Katha Upanishad part 5: the mystical tree of life and Brahman

 Hari Aum.

I will discuss here the final portion of the Katha Upanishad. Before this, I will very briefly summarise what we have covered so far. 

The opening of the Upanishad begins with the young boy Nachiketas seeking knowledge.

 

Lord Yama, his Guru, first puts him to the test. Nachiketas' qualifications for seeking knowledge are examined-- does he have viveka (spiritual intelligence) and vairagya (disinterest in material objects as a result of true yearning for the spiritual Truth)? His statements suggest he does-- he turns down tempting offers of wealth and power, of pleasure, family, name and fame. He vows that he will accept nothing less than the Highest-- he declares he must have that and that alone. Thus, he demonstrates that he is a first class spiritual seeker. He has chosen the path of goodness (shreyas marga) over the path of pleasure/worldly delights (preyas marga).

Lord Yama then, pleased with his excellent and sincere disciple, teaches him the secrets of life and death, and about That which lies beyond. 

The human body is described, a wondrous instrument, uniquely designed to allow the Spirit within to manifest Itself and be known to the human heart and mind. Various analogies are used to describe the union of Spirit and Matter that produce the human being-- the chariot yoked to restless horses, and the city of eleven gates.

The Self residing within the human heart, the goal of human life is described. It is Om, It is a mystery, imperceptible to the senses yet enlivening them all. Its nature is a splendour of a sort unimaginable. It is the Light of all lights, the highest and best of all that exists. It is to be known-- but not through those restless senses, but rather via the purified intellect and calm mind. 

It is available to all, yet only known by the one who desires to know It most ardently, most earnestly and sincerely. It is so close, and yet so far. Although It is the heart of each one of us, the core of our very being, of our very existence, It is shrouded in mystery, hidden from us. We can attain It, but we must make ourselves deserving of It, we must persuade It to reveal Itself to us, to earn Its grace.

That Higher Self, that is everywhere, is visible only to the one who has developed the correct vision, the right perspective on life-- the ability to see unity in diversity, to recognise the Self that has manifested as the entire universe and as ourselves who reside within it.

So, having summarised what we have learned so far, let us now move forward and study the final portion of this Upanishad.

Lord Yama now says to Nachiketas:

The universe can be likened to a mystical tree which has its roots above and branches below (Sri Krishna also describes this tree to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita). The roots are Brahman, the origin, which is hidden and unmanifest. The visible branches that extend below is the universe of matter, of diverse names and forms. This is Brahman manifesting as matter, as ourselves. All the worlds exist within this mystical tree of life (the 'Ashwattha' tree in Sanskrit).

Brahman, though unseen, is the commander and upholder of this tree. The various forces of nature operate under His command. By His will and power, the fire burns, the wind blows, the sun shines, and creatures are born and die. He is the giver of Justice, He is the upholder of dharma (goodness/righteousness), and is therefore likened to a divine thunderbolt. (He does not permit unrighteousness to take hold in His Creation. He ensures that dharma ultimately always prevails). Due to fear of this Divine thunderbolt or His justice, the laws and forces of Creation/Nature (controlled by His divine energies, the devas) act in a precise and orderly manner.

Brahman is to be known by the human being before the body dies. (Note that this is not a state to be reached in the afterlife but rather, a state of consciousness to be reached while very much alive and within the human body). One who succeeds in attaining Him discovers one's true nature as immortal and experiences the bliss of this realisation. One who does not attain Him, however, will be reborn again in the world of matter (based on one's karma and then experience worldly joys and sorrows).

Lord Yama then states that higher than the senses is the mind. And higher than the mind, is the intellect. Higher than the intellect is cosmic intellect. Higher than the cosmic intellect is the Unmanifest. Higher yet than the Unmanifest is the Purusha (Brahman), the all-pervading One. 

He says that Brahman cannot be seen by the eye (He is the origin of the eye, and transcends it). He can, however, be experienced by the higher spiritual mind, the spiritual heart.

When the senses, mind and intellect are calm and still (the state of meditation), then Brahman can be perceived. 

He further says that the state of yoga, is the state of control of the senses. One must be watchful of the mind, as this state of yoga can come and go (therefore the spiritual seeker is advised to be cautious and self-aware).

When all worldly desires cease, then one attains Brahaman. This is the state in which all knots in the heart are cut asunder, and one becomes aware that one is immortal. 

Lord Yama declares that there are one hundred and one channels of prana (energy) that travel from the heart space (within the astral/energy body) in various directions (these channels are called 'nadis' in Sanskrit). 

Of these, one channel (the sushumna nadi) travels upwards from the heart space to the crown of the head (to the mystical 'eleventh gate' mentioned previously). The one who has attained immortality while living, departs the body by the eleventh gate at the time of death. Others, bound by various desires, leave via the other 'gates' and are reborn.

The Supreme Being, Purusha, resides in the heart of every being. One must strive to draw Him out just as one carefully dissects out the core of a plant from its outer layers (the stalk from a reed). He is pure and deathless, bright and immortal.

Nachiketas listened attentively to the entire teaching of Lord Yama. Having done so, he grasped their subtle essence and attained knowledge of his own true spiritual nature; he attained Brahman.

The Upanishad concludes with the declaration that, like Nachiketas, anyone who sincerely strives to know Brahman will succeed in their endeavour. 

