nature and acted selfish at all times. They understood that they had to practice being kind to others and thus live unselfishly. Dayaa became their practice.)

तदेतदेवेषा दैवी वागनुवदति स्तनयित्नुर्द द द इति

दाम्यत दत्त दयध्वमिति

तदेतत्त्रयं शिक्षेत्

दमं दनं दयामिति ॥ ३ ॥

इति द्वितीयं ब्राह्मणम् ॥

That is why this alone is the divine speech that thunders as

Da Da Da – Daamyata, Datta, Dayadhvam -

control; give; be endowed with kindness;

therefore these three instructions should be taught -

Dama, Daana, Dayaa.

॥Second Braahmana section॥

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Narayanalakshmi, also known as Tejaswini in her ascetic life spent most of her life in the Himalayan terrain, engaged in the penance of knowledge. She is well-versed in all philosophies and is a scholar in Sanskrit language. Her mission life is to retrieve the lost knowledge of the ancient Rishis and offer it unblemished to all the seekers of the Truth.