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== Scriptural Context ==

== Scriptural Context ==

The context of Shwetaketu appears in three principal (''[[mukhya]]'') [[Upanishad]]s, namely, the  

The context of Shvetaketu appears in three principal (''[[mukhya]]'') [[Upanishad]]s, namely, the  

# [[Brhadaranyaka Upanishad]] S. 6.2.1 to 6.2.8

# [[Brhadaranyaka Upanishad]] S. 6.2.1 to 6.2.8

# [[Chandogya Upanishad]] S.5.3

# [[Chandogya Upanishad]] S.5.3

== The Five Questions ==

== The Five Questions ==

As per the [[छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् | छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् (Chandogya Upanishad)]] of the [[सामवेद | Sama Veda]] (5-3), Shwetaketu, once came to the assembly of Panchalas, whose reigning monarch was  [[प्रावहन  जैवली|Pravahana Jaivali]].  The King asks Shwetaketu whether he was initiated in Brahmavidya or given ब्रह्मोपदेशः ''(brahmopadesha).'' To gauge his understanding of ब्रह्मविद्या (Brahma Vidya) the king asks him the following five questions.

As per the [[छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् | छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् (Chandogya Upanishad)]] of the [[सामवेद | Sama Veda]] (5-3), Shvetaketu, once came to the assembly of Panchalas, whose reigning monarch was  [[प्रावहन  जैवली|Pravahana Jaivali]].  The King asks Shvetaketu whether he was initiated in Brahmavidya or given ब्रह्मोपदेशः ''(brahmopadesha).'' To gauge his understanding of ब्रह्मविद्या (Brahma Vidya) the king asks him the following five questions.

# From here (this लोक-loka) where do the people go (after death)?

# From here (this लोक-loka) where do the people go (after death)?

# How do the dead come back?

# How do the dead come back?

# In Panchagni, पञ्चाग्नि. the fifth ahuti (oblation),  how does Apa Tattva get the name of Purusha?   

# In Panchagni, पञ्चाग्नि. the fifth ahuti (oblation),  how does Apa Tattva get the name of Purusha?   

Shwetaketu thought himself to be a ब्रह्मज्ञानिन् (brahma jnani) yet did not have a clue to the King’s questions. The King so questions his claim to be a ब्रह्मज्ञानिन् and so humiliated, Shwetaketu returns home to question his father [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]]: ''Bhagavan, you claimed to have given me all knowledge, yet you did not?''

Shvetaketu thought himself to be a ब्रह्मज्ञानिन् (brahma jnani) yet did not have a clue to the King’s questions. The King so questions his claim to be a ब्रह्मज्ञानिन् and so humiliated, Shvetaketu returns home to question his father [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]]: ''Bhagavan, you claimed to have given me all knowledge, yet you did not?''

Shwetaketu continued: ''I was not able to answer even one of the questions of that (kshatrabandhu-relative of kshatriya)?'' So saying he put forth the five questions posed by the King to his father. The Father replies: "''I do not know the answer to these questions, if I knew, would I not tell you"?''  So both the father and son go to King Pravahna’s assembly to seek knowledge. The guests were received with hospitality and after that the King humbly requested. ''Bhagavan (as a brahmin usually was addressed), you can ask for any kind of wealth that is within the means of a human being?''

Shvetaketu continued: ''I was not able to answer even one of the questions of that (kshatrabandhu-relative of kshatriya)?'' So saying he put forth the five questions posed by the King to his father. The Father replies: "''I do not know the answer to these questions, if I knew, would I not tell you"?''  So both the father and son go to King Pravahna’s assembly to seek knowledge. The guests were received with hospitality and after that the King humbly requested. ''Bhagavan (as a brahmin 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) | क्षत्रिय || 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, वर्ण || Varna  (translated wrongly as caste) was determined by संस्कार and not parentage.

Here the implication is that the [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय) | क्षत्रिय || 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, वर्ण || Varna  (translated wrongly as caste) was determined by संस्कार and not parentage.

But Shwetaketu and his father were not there for material wealth, they had come to receive ब्रह्मविद्या from the [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय) | क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] King. [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]] humbly requested the King, ''Please bestow upon us, 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 ब्रह्मविद्या from the [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय) | क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] King. [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]] humbly requested the King, ''Please bestow upon us, the answer for the questions you asked my son.''

Before accepting [[उद्दालक|Uddhalaka]] and Shwetaketu as his disciples the King had to set down the rules as the reigning system did not allow knowledge to be imparted to  

Before accepting [[उद्दालक|Uddhalaka]] and Shvetaketu as his disciples the King had to set down the rules as the reigning system did not allow knowledge to be imparted to  

*anyone who stayed outside the precincts of the गुरुकुल,

*anyone who stayed outside the precincts of the गुरुकुल,

* unfamiliar persons,

* unfamiliar persons,

* a person who lacks the अधिकार (aptitude) to acquire knowledge.

* a person who lacks the अधिकार (aptitude) to acquire knowledge.

So the King requested [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddhalaka]] & his son to stay at his palace. And through many years the King imparted knowledge to both [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddhalaka]] & Shwetaketu.  

So the King requested [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddhalaka]] & his son to stay at his palace. And through many years the King imparted knowledge to both [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]] & Shvetaketu.  

Responses to these questions were provided through explanation of [[Panchagni Vidya (पञ्चाग्नि विद्या)|Panchagni vidya]], which also included explanations of[[देवयान | devayan (journey to the deva loka post death)]] and [[पित्रयान | pitruyan (journey to Pitr loka post death)]] as well as of [[पञ्च महा यज्ञ |panca maha yajna]]. This was the explanation provided by the king as the essence of [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|Brahmavidya]]

Responses to these questions were provided through explanation of [[Panchagni Vidya (पञ्चाग्नि विद्या)|Panchagni vidya]], which also included explanations of[[देवयान | devayan (journey to the deva loka post death)]] and [[पित्रयान | pitruyan (journey to Pitr loka post death)]] as well as of [[पञ्च महा यज्ञ |panca maha yajna]]. This was the explanation provided by the king as the essence of [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|Brahmavidya]]

As an introduction to पञ्चाग्निविद्या, the [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय) | क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] King told the brahmin, "you are the first one amongst the Brahmans to receive the knowledge of this ब्रह्मविद्या, up until now it was known only to Kshatriyas."   

As an introduction to पञ्चाग्निविद्या, the [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय) | क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] King told the brahmin, "you are the first one amongst the Brahmans to receive the knowledge of this ब्रह्मविद्या, up until now it was known only to Kshatriyas."   

==About Shwetaketu==

==About Shvetaketu==

Smritis refer to Shvetaketu as a Maharsi.  

Smritis refer to Shvetaketu as a Maharsi.  

# '''Birth:''' Shvetaketu was the son of the sage Aruni or [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]] who was born in the Gautama clan. Shvetaketu had a sister named Sujata. [[Astavakra]] was her son by the sage, Kahotaka. Thus Shvetaketu was Astavakra's maternal uncle. Shvetaketu and Astavakra grew up together in Uddalaka's ashrama. (See under Astavakra) .

# '''Birth:''' Shvetaketu was the son of the sage Aruni or [[Uddalaka (उद्दालक)|Uddalaka]] who was born in the Gautama clan. Shvetaketu had a sister named Sujata. [[Astavakra]] was her son by the sage, Kahotaka. Thus Shvetaketu was Astavakra's maternal uncle. Shvetaketu and Astavakra grew up together in Uddalaka's ashrama. (See under Astavakra) .