Antaryaamin Mananam ~ from Brihadaaranyaka Upanisad

(Brahma jnAni Yajnavalkya in Janaka's court)

Introduction & Background

The following section is the discussion between Sri YajnavAlkya - Uddalaka Aruni, in the Sabha of Sri Rajarishi - Janaka. The subject of their discussion is Antaryaamin - Inner controller - namely Self or Atman - the innermost Reality - the Real Person. 

Vedanta i.e. Upanisads - unequivocally declare the infinite nature of Atman - directly with Mahavaakyas : - 

lakshana mahavakya ~ prajnAnam brahma – Aitareya Upanisad

(Consciousness is Brahman – i.e. Swarupa Lakshanam of Brahman/Atman)

nirdesa mahavakya ~ ayam aatma brahma  - Mandukya Upanisad

(Indwelling Consciousness is Brahman – i.e. basis of individual experience)

upadesa mahavakya ~ tat-tvam-asi - Chandogya Upanisad

(Isvara Chaitanyam is Atma Chaitanyam – i.e. Consciousness devoid of Upaadhis)

anubhava mahavakya ~ aham brahmAsmi - Brihadaranyaka Upanisad. 

("I am Brahman" - i.e. my essential nature as pure consciousness is infinite Brahman)

However out of infinite compassion, Upanisad Rishis take a step-wise approach that lead us to recognizing our True Self - gradually.  One such section in Brihadaranyaka Upanisad is the episode where Sri Yajnavalkya Mahamuni, visits Raja Janaka's sabha and answers all the questions/answers of the rishis in the sabha. As part of the episode Uddalaka Aruni quizzes Sri Yajnavalkya on Antaryamin – or Inner Controller. This inner controller is essentially our Real Self – not the body, mind, energy, names, forms etc…

This entire section gradually discriminated between Atman (Self) and UnAtman (Non-Self). 

This takes the form of Drik-Drishya Viveka.

Drik - the Seer - Self Pure Consciousness, which illuminates everything i.e. Non-Self (Drishyam). 

This discrimination is based on the Swarupa Lakshanam of Atman – namely Self is Pure consciousness. We can know something, only when we are "conscious" of it. The power of knowing is inherent to Self - which is Pure Consciousness. Since Self is pure consciousness, there can be nothing apart from Self, which can be knower. So the upanisad keeps repeating - no body can know the knower - our inner Self - our inner controller. 

The step wise approach taken in this section, is very conducive to deep contemplation and teaches us Atman – UnAtman – Viveka

Subject Matter:  YajnavAlkya - Udaalaka Aruni Discussion on Antar Yamin

Reference: Brihadaranyaka Upanishads translation by Sri Swami Madhavanandaji (Sri Ramakrishna Mutt)

III-vii-1: Then Uddalaka, the son of Aruna, asked him.

 'Yajnavalkya', said, 'in Madra we lived in the house of Patanchala Kapya (descendant of Kapi), studying the scriptures on sacrifices. His wife was possessed by a Gandharva. We asked him who he was. He said, "Kabandha, the son of Atharvan". He said to Patanchala Kapya and those who studied the scriptures on sacrifices, "Hapya, do you know that Sutra by which this life, the next life and all beings are held together?" Patanchala Kapya said, "I do not know it, sir".

The Gandharva said to him and the students, "Kapya, do you know that Internal Ruler who controls this and the next life and all beings from within?" Patanchala Kapya said, "I do not know Him, sir".

The Gandharva said to him and the students, "He who knows that Sutra and that Internal Ruler as above indeed knows Brahman, knows the worlds, knows the gods, knows the Vedas, knows beings, knows the self, and knows everything". He explained it all to them. I know it.

If you, Yajnavalkya, do not know that Sutra and that Internal Ruler, and still take away the cows that belong only to the knowers of Brahman, your head shall fall off'.

(Yajnavalkya replied) -  'I know, O Gautama, that Sutra and that Internal Ruler'.

(Uddalaka Aruni retorted) - 'Any one can say, "I know, I know". Tell us what you know.'

(Yajnavalkya replied to Uddalaka Aruni’s first question)

III-vii-2: He said, 'Vayu, O Gautama, is that Sutra. Through this Sutra or Vayu this and the next life and all beings are held together. Therefore, O Gautama, when a man dies, they say that his limbs have been loosened, for they are held together, O Gautama, by the Sutra or Vayu.'

