Introduction to the Upanishads: Isha vasyam idam sarvam

 Hari Aum.

Aum Namo Narayanaya.

The Upanishads are a body of literature that belong to the Vedas, the sacred wisdom that is said to be eternal (and emanating from God Him/Herself). These comprise the final portion of the Vedas, and are hence known as 'Vedanta' ('anta' means 'end' in Sanskrit, so Vedanta means the 'end of the Vedas'). 

The Vedas are said to contain two broad sorts of knowledge-- that which leads to acquisition of various 'material goals' (such as wealth, spouses, children, property and even realms of heavenly pleasures) and also that which leads to the attainment of the spiritual goal (of wisdom, knowledge of our true nature as one with God and the infinite peace and bliss that comes with this).

The portion of the Vedas that helps people attain material goals is referred to as 'karma kanda' in Sanskrit and comprises all sorts of elaborate worship. The section of the Vedas that guides spiritual seekers to attain God is called Vedanta or the Upanishads. Here, the concept of God comes across as more abstract, as the nameless, formless One (in contrast to the manifest God with name and form, the avatars, described in other sacred texts such as the Puranas). Yogis are free to worship God in the abstract, impersonal form or in the manifested personal form. Meditation and worship of either or both of these two aspects of God lead to Him/Her/That. This is the teaching of the sages and Gurus since time immemorial.

The Upanishads can be very difficult to truly understand for spiritual beginners such as myself. It is not meant for mere intellectual study (that might perhaps have been within the scope of most of us). To truly understand the meaning of the Upanishads, one needs to have developed a sharp and subtle mind, largely free of the 'six impurities' ('shad ripus' or desire/lust, anger, greed, jealousy, pride and delusion). 

One needs to have done years of sincere spiritual practice to develop a mind that can go anywhere near the subject matter of the Upanishads. Nonetheless, the Gurus advise us to start somewhere. We may not yet be spiritually perfect but we have to make a start. We need to take baby steps towards understanding some of the concepts described in the Upanishads. These speak of our true nature, they describe our reality, our spiritual eternal essence.

The Sanskrit word 'Upanishad' literally means 'sitting down near'. This is because this wisdom was often spoken by a spiritual teacher to a worthy recipient or student who was sitting at their feet or closeby. The Upanishads often describe conversations between two or more people, one of whom is the Guru and the others who are disciples (we will study some of these in the coming weeks).

There are said to be 108 classical Upanishads of which around ten or so are particularly famous and popularly studied (regarded as 'key Upanishads'). Sivananda has written a book known as 'The Principal Upanishads' where he discusses nine of these.

There is no point in mere scholarly reading of the Upanishads or any sacred text. Mere intellectual churning will not give us the experience of God and spiritual truth that we desire. It is all too easy to get lost in lengthy study and discussion of these subjects. What matters is practical application of these truths in our daily lives.

Sivananda used to say 'Be a practical Vedantin', meaning 'practice Vedanta in daily life', do not be a mere 'lip Vedantin' (a person who talks the talk, but does not walk the walk).

What does this mean? 

Every time we study a spiritual book, if we really want to benefit from it as spiritual seekers, we need to see how this actually affects our daily lives. We have this concept in medicine. It is no use reading endless medical textbooks if you do not practice medicine and treat a single patient, if all the reading does not change or improve your actual practice in clinic. The world of medicine is rapidly evolving, so too must our practice. Doctors need to stay up-to-date via a variety of methods (which may include reading of journals, attending specific courses etc). In many countries, doctors are expected to regularly demonstrate that they are keeping up with the times, for example, via an annual appraisal.

Now, in spiritual life, we generally need to conduct our own 'appraisal'. We need to honestly look at ourselves and gauge (to the best of our ability) the progress we are making.

The study of the Upanishads is only useful to the extent that we apply at least some of its teachings in our daily lives. This is not easy and, in my opinion, requires self-effort and the grace of God.

Let me give you an example to highlight what I mean.

One of the most famous Upanishads is the 'Isha Upanishad'. The word 'Isha' means God in Sanskrit. I studied this ages ago and have forgotten much of it (will study it in the coming weeks and probably write a post on it). However, I always remember the famous opening line (which encapsulates the entire teaching of this Upanishad and the whole of Vedanta). 

This opening verse of the Isha Upanishad goes like this (some Gurus have written much about this verse alone as it is so important):

"Isha vasyam idam sarvam, Yat kincha jagatyam jagat,

Tena tyak tena bhunjitha, Ma gridha kasya svi dhanam".

What does this mean? It means a lot according to the Gurus. Let us start with the literal translation:

"God pervades this and all, whatever exists in the universe,

Therefore by sacrifice (renunciation) enjoy bliss, do not desire that which belongs to another."

If we, as spiritual seekers, are able to live in spirit of these two lines alone, we would be practicing the essence of yoga, the path to union with God. These two lines alone can guide us to God. However, as we all know, theory is one thing, but practice is quite another. This is due to the nature of our minds which are composed of various different layers-- some conducive to spiritual growth, and others less so. 