Please see below for a link to an article by Sivananda where he explains the essence of the Katha Upanishad:

https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=582

By the grace of God, may we all become like Nachiketas, true spiritual seekers, and thus also attain knowledge of our own true, immortal nature as one with Brahman.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

 

Katha Upanishad part 4: The city of eleven gates and the Supreme Light

 Hari Aum.

Let us continue our study of the Katha Upanishad from where we left off a few weeks ago in January.

To begin with, let me summarise what Lord Yama has taught us so far:

- Two paths exist before us as human beings, namely the path of goodness ('shreyas marga') and the path of pleasure ('preyas marga'). The former leads to spiritual freedom, the latter leads to material bondage. One attains God via the path of goodness.

- Om is Brahman, God, Higher Self. It is the Supreme Being, one who knows (experiences) this syllable, truly rejoices (goes beyond all worldly suffering). It is support of all existence, the highest.

-The Higher Self is immortal, eternal, present everywhere, birthless, deathless. It exists within the hearts of all beings.

-Perception of the Higher self is possible when the mind is freed of worldly desires, when it is calm and tranquil. 

-Ethics, having a sterling character, is a fundamental requirement to attain knowledge of the Self. A person lacking ethics and of immoral character will not be able to perceive the Self within. 

Therefore the Gurus say that we need to actively strive to walk the path of ethics regardless of the many challenges that we may face on the path. 

Non-violence, truthfulness and control of the senses are the three great pillars of yogic ethics that need to be followed to the best of one's ability in all spheres of life, both material and spiritual.

-The Higher Self or God reveals Him/Herself to the one who He/She chooses. The Gurus teach that all are dear to God, but He reveals Himself to only those who truly seek Him; therefore they advise us to pray for spiritual sincerity, to become true seekers.

-The analogy of the chariot to describe the existence of the human being in this world. The soul is the traveller in the chariot that is the body. The intellect is the charioteer, the mind forms the reins, and the senses are the five restive horses. The sense objects in the world are the paths. 

The wise, through gradually developing control of mind, learn the art of directing the chariot towards that which is good, and thus experience spiritual freedom and bliss. The fool, who is careless and given only to sensual pleasures, walks the path of self-destruction, and thus suffers in samsara (the realm of material existence, of birth and death).

-The wise learn to perceive the One Self who exists in many. They see unity in the diverse manifestations of God within this world. They recognise and eventually directly perceive the spiritual essence that pervades all. 

In contrast, the fool only sees the superficial external/material differences in the objects of the world, but fails to recognise the presence of the One Self in them all.

So that was a brief summary of the teachings that Lord Yama has given Nachiketas so far. Let us see what he says next.

Lord Yama now describes the human being using another analogy (he had mentioned the chariot previously). He declares that the soul resides in the 'city of eleven gates'. What does he mean?

Sivananda and other Gurus have explained the city of eleven gates in their commentary upon the Upanishads. The 'city' in which the soul/Atman dwells is the human body. And the eleven 'gates' represent eleven openings in the body. 

These include the two eyes, the nose (with two nostrils), the mouth, the two ears, the belly button (or the umbilicus which contained the cord linking the foetus to the mother as it grew within the womb), and the two openings down below (the reproductive and excretory organs). Together, all of these comprise ten openings or 'gates'. 

The eleventh 'gate' is said to located in the crown of the head-- this is known as the 'Brahmarandhra' in Sanskrit. This is a mystical 'gate' rather than a physical opening, though some say, it is located at the point where the bones of the skull are fused (i.e. the region of the 'anterior fontanelle' which is a soft spot on the heads of babies which closes as they grow bigger). This eleventh gate is said to open when one attains knowledge of the Self. These are the eleven gates of the physical body.

However, there are also said to be eleven gates of the subtle or astral body. These include the five  'jnanendriyas' or sense organs  namely, sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing (through which we receive information about the world around us). They also include the five 'karmendriyas', or the five 'organs of action' namely, tongue (speech), hands, feet, reproductive and excretory organs. The final eleventh 'organ' is the mind that controls all the other ten.

So Lord Yama says that the soul resides within this complex city with various gates that allow it to both receive information and act in this material world that we live in. He then states that the one who meditates upon the Owner of the city, the Self residing within, acquires spiritual wisdom and grieves no more (is no longer subject to worldly suffering).

Having described the presence of the Supreme within the human being, he goes on to describe Its presence in the world that we perceive around us. He declares that the Supreme is the source of all light in our world. He describes the Self as the bright sun in the heavens, and also the air that is everywhere. He declares that the Supreme is present in the sky, in water, in the earth and in mountains. He essentially declares that the Self is everywhere, both near and far, both high and low, It is omnipresent and all-pervading.

Lord Yama declares that the Self is the Supreme Truth. The nature of God as the Supreme Truth is a key reason why the Gurus advise spiritual seekers to strive to be truthful in daily life, truthful with oneself and others, to the best of one's ability. This improves with time as we walk the spiritual path. They tell us that one who seeks the Supreme Truth must first learn to practice truth in daily life. The practice of truthfulness is regarded as especially important in the present spiritual age that we live in (which the scriptures foretold would be a extremely materialistic one where the practice of falsehood would be rife).

Having descibed the presence of the Divine everywhere within and outside us, Lord Yama declares that the Divine essence is the same despite the varying external manifestations. 

