Prajnanetra - The Window of Awareness

Awareness of one’s specialized existence is the window through which an entity sees what is inside and what is outside. When it looks inside it sees its own core.

Om ko/yamatmeti vayaupasmahe katarah sa atma
Yena va pashyati yena va shrunoti yena va gandhanajighrati
Yena va vacham vyakaroti yena va svadu chasvadu cha vijanati

The inquiry starts with the meditation on Om. The primordial word Om that signifies the principles of becoming, being and consummation is invoked when one delves deep into fundamentals. What is the core of my self, which is worshiped as ‘atma’? Is it a phenomenon by which one sees, hears, smell, utter intelligent words and differentiates between what is palatable and what is not palatable?

Yatetathrudayam manaschchaitat samjnanamajnanam
Vijnanam prajnanam medha drushtidhrutirmatirmaneesha
Jootih smruti sankalpah kraturasuh kamo vasha iti
Sarvanyevaitaniprajnanasya namadheyani bhavati

The awareness of ‘atma’ is the subtle awareness of one’s own separateness. It manifests in different forms. It manifests as the heart, which is the abode of one’s sensitivities. It manifests as the mind, which is the abode of all ideas. It manifests as different forms of knowledge (categorical knowledge, abstract knowledge, domain specific knowledge and context specific knowledge). It manifests as intellectual prowess. It manifests as perspective. It manifests as the spirit of enterprise. It manifests as the ability to relate to other entities. It manifests as free thinking. It manifests as the agitations of the mind that causes movements. It manifests as memory. It manifests as imagination. It manifests as projects conceived for universal welfare. It manifests as the rituals of day to day life. It manifests as the passions of desire. It manifests as the power to attract. All these are manifestations of the awareness of a separate existence that resides in an entity.

Esha brahmaisa indra esha prajapatirete sarvam deva imani cha
Panchamahabhootani pruthvi vayurakasha
Apo jyotisheetyetaneemani cha kshudramishraneeva beejaneetarani
Cheterani chandajani cha jarujani cha svedajani cha choodbeejani
Chashva gavah purusha hastino yat kim chedam pranijangamam cha
Patatri cha yachcha stavaram sarva
Tat prajnanetram prajnane pratishthitam
Prajnanetro lokah prajna pratishtha prajnanam brahma

This awareness residing in an entity is the agent of creation. It is Indra, the ideal of all ideals. It is the prajapatis, the administrators of the collectives. It is the five categories of elements from which everything in this world is made. It is earthiness. It is the gentle current of life forces. It is the emptiness of akasha. It is the fluidity of the water of sensibilities. It is the energy flowing from celestial presences. It is the primordial cause for the various categories of beings born from eggs, placenta, sweat or spontaneous division. It is the internal resources that rear to go like horses rebelling against restraints. It is the processes for the extraction of useful products. It is the elephantine possessions at one’s command. It is all those factors that affect one’s stability, dynamism and freedom.

The window of awareness about oneself is the awareness of one’s itaratva (separateness). The window of the specificity of a subject is in the specialized knowledge related to that subject. The specialized knowledge about one’s separate identity is also the prajnanetra of the universe. Looking from this perspective ‘Atma’, the core of one’s separate identity is seen as not different from Brahman, the core of the universe. At the core of the awareness of one’s separateness is seen Brahman, the core of the universe.

Sa etena prajnenatmanasmallokadutkramya
Amushmin svarge loke sarvan kamanaptva
Amrutah samabhavat amrutah samabhavat

One who understands the true purport of one’s separateness transcends the dualities of this world is not affected by his separateness. All his longings in the domain of ideals get satisfied. He tastes the nectar of immortality.

Om vang me manasi pratishthitamanomevachiprtishshitam
Aviraviravir ma edhi vedasya ma anishthah shrutam
Me ma prahaseeranenadheetenahoratran samdadhi
Amrutam vadishyami satyam vadishyami vadishyami tanmamavatu
Tad vaktaramavatu avatu mama vatu vaktaram avatu vaktaram
Om shantih shantih shantih

The purport of this shantimantra has already been discussed in 'The Theme of Eitereya Upanishad'.

Knowing the subtle nature of one's separate existence is knowing Brahman

Standing at the border between the transcendental inner essence and its manifestation outside Vamadeva tries to look inwards to know the nature of the inner essence.