This is why the yogis say, prepare the mind by tapas (spiritual practice), cultivate those qualities that will enable us to grasp subtle spiritual truths. These qualities are the virtues described as yogic ethics (the yamas and niyamas, described in another post). There is no escaping the yogic ethics, whichever path to God one pursues, be it the path of devotion/bhakti, the path of jnana/wisdom, or any other.

So, let us now look at our practical application in life of just these two lines of the Isha Upanishad.

"Isha vasyam idam sarvam". God pervades this and all. In other words, this sentence makes a profound declaration that we all intellectually know as spiritual seekers-- God alone is. All that exists in the universe is God. You, me, him, her, them, these objects, those trees, that table, this book, the sky, the grass, the trees, the mountains, the rivers, the stars, light, darkness, mud, stones, everything. Literally everything.

How does this impact our spiritual life? The yogis say that when we feel we are in the presence of God, we automatically feel a sense of awe, of respect, of wonder, of reverence, of love, of devotion. It's that feeling that you get when you suddenly see something incredibly beautiful-- a sunrise, a sunset, a scene of natural beauty. You hold your breath for a split second as you gaze upon the magic in front of you-- "Oh God" we might say "How incredibly beautiful.".

In that moment, we are in a state of wonder, wonder at the beauty of God. Because God is beautiful, both externally (in terms of what we experience with our five senses) and internally (in terms of what we sense as His/Her qualities). 

Now, as I write this sentence "Isha vasyam idam sarvam", I am typing upon my laptop. I'm sitting in my living room which contains a number of mundane objects-- tables, chairs, books, a bowl, a cup, a clock etc. How am I to interpret this sentence right away? Am I looking at God as I look upon these seemingly ordinary objects? Am I myself, who am typing, a part of God? Are you, who are reading this, a part of God? One with God?

Well, yes, that is exactly right, would say Swami Sivananda. Absolutely. Precisely correct.

He himself used to get up every morning at his Ashram in Rishikesh at the foothills of the Himalayas, and reverentially bow to everything including his room, the river Ganga serenely flowing outside, the majestic mountains rising above the ashram and pretty much everything. 

He used to look carefully at the ground to avoid stepping on any ants as he walked-- why? Because he felt the ants, although physically tiny, contained the mighty beating heart of God within them. That mighty heart that beats everywhere, in all of us, in everything, animate and inanimate, all over the universe. He revered every living creature as a manifestation of God. He revered every object as containing God. Everywhere he looked, he saw God and God alone. Thus, he remained ever conscious of God, ever absorbed in God. 

Whether something was regarded by people as 'beautiful' or 'not beautiful', or 'pleasant' or 'unpleasant' or 'good' or 'bad', it was all God to him. This applied to people too. He felt his disciples were a manifestation of God, his patients were a manifestation of God, the man who tried to kill him was a manifestation of God. This conviction was the essence of his daily life, the basis of all his thoughts and actions. 

As he repeated his mantra during his days of spiritual practice, he actively trained his mind to 'see God in all'. This combination of bhakti (mantra japa) with jnana (wisdom of seeing God everywhere) and karma (serving God in the form of unwell people who were living in poverty) was his formula for purification of mind and attaining God realisation. It is a powerful formula indeed. And this opening sentence of the Isha Upanishad provides an essential part of this formula.

Let us look at the next line. It naturally follows from the first. 

"Tena tyak tena bunjitha". "Therefore, by renunciation/sacrifice, enjoy (life)". 

So easy to say, so difficult to practice.

These few simple words contain the essence of the teaching of renunciation, of giving up, of sacrifice. The one thing that the mind does not like to do. 

Give up? Give up what? Give up what the mind likes of course. Give up the desire for the pleasures of life, give up the desire to avoid the pains of life.

"And thus, through this giving up, enjoy" says the Upanishad. 

"Enjoy?!" asks the mind. "How can I enjoy life by giving up all pleasures? That doesn't make any sense!".

"Ah but it does", says the Upanishad. 

Here we come to another extremely important Vedantic truth explained by the Gurus, one that we need to practice in daily life to attain spiritual success. 

The nature of God is said to be bliss. The nature of you and me is therefore bliss. Do you feel blissful right now reading this? Does knowing this, intectually, create bliss in you? Chances are that the answer is no. It is no for most of us. Why do we not experience this wonderful bliss of God if that is supposed to be our true eternal nature? God alone is, so why don't we experience that?

The reason, say the Gurus, are the desires of the mind. These desires obscure the experience of peace, of bliss. The mental upheaval generated by strong desires is often unpleasant. When our desire for something is fulfilled, this mental turbulence subsides. However, this is only temporary. Soon that desire emerges again. And often, even stronger. 

There is a saying in yoga. The more you fulfil a desire, the stronger it gets. It's like pouring fuel onto a fire.