He uses the analogy of fire and air to explain this point. He tells us that just as fire remains fire no matter what object it burns, and air remains air regardless of the object within which it is present (such as a cup or a pot or a box), so also the Self remains the Self regardless of the material being or object that It pervades (when human, animal, bird, insect or inanimate object; the expression of the Self varies, but Its fundamental nature remains the same in all these).

He declares that One Self resides in all beings and things and that those who perceive this within themselves experience eternal happiness and not others.

He states that, if one does not attain knowledge of the Self during one's lifetime, then one will be reborn again. The type of rebirth, whether as a human being or other life form, depends upon ones deeds on Earth (in accordance with the divine law of karma). 

He describes the Self as the Supreme Light, the light by which all else in the world is lit, be it the sun, the moon, the stars, fire and also our own light of consciousness (that helps us to perceive and understand the world). That which lights all lights, that Supreme Light, is the Self, the Self that exists within each one of us.

Lord Yama says:

"Na tatra surya bhati, na chandra tarakam, nema vidyuto bhanti, kutoyam agnih,

Tameva bhantam anubhati sarvam, tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhati."

Meaning:

"The sun does not shine there, nor does the moon, nor do the stars and lightning; how then can fire?

That alone shines and, through That alone, does all this shine".

(This Sanskrit sloka is given great importance in the yogic traditions. It is recited every day, at least twice a day, at the end of the 'arati' or worship of the Divine with lights/lamps, in a number of Sivananda ashrams and yoga centres around the world).

I will describe the final portion of this Upanishad in another entry, hopefully this month. May Lord Yama's wonderful teachings inspire us all to find that Supreme Light that illumines our consciousness.

Om. 

Salutations to Lord Yama and Nachiketas.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Katha Upanishad part 3: the chariot, and unity in diversity

 Hari Aum.

Let us continue with the study of the Katha Upanishad. Before we do this, it would be useful to remind ourselves of the teaching that Lord Yama has given Nachiketas so far. 

He has said that:

i) there are two paths that present themselves to every human being throughout life that lead to two very different destinations. One is the path of self-control, the path of dharma (adhering to righteousness/goodness). This path, known as the 'shreyas marga' in Sanskrit, leads one to experience the truth of one's true existence, the Self. 

The other path is the path of unrestrained sensual indulgence (or sensual slavery), the path of allowing oneself to become a victim of the impulses of the impetuous mind. This path blocks the realisation of the Self. It leads one to falsely believe that the body and mind are all that exists and that these alone are our true identiy; as these are mortal and must die one day, the loss of these produces grief and one suffers (and is reborn and dies again and again in accordance with the law of karma).

ii) the syllable Om not only represents but actually is, the Supreme Being (in the form of sound). This syllable can be used to access the Supreme, our true Self. Restraining the senses and concentrating the mind/meditating upon Om (or other mantra or name of the Divine as these are regarded as equal to Om according to the sages) will lead us to experience the Self within. 

This realisation, that our true nature is immortal and blissful, produces an extraordinary joy that transcends anything that the senses can offer. 

The wise therefore embrace the path of shreyas, meditate upon Om/the Supreme and attain this wisdom. The Self is birthless, deathless, omnipresent, exists in the hearts of all beings (therefore the sages advise us to respect all to the best of our ability).

Ok, so moving on to the next set of teachings.

Lord Yama tells Nachiketas the following:

i) The chariot:

Lord Yama uses the analogy of a chariot with horses and a rider to describe the various aspects of the human being.

He says the human body is similar to a chariot. It contains five senses likened to horses (these are ever restless and difficult to control). The mind is likened to the reins connected to the horses. The intellect is described as the charioteer, the one who holds the reins (mind) and commands the horses (senses) connected to the chariot (body). Within the heart of the chariot, seated behind the charioteer, is the owner of the chariot-- this is the soul, the Atman, the Self. External things that are perceived by our five senses (horses) are the roads upon which the horses travel. 

Lord Yama says that a person of wisdom, who has learned to control the mind, skillfully moves his/her chariot towards the Supreme (he calls it the 'supreme position of Vishnu' or Brahman). Here, the charioteer (intellect/spiritual heart/higher mind) is in control of the chariot and the journey is therefore successful (the path selected for the chariot is the shreyas marga).

In contrast, in the unwise one, of uncontrolled mind, the charioteer is unable to restrain the wild and restive horses. Such a one (under control of the senses and lower mind), he says, loses the power of 'viveka' (the ability to tell apart right and wrong, dharma and adharma). The chariot moves along the path of uncontrolled sensuality (the preyas marga, which is often associated with adharma) and the thus person remains within the realm of samsara (the cycle of birth and death) and the net of Lord Yama.

ii) the Self:

He goes on to say that a sharp and subtle intellect is required to recognise or 'see' the presence of the Self within. 

He states that it is by the power of the unseen, hidden, subtle Self, that the gross world exists and functions. He declares that the power of the senses to see, hear, touch, smell and taste, comes from the Self. In addition, our ability to perceive anything, be conscious of anything, be it in the waking state or the dreaming state, comes from the Self.

iii) the outer and the inner ways:

Lord Yama says that those who are unwise, who are unable to think of anything beyond the senses, seek only worldly pleasures in objects outside of themselves. Their minds are ever turned outwards. These people, he declares, do not recognise the Self within and thus fall into his net of death again and again. 

