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[[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|उद्दालकः ॥ Uddalaka]] (आरुणिः ॥ Aruni) and [[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|श्वेतकेतुः ॥ Shvetaketu]] (आरुणेयः ॥ Aruneya) are the father and son pair, whose quest for [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|ब्रह्मविद्या ॥ Brahmavidya]] is recounted in the [[Chaandogya Upanishad (छान्दोग्य उपनिषद्)|छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् ॥ Chandogya Upanishad]] of [[Sama Veda (सामवेदः)|सामवेद ॥ Sama Veda]]. Brahmavidya is the highest and most difficult level of metaphysical knowledge or ज्ञानम् ॥ Jnana to be acquired by any spiritual knowledge seeker and [[The four Vedas (चतुर्वेद)|वेदाः ॥ Vedas]] and [[Upanishads|उपनिषदः ॥ Upanishads]] are the one and only source for this Jnana.  Though Upanishads explain this knowledge, it lies ultimately with the individual to attain this knowledge by साधना ॥ sadhana.

[[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|उद्दालकः ॥ Uddalaka]] (आरुणिः ॥ Aruni) and [[Shvetaketu (श्वेतकेतु)|श्वेतकेतुः ॥ Shvetaketu]] (आरुणेयः ॥ Aruneya) are the father and son pair, whose quest for [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|ब्रह्मविद्या ॥ Brahmavidya]] is recounted in the [[Chaandogya Upanishad (छान्दोग्य उपनिषद्)|छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् ॥ Chandogya Upanishad]] of [[Sama Veda (सामवेदः)|सामवेद ॥ Sama Veda]]. Brahmavidya is the highest and most difficult level of metaphysical knowledge or ज्ञानम् ॥ Jnana to be acquired by any spiritual knowledge seeker. And [[The four Vedas (चतुर्वेद)|वेदाः ॥ Vedas]] and [[Upanishads|उपनिषदः ॥ Upanishads]] are the one and only source for this Jnana.  Though Upanishads explain this knowledge, it lies ultimately with the individual to attain this knowledge by साधना ॥ sadhana.

==  परिचयः || Introduction ==

==  परिचयः || Introduction ==

Shvetaketu represents the quintessential seeker of knowledge. The Upanishads entail the journey of Shvetaketu from असत् || Asat (ignorance) to सत् || sat (knowledge of the self and truth). The context of Shvetaketu appears mainly in three Upanishads, namely,   

Shvetaketu represents the quintessential seeker of knowledge. The Upanishads entail the journey of Shvetaketu from असत् || Asat (ignorance) to सत् || sat (knowledge of the self and truth). The context of Shvetaketu appears mainly in three places, namely,   

#  बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् ॥ Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (S. 6.2.1 to 6.2.8)

#  बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् ॥ Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (S. 6.2.1 to 6.2.8)

#  छान्दोग्य-उपनिषद् ॥ Chandogya Upanishad (Chapter 6)

#  छान्दोग्य-उपनिषद् ॥ Chandogya Upanishad (Chapter 6)

It is stated in Mahabharata, Sabha Parva, Chapter 7, Stanza 12 that this hermit Uddalaka was a prominent figure in the सभा || sabha of Indra. Uddalaka had a son called श्वेतकेतुः ॥ Shvetaketu and a daughter called सुजाता ॥ Sujata. He gave his daughter Sujata in marriage to his favorite disciple कहोदकः ॥ Kahodaka. The hermit अष्टावक्रः ॥ [[Ashtavakra (अष्टावक्रः)|Ashtavakra]] was their son. (Mahabharata. Vana Parva, Chapter 132).  

It is stated in Mahabharata, Sabha Parva, Chapter 7, Stanza 12 that this hermit Uddalaka was a prominent figure in the सभा || sabha of Indra. Uddalaka had a son called श्वेतकेतुः ॥ Shvetaketu and a daughter called सुजाता ॥ Sujata. He gave his daughter Sujata in marriage to his favorite disciple कहोदकः ॥ Kahodaka. The hermit अष्टावक्रः ॥ [[Ashtavakra (अष्टावक्रः)|Ashtavakra]] was their son. (Mahabharata. Vana Parva, Chapter 132).  

Once Uddalaka caused the river सरस्वती ॥ Sarasvati to appear at the place of sacrifice. From that day onwards, Sarasvati got the name मनोरमा || Manorama because when the thought came to his मनस् || manas (mind), the river made its appearance. (M.B. Shalya Parva, Chapter 33).  