We would all have experienced this. We crave chocolate and eat a piece. Maybe five pieces. The mind is then calm and happy for a while. Then some time later, maybe after a day or two, the craving arises again. "I want chocolate" declares the mind, "I cannot rest until I have some". If the person is a bit of a chocaholic, if the love for chocolate is deep, this feeling will create tension. 

"It's not healthy to eat too much chocolate", one side of the mind will say. 

"I don't care, I need it now!" will say the other side. 

There will then be a tussle between the two, and one side will win. The side that wins will be stronger the next time the same battle occurs.

So, when we achieve greater control over our desires, be it for chocolate, or anything else, our will power grows stronger. Our spirit, whose nature is renunciation, which does not require the senses to feel bliss, that is one with God, then begins to become more manifest as it were. The more we give in to a sensual desire, the weaker our will, the weaker the higher mind, the weaker our manifestation of God.

A peaceful, blissful mind is a mind which is relatively free of sensual desires, so say the yogis. A mind in which strong turbulent desires rarely arise is free to experience the ever-present bliss of the soul within. 

It is not the object of desire that brings peace to the mind say the yogis. It is the temporary cessation of the turbulence that occurs due to acquiring the desired object, that allows the mind to experience the bliss of the soul.

The more one conquers material desires, the more one can experience peace and bliss within.

All this sounds wonderful in theory. But we all know how difficult it can be to practice this.

Why is it so difficult? The yogis say it is due to habits, deep-rooted habits, that lie within the subconscious mind, that have been created over numerous lifetimes. There is a saying 'old habits die hard'. This perfectly captures the essence of the issue faced by spiritual seekers.

We are striving to go against the stream. The stream of desires. Desires that we have fulfilled in many lifetimes. Desires that challenge us in this lifetime, when we seek God. Material desires (including for sensual pleasure, children, wealth, property, name and fame) are the spiritual challenge. 

Spiritual desires are to be actively cultivated. In fact, a 'burning desire' for God is regarded as a vital necessity for spiritual progress-- this is known as 'mumukshutva' in Sanskrit. The desire for God is said to be the sacred fire that burns away all material desires thus freeing the mind and allowing it to experience the peace and bliss of God.

Now what are we spiritual seekers supposed to do with the lifetimes of desires that we have accumulated in the very depths of our being (the 'samskaras' /thought impressions and 'vasanas'/desires)? How can we hope to transcend these?

There are various methods described by the yogis, but the most potent of all is the mantra or name of God. Slow and steady recitation, every single day, is the way forward. Gradually, very gradually, these material desires reduce in number and strength. But it is not easy. There will be a struggle. This will be the experience of every spiritual seeker, and by self-effort and the grace of God, one will eventually succeed in this path, so say the Gurus.

Slow and steady, gentle but firm. One has to be very careful with the mind. Too little discipline, and the lower mind gets the upper hand. Too much discipline, and the lower mind rebounds viciously. Gently, go gently, say the yogis.

What about the final bit of that Upanishadic sentence? "Ma gridha kasya svi dhanam" meaning "do not crave that which belongs to another". We may be able to practice this to varying extents in our lives, sometimes with greater ease, at other times, it may be more difficult. The yogis say, the moment we attempt to deprive someone of something that belongs to them, in that very moment, we are acting against our true God nature. 

In that moment, we have forgotten that we are one with God, as is the person whom we are depriving. An extreme example is war. When one nation tries to conquer another, that act is against the nature of God. On a smaller scale, when we fulfil our selfish desires by depriving others of that which is theirs (whether wealth or anything else), again we go against our God nature. 

So, you see, practicing just these two lines of the Isha Upanishad takes a lifetime, maybe more. Nonetheless it is a useful guiding light, a useful principle upon which to build our spiritual lives. These two lines are the essence of Vedanta.

By the way, this is why we say "Namaste". What does that mean? "Namas" in Sanskrit means "Obeisances". It is the same "Namah" that occurs in mantras of God. Om Namah Shivaya. Om Sri Durgayai Namah. Om Namo Narayanaya. Due to Sanskrit grammar rules, the last letter of the word can change, but the essence, the root of the word is the same. It means obeisances, reverence. It is a term used to address nothing less than the Divine.

"Te" means "for you" or essentially "to you". 

So "namas" and "te" form the word "Namaste", meaning "obeisances to you". But which you? You the body, you the mind, or you the soul? Which aspect of you? Well, all of you. Why? 

Because "Isha vasyam idam sarvam". All of you is God. So, all of you is to be treated with reverence. This is the meaning behind this word. It sounds like a simple greeting in common usage today. But its roots are in the greatest Vedantic wisdom.

So, Namas Te means 'I bow to You'. The God that is the real You. And why should I do this? Because, in doing so, in remembering God in you, I purify myself, my mind, and I draw closer to the experience of the same God within me. I grow closer to the spiritual goal. And having attained the spiritual goal, one would still say "Namas Te", recognising that God is everywhere. This is the essence of this popular greeting.

Om Ishaya Namah. Prostrations to that God who is everywhere.

And Namas Te. Prostrations to that God who is in you.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.