In contrast, he says that those who have cultivated wisdom, who are able to contemplate something beyond sense objects, seek the immortal. He says that they close their eyes and look inwards and eventually discover the Self within. Such people, he says, gain freedom from the jaws of death.

iv) perception: unity and multiplicity

Lord Yama further says that the wise recognise that one Self exists in all (animate and inanimate). Thus they are able to see the unity underlying the apparant external differences perceived by the five senses. (And, being conscious of the presence of the Self or the Divine in all things, such people will naturally approach these accordingly, with reverence, and live an ethical/dharmic life. Such an approach further cleanses the mind and eventually enables perception of the Self within.)

In contrast, he says the unwise only focus on the superficial differences perceived by the five senses. The unifying principle that exists in all things is completely missed by them. (And with this come ideas of high and low, superiority and inferiority, pride, greed, craving, anger, jealousy and other undivine qualities that lead one spiritually downward).

Lord Yama explains this point further using the analogy of water. He says that just as pure water when mixed with pure water becomes one with it, so also, the mind of the sage who 'sees' Brahman recognises his/her unity with It. 

However, just as rainwater falling onto a mountain peak runs down in various different directions, so also the mind of the unwise one, seeing only differences everywhere, runs in various directions after them (and misses the spiritual goal). 

So in summary, in this section Lord Yama discusses the unity that underlies the diversity of all existence. He tells us that the mind and senses should be controlled by the wise intellect/higher mind, and this enables one to perceive the Self within and thus escape the net of death (repeated rebirth and death in the mortal realms of samsara). 

He advises us to be careful, to avoid allowing the restless horses of the senses to lead us astray, to fool us by convincing us that only differences exist everywhere and that there is no unity. 

He teaches us to learn to truly 'see' and perceive both ourselves and the world around us, not merely via the limited faculty of the five senses (which are easily deceived anyway, e.g. like the mirage of water in a desert) but rather using our higher mind or intuition or spiritual intellect/heart. 

Sivananda and other gurus also advise their disciples to train the mind to truly 'see', not just with the physical eyes, but with the higher mind or the 'spiritual eye'/spiritual heart. They advise us to attempt to see the unity that is present in the diverse world around us, to reflect upo this, and then most important of all, to live a life based upon this truth. 

Such a life would naturally be based upon the yogic ethics of ahimsa (non-violence, kindness/compassion), satya (truthfulness) and brahmacharya (self-control). When we 'see' that the Self alone exists everywhere, we will be inclined to be kind to all, to speak and live by the truth and to remain in control of our senses as best as we can. 

We will find the motivation and inner strength required to tame the lower mind within ourselves, and control our inner demons. We will be able to gradually conquer those inner forces that prompt us to act against our higher nature, those forces that compel our souls to bow before the world of matter-- instead of expressing our spiritual freedom and rising above it. We will eventually be able to break free from the net of Yama and recognise our spiritual nature, that transcends and is independent of matter.

May that Self, which Lord Yama says exists within the heart of each one of us, guide and protect us, may the Self grant us true perception of ourselves and the world that we live in. May we thus live rightly and may our chariots reach their true destination-- may we travel on the shreyas marga, the path of dharma and bhakti/jnana, and recognise our true immortal nature in this very lifetime.

To be continued...

Om.

Salutations to Lord Yama and Nachiketas.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Katha Upanishad part 2: the syllable Om and the Higher Self

 Hari Aum.

In the previous post about the Katha Upanishad, we learned about the two paths of goodness and pleasure that face every human being on Earth. Every moment, we stand at a crossroads between these two. Every time we think, speak or do anything, we are moving along one of these two paths. 

The more aware we are of our thoughts and feelings, and the greater the strength of our connection with the divine within, the higher the chance of our being able to successfully walk the path of goodness (the Shreyas marga). 

The default path upon which the majority of people, including spiritual seekers, walk is the familiar path of pleasure (the Preyas marga)-- most beings naturally gravitate towards that which is pleasant (pleasing to the mind and senses) and move away from that which is painful or unpleasant. This is the norm in Nature, both for human beings and also other living beings on the planet. Nobody desires pain, everybody desires that which is pleasant and comforting to the senses.

However, the spiritual seeker is advised to gradually train the mind to rise above the constant seeking of pleasure. Equally, difficult though this may be, one is advised to accept that there will be a certain amount of pain in life, on all levels of one's existence (physical, psychological and even spiritual). Pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow go hand-in-hand in this material realm, that is the teaching of the scriptures including the Upanishads. And this is also the experience of most of us.

So, having reflected a little upon these two paths, let us study what Lord Yama says next as he continues to answer the question of Nachiketas about the truth of human existence. That Truth of course is the Higher Self. 

The entire discussion between Lord Yama and Nachiketas in this Upanishad involves a discussion about the Higher Self, what leads to It and what leads one away. The benefits and risks of both spiritual and material life are also described in detail.

Having heard about the two paths, Nachiketas asks Lord Yama to tell him about the Self. 

He says (as in the previous post, this is not a exact word-for-word translation though it very nearly is, but rather an attempt to convey the spirit of the words): 

"O Yama, tell me about That which is beyond all this (material realm). Tell me about That which is beyond the various pairs of opposites that exist here in this realm of time and space, That which transcends both virtue and vice, which is beyond the past and future, which is greater than this cause and effect universe. Tell me about the Self".

Lord Yama replies, saying:

"Nachiketas, I will tell you about the Self. (As the Self is difficult to describe in words, he tries to explain It in various ways)."

