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→Brhdaranyaka Upanishad: added content
==== Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ====
==== Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ====
Brhdaranyaka Upanishad is the treasure house for the sadhakas engaged in understanding Brahman. A few parts of the text are presented here for summarizing the Brahmatattva. <blockquote>तदेतद्ब्रह्मापूर्वमनपरमनन्तरमबाह्यम् । अयमात्मा ब्रह्म सर्वानुभूः । इत्यनुशासनम् ॥ बृह. २,५.१९ ॥ (Brha. Upan. 2.5.19)<ref>Brhadaranyaka 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 Brahmana 5]) </ref></blockquote>That Brahman is without prior or posterior, without interior or exterior. This Self, the perceiver of everything is the Brahman. This is the teaching.<ref>Swami Madhavananda (1950 Third Edition) ''The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad with the commentary of Sankaracharya.'' Almora: Advaita Ashram. (Pages 402 and 403)</ref>
Brhdaranyaka Upanishad, a treasure trove for the sadhakas engaged in understanding Brahman, is a voluminous text. A few selected parts of it are presented here for summarizing the Brahmatattva. <blockquote>तदेतद्ब्रह्मापूर्वमनपरमनन्तरमबाह्यम् । अयमात्मा ब्रह्म सर्वानुभूः । इत्यनुशासनम् ॥ बृह. २,५.१९ ॥ (Brha. Upan. 2.5.19)<ref>Brhadaranyaka 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 Brahmana 5]) </ref></blockquote>That Brahman is without prior or posterior, without interior or exterior. This Self, the perceiver of everything is the Brahman. This is the teaching.<ref>Swami Madhavananda (1950 Third Edition) ''The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad with the commentary of Sankaracharya.'' Almora: Advaita Ashram. (Pages 402 and 403)</ref>
In the Yajnavalkya Gargi Samvada, one finds a very comprehensive synopsis about Brahmatattva being attributeless<blockquote>स होवाच एतद्वै तदक्षरं गार्गि ब्राह्मणा अभिवदन्ति, अस्थूलमनण्व-ह्रस्वमदीर्घ-मलोहितमस्नेह-मच्छायमतमोऽवाय्वनाकाश-मसङ्गमरस-मगन्ध-मचक्षुष्क-मश्रोत्र-मवागमनोऽतेजस्क-मप्राण-ममुख-मगात्रमनन्तरमबाह्यम् न तदश्नाति किंचन । न तदश्नाति कश्चन ॥ बृह. ३,८.८ ॥ (Brha. Upan. 3.8.8)<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 Brahmana 8])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : O Gargi!, the knowers of Brahman say, this Immutable (Brahman) is that - it is neither gross (अस्थूलम्) nor minute (अनण्वः), neither short (अह्रस्वः) nor long (अदीर्घः), neither red in color (अलोहितः) nor viscous/oily (अस्नेहः), neither shadow (अच्छायः) nor darkness (अतमः), neither air (अवायुः) nor ether (अनाकाशः), unattached (असङ्गम्), neither of any taste (अरसम्) or odour (अगन्धः), without eyes (अचक्षुष्कः) or ears (अश्रोत्रः), without the speech organ (अवाक्) or the mind (अमनः), non effulgent (अतेजस्कः), without the vital force (अप्राणः) or the mouth (अमुखम् or face), not a measure (अगात्रम्), and without interior (अनन्तरम्) or exterior (अबाह्यम्). It does not eat anything, nor is IT eaten by anybody.<ref>Swami Madhavananda (1950 Third Edition) ''The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad with the commentary of Sankaracharya.'' Almora: Advaita Ashram. (Page 517)</ref>
In the Yajnavalkya Gargi Samvada, one finds a very comprehensive synopsis about Brahmatattva being attributeless<blockquote>स होवाच एतद्वै तदक्षरं गार्गि ब्राह्मणा अभिवदन्ति, अस्थूलमनण्व-ह्रस्वमदीर्घ-मलोहितमस्नेह-मच्छायमतमोऽवाय्वनाकाश-मसङ्गमरस-मगन्ध-मचक्षुष्क-मश्रोत्र-मवागमनोऽतेजस्क-मप्राण-ममुख-मगात्रमनन्तरमबाह्यम् न तदश्नाति किंचन । न तदश्नाति कश्चन ॥ बृह. ३,८.८ ॥ (Brha. Upan. 3.8.8)<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 Brahmana 8])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : O Gargi!, the knowers of Brahman say, this Immutable (Brahman) is that - it is neither gross (अस्थूलम्) nor minute (अनण्वः), neither short (अह्रस्वः) nor long (अदीर्घः), neither red in color (अलोहितः) nor viscous/oily (अस्नेहः), neither shadow (अच्छायः) nor darkness (अतमः), neither air (अवायुः) nor ether (अनाकाशः), unattached (असङ्गम्), neither of any taste (अरसम्) or odour (अगन्धः), without eyes (अचक्षुष्कः) or ears (अश्रोत्रः), without the speech organ (अवाक्) or the mind (अमनः), non effulgent (अतेजस्कः), without the vital force (अप्राणः) or the mouth (अमुखम् or face), not a measure (अगात्रम्), and without interior (अनन्तरम्) or exterior (अबाह्यम्). It does not eat anything, nor is IT eaten by anybody.<ref>Swami Madhavananda (1950 Third Edition) ''The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad with the commentary of Sankaracharya.'' Almora: Advaita Ashram. (Page 517)</ref>
By the fourfold negation of size (gross, minute, short, and long) all the characteristics of a substance are denied of IT, thus Brahman is not a substance (द्रव्यम्). Owing to lack of qualities such as red color, viscosity, oiliness etc Brahman does not have any qualities (गुणाः). Without any sense organs or the mind, it lacks any lustre, is immeasurable, devoid of Prana or the vital force.
