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== ब्रह्मविद्या के अभिरक्षक || Custodians of Brahmavidya ==

== ब्रह्मविद्या के अभिरक्षक || Custodians of Brahmavidya ==

A [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] could teach vedanta to a Brahmana or vice versa.  An example is [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalalaka]] and [[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|Shwetaketu]], both from the Brahmana [[Varna (वर्ण)|वर्ण || Varna]] (social or economic status) learning ब्रह्मविद्या || BrahmaVidya (spiritual knowledge) from the  [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] King [[Pravahana Jaivali (प्रवाहन जेवली)|Pravahana Jaivali]]. Chapter 6 of the छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् ॥ Chandogya Upanishad of सामवेद (Sama Veda, 5-3) is the most important section where the Atman or Brahman is explained through the Uddalaka and Shwetaketu samvaada or dialogue.

A [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] could teach vedanta to a Brahmana or vice versa.  An example is [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalalaka]] and [[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|Shvetaketu]], both from the Brahmana [[Varna (वर्ण)|वर्ण || Varna]] (social or economic status) learning ब्रह्मविद्या || BrahmaVidya (spiritual knowledge) from the  [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] King [[Pravahana Jaivali (प्रवाहन जेवली)|Pravahana Jaivali]]. Chapter 6 of the छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् ॥ Chandogya Upanishad of सामवेद (Sama Veda, 5-3) is the most important section where the Atman or Brahman is explained through the Uddalaka and Shvetaketu samvaada or dialogue.

A similar event King Janaka of Videha also imparted the Agnihotra ritual to his spiritual teacher.     

A similar event King Janaka of Videha also imparted the Agnihotra ritual to his spiritual teacher.     

discriminate between the reality of Being and the appearance of becoming. (Ref 6)

discriminate between the reality of Being and the appearance of becoming. (Ref 6)

[[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|Shwetaketu]] (Aruneya or son of Aruna), a Brahmin, came to the assembly of Panchalas, whose reigning monarch was  Pravahana Jaivali, to understand ब्रह्मविद्या || Brahmavidya.   

[[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|Shvetaketu]] (Aruneya or son of Aruna), a Brahmin, came to the assembly of Panchalas, whose reigning monarch was  Pravahana Jaivali, to understand ब्रह्मविद्या || Brahmavidya.   

Shwetaketu thought himself to be a ब्रह्मज्ञानिन् || brahma jnanin (knowledgeable about the Brahman) yet did not know the answers related to the King’s questions about Brahmavidya or vedanta. The King pointed out that a mere initiation or Brahmopadesa doesn't make one a ब्रह्मज्ञानिन्. Humiliated, Shwetaketu returns home and relating the incident, rebukes his father Uddalaka. Shwetaketu and Uddalaka's conversation reveals their lack of knowledge in the subject and hence their inability to answer any question of the kshatrabandhu or the King.     

Shvetaketu thought himself to be a ब्रह्मज्ञानिन् || brahma jnanin (knowledgeable about the Brahman) yet did not know the answers related to the King’s questions about Brahmavidya or vedanta. The King pointed out that a mere initiation or Brahmopadesa doesn't make one a ब्रह्मज्ञानिन्. Humiliated, Shvetaketu returns home and relating the incident, rebukes his father Uddalaka. Shvetaketu and Uddalaka's conversation reveals their lack of knowledge in the subject and hence their inability to answer any question of the kshatrabandhu or the King.     

== ब्रह्मविद्या सारम् || Summary of Brahmavidya ==

== ब्रह्मविद्या सारम् || Summary of Brahmavidya ==

faculties of cognition. It is also indicated here that knowledge of Vedas is

faculties of cognition. It is also indicated here that knowledge of Vedas is

fruitless if, with it, one is not able to know the ultimate principle.

fruitless if, with it, one is not able to know the ultimate principle.

[[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|Shwetaketu]] was unaware of such a type of knowledge, though he had studied the Vedas properly. So he desired to know what kind of instruction that was. The father explains thus:<blockquote>''“यथा सोम्यैकेन मृत्पिण्डेन सर्वं मृन्मयं विज्ञातं  |'' </blockquote>

[[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|Shvetaketu]] was unaware of such a type of knowledge, though he had studied the Vedas properly. So he desired to know what kind of instruction that was. The father explains thus:<blockquote>''“यथा सोम्यैकेन मृत्पिण्डेन सर्वं मृन्मयं विज्ञातं  |'' </blockquote>

<blockquote>''स्यात्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम्” || (6.1.4)''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''स्यात्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम्” || (6.1.4)''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''“yathā somyaikena mṛtpiṇḍena sarvaṃ mṛnmayaṃ vijñātaṃ syāt |'' </blockquote>

<blockquote>''“yathā somyaikena mṛtpiṇḍena sarvaṃ mṛnmayaṃ vijñātaṃ syāt |'' </blockquote>

==  सम्वाद || Discussion ==

==  सम्वाद || Discussion ==

In all humility, both [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]] and [[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|Shwetaketu]] go to King Pravahna’s assembly to seek knowledge. Offering all hospitality, the King humbly addresses Uddalaka thus: "Bhagavan (as a brahmin usually was addressed), you can ask for any kind of wealth that is within the means of a human being". But Shwetaketu and his father requested the  क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya to impart ब्रह्मविद्या || Brahmavidya to them and accordingly the King lays down the rules or अधिकार || adhikaar (aptitude) to acquire knowledge.   

In all humility, both [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]] and [[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|Shvetaketu]] go to King Pravahna’s assembly to seek knowledge. Offering all hospitality, the King humbly addresses Uddalaka thus: "Bhagavan (as a brahmin usually was addressed), you can ask for any kind of wealth that is within the means of a human being". But Shvetaketu and his father requested the  क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya to impart ब्रह्मविद्या || Brahmavidya to them and accordingly the King lays down the rules or अधिकार || adhikaar (aptitude) to acquire knowledge.   

Here the implication is that the ruler, Kshatriya, according to his dharma is bound to provide material wealth to a Brahmana for Yagnas but ब्रह्मविद्या as per the prevailing वर्णव्यवस्था || varna-vyavastha (social order) was usually respected to be in the brahmana’s domain. Notably, this is view is contrary to the presently continuing popular perception invented by the East India Company Indologists and their Indian Sepoys, Varna (translated wrongly as caste) was determined by संस्कार and not parentage.  

Here the implication is that the ruler, Kshatriya, according to his dharma is bound to provide material wealth to a Brahmana for Yagnas but ब्रह्मविद्या as per the prevailing वर्णव्यवस्था || varna-vyavastha (social order) was usually respected to be in the brahmana’s domain. Notably, this is view is contrary to the presently continuing popular perception invented by the East India Company Indologists and their Indian Sepoys, Varna (translated wrongly as caste) was determined by संस्कार and not parentage.