Changes

Brhdaranyaka Upanishad also says the following about the existence of two forms of Brahman - the Sat and Asat forms.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>द्वे वाव ब्रह्मणो रूपे मूर्तं चैवामूर्तं च मर्त्यं चामृतं च स्थितं च यच्च सच्च त्यच्च ॥ १ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 2.3.1)<ref>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_2p Adhyaya 2])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : There are two states of Brahman, मूर्तं । gross (with form, body and organs) and अमूर्तं । subtle (formless), mortal (मर्त्यं) and immortal (अमृतं), finite and infinite, existent and beyond (existence).<ref>Swami Madhavananda, (1950). ''[https://archive.org/details/Brihadaranyaka.Upanishad.Shankara.Bhashya.by.Swami.Madhavananda/page/n356 The Brhdaranyaka Upanishad with the commentary of Sankaracharya.]'' Mayavati: Avaita Ashrama</ref>  

Brhdaranyaka Upanishad also says the following about the existence of two forms of Brahman - the Sat and Asat forms.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>द्वे वाव ब्रह्मणो रूपे मूर्तं चैवामूर्तं च मर्त्यं चामृतं च स्थितं च यच्च सच्च त्यच्च ॥ १ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 2.3.1)<ref>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_2p Adhyaya 2])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : There are two states of Brahman, मूर्तं । gross (with form, body and organs) and अमूर्तं । subtle (formless), mortal (मर्त्यं) and immortal (अमृतं), finite and infinite, existent and beyond (existence).<ref>Swami Madhavananda, (1950). ''[https://archive.org/details/Brihadaranyaka.Upanishad.Shankara.Bhashya.by.Swami.Madhavananda/page/n356 The Brhdaranyaka Upanishad with the commentary of Sankaracharya.]'' Mayavati: Avaita Ashrama</ref>  

This second, lower, gross, mortal, finite, existent Brahman is not "another" but is Brahman conditioned - therefore limited, manifesting and is thus Saguna with Attributes. The subtle formless Brahman has already been described as Nirguna Brahman.<blockquote>यो दिवि तिष्ठन्दिवोऽन्तरो यं द्यौर्न वेद यस्य द्यौः शरीरं यो दिवमन्तरो यमयत्य् एष त आत्माऽन्तर्याम्यमृतः ॥ ८ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 3.7.8)<ref>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_3p Adhyaya 3])</ref></blockquote>

This second, lower, gross, mortal, finite, existent Brahman is not "another" but is Brahman conditioned - therefore limited, manifesting and is thus Saguna with Attributes. The subtle formless Brahman has already been described as Nirguna Brahman.<blockquote>यो दिवि तिष्ठन्दिवोऽन्तरो यं द्यौर्न वेद यस्य द्यौः शरीरं यो दिवमन्तरो यमयत्य् एष त आत्माऽन्तर्याम्यमृतः ॥ ८ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 3.7.8)<ref>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_3p Adhyaya 3])</ref></blockquote>The Vedanta Darshana extensively debates the concept of Plurality (the Manyness, [[Bahupurushavada (बहुपुरुषवादः)|Bahupurushas]]) based on the various explanations of Saguna Brahman according to that particular school of thought.

===== Unity of Atman and Brahman =====

===== Unity of Atman and Brahman =====

==== माया ॥ Maya ====

==== माया ॥ Maya ====

[[Maya (माया)|Maya]] (not always meaning Illusion) is another most important concept touched upon in the Upanishads. Maya is inseparable The siddhanta about Maya is mentioned as follows in the Upanishads.

[[Maya (माया)|Maya]] (not always meaning Illusion) is another most important concept touched upon in the Upanishads. The Supreme being or Paramatma, by his power of Maya projects the Universe and Jivatma (manifested Brahman) gets entangled in this Maya as long as He does not realize that His real nature is that of Paramatma. The siddhanta about Maya is mentioned as follows in the Upanishads.

Chandogya Upanishad explains the plurality feature as follows <blockquote>तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तत्तेजोऽसृजत । तत्तेज ऐक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तदपोऽसृजत । (Chan. Upan. 6.2.3)<ref name=":3" /></blockquote>That 'Sat' deliberated, 'may I become many; May I be born'. Then 'It' created Tejas (fire). The Fire deliberated 'may I become many; May I be born'. That created "Ap" or water.<ref name=":6" />   

Chandogya Upanishad explains the plurality feature as follows <blockquote>तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तत्तेजोऽसृजत । तत्तेज ऐक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तदपोऽसृजत । (Chan. Upan. 6.2.3)<ref name=":3" /></blockquote>That 'Sat' deliberated, 'may I become many; May I be born'. Then 'It' created Tejas (fire). The Fire deliberated 'may I become many; May I be born'. That created "Ap" or water.<ref name=":6" />   