"That Self, Nachiketas, which is the essence of the Vedas, for whom people perform spiritual austerities and attempt to restrain their senses, that is described in a single word/syllable."

"That word is Om".

 "This word is the Self, the Supreme Being."

"One who knows (experiences the truth of) this word, feels that all desires are fulfilled (and thus experiences great contentment)".

(Note: The Self is also called Atman or Brahman in this and other Upanishads. These are words for the abstract, nameless, formless, transcendant Higher Self/God that manifests as this universe with names and forms).

"This word, Om, is the foundation/support (of all existence). It is the highest (there is nothing higher than it) and the most excellent."

"One who knows (experiences) it, truly rejoices in the realm of Brahman (experiences the Self Realised state of consciousness)."

Having told Nachiketas about the signficance of Om as being none other than Brahman/the Higher Self, Lord Yama continues to describe the Self.

He says:

"O Nachiketas, the Self is eternal. It is not mortal. It is not born, nor does It ever die."

"It did not originate from anything else, and nor does It produce anything else (It alone exists at all times; even the material realms, which appear to be different from It, are in fact, only That).

"The Self does not die when the body dies. It does not kill, not can it ever be killed (It is beyond the power of death)". 

"The Self is subtle, difficult to understand (with the intellect). It is smaller than the smallest, and also greater than the greatest."

"It exists within the hearts of all beings."

"That person, whose mind and senses are calm and peaceful, free of desire and grief, that one is able to behold the Self within."

"Though sitting down, It travels far. While lying down, It goes everywhere" (This indicates the all-pervading omnipresent nature of the Self).

"This Self cannot be attained by the intellect; it cannot be experienced by mere reading or discussion".

"That person, who has studied much (developed the intellect), but who engages in unethical conduct, whose senses are uncontrolled and whose mind is turbulent with many desires, such a one cannot attain the Self".

Stating that the existence of humans and demi-gods (such as himself) alike are trivial before the Higher Self, he declares that:

"The Self is only attained by the person whom It chooses". 

Note: and the yogis add that the Self chooses that person for attainment of Itself, who chooses It. In other words, It chooses to be attained by the seeker who ardently longs for It, who makes It the centre of one's life, who is determinedly intent upon It. The yogis say we are all able to realise the Self within, but the condition is that we need to really want It.

I will discuss the next portion of this Upanishad in the coming days in another post.

Om.

Salutations to Lord Yama and Nachiketas.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Katha Upanishad part 1: The two paths of goodness and pleasure

 Hari Aum.

I was reading the Katha Upanishad recently after a long time. This is perhaps one of the greatest Upanishads. It contains many valuable teachings related to Vedantic philosophy.

I thought it would be useful to reflect upon and discuss some of the key points here. As mentioned in my previous post introducing the Upanishads, I feel it is very important to take a practical approach when studying this subject. After reflecting upon the topics discussed in these texts, we need to consider whether we want to make any changes in our way of thinking, feeling and living. And if yes, we need to try and implement those changes. That would be the way to benefit from this study. 

So, let us begin.

The Katha Upanishad involves a conversation between a great teacher, a Guru (i.e. a knower of the Self or God, a Self-realised Being) and an extraordinary student who happens to be a child.

The Guru in this Upanishad, is Lord Yama, the demi-god (or deva) of death. His role in the material universe is to oversee the departure of souls from this Earth and other temporary realms of existence. To use a simple analogy, demi-gods such as Yama serve the Supreme Being, or God (who is known by many names) in the way that many ministers serve their leader, the Prime Minister.

Lord Yama and his 'team' of assistants (higher beings) are said to carefully monitor and record every single thought, feeling, word and action of every human being. Nothing escapes their watchful gaze. The reason they need to record all these (especially our actions) is to enable the law of karma to be applied. The law of karma states that joy follows noble deeds while suffering is produced by ignoble actions. Yama and his team ensure that our actions are carefully recorded and that each one of us receives a mixture of joy and sorrow in accordance with our own karma.

The student or disciple in this Upanishad is a relatively young child. We are not told his exact age in the book, but many assume that he could be around ten years old. His name is Nachiketas, and he is an extraordinary young boy. Extraordinary because, at such a young age, he has the key qualities required for a genuine spiritual seeker, including:  

1. Viveka-- this Sanskrit word essentially means intelligence and wisdom. It means the ability to see things clearly as they are, the ability to be balanced and calm, the ability to control the turbulent emotions, the capacity to distiguish between good and bad, right and wrong, the ability to have good judgement, to be discerning, to be spiritually wise (not a mere intellectual who has bookish knowledge alone).

2. Vairagya-- this Sanskrit word means one who has the understanding that it is the immortal that brings joy and peace in life, not the mortal. A simple translation is 'detachment' or 'dispassion'. 

People who have this quality, have a deep-rooted feeling within them that nothing and nobody on this Earth can grant them joy; they know somehow that joy exists within themselves. Therefore, they feel compelled to look within to discover it. They are spiritual seekers.

They know, deep within their hearts, that the Supreme, God, the Higher Intelligence (whatever one wishes to call Him/Her/That) alone can give them joy, that Being whose nature is joy or 'Ananda'. That Being who exists within each one of us. 

Therefore vairagya involves a longing for the Eternal, and a resulting natural turning away from the perishable. It involves seeking joy in God, not in sensual pleasure. This is the key concept discussed in this Upanishad as we will see ahead.

