Shvetashvatara Upanishad (श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद्)

Every Veda has four parts namely, Samhita, a number of Brahmanas, Aranyakas and the Upanishads. These four signify the gradual journey of an individual from external karma to internal transformation leading to the Ultimate realization.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Traditionally, there are 108 Upanishads connected with the four Vedas. Out of these, ten are considered to be ancient chronologically and even thematically. According to Swami Harshananda, the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, though not included within the group of the ten Cardinal Upanishads, is deemed so important that it is always placed in the eleventh position. It is considered as ancient as the Mundaka and the Katha Upanishads.

Shvetashvatara Upanishad belongs to the Krishna Yajurveda. Three of its mantras (6.9, 4.5 and 5.8) have been discussed in the Brahmasutras (1.4.11, 1.4.8 and 2.3.22) by Badarayana. Many of its mantras are quoted by the commentators in support of their doctrines. This shows the important position of authority it held in the eyes of the great commentators, notwithstanding its comparatively later origin. The Upanishad begins and concludes with the famous Shanti mantra -

ॐ सह नाववतु। सह नौ भुनक्तु। सह वीर्यं करवावहै। तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै। ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ ॐ saha nāvavatu| saha nau bhunaktu| saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai| tejasvināvadhītam astu mā vidviṣāvahai| ॐ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||

Meaning: Om, May He protect us both (teacher and student). May He nourish us both. May we both work together with great energy. May the study of both of us be effective. Let there be no animosity between both of us. Om, peace (in me), peace (in nature), peace (in divine forces). Shvetashvatara is the sage who propagated this Upanishad.

तपःप्रभावाद् देवप्रसादाच्च, ब्रह्म ह श्वेताश्वतरोऽथ विद्वान् । अत्याश्रमिभ्यः परमं पवित्रं, प्रोवाच सम्यगृषिसङ्घजुष्टम् ॥ (6.21) tapaḥ-prabhāvād deva-prasādācca, brahma ha śvetāśvataro'tha vidvān | atyāśramibhyaḥ paramaṃ pavitraṃ, provāca samyag ṛṣi-saṅgha-juṣṭam ||

Meaning: Through the power of austerity and through the grace of the Lord, the sage Shvetashvatara realised Brahman and proclaimed the highly sacred Knowledge, supremely cherished by the company of seers, to sannyasins of the most advanced stage.

The word Shvetashvatara does not seem to be the original name of the seer but only an honorific title. According to Shankarananda, the word means one who has controlled his senses (Shveta = pure + Ashva = Indriyas, senses). According to others, it means a pure mule or a male calf (Shveta + Ashvatara) because in ancient days, it was quite common to add suffixes like Rishabha, Pungava etc to names as a mark of respect or pre-eminence.

विषयविस्तारः ॥ Contents

Shvetashvatara Upanishad has 113 mantras included in six chapters.

Shvetashvatara Upanishad

Chapter One	16 mantras
Chapter Two	17 mantras
Chapter Three	21 mantras
Chapter Four	22 mantras
Chapter Five	14 mantras
Chapter Six	23 mantras

प्रथमोsध्याय: ॥ Chapter One

The Upanishad begins with the query that what is the cause? Where have we originated from? What is our life support? And where are we placed and by whom? followed by the realized solutions of the Seer.

किं कारणं ब्रह्म कुतः स्म जाता, जीवाम केन क्व च सम्प्रतिष्ठा । (1.1) kiṃ kāraṇaṃ brahma kutaḥ sma jātā, jīvāma kena kva ca sampratiṣṭhā |

प्रथमोsध्याय: ॥ Chapter One

Mantras 2 to 5	Explain the nature of the Universal Substratum.
Mantras 6 to 11	Mention the method of Mukti of an Individual.
Mantra 12	Nature of Brahman.
Mantras 13 to 16	Method of Spiritual Practice through Pranava.

द्वितीयोsध्याय: ॥ Chapter Two

Mantras 1 to 11	Method of Spiritual practice.
Mantras 12 to 14	Symptoms of the Spiritual practitioner.
Mantra 15	Nature of Mukti.
Mantras 16 to 17	Nature of the Integral substratum.

तृतीयोsध्याय: ॥ Chapter Three

Mantras 1, 7, 8, 10, 13	Who are Amrita (Immortal) ?
Mantras 2 to 19	Nature of the Integral substratum.
Mantras 20 to 21	Symptoms of the Spiritual Practitioner.

चतुर्थोsध्याय: ॥ Chapter Four

Mantras 1 to 19	Nature of the Integral substratum.
Mantras 17, 20	Who are Amrita (Immortal)?
Mantras 21, 22	Prayer to Rudra.

