MUNDAKA UPANISHAD & THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (Greatest Question ever asked)

    For decades theoretical physicists have embarked on a quest to come up with a “Theory of Everything” or “The God Equation”. Physicists believe that such a theory would be able to describe the behavior of matter and energy at the most minor scales, such as the behavior of particles inside an atom or even closer to the beginning of the universe. Currently, our understanding of the universe is described by different theories that govern various aspects of nature. For example, the theory of general relativity explains the force of gravity and how massive objects interact, while the standard model of particle physics describes the electromagnetic, weak, and strong nuclear forces, as well as the fundamental particles that make matter. The theory of everything, often referred to as a "final theory," would go beyond these existing theories and combine them into a single framework that can explain all known phenomena in the universe. It would provide a unified description of how particles and forces interact and behave under all conditions. The pursuit of a theory of everything is a major goal in physics because it has the potential to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the universe, such as how it began, why it is the way it is, and what its ultimate fate might be. However, developing a complete theory of everything is a highly challenging task, and it remains an ongoing area of research and exploration for physicists.

 

 This reminds me of a similar quest in India more than at least 2500 years ago. The sages of India wanted to know much more than mere knowledge of the surrounding physical world. While the Eastern world has always been introverted, the West has been extroverted in its pursuits. This may be the reason why all the great enlightened masters have come from the East and most great scientists have come from the West. The West has explored the outer matter leading to development in science. However, it has completely forgotten about the inner soul. The East has become too much concerned with the inner soul and has forgotten the outer world leading to advancements in meditation and spiritual pursuits.

 

 In Mundaka Upanishad, a householder disciple named Shaunaka comes to his Guru Angiras and asks a question that is akin to the theory of everything and is often considered one of the greatest philosophical questions ever asked:

 

“O adorable sir, (which is that thing) which having been known, all this becomes known?”

 

 The teacher Angiras gives an indirect reply starting with the two types of knowledge viz. Lower and higher and then goes on to describe Brahman or Purusa (the all-pervasive pervasive Reality), as the foundational material of the whole existence including our Universe and ways to realize Brahman. That (Reality), after knowing which all this becomes known, is the subject matter of the higher knowledge of Brahman. Just like knowing a piece of Gold all things made of gold are known although they may differ in appearance and name, same way, knowing the all-pervading Brahman leads to true knowledge of our existence and our Universe.

            The main points described by Angiras in his reply are the following:

 