(Note: all true spiritual seekers will have some degree of viveka and vairagya. This is what leads us to take up spiritual life and keep going on the path. These are the qualities of the 'higher mind'. It is these qualities that help us to become aware of and gradually transcend the sensual tendencies of the lower mind).

So Nachiketas had a very strong higher mind with a firm foundation of both viveka and vairagya. This enabled him to understand the teachings of his Guru, Lord Yama, and benefit fully from them. In many ways, he is a role model for each of us when we read the Upanishads and the spirtual teachings of our own Gurus.

Having introduced the two key speakers in this Upanishad, let me now tell you the story. I am not attempting to provide a complete word-by-word translation (as that is already available online on many websites). 

I aim to tell you the story in brief, and to focus on reflecting upon some of the key teachings that apply to us in our daily lives, that can benefit us in our spiritual lives.

The Katha Upanishad opens with a man conducting a ritual in worship of God, a part of which involves giving gifts to worthy people. The man is Nachiketas' father. He wants to go to 'Svarga' in the afterlife, the celestial realm of the demi-gods, a temporary material realm of divine pleasures (this is not the same as Self-realisation, or attaining the eternal 'realm' of God or recognising one's immortal nature as one with God). 

Unfortunately, he is a somewhat miserly man. He gives away gifts that are worthless to the recipients (for example, cows that are incapable of producing any milk). His son, Nachiketas, observing his father, feels concerned for him (as any son might when seeing his father perform a negative karma that would produce suffering later on). In order to diplomatically draw his father's attention to the mistake he was making, Nachiketas asks him the question 'To whom will you give me O father?'. (As a child is obviously precious to a parent, by asking this question, he is implying that his father ought to give something of value as a gift).

His father ignored him on two occasions, but when Nachiketas repeated the question a third time, his father became enraged and declared 'I shall give you to death!'. 

Now, words once spoken have weight. In ancient times in particular, people would act in accordance to words that were spoken in order to uphold the principle of truth or Satya (which is regarded as the foundation of righteousness/dharma, and the basis of success in spiritual and material life).

Nachiketas, in accordance with his father's pronouncement, therefore went to the realm of the demi-god of death, Lord Yama (in other words, he seemed to die; this was temporary though, as we shall see).

Upon arrival at Lord Yama's divine residence, Nachiketas found that the demi-god of death was nowhere to be seen (was probably out on business!). He therefore decided to wait for him to return and ended up waiting three entire days without eating or drinking anything. When Lord Yama returned home, he was deeply concerned to discover a young child waiting at his home who was in a rather miserable, hungry and thirsty condition. 

There is a famous saying in Sanskrit (from another Upanishad) that declares:

 "Matru devo bhava, Pitru devo bhava, Acharya devo bhava, Athithi devo bhava". 

The literal meaning of this is "mother is God, father is God, teacher/Guru is God and guest is God".

This is based on the concept that one God exists in all, including the mother, father, teacher and guest. In other words, the idea is that the presence of God in all beings should be recognised and honoured, including in parents, Gurus and the guest who visits one's home.

In accordance with the 'athithi devo bhava' (the guest is God) principle, Lord Yama wished to make amends for not having made any arrangements to serve guests at his home while away. He apologised sincerely to Nachiketas and then said that, to compensate him for the poor treatment at his residence, he would grant him three wishes/boons or blessings (one for each day that he had been waiting). 

Nachiketas accepted Lord Yama's apology and the wishes. He then said that his first wish was that his father (whom he felt was probably greatly distressed since his departure from Earth) should be calm, happy and be free from anger at him when he returned to Earth. 

Lord Yama immediately granted this request made by Nachiketas for the welfare of his father. It is interesting to note that Nachiketas made the welfare of another his first concern, and asked for this before asking anything for himself. This concern for the welfare of others, including his ignorant, unfair and rather unethical father, demonstrates that he was kind and compassionate-- both very important qualities for success as a spiritual seeker.

For his second wish, Nachiketas asked Yama to explain a specific Vedic ritual of worship of God that was performed for the attainment of the heavenly realm of the demi-gods (Svarga). Lord Yama promptly explained this to him in detail. 

The  boy listened carefully and repeated back all that had been said to demonstrate that he had learned it well. Lord Yama was very pleased with his excellent pupil and declared this Vedic ritual would henceforth be named after him, i.e. be called the 'Nachiketas ritual'.

Now came the moment to ask for the third wish. Nachiketas paused, carefully considering his choice, and uttered the following words:

"O Yama, there is doubt as to what happens to a person after death. Some say he exists, while others say he does not. What is the truth? This is what I desire to know from you. This is my third wish".

Lord Yama was startled by this deeply philosophical question from a relatively young boy. 

The demi-god replied, saying:

"Even the demi-gods of ancient times have their doubts regarding this subject. It it not easy to understand. The subject (of the Self/Atman) is subtle. Do not insist upon my answering this question, Nachiketas. Ask for another wish!"

Nachiketas however was persistent (as many children can be when they sense there is something interesting to be discovered, though he was of course much more than a curious child!).

The boy therefore declared:

"O Yama, you have yourself said that even the demi-gods have doubts regarding this subject and that it cannot be easily understood. However, a wise teacher like you (who knows the subject well) is difficult to find. There surely is no other blessing comparable to this!".

