Glory of Gayatri and how it leads us from Unreal to Real! (Chandogya Upanisad 3.12)
Introduction
गायत्री
वा ईदं सर्वं भूतं यदिदं किं च वाग्वै गायत्री वाग्वा इदं सर्वं भूतं गायति च त्रायते च ॥ ३.१२.१ ॥
gāyatrī vā īdaṃ sarvaṃ bhūtaṃ yadidaṃ kiṃ ca vāgvai gāyatrī
vāgvā idaṃ sarvaṃ bhūtaṃ gāyati ca trāyate ca || 3.12.1 ||
1.
All that exists in this world, whatever there is, is gāyatrī. It is the word that is gāyatrī,
for the word gives names to all things and it also tells them not to fear.
While commenting around this verse from Chandogya Upanisad (both
before & after), Sri Sankara Bhagavathpaada says as follows :-
_gAnAt trAnAt ca gAyatryA gAyatreetvam_
Gayatree derives it’s name from singing and protecting (that
which protects when sung).
*_mAtaram iva hitvA_* _gurutarAm gAyatreem tato anyad gurutaram
na pratipadyate yathoktam brahma api. TasyAm atyantagauravasya prasiddhatvAt_
Since the great reverence for Gayatree is well-known, one cannot
attain anything higher, including Brahman Itself, *by rejecting Gayatree which
is like one’s own mother* .
Sruti always held the approach of taking us from the gross to
subtle and then to the truth – which is subtler than the subtlest – but self-evidently
shining within the cave of our heart. But since our intellect is muddled with
desire-ridden externalization, it like an affectionate mother – holds our hand
(as it were) and trains us to withdraw to the inner recess of our Heart (the
Lotus of our Heart), where beyond all doubts shines the BrahmAtman. The
following section from Chandogya upanisad, serves as inspiration for those who
seek refuge (aashrayam) in Nitya Karmanustaanam involving Sandhya and Gayatri
Upasana.
May the Mananam flow seamlessly!
Chandogya Upanisad – Ch. 3 Section 12
Introduction (by Sri
Bhagavathpaada’s Bhasyam)
In as much as the knowledge of Brahman yields
excellent result (as stated prior), it is to be explained still in another way.
Hence is begun the sruti-passage, "Gayatri is-" etc. Since Brahman which
is devoid of all attributes, and the attributes of which have been denied by
such terms as 'Not this; not this', is hard to understand, It is being
described by means of Gayatri.
Though there are many metres, the Gayatri alone
is regarded as the door to the knowledge of Brahman, because of its importance.
Since the Gayatri brought Soma (for the gods) and restored the (missing) letters
of the other metres, and also since it pervades other metres as well as all libations,
it has due importance in the sacrifice. For the Gayatri is the essence of the Brahmana
and, therefore, even Brahma (the Veda) spoken of above, does neither give up
the Gayatri, which is the mother, as it were, and which is very great, nor go
after anything greater than it, because its extreme importance is well-known. Hence
the Veda is being explained by means of the Gayatri.
गायत्री वा ईदं सर्वं भूतं यदिदं किं च वाग्वै गायत्री वाग्वा इदं सर्वं भूतं गायति च त्रायते च ॥ ३.१२.१ ॥
gāyatrī vā īdaṃ sarvaṃ bhūtaṃ yadidaṃ kiṃ ca vāgvai gāyatrī
vāgvā idaṃ sarvaṃ bhūtaṃ gāyati ca trāyate ca || 3.12.1 ||
1. All that exists in
this world, whatever there is, is gāyatrī. It is the word that is gāyatrī,
for the word gives names to all things and it also tells them not to fear.
Gāyatrī vai idam sarvam bhūtam, all these beings are gāyatrī; yat idam kiñca,
whatever is there; vāk vai gāyatrī, the word is gāyatrī; vāk
vai idam sarvam bhūtam gāyati ca, it is vāk that gives names [or sings] to
all things; trāyate ca, and also gives protection.
Contemplation
The word Vai (verily) in Gayatri vai is to
show its definiteness. All this: whatever creatures there are, moving and
unmoving; all that is, verily, Gayatri. Being merely a metre, Gayatri cannot
possibly assume the form of everything. Hence the sruti speaks of the Gayatri
as speech, which is the source of Gayatri. The word gāyatrī means gāyati
ca trāyate ca—that which gives names (or sings) to things and also gives
them protection. It also means gāyantam trāyate—that is, he who
repeats the gāyatrī is saved. (Ga means singing, and tra means
saving or protecting.)