1. The Vedas, with their appendages, constitute the “lower knowledge” (Apara) which is devoted merely to the world in appearance with corresponding injunction and prohibition, and does not possess the power of removing the defects of ignorance, etc. Thus, lower knowledge is ignorance, which has to be eradicated, since nothing, in reality, is known by knowing the objects of ignorance. By the higher knowledge (Para) or the Brahma Vidya, the wise realize everywhere that (Brahman) which cannot be perceived and grasped, which is without out source, features, eyes, and ears, which has neither hands nor feet, which is eternal, multi-formed, all-pervasive, extremely subtle, and undiminishing, and which is the source of all. Higher knowledge is knowledge of Brahman that is the means for the highest goal and is achievable through the grace of the teacher after renouncing everything whether it be an end or means.
2. As a spider spreads out and withdraws (its thread), as on the earth grow the herbs (and trees), and as from a living man issues out hair (on the head and body), so out of the Imperishable does the Universe emerge here (in this phenomenal creation).
3. Brahman grows by his energy at work, and then from Him is Matter born, and out of Matter life, and mind and truth and the worlds, and in works immortality.
4. Taking hold of the bow, the great weapon familiar to the Upanishads, one should fix on it an arrow sharpened with meditation. Drawing the string, O good-looking one, hit that very target that is the Imperishable, with the mind absorbed in Its thought. OM is the bow and the soul is the arrow, and That, even the Brahman, is spoken of as the target. That must be pierced with an unfaltering aim; one must be absorbed into That as an arrow is lost in its target. Just as the success of the arrow consists in its becoming one with the target, similarly one should bring about the result, consisting in becoming one with the Imperishable, by eliminating the ideas of the body, etc. being the Self. Within that (heart) in which are fixed the nerves like the spokes on the hub of a chariot wheel, moves this aforesaid said Self by becoming multiform. Meditate on the Self thus with the help of Om. May you be free from hindrances in going to the other shore beyond darkness.
5. Two birds that are ever associated and have similar names cling to the same tree. Of these, one eats the fruit of divergent tastes, and the other looks on without eating. The soul is the bird that sits immersed on the one common tree, but because he is not lord he is bewildered and has sorrow. But when he sees that other who is the Lord and beloved, he knows that all is His greatness and his sorrow passes away from him.
6. Truth alone wins (सत्यमेव जयते), and not untruth. By truth is laid the path called Devayana, by which the desireless seers ascend to where exists the supreme treasure attainable through the truth.
7. Brahman is great and self-effulgent, and Its form is unthinkable. It is subtler than the subtle. It shines diversely. It is farther away than the far-off, and It is near at hand in this body. Among sentient beings, It is (perceived as) seated in this very body, in the cavity of the heart. It is not comprehended through the eye, nor speech, nor the other senses; nor is It attained through austerity or karma. Since one becomes purified in mind through the favourableness of the intellect, therefore can one see that indivisible Self through meditation. Though the intellect in all beings is intrinsically able to make the Self known, still being polluted by such blemishes as an attachment to external objects, etc., it becomes non-transparent and impure, and does not, like a stained mirror or ruffled water, make the reality of the Self known, though It is ever at hand.
8. He who covets the desirable things, while brooding (on their virtues), is born amidst those very surroundings along with the desires. But for one who has got his wishes fulfilled and who is Self-poised, all the longings vanish even here.
9. As rivers, flowing down, become indistinguishable on reaching the sea by giving up their names and forms, so also the illumined soul, having become freed from name and form, reaches the self-effulgent Purusa that is higher than the higher (Maya).
10. Anyone who knows that supreme Brahman becomes Brahman indeed. In his line is not born anyone who does not know Brahman. He overcomes grief, and rises above aberrations; and becoming freed from the knots of the heart, he attains immortality.

 

REFERENCES

 1. Swami Gambhirananda. Eight Upanishads, with the Commentary of Sankara, Vol. II: 2 (Kindle Edition).

2. Theory of Everything;- https://youtu.be/B1GO1HPLp7Y.

"Sage-Warrior" and the "Warrior-Sage"

Once there lived a great king named Gadhi. He had a daughter named Satyawati. One day, a sage called Ruchik, the son of a great sage named Chyavan, came to ask for the princess's hand in marriage as he had learned that it was so written in destiny. The king was taken aback. He didn’t want to marry his daughter to a sage as he had no son and he wanted his daughter to take over his throne after him! But he was also scared that Ruchik’s father might curse him. So he tries to lay down an impossible condition and told Ruchik that there was a tradition in their family that whoever wants to marry the princess must bring the king 1000 white horses with each one of them having 1 black ear. Ruchik agreed to this strange condition.

Ruchik prayed to Lord Varun, the god of water, to get the white horses with one black ear as demanded by the king. After a lot of penance, Varun appeared and gave Ruchik what he had asked for. Ruchik took the horses to the king, and thus, Ruchik married the princess and took her along to the forest to live with him.

Back at the palace, the king and queen were very worried because they thought that once the king would die, who would become the ruler? One day the king and queen went to the forest to see how their daughter was doing. To their surprise, their daughter was living quite happily in the forest. After ensuring their daughter was doing well, they had a discussion with Ruchik. They told Ruchik that they wanted a child who could rule the kingdom after the king dies. Ruchik understood and told them not to worry.

After the king and queen went back, Ruchik started deep meditation. In the evening, Ruchik gave his wife two Charus (a particular type of food). Ruchik understood that the king’s son should be a great aggressive warrior and his own son should be a great, calm, and spiritual sage. So he had prepared the two Charus so that these qualities pass on to the children as needed.

Satyawati and her mother saw the two Charus. The queen thought that Ruchik probably gave his wife the better Charu, so the queen told her daughter that they should switch their Charus so that the son of the queen will become a great king in the future, whereas the son of Satyawati has to stay in the forest and do intense meditation. So the queen and her daughter switched their charus and ate them.

