"Upanishads and the Mind"

 

 

 

The Upanishads compare God to a spider that weaves its web out of its own body and lies at the
center of it. There is general agreement that the principle and source of the universe is Brahman. The
resolution of the relationship between Brahman and the universe is the central theme of Vedanta, and
the Upanishads. The relative standpoint is Saguna Brahman, the manifestation of Brahman by the
human soul, viewed through the human spectacles. Nirguna Brahman, is the absolute standpoint,
where Brahman is God as He views Himself independently. Sankara's Advaita Vedanta explains why
Brahman, individual soul (Atman), and the Universe is not different. Madhvacharya's Dvaita Vedanta
describes the conception of God with the basic assumption that Brahman, individual souls, and the
world are different. The Taittiriya Upanishad using the story of the enlightenment of Bhrigu, the son
of Varuna explains the ideas of creation and realization. The universe has five orders of beings:
material objects, living plants, conscious animals, intelligent human beings and God in bliss. The four
important ingredients to realize SELF, are Annam (food), Prana (air), Manas (consciousness), Vijnana
(knowledge). The goal of human life is ananda (bliss), the realization of SELF (Tat Tvam Asi). Human
being, in the scale of spiritual progression, has dual personality. They are partly animal and partly
god, moving in two worlds, the world of Nature and the world of Spirit. The Taitriya Upanishad
suggests the path of spiritual progression. The path has movements from food, life, mind,
knowledge, and ultimately to Brahman, the SELF. By eliminating all the limitations of the body, mind
and intellect, the SELF can be realized. The human being is potentially divine, and that can overcome
the world and break the bonds, and ultimately can realize the SELF. The Mundaka Upanishad states "
As the flowing rivers disappear in the sea, losing their name and form, so does a wise man freed from
name and form go into the Divine Spirit greater than the great." This experience has different names
at different times, as Prana, Jyotis, Akasa, Brahman, Atman, Ananda, or simply as Sah.