या वै सा गायत्रीयं वाव सा येयं पृथिव्यस्यां हीदं सर्वं भूतं प्रतिष्ठितमेतामेव नातिशीयते ॥ ३.१२.२ ॥
yā vai sā gāyatrīyaṃ vāva sā
yeyaṃ pṛthivyasyāṃ hīdaṃ sarvaṃ bhūtaṃ pratiṣṭhitametāmeva nātiśīyate || 3.12.2
||
2. That which is this gāyatrī is
that which is this earth. For all things [moving or unmoving] are attached to
this earth and cannot transcend it
Yā vai sā gāyatrī, that which is this gāyatrī; iyam vāva sā,
it is that; yā iyam pṛthivī,
which is this earth; hi, for; asyām, to this
[earth]; sarvam bhūtam, all things [moving or unmoving]; pratiṣṭhitam,
are attached; etām eva na atiśīyate, cannot get away from it.
या वै सा पृथिवीयं वाव सा यदिदमस्मिन्पुरुषे शरीरमस्मिन्हीमे प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिता एतदेव नातिशीयन्ते ॥ ३.१२.३ ॥
yā vai sā pṛthivīyaṃ vāva sā
yadidamasminpuruṣe śarīramasminhīme prāṇāḥ pratiṣṭhitā etadeva nātiśīyante ||
3.12.3 ||
3. That which is this earth is
this human body, because all the prāṇas are
based in this body and they do not transcend it.
Yā vai sā pṛthivī, that which [has earlier been referred to as] this
earth; iyam vāva sā, it is that; yat idam asmin puruṣe
śarīram, the body which is associated with a human being; hi,
because; asmin, on this [body]; ime prāṇāḥ, these prāṇas [i.e., prāṇa, apāna, etc., and
also the five elements—ākāśa, vāyu,
etc.]; pratiṣṭhitāḥ, are based; etat eva na atiśīyante,
they cannot go beyond this [body—i.e., they cannot exist independent of this
body].
Contemplation:
The earth is the gāyatrī and
this gāyatrī is also the human body because the human body is born of the
earth. How is the human body born of the earth? This body is made up of the
same elements (space, air, fire, etc.) that the earth is. The five prāṇas
(prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, and samāna) are also
known as elements, and they rest on this body. The body is therefore the
gāyatrī like the earth. It is the gāyatrī because the prāṇas cannot exist
without the body.
यद्वै तत्पुरुषे शरीरमिदं वाव तद्यदिदमस्मिन्नन्तः पुरुषे हृदयमस्मिन्हीमे प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिता एतदेव नातिशीयन्ते ॥ ३.१२.४ ॥
yadvai tatpuruṣe śarīramidaṃ vāva
tadyadidamasminnantaḥ puruṣe hṛdayamasminhīme prāṇāḥ pratiṣṭhitā etadeva
nātiśīyante || 3.12.4 ||
4. That which is in this body is
in this heart, for all these prāṇas are
based in this heart and cannot transcend it.
Yat vai tat puruṣe śarīram, that which is in this human body; idam vāva
tat, it is that; yat idam asmin antaḥ puruṣe hṛdayam, which is in this human
heart; hi, because; asmin, in this [heart]; ime prāṇāḥ, these prāṇas [the vital forces]; pratiṣṭhitāḥ,
are based; etat eva na atiśīyante, they cannot go beyond this
[heart—i.e., they cannot exist independent of this heart].
Contemplation:
The human body has been described as the gāyatrī. But where is that gāyatrī? It is
in the heart. It is the heart, within the body in man, called lotus. In fact,
the heart is the gāyatrī. In what sense can the heart be called the gāyatrī? In
the sense that all the prāṇas are in the heart and cannot exist separate from
it. And since the body is the gāyatrī, the heart is also the gāyatrī. And in
view of the srutis, "Prana. indeed, is the father; Prana is mother" (Ch.
Up. VII, 15-1 ), "Without doing harm to any beings" (VIII, 15-1 ), the
vital airs are denoted by the word bhuta.
सैषा चतुष्पदा षड्विधा गायत्री तदेतदृचाभ्यनूक्तम् ॥ ३.१२.५ ॥
saiṣā catuṣpadā ṣaḍvidhā gāyatrī tadetadṛcābhyanūktam ||
3.12.5 ||
Sā eṣā gāyatrī catuṣpadā, this gāyatrī has four feet [i.e., quarters]; ṣaṣvidhā,
each of them sixfold; tat etat ṛcā abhyanūktam, this is what is
stated in a Ṛk mantra [Ṛg Veda 10.10.3].