Yama continued to try to wiggle out of Nachiketas' tricky question. He also decided to test the boy's ability to understand the subject at hand as the answer to this question could only be grasped by a subtle intellect, by a spiritually inclined mind (not a gross materialistic one).

The demi-god of death therefore said (the translation below aims to convey the gist of what is said and is not an exact word-by-word translation though it very nearly is):

"Boy, I can offer you wonderful things on Earth. You can have wealth in plenty, the company of extremely beautiful and charming women and long-lived children and grandchildren. I can grant you vast lands and much property. You can have plenty of cattle, elephants, horses and gold. You can enjoy the most enchanting music and dance of the celestial realms."

"If you wish, I can make you king of the entire Earth and grant you a long life of enjoyment of Earthly pleasures. What more can you desire boy! You only have to ask it of me, and it shall all be yours!". 

But Nachiketas, being wise, was not so easily fobbed off.

The boy said:

"O Death, all that you have offered is but temporary. They are not eternal. These Earthly enjoyments are extremely short-lived. One day, you shall come and take them all away. Then what will be left?"

"No, keep your wealth, women, music and dance to yourself. I shall accept nothing less than what I have asked for. I desire to know only the truth of the existence of the human being".

Lord Yama was secretly pleased. Here at long last, was a worthy disciple. It was not every day that Gurus like Lord Yama encountered a genuine spiritual seeker! (There is nothing more pleasing for a true Guru than a sincere disciple). Most beings he met seemed all too easily tempted away by a few material trifles. He therefore gladly accepted the boy's wish and answered him.

He began by saying:

"Listen then, O boy! There are two paths that appear before people during their lifetimes. These are the path of goodness, and the path of pleasure. These two differ widely in their final destination."

"The path of goodness is the path of spiritual ascent. It is the path of the soul. It leads to immortality. By walking this path, one realises one's true eternal nature as being one with God".

"The path of pleasure is the path of material dependence. It is the path of the downfall of the soul. It makes the soul dependent upon matter, and thus leads to it becoming trapped in the cycle of birth and death (samsara in Sanskrit)."

"These two paths present themselves at every moment before a human being. The one who calmly assesses them both and then chooses the path of goodness is wise. The one who chooses the path of pleasure is a fool."

"You have shown, boy, that you are a true seeker of wisdom. You were not tempted by the material enjoyments that I offered, those temptations that cause the fall of many a soul. You were able to ponder their limited value and thus renounce them all."

Lord Yama continued, saying:

"The Higher Self (or God) never reveals Itself to the fool obsessed with material wealth and pleasure. The fool lives thinking "This world is all that there is. There is nothing higher". Thus, such a one becomes subject to my power again and again (is reborn and dies again and again and thus suffers repeatedly)."

"The Higher Self (Atman) is a subtle subject indeed. Subtler than the subtlest. There are few who ask about this subject. Of those who ask and hear about it, few really understand."

"Rare is the teacher who knows the subject, and rare is the student who is able to truly grasp it."

"This subject is not understood by mere intellectual prowess or debate. It can be grasped only when taught by a teacher who truly knows (has experienced) it".

"The wise one, through concentration/meditation upon the Self, attains knowledge of That subtle essence, the Source of all joy, that is not perceptible to the eyes or senses, that is the support of the intelligence and is hidden within the body. Upon attaining this, one rejoices, having attained all that there is to be attained".

(Note: The Sanskrit term for the path of goodness is 'Shreyas' while the word for the path of pleasure is 'Preyas'. Spiritual Gurus advise their disciples to gradually embrace the path of Shreyas, the bright path leading to spiritual attainment, and slowly disentangle themselves from the path of Preyas, the lower path leading to material bondage".

I will conclude my first post on this wonderful Upanishad here. In following posts, I will narrate and discuss the remainder of the fascinating conversation between the great teacher, Lord Yama, and the wonderful student, Nachiketas.

Om.

Salutations to Lord Yama and Nachiketas.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Om Shri Gurave Namah.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

(P.S. The name of the demi-god of death, 'Yama', is similar to the name of yogic ethics or restraints that people are advised to follow, also called the 'yama'. There is a separate post on the subject of these yogic ethics).

Aum, God and the four states of consciousness

Hari Aum.

I recently visited the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh, India and obtained some teaching on the Mandukya Upanishad from a senior Swami there. These teachings are based on the commentary on this Upanishad by Sivananda.

I would like to share what I learned at the Ashram here.

"What is Aum?" asked the Swami at the start of our study session. I replied saying that "Many things are said about Aum but it is said that it is beyond description. So, I don't know what it is!" I added that the Mandukya upanishad (which I had read in preparation for the class) says that Aum is the goal and Aum is the way (to the goal). Another listening Swami laughed and agreed, saying that "I don't know" was a smart answer!

I will summarise briefly below what the Mandukya Upanishad says about Aum. As you probably know, the Upanishads are the final part of the Vedas (which are said to be eternal, ever-existing), and are thus also called 'Vedanta' (Vedas + anta/end = Vedanta/end of the Vedas). These ancient teachings discuss the highest goal of life, known as moksha, nirvana, supreme consciousness, God, Truth and so on. They discuss the goal and how to attain the goal. Therefore, they are a very important subject of study for students who seek to know their true Self.