(Uddalaka Aruni acknowledged the correctness of Yajnavalkya’s response to the first question)

yājñavalkyāntaryāmiṇaṃ brūhīti ॥ 2॥

'Quite so, Yajnavalkya. Now describe the Internal Ruler.'

(The next few verses are Sri YajnavAlkya’s reply to the 2^nd question about AntaryAmin. This is must be a subject of constant reflection – so that it leads to turning our attention inward to the indwelling consciousness – which is the Real “I”. 

Each verse takes up an aspect of Drishya Prapancham, with which we as individual identify. It then teaches us that the Real "I" is the witness of that aspect of nature - be it Vayu, or Earth or Sariram (body) or Speech... 

So the constant refrains are highlighted and underscored. Stop at each of these verses and draw your attention to your Self - as Witness of the nature of pure consciousness. 

Do this for every single-verse - pause, reflect, recognize your nature as "I am" - pure Being, Consciousness.

yaḥ pṛthivyāṃ tiṣṭhanpṛthivyā antaro yaṃ pṛthivī na veda

yasya pṛthivī śarīraṃ yaḥ pṛthivīmantaro yamayatyeṣa ta

ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 3॥

III-vii-3: He who inhabits the earth, but is within it, whom the earth does not know whose body is the earth, and who controls the earth from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo'psu tiṣṭhannadbhyo'ntaro yamāpo na viduḥ yasyāpaḥ śarīraṃ

yo'po'ntaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 4॥

III-vii-4: He who inhabits water, but is within it, whom water does not know whose body is water, and who controls water from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo'gnau tiṣṭhannagnerantaro yamagnir na veda yasyāgniḥ śarīraṃ

yo'gnimantaro yamayati eṣa ta ātmāntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 5॥

III-vii-5: He who inhabits fire, but is within it, whom fire does not know whose body is fire, and who controls fire from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo'ntarikṣe tiṣṭhannantarikṣādantaro yamantarikṣaṃ na veda

yasyāntarikṣaꣳ śarīraṃ yo'ntarikṣamantaro yamayatyeṣa ta

ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 6॥

III-vii-6: He who inhabits the sky, but is within it, whom the sky does not know whose body is the sky, and who controls the sky from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo vāyau tiṣṭhanvāyorantaro yaṃ vāyur na veda yasya vāyuḥ śarīraṃ yo

vāyumantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 7॥

III-vii-7: He who inhabits air, but is within it, whom air does not know whose body is air, and who controls air from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo divi tiṣṭhandivo'ntaro yaṃ dyaur na veda yasya dyauḥ śarīraṃ yo

divamantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 8॥

III-vii-8: He who inhabits heaven, but is within it, whom heaven does not know whose body is heaven, and who controls heaven from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

ya āditye tiṣṭhannādityādantaro yamādityo na veda yasyā''dityaḥ

śarīraṃ ya ādityamantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 9॥

III-vii-9: He who inhabits the sun, but is within it, whom the sun does not know whose body is the sun, and who controls the sun from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo dikṣu tiṣṭhandigbhyo'ntaro yaṃ diśo na vidur yasya diśaḥ śarīraṃ

yo diśo'ntaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 10॥

III-vii-10: He who inhabits the quarters, but is within it, whom the quarters does not know whose body is the quarters, and who controls the quarters from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yaścandratārake tiṣṭhaꣳcandratārakādantaro yaṃ candratārakaṃ

na veda yasya candratārakaꣳ śarīraṃ yaścandratārakamantaro

yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 11॥

III-vii-11: He who inhabits the moon and stars, but is within it, whom the moon and stars does not know whose body is the moon and stars, and who controls the moon and stars from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

ya ākāśe tiṣṭhannākāśādantaro yamākāśo na veda yasyā''kāśaḥ

śarīraṃ ya ākāśamantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 12॥

III-vii-12: He who inhabits the ether, but is within it, whom the ether does not know whose body is the ether, and who controls the ether from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yastamasi tiṣṭhaꣳstamaso'ntaro yaṃ tamo na veda yasya tamaḥ

śarīraṃ yastamo'ntaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmāntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 13॥