Later, when Ruchik found out about this, he lost his temper and scolded his wife. Ruchik told Satyawati that he had added the qualities of an aggressive warrior king in his mother’s charu so that he could win over all the kings on Earth and the qualities of a great sage in her charu. Now, the son of the king i.e. your brother will be a great saint, whereas their own son will be a short-tempered and warrior Sage who will punish people who will deviate from the path of righteousness. When Satyawati repented, he delayed the impact for one generation and said, “Instead of our son, our grandson will be the aggressive warrior sage”.

The grandson of Ruchik and Satyawati grew up to be a fierce warrior sage. He was none other than Parashurama himself, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is said to have eliminated all the Kshatriyas on Earth twenty-one times. The son of King Gadhi and his queen grew up to be a king who left worldly life and achieved the status of a Brahmarishi. He was none other than the great sage Vishwamitra, credited with the discovery of the  Gayatri Mantra, amongst other things. 

Rishi Vishwamitra with Ram & Laxman emancipating Devi Ahilya from a curse. (Image by Raja Ravi Varma)

 Lord Parshuram (Image by Raja Ravi Varma)

(Story Source: Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapurana)

"Ishwara" in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali

The word ‘Yoga’ literally means ‘union’, i.e., spiritual union of the individual soul (Jivatma) with the Universal Soul (Parmatma). Sage Patanjali, the author of "Yoga Sutra" begins his Yoga Sutras with the definition of yoga as "restraining the mind-stuff (Chitta) from taking various forms (Vrttis)" i.e. Chitta vritti nirodha (1:2). Swami Vivekananda in his commentary on Yoga Sutra compares Chitta to the lake where the waves are the Vrttis. As soon as the waves have stopped, and the lake has become quiet, we see the ground below the lake. So with the mind; when it is calm, we see what our own true nature is. To achieve this purpose of restraining the Chitta, Yoga gives us the Eightfold Path of Discipline or the "Ashtanga Yoga". The prescribed eight sadhanas to control "Chitta" are the following; 1. Yama, 2. Niyama, 3. Asana, 4. Pranayama, 5. Pratyahara, 6. Dharana, 7. Dhyana, 8. Samadhi.

 

The Yoga-sutra of Patanjali contains 196 aphorisms or Sutras arranged in four parts. The first part is called samadhi-pada which deals with the nature and aim of concentration. The second, sadhana pada, explains the means to realize this end. The third, vibhutipada, deals with the supernatural powers (Siddhis) which can be acquired through Yoga. The fourth, kaivalyapada, describes the nature of liberation and the reality of the transcendental self. Patanjali Yoga Philosophy is based upon Samkhya Philosophy, the only difference being that God has no place in the latter. The Yoga, therefore, is described as the Samkhya with God. "Iswara" (God) is one of the many objects on which Yogis can concentrate their mind. Patanjali defines God as a special kind of Purusha who is always free from pains, actions, effects, and impressions. He is eternally free and was never bound nor has any possibility of being bound. He is above the law of karma. He is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. He is perfection incarnate. He is the purest knowledge. Yoga Sutra also specifically mentions that Aum (Om) is the symbol of Ishvara.

 

The Sutras dealing specifically with Ishwara are listed below with English Translations:

 ईश्वयप्रणिधानाद वा ॥ 1.23॥

 Or by devotion to Isvara (that state can be achieved).

 क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरःll1.24॥ 
 Isvara (Supreme Ruler) is special Purusa, untouched by misery, results of actions, or desires. 

 तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम् (1.25) 
 In God, the seed of omniscience is at unsurpassable level. 

 स पूर्वेषाम् अपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदातस पूर्वेषाम् अपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् (1.26) 
 Not being limited by time, He is even the master of the ancients. 

 तस्य वाचक् प्रिव् (1.27) 
 His manifesting word is Om. 

 समाधिसिद्धिरीश्वरप्रणिधानात् (2.45) 

 By sacrificing all to Isvara comes Samadhi. By resignation to the Lord, Samadhi becomes perfect.