Contemplation:
The gāyatrī is also known
as Brahma-gāyatrī.
It is one with everything.
तावानस्य महिमा ततो ज्यायांश्च पूरुषः । पादोऽस्य सर्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवीति ॥ ३.१२.६ ॥
tāvānasya mahimā tato jyāyāṃśca pūruṣaḥ |
pādo'sya sarvā bhūtāni tripādasyāmṛtaṃ divīti || 3.12.6 ||
6. Its glory is like this. But
the glory of the puruṣa [i.e., Brahman, who
fills the whole world] is still greater. All creatures constitute one quarter
of him. The remaining three quarters are nectar in heaven.
(This is Rk Mantram
from 10th Mandala – sukta – 90 or Purusha Suktam)
Tāvān, like this; asya mahimā, its
glory; tataḥ jyāyān ca puruṣaḥ, that [i.e., the glory] of the puruṣa [i.e.,
Brahman, who fills the whole world] is still greater; pādaḥ asya sarvā [i.e., sarvāṇi] bhūtāni,
all things constitute one foot [or, quarter] of him; tripād asya,
[the remaining] three feet [or, quarters] of him; amṛtam divi, are
like nectar in heaven.
Contemplation:
Brahman has been described as
the gāyatrī, having
four feet (or, quarters) and being sixfold. This is just figurative, however.
Brahman is Brahman and there is no way of describing it. In reality, it is
without name and form, beyond thought and speech. It is the Absolute. Brahman
can be conceived as both the cause and the effect. As the cause (karaṇa) nothing
can be predicated about it; it is nirupādhika, without
attributes. As the effect (kārya) it
is sopādhika, with attributes. Similarly, the gāyatrī is said
here to have four quarters and six parts. These are attributes used to help a
disciple understand. As the Pañcadaśi says (verse II.58), ‘Niraṃśe
api aṃśam āropya....’
(that is, parts are superimposed on that which has no parts in order to explain
what cannot be described).
The three-footed Immortal called Purusha that
is a whole and endowed with the nature of the Gayatri abides in His own
resplendent Self.
यद्वै तद्ब्रह्मेतीदं वाव तद्योयं बहिर्धा पुरुषादाकाशो यो वै स बहिर्धा पुरुषादाकाशः ॥ ३.१२.७ ॥
अयं वाव स योऽयमन्तः पुरुष अकाशो यो वै सोऽन्तः पुरुष आकाशः ॥ ३.१२.८ ॥
अयं वाव स योऽयमन्तर्हृदय आकाशस्तदेतत्पूर्णमप्रवर्ति पूर्णमप्रवर्तिनींश्रियं लभते य एवं वेद ॥ ३.१२.९ ॥
॥ इति द्वादशः खण्डः ॥
yadvai tadbrahmetīdaṃ vāva
tadyoyaṃ bahirdhā puruṣādākāśo yo vai sa bahirdhā puruṣādākāśaḥ || 3.12.7
||
ayaṃ vāva sa yo'yamantaḥ puruṣa akāśo yo vai so'ntaḥ puruṣa ākāśaḥ || 3.12.8 ||
ayaṃ vāva sa yo'yamantarhṛdaya ākāśastadetatpūrṇamapravarti pūrṇamapravartinīṃśriyaṃ labhate ya evaṃ veda || 3.12.9 ||
|| iti dvādaśaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ||
ayaṃ vāva sa yo'yamantaḥ puruṣa akāśo yo vai so'ntaḥ puruṣa ākāśaḥ || 3.12.8 ||
ayaṃ vāva sa yo'yamantarhṛdaya ākāśastadetatpūrṇamapravarti pūrṇamapravartinīṃśriyaṃ labhate ya evaṃ veda || 3.12.9 ||
|| iti dvādaśaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ||
7-9. That which is Brahman is
also the Akasa outside the body. That which is the Akasa outside the body is
also the Akasa inside the body. And that which is the Akasa inside the body is
also the Akasa within the heart. That within the heart is full and unchanging.
He who knows this is always full and not subject to change.