III-vii-13: He who inhabits darkness, but is within it, whom darkness does not know whose body is darkness, and who controls darkness from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yastejasi tiṣṭhaꣳstejaso'ntaro yaṃ tejo na veda yasya tejaḥ śarīraṃ

yastejo'ntaro yamayatysa eṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛta ityadhidaivataṃ

athādhibhūtam ॥ 14॥

III-vii-14: He who inhabits light, but is within it, whom light does not know whose body is light, and who controls light from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman) This much with reference to the gods. Now with reference to the beings.

yaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhansarvebhyo bhūtebhyo'ntaro yaꣳ sarvāṇi

bhūtāni na vidur yasya sarvāṇi bhutāni śarīraṃ yaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtānyantaro

yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛta ityadhibhūtamathādhyātmam ॥ 15॥

III-vii-15: He who inhabits all beings, but is within it, whom no being knows, whose body is all beings, and who controls all beings from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman) This much with reference to the beings. Now with reference to the body.

yaḥ prāṇe tiṣṭhanprāṇādantaro yaṃ prāṇo na veda yasya prāṇaḥ śarīraṃ

yaḥ prāṇamantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 16॥

III-vii-16: He who inhabits the nose, but is within it, whom the nose does not know whose body is the nose, and who controls the nose from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo vāci tiṣṭhanvāco'ntaro yaṃ vāṅ na veda yasya vāk śarīraṃ yo

vācamantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 17॥

III-vii-17: He who inhabits the organ of speech, but is within it, whom the organ of speech does not know whose body is the organ of speech, and who controls the organ of speech from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yaścakṣuṣi tiṣṭhaꣳścakṣuṣo'ntaro yaṃ cakṣur na veda yasya cakṣuḥ 

śarīraṃ yaścakṣurantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 18॥

III-vii-18: He who inhabits the eye, but is within it, whom the eye does not know whose body is the eye, and who controls the eye from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yaḥ śrotre tiṣṭhañchrotrādantaro yaꣳ śrotraṃ na veda yasya śrotraꣳ 

śarīraṃ yaḥ śrotramantaro yamayatysa eṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 19॥

III-vii-19: He who inhabits the ear, but is within it, whom the ear does not know whose body is the ear, and who controls the ear from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo manasi tiṣṭhanmanaso'ntaro yaṃ mano na veda yasya manaḥ śarīraṃ

yo mano'ntaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 20॥

III-vii-20: He who inhabits the mind (Manas), but is within it, whom the mind does not know whose body is the mind, and who controls the mind from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yastvaci tiṣṭhaꣳstvaco'ntaro yaṃ tvaṅ na veda yasya tvak śarīraṃ

yastvacamantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 21॥

III-vii-21: He who inhabits the skin, but is within it, whom the skin does not know whose body is the skin, and who controls the skin from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo vijñāne tiṣṭhanvijñānādantaro yaꣳ vijñānaṃ na veda yasya vijñānaꣳ 

śarīraṃ yo vijñānamantaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛtaḥ ॥ 22॥

III-vii-22: He who inhabits the intellect, but is within it, whom the intellect does not know whose body is the intellect, and who controls the intellect from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman)

yo retasi tiṣṭhan retaso'ntaro yaꣳ reto na veda yasya retaḥ

śarīraṃ yo reto'ntaro yamayatyeṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛto'dṛṣṭo

draṣṭā'śrutaḥ śrotā'mato mantā'vijñato vijñātā ।

nānyo'to'sti draṣṭā nānyo'to'sti śrotā nānyo'to'sti mantā nānyo'to'sti

vijñātaiṣa ta ātmā'ntaryāmyamṛto'to'nyadārtaṃ tato hoddālaka

āruṇirupararāma ॥ 23॥

III-vii-23: He who inhabits the organ of generation, but is within it, whom the organ of generation does not know whose body is the organ of generation, and who controls the organ of generation from within, is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman) 

He is never seen, but is the Witness; He is never heard, but is the Hearer; 

He is never thought, but is the Thinker; He is never known, but is the Knower. 

There is no other witness but Him, no other hearer but Him, no other thinker but Him, no other knower but Him.

He is the Internal Ruler, your own immortal Self (Atman) Everything else but Him is mortal.' Thereupon Uddalaka, the son of Aruna, kept silent.