The
Upanishads & Other Stories
The Upanishads are teachings from the four Vedas of Hinduism. The word
in Sanskrit when translated into English means "to sit near". In the ancient
times the teacher used to sit on a raised platform and the students used
to sit on the ground. Originally it was passed on orally till writing Sanskrit
took effect. There are major and minor Upanishads. Dr. Max Mueller at Oxford,
U.K. in the last century translated the Upanishads, and coming from the
Christian perspective of the time made a translation which he thought fit.
We must realize that Sanskrit words have multiple meanings and the true
meaning depends on the context used. It is not like the English Language.
All credit be indeed be given to Dr. Mueller for his pioneering work in
the translation, without whom, interest in the Western World would not
have flowered as quick. For Westerners if its not from European or American
sources, then the validity of the presentations appear to be questionable.
I would be translating from the originals in my own way, to make it easier
for the Western readers understand it easily.
The Conversation On the Nature of the Self.
Here is one such from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad where there is a dialog
between a eight year old who visits the Abode of Death by his own choice
and Yama the God of Death.
Young boy of eight name Nachiketa. Nachiketa loved his parents and loved
to
watch his dad perform the Vedic rites at the fire alter.
Once when his dad performing the spiritual rites at a congregations of
thousands of people, was giving away all he possessed to the congregation,
Nachiketa pondered of offering himself too.
He asked his father once, twice and thrice. At the third askance, his dad
became so annoyed and irritated that he said: I give you Yama, the god
of
Death.
Nachiketa heard his fathers words and set out to meet the god of death,
at
the heavenly abode called Yama Loka (or the Abode of death).
On arrival there, he checked around for Yama, at the latter's palace.
Yama was out of town. So Nachiketa waited patiently for three days and
three nights without food or water, at the palace gates. On the fourth
day Yama comes back and sees Nachiketa.
He asks: You boy, why are you here. It is not time for you to visit me
yet.
Nachiketa narrated the story of his father and how he was given unto Yama.
Yama asked, have you been given something to eat and drink. No said
Nachiketa.
Yama felt as if he had committed a sin. For a young who has come to see
him
is his guest. So he ordered that Nachiketa be fed, and given clothes,
freshen up and rest in the guest quarters for the day. Yama said : I shall
have chat with you at supper time and we shall have supper together.
So Nachiketa rested and freshened up for the day and eagerly waiting for
his
interview with Yama at the dinner table.
During dinner Yama offers three boons to Nachiketa, for each day he had
to
wait patiently without food or water.
During the conversation: Yama asks Nachiketa to ask for the first boon.
Nachiketa asks that his parents be at peace during his absence.
Second boon he asks: In heaven there is no hunger, thirst or misery. teach
me the way to perform that no one will be in hunger or thirst and misery.
Yama taught him the way and called it "Nachiketa Sacrifice"
For the third boon Nachiketa asked: Please teach me the Truth. Some believe
there is life after death and some don't. Which is True?
Yama was perplexed and became thoughtful. How can a young boy of eight
ask a question the answer of which even the gods are sure of. So he wanted
to test the sincerity of Nachiketa before he would give the answer.
He offered all the wealth, and beautiful girls, a palace to live, all the
enjoyments of the world, if only Nachiketa would take back the question
of
Truth about Life and Death. But Nachiketa was steadfast and sincere in
his
goal. He would not bend, even with all the riches and beautiful maidens
of
the world.
Observing Nachiketa's sincerity Yama finally relents and says:
Two paths are open to all. One is to realize the Self within and act from
the perspective of connectedness of the head and the heart.
The other is to be a victim of the fires of the lower three chakras and
enter in to never-ending cycles of birth and death in eternity.
Yama proceeded to teach Nachiketa on the Nature of the Self.
He said: When a person dies, it is the body that perishes not the Self.
Nachiketa asks: But aren't they the same?
No replies Yama. The Self resides in the body as a passenger abides in
a
chariot. The two are different.
Nachiketa asks: Then the Self must be the same as the intellect?
No Yama replies: The intellect is to the Self as the driver is to the
passenger in the chariot.
The Self is different from the sense organs too. The sense organs are like
the horses that pull the chariot.
People are pulled outward by their sense organs, just like the horses are
kept in check by the reins. The sense organs are also kept in check by
the
mind.
So if the horses are not in control then the chariot may fall in to pieces
and never arrive at the intended destination.
Then Yama explained the nature of the Self (Soul).
The Self is never born, nor does it die. When all selfish desires are given
up then even in the world of duality a person becomes immortal by realizing
the Self.
From this story I feel that it does not tell us not to enjoy life, but
enjoy
with Love, Understanding, Unselfishness and caring and live the life with
the head and heart both in unison like spirit and Nature dancing together.
Why We Feel To Love:
This is another story from The Svetaswara Upanishad. This is a discourse
between the Sage Yajnavalkya and his second wife Maitreyi.
The sage Yagnavalkya and second wife Maitreyi were sitting under the
evening sky.
The sage said: Maitreyi, I must let you know , that time is nigh for
me to leave this body temple and go yonder into my spirit .
Maitreyi was shocked. Tears oozed out of her eyes. For she herself was
also a Yogini and her husband was a Yogi. She was also spiritually much
advanced.
She understood the oncoming vent in her life yet her heart bled at the
thought of her dear loving husband passing away. She lament fully said,
My dear when you leave this body what would happen to me, how could I live
without your loving companionship?
The sage replied: You need not worry, I am leaving behind all the amenities
, with which you will live without any physical misery.
Maitreyi asked: Would that enlighten me to actualize my spirit? Would
that make me realize who I really am?
The sage replied: Well no, Everything in the Universe is the Spirit
Energy.
The man does not love his wife for the wife's body , but he loves his
wife because he feels in her his own reflection of his own spirit. So does
the wife does not love the husband's body's sake but the wife find the
reflection other spirit in her husband. So are all relationships in the
world of duality and opposites.
One must hear about, contemplate on it and meditate on it. Then only
the inner spirit becomes effulgent and reveals itself on our consciousness.
So love everything and everybody always remembering that in everything
around you feel the reflections of your own spirit. So Love yourself in
the same way and you will comprehend the Truth behind all. Everything exists
in Love, in and through Love does everything expand and grow, and in Love
does everything merge in the end. Think about it contemplate on it, meditate
on it and you become it."
It's amazing that people in different parts of the world have the same
basic idea but expressed in various forms. Why is this? It is, I feel,
that those whom we love on an intimate and personal level is because we
see our own mirror image in the other. For in all reality we are but One.
Accordingly to love someone on an intimate level we have to see our
mirror image in them.
If we realize that and truly see ourselves in the other, and the partner
also feels and realizes the same, then only the marriage lasts for life.
It goes beyond the scope of economic and material considerations. For when
the two become one truly in the heart , then nothing in the world can break
them apart. Not even death. For they are joined for eternity.
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All materials published on these pages are © 1997. Written
permission from the author is required to print or copy any material in
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This page updated October 16, 1997, by Waiman Lee