The Swami told me that the Mandukya is one of the shortest Upanishads but one of the most important. It has 12 verses (shlokas) only but the ideas described here are most wonderful. The demi-god of water, Varuna, is the seer or rishi who gave the teachings of this Upanishad.

The Mandukya Upanishad describes Aum, its connection with the four states of human consciousness- namely, waking state, dreaming state, deep sleep state, and the superconscious state. It describes the four aspects of God that govern the four states of human consciousness. It describes how all beings are part of the body of God.

In brief, the Mandukya Upanishad says that:

1. Aum is the name of the Supreme (known as Brahman or Atman). It is everything. It is the past, the present and the future and that which is beyond the three periods of time.

2. All this is truly the Supreme, the Atman. This Atman, can be described as having four aspects.

3. The first aspect is the waking consciousness. This is called 'Vaishnavara'. In this state, external objects in the world are known through the senses and the mind.

Sivananda explains that the individual who is awake and experiencing the world, is called 'Vishwa'. All individuals who are awake jointly make up the body of God, known as 'Virat'. Just as billions of cells make up one human body, so also, billions of beings exist within the body of God.

4. The second aspect is the dreaming state, the consciousness that exists when we dream. This is called 'Taijasa'.  In this state, one experiences an 'inner world'.

Sivananda explains that the individual dreamer is called 'Taijasa' experiences a subtle light (tejas) during the dream state. All individual dreamers exist within the Cosmic Dreamer, an aspect of God that governs the dream state, known as 'Hiranyagarbha' (the golden One/womb/source).

5. The third aspect of the Atman is the deep sleep state. Here, there is no awareness of either body or mind. There is no experience of either the external world/waking state, nor of the internal world/dreaming state. Here consciousness alone exists and one experiences the bliss of the Atman.

Sivananda explains that the individual in the state of deep sleep is called 'Pragna'. The Supreme Being who governs the deep sleep state, and whose body includes all individuals in the state of deep sleep, is known as 'Ishvara'.

However, for those who have not attained Self-realisation, there is a 'veil of ignorance' that covers the individual in the state of deep sleep. One enjoys the bliss of God here, but one is not aware of it. When one wakes up in the morning, one feels well if one slept deeply and one says 'I slept well last night'. One remembers there was bliss but one is not aware of anything in this state (due to the veil of ignorance).

6. The Supreme is the lord of all, the knower of all, the ruler within, the origin and the end of all beings. By the will of the Supreme, the universe is projected out of the Supreme,  and then withdrawn back into the Supreme.

7. There is a fourth state, beyond waking, dreaming and deep sleep. This fourth state of consciousness is called 'Turiya'. It is peaceful, blissful and full of knowledge. It is beyond the three other states. It cannot be described  in words nor can it be understood/grasped by the intellect or mind. It can be experienced. It should be experienced.

Sivananda says that the Turiya state is the state of pure consciousness, of Brahman. It is different from Ishvara. Turiya or Brahman is that aspect of God which has no connnection with the world. However, Ishvara is that aspect of God which governs the world.

Ishvara is cosmic consciousness. Brahman (or Turiya) is above this, it is supra-cosmic consciousness.

Note- All the above are merely words and cannot truly describe these states of consciousness which can only be known through experience. Hence the reason why we do sadhana/spiritual practice- in order to experience this ourselves.

8. The sound 'Aum' describes the Supreme, the Atman. The three parts of Aum are the sounds 'A', 'U' and 'M'.
(Pronounced as 'uh', 'oo' and 'ma' in Sanskrit).

9. The 'A' in Aum refers to the waking state, known as 'Vishwa' (described above). One who experiences this truth has all desires fulfilled (the criteria to attain this state, however, is to rise above all desires).

10.  The 'U' in Aum refers to the dreaming state, the 'Taijasa'. One who experiences this truth is great in knowledge, and nobody ignorant of Brahman is born in his/her family.

11. The 'M' in Aum refers to the deep sleep state, the 'Pragna'. One who experiences the truth of this state is able to know the true nature of this world.

Sivananda says that the waking and dream states dissolve into the deep sleep state which is the origin of them both. In this state, there is no separate identity/egoism. All becomes one.

12. Aum as a whole refers to the fourth state, the state beyond the other three, the state which cannot be described, the blissful state. One who truly experiences Aum merges the lower self into the Supreme Self.

Sivannda says that meditation on the sound 'Aum' enables the seeker to experience the truth of Aum, to become aware of one's eternal connection with the Supreme.

We do not have to become anything new. We already are part of God, we already are one with God. The purpose of meditation on Aum is simply to realise this, and thus rise above all worldly suffering and experience the bliss of our true nature- which Sivananda says is our birthright.

Only human beings have access to the fourth state according to the yogis. Many souls in animal bodies experience the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep. But they cannot enter the fourth state until they obtain a human body by the  grace of God.

Thus the yogis say that a human body is a rare gift from God. It is the 'moksha dwar', the door to moksha or God-realisation. It is the 'sadhana dham', the place where tapas/sadhana is done. Such a rare opportunity should not be wasted they say.

Many mantras start with Aum. Aum is not just a word, it is the sound-form of God Him/Herself. It is the Supreme.

Aum is the goal. Aum is the way.

The Swami reminded me that Aum is not something very far away. No. It is our very nature, it is us, it is we ourselves.

May we all experience the truth of Aum in this very lifetime. May we experience the bliss of Aum in this very lifetime through meditation on Aum.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.