Yat vai tat brahma iti, that which is Brahman; idam vāva tat, it
is that; yaḥ, which; ayam, is this; ākāśaḥ, space; bahirdhā puruṣāt,
outside the human body; yaḥ vai saḥ ākāśaḥ, that which is the
space; bahirdhā puruṣāt, outside the human body; ayam
vāva saḥ, it is that; yaḥ ayam ākāśaḥ, which is this
space; antaḥ puruṣe, inside the human body; yaḥ
vai saḥ antaḥ puruṣe ākāśaḥ, that which is the space inside the human
body; ayam vāva saḥ, it is that; yaḥ ayam ākāśaḥ,
which is this space; antaḥ hṛdaye, inside the heart; tat
etat, it is that; pūrṇam, full; apravarti,
unchanging; śriyam, treasure; yaḥ evam veda, he
who knows this; pūrṇām apravartinīm labhate, becomes full and is
not subject to change. Iti dvādaśaḥ khaṇḍaḥ, here ends the
twelfth section.
Contemplation:
Earlier Brahman was described as
the gāyatrī with
four quarters and also as amṛta, nectar.
Here it is described as space. It is the same space which is inside as well as
outside the human body, and also within the heart. The Upaniṣad says
that this ākāśa in
the heart is full and never changes. That is to say, it is free from desire and
because of that it is never subject to change. Anyone who knows that ākāśa in
the heart as such is himself always full and free from desire.
How can the one Akasa become three different kinds?
This is being explained. In the Akasa of the waking state which is an object of
the external sense organs, more pain is being experienced. Comparatively lesser
pain is felt in the Akasa of the dreaming state that is within the body, by one
who sees dreams. But, in the Akasa within the heart, no desire is entertained
nor is dream seen whatsoever. Hence the Akasa of the DeepSleep state is of the
nature of cessation of all sufferings. Commencing with the Akasa that is
external to Purusha, the sruti has receded to the Akasa within the heart, with
a view to eulogize the spot where the mind is to be concentrated.
This Brahman, called Akasa, in the heart, is all pervading and
It should not be thought of as being confined within the heart alone, even though
the mind is concentrated upon the Akasa in the heart. It is unchanging, i.e. indestructible.
The Akasa within the heart is not like other things that are limited and
perishable by nature. He who knows Brahman, as stated above, that 1 all-filling
and imperishable by nature, obtains prosperity that is all-filling and imperishable,
as the seen result. That is to say, he attains that state here alone, i.e.
while living itself.
Essence of the Discussion above: -
Gayatri
is initially repeated with devotion, then with constant study of Sruti and
development of Sraddha, Gayatri is identified with the as the Innermost Hrudaya
Akaasa (Space in the Heart of Awareness which is non-different than Brahman).
Here in this section of Chandogya Upanisad, we see how Veda Maata is holding our
hand and taking us within - gradually.
What
is proper Shravanam according to Vedanta?
Sravanam is not just listening, but proper ascertainment of the
subject matter and goal of such Sravanam – namely adviteeya vastuni taatparya
avadhaaranam (see Vedanta Sara by Swami Sadhananda – verse 182).
Some of the activities for proper ascertainment (mimaamsa –
enquiry) are paying attention to the following (Vedanta Sara – verses 182-189) :
-
(1) Beginning and Conclusion (Upakrama-Upasamhara: उपक्रम-उपसंहार),
(2) Repetition (Abhyasa: अभ्यास),
(3) Originality (Apurvata: अपूर्वता),
(4) Result (Phala: फल),
(5) Eulogy (Arthavada: अर्थवाद),
(6) Reasoning (Upapatti: उपपत्ती)
Vedanta Scriptures, especially our highest authority – Sruti ought
to be studied with the Sraddha, as outlined above.
Note in the section above of Gayatri Mahima – 3.12 from Chandogya
Up, you can easily infer the above 6 lingas, of proper ascertainment or proper svaadhyayam/sravanam.
What
is proper Mananam?
mananam tu shrutasya
adviteeya vastunah
vedaanta anuguna
yuktibhih anavaratam anuchintanam - verse 191 of Vedanta Sara.
Reflection is the
constant* thinking of Brahman, the One without a second, already heard about
from the teacher, by arguments agreeable to the purport of the Vedanta
*Why constant Mananam? - The desired result is not obtained if there
is interruption.
References/Bibliography
1. Chandogya Upanishad (english Translation) by Swami Lokeswaranandaji
2. Prasthanathraya Volume-IV Chandogya Upanishad - Trans: V. Panolij
3. Vedanta-sara of Sadananda Yogindra - Translation by Swami Nikhilanandaji
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