Svetasvatara Upanishad Chapter 3

[ShivaFan]

Namaste Saivas

Svetasvatara is known as the Sage Who gave us this Upanishad. But Svetasvatara also means a Star Named the White Horse. It belongs to the Taittiriya school of the Yajurved. The Black Yajurved of this school, in fact the division of the Yajurved into White and Black and it's revelation is linked to Yajnavalkya who is said to be the future teacher to Kalki who comes in the End Times and Kalki is linked to a White Horse according to certain traditions.

There is a tradition from Varanasi that Yajnavalkya will teach the Yajurved to Kalki.

There may be no correlation, but reading the Svetasvatara Upanishad tonight, this idea came to mind that this particular Upanishad authored by Svetasvatara Whose name is a Star (of which I typically foresee Kalki being in the sky) named The White Horse (I typically foresee Kalki linked to a Horse and in particular a White Horse) may be linked to Kalki only in the sense that perhaps it will be one of the key instructions given by Yajnavalkya to Kalki as His future teacher. Of course Sages have many names which have a meaning, and the meaning may have no bearing on anything other than being given by a mother, father or Guru.

But I wonder if this has ever crossed the mind of any other member?

Another notable feeling I had when reading the Svetasvatara Upanishad was, I felt I was reading the same primary revelations given by Krishna in the BG with emphasis on Samkhya Yoga except in the BG Krishna is revealing (Himself according to some) as Bhagavan of the Universe, while in the Svetasvatara Upanishad it is clearly Rudra Shiva as Bhagavan of the Universe.

This Upanishad, which is dedicated to Rudra, is considered by some of very early construct in origin, and could be linked to Vedic Culture even though Samkhyatic. Chapter 2 is an ancient prayer to Savitr the Sun and very Vedic in spirit.

Chapter 3 is to Rudra Shiva, Whom having created will also "withdraw it" in the end. And here is a very interesting Verse 3 from Chapter 3, "With eyes everywhere, with faces in every direction, with hands and feet spread in everywhere, with His mighty arms and wings ...". Notice wings. This is not a typical feature of an Ishwara as a Person, either Rudra has a manifestation with Wings or this is a poetic construct of the Brahman or specifically Rudra as the Supreme Brahman.

The verses go on to describe Rudra as the color of the Sun and beyond darkness. To some, the Brahman is both light and darkness, but this Brahman has color and is beyond darkness, not both. This Rudra as Brahman is also of the nature that "nothing is smaller than Him" . So this is an amazing line of a verse, "nothing is smaller" - that Rudra is two Realities which seem contradictory to each other but parallel and simultaneous truths that Rudra is both everywhere yet nothing is smaller.

BG is not a specific Saiva scripture, but perhaps it is neither a specific Vaishnav scripture but more of a moment in Divine History as I am now wondering was Krishna actually speaking towards these same revelations as is the Svetasvatara of the nature of Rudra? And is this very Upanishad one of the key teaching of the future to be revealed by Yajnavalkya?

Just looking at things, no agendas intended.

Om Namah Sivaya

[Necromancer]

Namaste, ShivaFan.

That is very interesting and I must get into reading and studying the Upanishads again.

In my life, I have only read and fully studied the Katha, Isa, Kena and Chandogya Upanishads and nothing more.

After reading the Chandogya Upanishad, I came to the realisation that there was nothing that any other Upanishad couldn't make me any more 'aware of'.

I discovered the true meaning of Vedanta at that point.

After that, I just concentrated on learning Mantras for worship and devotion and studying the Puranas, Gita and the Mahabharata.

Also the writings of Patanjali.

Any other Hindu Scripture than those I have stated above, leaves me totally confused. I may be clever and smart, but I am not really all that super intelligent.

I see posts on here on Kashmir Shaivism, Vishvadvaita, Srutis, Bhagavatam, Bhairava - Agamas and all this high philosophical conjecture and I am like WTF!!!

Yes, I guess I base my religion and beliefs upon what I have read/studied and only that.

Sometimes, too much knowledge is a bad thing....oh wait! lol

I shall get around to reading the Upanishads again (when I re-develop the patience and attention span for reading) and I shall begin with the Svetasvatara Upanishad.

Thank you for your informative post.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[TrikonaBindu]

Namaskaram to all.

ShivaFan, this is my absolute favorite Upanishad! And I'm fortunate to be able to study it with a learned person. Our city is blessed to have in residence an accomplished Swamini, a disciple of the well-known Sri Dayananda Saraswati. Because of her influence, we now have not one but two more Hindu shrines added to this city. At my request Swamini-ji kindly agreed to offer weekly classes on SU. It is slow-going, because (in many instances) the implications of Each Shloka are unpacked over the course of a one hour class!

I am amazed to know that the name of the seer of this Upanishad is correlated with a star. From what source did you learn this?

Re: “Nothing smaller.” I often imagine the Lord as an infinitesimal point. Why? Because He is not in space, but space is in Him.

Necromancer: I know you read Sanskrit. If you are going to study this Upanishad, I suggest you find (online pdf or in a bookstore) a copy that has the Sanskrit (devanagari or transliteration), because you may want to chant some of these shlokas!! Personally, I find the most rewarding part of SU begins from Chapter 3.

Pranam.