By the fourfold negation of size (gross, minute, short, and long) all the characteristics of a substance are denied of IT, thus Brahman is not a substance (द्रव्यम्). Owing to lack of qualities such as red color, viscosity, oiliness etc Brahman does not have any qualities (गुणाः). Without any sense organs or the mind, it lacks any lustre, is immeasurable, devoid of Prana or the vital force.
That Brahman is indeed unconditioned and described as Pure Intelligence is seen in the [[Yajnavalkya Maitreyi samvada (याज्ञवल्क्यमैत्रेय्योः संवादः)|Yajnavalkya Maitreyi Samvada]] of this text in the following lines<blockquote>स यथा सैन्धवघनोऽनन्तरोऽबाह्यः कृत्स्नो रसघन एव । एवं वा अरेऽयमात्मानन्तरोऽबाह्यः कृत्स्नः प्रज्ञानघन एव । एतेभ्यो भूतेभ्यः समुत्थाय तान्येवानुविनयति । न प्रेत्य संज्ञास्तीत्यरे ब्रवीमि । इति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः ॥ बृह. ४,५.१३ ॥ </blockquote>
==== Kathopanishad ====
==== Kathopanishad ====
==== Brahma Sutras ====
==== Brahma Sutras ====
While it is well known that Brahman is Pure Consciousness, Shankaracharya's term Prajnana-ghana । प्रज्ञानघन for explaining it is seen in his bhashya for the Brahma sutra (आह च तन्मात्रम् । ( ब्रसू-३,२.१६ । ) 3.2.16) presented below as an example.<blockquote>आह च श्रुतिः चैतन्यमात्रं विलक्षणरूपान्तररहितं निर्विशेषं ब्रह्म स यथा सैन्धवघनोऽनन्तरोऽबाह्यः कृत्स्नो रसघन एवैवं वा अरेऽयमात्मानन्तरोऽबाह्यः कृत्स्नः प्रज्ञानघन एव इति।</blockquote>The Upanishad also declares that Brahman is pure consciousness devoid of other aspects contrary to this, and without any distinguishing feature as in "As a lump of salt is without interior or exterior, entire and purely saline in taste, so also the Self is without interior or exterior, entire and pure Intelligence alone". This means that the Self has no internal or external aspect apart from Pure Consciousness. Its nature is mere impartible consciousness without intervening intervals.<ref>Swami Gambhirananda. (1956) ''Brahma-Sutra-Bhashya of Sri Sankaracarya.'' Almora : Advaita Ashrama (Pages 613-614)</ref> The Upanishad referred to here is the Brhdaranyaka Upanishad (4.5.13).
While it is well known that Brahman is Pure Consciousness, Shankaracharya's term Prajnana-ghana । प्रज्ञानघन for explaining it is seen in his bhashya for the Brahma sutra (आह च तन्मात्रम् । ( ब्रसू-३,२.१६ । ) 3.2.16) presented below as an example.<blockquote>आह च श्रुतिः चैतन्यमात्रं विलक्षणरूपान्तररहितं निर्विशेषं ब्रह्म स यथा सैन्धवघनोऽनन्तरोऽबाह्यः कृत्स्नो रसघन एवैवं वा अरेऽयमात्मानन्तरोऽबाह्यः कृत्स्नः प्रज्ञानघन एव इति।</blockquote>The Upanishad also declares that Brahman is pure consciousness (चैतन्यमात्रं) devoid of other aspects contrary to this (विलक्षणरूपान्तररहितं), and without any distinguishing feature (निर्विशेषं) as in "As a lump of salt is without interior or exterior, entire and purely saline in taste, so also the Self is without interior or exterior, entire and pure Intelligence alone". This means that the Self has no internal or external aspect apart from Pure Consciousness. Its nature is mere impartible consciousness without intervening intervals.<ref>Swami Gambhirananda. (1956) ''Brahma-Sutra-Bhashya of Sri Sankaracarya.'' Almora : Advaita Ashrama (Pages 613-614)</ref> The Upanishad referred to here is the Brhdaranyaka Upanishad (4.5.13).
==== Summary ====
==== Summary ====
Thus by the above explanations one can grasp that Brahman is all-perceiving, directionless and is not a substance, devoid of gunas or qualities and attributes, is eternal and undiminishing, is hidden in every being but invisible, and is distinct from Buddhi.
Thus by the above explanations one can grasp that Brahman has following nature
It is all-perceiving
It is Directionless
It is not a substance
It is devoid of gunas or qualities
It is attributeless
It is eternal
It is undiminishing
It is hidden in every being but invisible
It is distinct from Buddhi.
It is a whole unit (indivisible)
=== Unity of Jivatma and Brahman ===
=== Unity of Jivatma and Brahman ===
Nirguna Brahma devoid of all attributes is termed as
Nirguna Brahma devoid of all attributes is termed as
* Tat as in Chandogya Upanishad (6.8.7) Katha (2.1.3)
* Tat as in Chandogya Upanishad (6.8.7) Katha (2.1.3)
* Paramatma
* Chaitanyamatra and Prajnanaghana as in Shankara Bhashya for Brahma Sutras (3.2.16)
* Brahman (Atman) as in Brhdaranyaka (1.4.10) and Chandogya (3.14.1)
* Brahman (Atman) as in Brhdaranyaka (1.4.10) and Chandogya (3.14.1)
* Aksharam (अक्षरं) as in Brhdaranyaka (3.8.8)
* Aksharam (अक्षरं) as in Brhdaranyaka (3.8.8)