Once Uddalaka caused the [[Sarasvati River|river सरस्वती ॥ Sarasvati]] to appear at the place of sacrifice. From that day onwards, Sarasvati got the name मनोरमा || Manorama because when the thought came to his मनस् || manas (mind), the river made its appearance. (M.B. Shalya Parva, Chapter 33).  

It is mentioned in Mahabharata, Shanti Parva, Chapter 57, Stanza 10, that भीष्मः ॥ Bhisma explaining राजधर्मः || Rajadharma to धर्मराजः ॥ Dharmaraja explains that Uddalaka expelled his son Shvetaketu from the house because he used to invite ब्रह्मणाः ॥ Brahmanas with deceptive promises of entertainment and ill treated them.  

It is mentioned in Mahabharata, Shanti Parva, Chapter 57, Stanza 10, that भीष्मः ॥ Bhisma explaining राजधर्मः || Rajadharma to धर्मराजः ॥ Dharmaraja explains that Uddalaka expelled his son Shvetaketu from the house because he used to invite ब्रह्मणाः ॥ Brahmanas with deceptive promises of entertainment and ill treated them.  

The King asks, <blockquote>मानुषस्य भगवन्गौतम वित्तस्य वरं वृणीथा इति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6) </blockquote><blockquote>mānuṣasya bhagavangautama vittasya varaṃ vṛṇīthā iti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)</blockquote>Meaning : Bhagavan (as a brahmana usually was addressed), you can ask for any kind of wealth that is within the means of a human being?

The King asks, <blockquote>मानुषस्य भगवन्गौतम वित्तस्य वरं वृणीथा इति || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6) </blockquote><blockquote>mānuṣasya bhagavangautama vittasya varaṃ vṛṇīthā iti || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)</blockquote>Meaning : Bhagavan (as a brahmana usually was addressed), you can ask for any kind of wealth that is within the means of a human being?

Here the implication is that the  [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रियः || Kshatriya]] can give material wealth to the Brahmana but ब्रह्मविद्या as per the prevailing वर्णव्यवस्था ॥ social order, was usually respected as the brahmana’s domain. Notably, contrary to the still continuing popular perception invented by the EIC Indologists and their Indian Sepoys, वर्णः || Varna (translated wrongly as caste) was determined by संस्कारः || Samskar and not parentage.

Here, the implication is that the  [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रियः || Kshatriya]] can give material wealth to the Brahmana but ब्रह्मविद्या as per the prevailing वर्णव्यवस्था ॥ social order, was usually respected as the brahmana’s domain. Notably, contrary to the still continuing popular perception invented by the EIC Indologists and their Indian Sepoys, वर्णः || Varna (translated wrongly as caste) was determined by संस्कारः || Samskar and not parentage.

But Shvetaketu and his father were not there for material wealth, they had come to receive brahmavidya from the Kshatriya King. Uddalaka humbly requests the King, <blockquote>स होवाच - तवैव राजन्मानुषं वित्तं यामेव कुमारस्यान्ते वाचमभाषथास्तामेव मे ब्रूहिति स ह कृच्छ्री बभूव ||  (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)</blockquote><blockquote>sa hovāca - tavaiva rājanmānuṣaṃ vittaṃ yāmeva kumārasyānte vācamabhāṣathāstāmeva me brūhiti sa ha kṛcchrī babhūva || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)</blockquote>Meaning : Let the worldly human wealth rest with you. Please bestow upon me, the answer for the questions you asked my son!

But Shvetaketu and his father were not there for material wealth, they had come to receive brahmavidya from the Kshatriya King. Uddalaka humbly requests the King, <blockquote>स होवाच - तवैव राजन्मानुषं वित्तं यामेव कुमारस्यान्ते वाचमभाषथास्तामेव मे ब्रूहिति स ह कृच्छ्री बभूव ||  (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)</blockquote><blockquote>sa hovāca - tavaiva rājanmānuṣaṃ vittaṃ yāmeva kumārasyānte vācamabhāṣathāstāmeva me brūhiti sa ha kṛcchrī babhūva || (Chan. Upan. 5.3.6)</blockquote>Meaning : Let the worldly human wealth rest with you. Please bestow upon me, the answer for the questions you asked my son!