पंचमोsध्याय: ॥ Chapter Five

Mantras 1 to 12	Nature of the Integral substratum.
Mantra 6	Who are Amrita (Immortal)?
Mantras 13, 14	Nature of Mukti.

षष्ठोsध्याय: ॥ Chapter Six

Mantras 1 to 19	Nature of the Integral substratum.
Mantras 13, 20	Nature of Mukti.
Mantra 21	Sage Shvetashvatara
Mantras 22, 23	Qualifications of the recipient of Spiritual Knowledge.

The Upanishad contains some of the famous slogans of Indian culture namely,

शृण्वन्तु विश्वे अमृतस्य पुत्रा आ ये, धामानि दिव्यानि तस्थुः ॥ (2.5) śṛṇvantu viśve amṛtasya putrā ā ye, dhāmāni divyāni tasthuḥ ||

Meaning: May the sons of the Immortal, who occupy celestial positions, hear it!

स नो बुद्ध्या शुभया संयुनक्तु ॥ (3.4) (4.1) (4.12) sa no buddhyā śubhayā saṃyunaktu ||

Meaning: May He endow us with clear intellect!

त्वं स्त्री त्वं पुमानसि, त्वं कुमार उत वा कुमारी । त्वं जीर्णो दण्डेन वञ्चसि, त्वं जातो भवसि विश्वतोमुखः ॥ (4.3) tvaṃ strī tvaṃ pumānasi, tvaṃ kumāra uta vā kumārī | tvaṃ jīrṇo daṇḍena vañcasi, tvaṃ jāto bhavasi viśvatomukhaḥ ||

Meaning:  You are woman, You are man; You are youth and maiden too. You as an old man totter along on a staff; it is You alone who, when born, assume diverse forms.

रुद्र यत्ते दक्षिणं मुखं तेन मां पाहि नित्यम् ॥ (4.21) rudra yatte dakṣiṇaṃ mukhaṃ tena māṃ pāhi nityam ||

Meaning: O Rudra, may Thy benign face protect me forever!

वैशिष्ट्यानि ॥ Unique Features

Shvetashvatara has some special features.

• It has addressed Paramatman (Supreme Self) as Hara (1.10), Rudra (3.2, 3.4, 4.12, 4.21 and 4.22) and Shiva (3.14 and 4.10). However scholars consider them as general names of Supreme Being and hence do not concede that it is a Shaiva Upanishad.

• The second speciality is its advocacy of bhakti or devotion to Supreme Being as an important aspect of sadhana.

• The third is giving a definite form to Supreme Being and considering him as a Person.

• Use of the words Sankhya, Yoga (6.13) and Kapila (5.2) is the next. However, these do not propagate the Sankhya philosophy as described in later philosophical literature.

भाष्याणि ॥ Commentaries

This Upanishad has five commentaries written by

• Shankara (788 - 820)
• Vijnanatman (13^th century)
• Shankarananda (14^th century)
• Narayanatirtha (18^th century)
• Upanishad Brahmayogin (18^th century).

उपसंहार: ॥ Conclusion

The Upanishad concludes by mentioning the criteria of the recipient of this Upanishad.

नाप्रशान्ताय दातव्यं नापुत्रायाशिष्याय वा पुनः ॥ (6.22) nāpraśāntāya dātavyaṃ nāputrāyāśiṣyāya vā punaḥ ||

Meaning: It should not be given to one whose passions have not been subdued, nor to one who is not a son or a disciple. It also adds that the meaning of the Upanishad will shine forth only for those who have the highest devotion for Deity and for his guru as for Deity.

यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः ॥ (6.23) yasya deve parā bhaktiḥ yathā deve tathā gurau | tasyaite kathitā hyarthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ ||

As one turns the pages of this Upanishad, one is pleasantly surprised to come across several familiar verses found in full or in part in other sacred scriptures such as the Vedas, the major Upanishads and the Gita. There are passages in this Upanishad which are allied in thought to Dvaita (dualism), Vishishtadvaita (Qualified Non-dualism), Advaita (Non-dualism) and other branches of Vedanta. It lays equal emphasis on Jnana, Bhakti and other paths of spiritual life. The various aspects, of Godhead find their natural place in it and adjust themselves to each other without any conflict. If, in certain passages, it is Vedic in language and conception, in others it is also Puranic in expression and presentation. In fact, it seems to be an attempt of a great synthetic mind to reconcile the various conflicting views, philosophical and religious, which were current at the time of its composition. Such is the grandeur of this Upanishad that it inspires everyone who reads it to lead a better and purposeful life, keeping the glory of spiritual pursuit and its goal constantly in view.