Shvetasvatara Upanishad says<blockquote>क्षरं प्रधानममृताक्षरं हरः क्षरात्मानावीशते देव एकः । तस्याभिध्यानाद्योजनात्तत्त्वभावाद्भूयश्चान्ते विश्वमायानिवृत्तिः ॥ १० ॥ (Shvet. Upan. 1.10)</blockquote>Matter (Pradhana) is the kshara or perishable. The jivatman is akshara or imperishable on account of being immortal. He, the only Supreme being, rules over both matter and Atman. By meditating on Him (अभिध्यानात्), being in "yoga" with Him (योजनात्), by the knowledge of identity with Him  (तत्त्वभावाद्), one attains, in the end, freedom from the Maya of the world.<ref name=":03" /><ref>Sarma, D. S. (1961) ''[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.487423/page/n265 The Upanishads, An Anthology.]'' Bombay : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan</ref><ref>Swami Tyagisananda (1949) ''Svetasvataropanisad.'' Madras : Sri Ramakrishna Math</ref><blockquote>छन्दांसि यज्ञाः क्रतवो व्रतानि भूतं भव्यं यच्च वेदा वदन्ति । अस्मान्मायी सृजते विश्वमेतत्तस्मिंश्चान्यो मायया सन्निरुद्धः ॥ ९ ॥ (Shvet. Upan. 4.9)</blockquote>The shrutis (chandansi), the yajnas and kratus, the vratas (vows), the past, the future and all that the Vedas declare, have been produced from the imperishable Brahman. Brahman projects the universe through the power of Its maya. Again, in that universe Brahman as the jiva is entangled through maya.<blockquote>मायां तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान्मायिनं च महेश्वरम् । तस्यवयवभूतैस्तु व्याप्तं सर्वमिदं जगत् ॥ १० ॥ (Shvet. Upan. 4.10)<ref name=":5" /></blockquote>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad says<blockquote>इदं वै तन्मधु दध्यङ्ङाथर्वणोऽश्विभ्यामुवाच । तदेतदृषिः पश्यन्नवोचत् । रूपरूपं प्रतिरूपो बभूव तदस्य रूपं प्रतिचक्षणाय । इन्द्रो मायाभिः पुरुरूप ईयते युक्ता ह्यस्य हरयः शता दशेतिय् अयं वै हरयो ऽयं वै दश च सहस्रणि बहूनि चानन्तानि च । तदेतद्ब्रह्मापूर्वमनपरमनन्तरमबाह्यम् अयमात्मा ब्रह्म सर्वानुभूरित्यनुशासनम् ॥ १९ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 2.5.19)<ref>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_2p Adhyaya 2])</ref></blockquote>Darshanas particularly the Vedanta darshana of Sri Adi Shankaracharya highlights this Maya as the cause of bondage to samsara and that Brahman alone is real and all else is unreal.<ref name=":022" />  

Shvetasvatara Upanishad says<blockquote>क्षरं प्रधानममृताक्षरं हरः क्षरात्मानावीशते देव एकः । तस्याभिध्यानाद्योजनात्तत्त्वभावाद्भूयश्चान्ते विश्वमायानिवृत्तिः ॥ १० ॥ (Shvet. Upan. 1.10)</blockquote>Matter (Pradhana) is the kshara or perishable. The jivatman is akshara or imperishable on account of being immortal. He, the only Supreme being, rules over both matter and Atman. By meditating on Him (अभिध्यानात्), being in "yoga" with Him (योजनात्), by the knowledge of identity with Him  (तत्त्वभावाद्), one attains, in the end, freedom from the Maya of the world.<ref name=":03" /><ref>Sarma, D. S. (1961) ''[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.487423/page/n265 The Upanishads, An Anthology.]'' Bombay : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan</ref><ref>Swami Tyagisananda (1949) ''Svetasvataropanisad.'' Madras : Sri Ramakrishna Math</ref><blockquote>छन्दांसि यज्ञाः क्रतवो व्रतानि भूतं भव्यं यच्च वेदा वदन्ति । अस्मान्मायी सृजते विश्वमेतत्तस्मिंश्चान्यो मायया सन्निरुद्धः ॥ ९ ॥ (Shvet. Upan. 4.9)</blockquote>The shrutis (chandansi), the yajnas and kratus, the vratas (vows), the past, the future and all that the Vedas declare, have been produced from the imperishable Brahman. Brahman projects the universe through the power of Its maya. Again, in that universe Brahman as the jivatma gets entangled through the delusion of maya.<ref name=":03" /><blockquote>मायां तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान्मायिनं च महेश्वरम् । तस्यावयवभूतैस्तु व्याप्तं सर्वमिदं जगत् ॥ १० ॥ (Shvet. Upan. 4.10)<ref name=":5" /></blockquote>Know that the prakriti or nature is maya and that Supreme Being (Mahesvara) is the mayin (the maker of Maya). The whole universe is filled with jivatmans which are parts of His being.<ref name=":03" />

 

Brhdaranyaka Upanishad says<blockquote>इदं वै तन्मधु दध्यङ्ङाथर्वणोऽश्विभ्यामुवाच । तदेतदृषिः पश्यन्नवोचत् । रूपरूपं प्रतिरूपो बभूव तदस्य रूपं प्रतिचक्षणाय । इन्द्रो मायाभिः पुरुरूप ईयते युक्ता ह्यस्य हरयः शता दशेतिय् अयं वै हरयो ऽयं वै दश च सहस्रणि बहूनि चानन्तानि च । तदेतद्ब्रह्मापूर्वमनपरमनन्तरमबाह्यम् अयमात्मा ब्रह्म सर्वानुभूरित्यनुशासनम् ॥ १९ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 2.5.19)<ref>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_2p Adhyaya 2])</ref></blockquote>Darshanas particularly the Vedanta darshana of Sri Adi Shankaracharya highlights this Maya as the cause of bondage to samsara and that Brahman alone is real and all else is unreal.<ref name=":022" />  

==== सर्गः ॥ Sarga ====

==== सर्गः ॥ Sarga ====