Brihadaranyakopanishad

[Arvind Sivaraman]

Om Shirdi Sai Ram.
Namaste.

Sparks of Wisdom.
Gargya Said,"That person who is in space--I meditate on him as Brahman".
Ajatasatru said,"Please do not speak to me about him.I meditate on him as the full and unmoving.He who meditates on him thus becomes filled with offspring and cattle,and his offspring does not become extinct from the world".

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~~


Om Shirdi Sai Ram.
Namaste.

Sparks of Wisdom.
Gargya Said,"That person who is in space--I meditate on him as Brahman".
Ajatasatru said,"Please do not speak to me about him.I meditate on him as the full and unmoving. Hewho meditates on him thus becomes filled with offspring and cattle,and his offspring does not become extinct from the world".


Namaste Arvind,
This 'full' that rishi Ajatastru is if interst, as is my favorite, akasha Gargya speaks of. Some call this full, samasta, or pervading the whole. My teacher has always talked of wholeness, the fullness of Brahman when he speaks. We also find this notion in the Chandogya Upanishad (Chapt 2.1.1)

And of this akasha the Chandogya Upanishad (Capt 1.9.1) is a discussion of 3 sadhus. Two are brahmana and one ksatriya. They speak of many things, one is akasha. One brahmana , Silaka asks, to what original souce does this world go back? Pravahana replies, to akasha, for everything that has come into being originates verily from akasha, and all disappears back into it.

This akasha is avakasa datr akasha or giving room to exist; that which gives room for eveything to exist. That is way so often Brahman is associated with akasha. And this is why I am so fond of it, for physically I can appreciate space - both physical (or that of the akasha I see all round) and the metaphysical, or cid-akasha, of the space of consciousness.

Like that , then this Brahman becomes much closer, more real to me. Even if space is infinite ∞ [ananta] I can appreciate and 'see' some of this infinity and be supported by it, just by looking at the space around me differently.

So if one fast forwards in this Upanishad to Chapt 5.15, then there is an interesting conversation on how several mahasalas studying Vaisvanara Atma and to better understand how sadhana or adoration is done to this Being.

Another conversation pursues with a King Asvapati (ksatriya again) giving the wisdom. A great conversation ensues... we can pursue if there is interest and it parallels your note. One of viewing Brahman, yet ones sees this Fullness (Bhuma) as akasha, one as Heaven ( is this story with the mahasalas), sun, vayu ( or air), etc etc. In each case there is a teaching that is offered. That of how one views this Brahman and the sadhana that brings the greatest good. Yet the notion is the mahasalas are seeing Brahman or Vaisvanara in parts and not as this whole , this samasta. In fact the King said I am glad you came to see me when you did, because if you would have continued in the manner you have taken various parts of your body would have been penalized e.g. loss of sight, loss of feet, prana leaving the body, etc. all symbols for the incomplete way of viewing Vaisvanara in parts.


Also note, that the teachings are given by ksatriyas. Another finer point. That is, the humbleness of others to learn of Brahman by those that possess the wisdom, and that brahmins have not cornered the market on ultimate wisdom. This happens often in the Chandogya Upanishad; A fine teachng that suggests it takes more then birth to be considered within the family of the wise.

pranams,