Om kolyamaatmeti vayamupasamahe katarah sa atma
Yena va pashyati yena va shrunoti yena va gandhanajikhrati
Yena va vacham vyakaroti yena va svadu chasvadu cha vijaniti

Vamadeva asks himself: ‘What is this essence of me, with which I am trying to maintain company always? Is it the subtle presence by which my sense organs operate, which gives form to my will and which shapes my likes and dislikes?’

Yatetathrudayam manaschaitat samjnanamajnanam
Vijnanam prajnanam medha drushtidhrutirmaneesha
Jootih smrutih sankalpah kraturasuh kamo vasha iti
Sarvanyevaitani prajnanasya namdheyani bhavanti

The reflection of Vamadeva reveals that the fundamental awareness of being a separate entity, which is in essence the inner heart and mind, expresses itself as categorical knowledge bound by names and forms, abstract knowledge which is not bound by names and forms, domain specific knowledge, the awareness of being different, awareness of belonging to a larger whole, perspective, positive engagement, power of reflection, intelligence, fatigue, memory, imagination, define action plans, vitality, desire and attachment.

Esha brahmaisha indra esha prajapatirete sarve deva imani cha
Panchamahabhootani pruthvee vayurakasha apo
Jyotimsheetyetaneemani cha kshudramishraneeva beejani
Itarani chetarani chandajani cha jarajani cha svedajani chodbhijani chashva gavah
Purusha hastino yat kinchedam prani jangamam cha patatri cha yat stavaram sarvam tat
Prajnanetram prajnane pratishthitam
Prajnanetro lokah prajna pratishtha
Prajnanam brahmah

The awareness of one’s separateness is the fountainhead of everything in the manifested universe. It is the master of all ideals to which everything in this world converge. It is the propelling force behind all movements. It is the principle that nurtures all passions. Everything in the manifested universe exists because of this differentiation. The five fundamental elements (earthiness, airiness, emptiness, moistness and brilliance), the causal body that sustains the lower and middle level life forms, all classes of life forms (life forms emanating from eggs, life forms emanating from placenta, life forms emanating from sweat and life forms sprouting spontaneously), the processes of interaction, the processes of production…all these came from the awareness of being separate. Virility, accumulation of resources, the lively things that moves briskly and flutter around in the sky, the stationery objects…all these are led by the awareness of their separateness. Similarly each of the domains is established in the concept of its separateness from the rest of the universe. This awareness specific to a separate existence is verily Brahman.

Sa etena prajnanatmanasmallokadukramya
Amushmin svarge loke sarvan kamanaptva
Amrutah samabhavat amrutah samabhavat

The subtle knowledge related to what sets one apart from others is to be used for transcending this world. The reflection on one’s identity is to be used for elevating one to a state of total belonging. It is not to be used for alienating oneself from this world. One who realizes this and act accordingly is able to satisfy all the longings associated with his ideals. He overcomes death in the domain of this world as well as in the heavenly domain of ideals.

The Evolution of Brahman in Manifestation

It is said that everything in the universe is a manifestation of the principle of Brahman. The process of manifestation of the principle of Brahman is the theme of the second chapter of Eitereya Upanishad.

Om purushe ha va ayamadito garbho bhavati yadretah
Tadetatsarvebhyo/ngebhyastejah
Sambhootamatmanyeva/tmanam bibhartim
Tadyada striyam sinchatyathainajjanayati
Tadasya prathamam janmah

Meditate on pranava that lies dormant in everything in the manifested universe. In the beginning the principle of virility manifested as the potential for productive engagement. This potential, this primordial sperm, was drawn from the various organs of the manifestations of Brahman. Virility thus carries within it the potential formed of the essence of all principles. When this potential gets deposited on an aspect of femininity it brings forth something into the manifested universe. A potential when it is coupled with a demand brings forth a product. That is the first step in the process of manifestation.

Tat striya atmabhooyam gachchati yatha svamangam tatha
Tasmadenam na hinasti
Sa/smaitamatmanamatra gatam bhavayati

The potential when it gets deposited on a feminine presence merges with it harmoniously and becomes a part of it. So the feminine presence does not get extinguished by the process in any way. It recognizes the virility and nurtures it as a sprout of Brahman.

Sa bhavayatree bhavayitavya bhavati
Tam stree garbham bibharti
So/gra kumaram janmano/gre/dhibhavayati
Sa yat kumaram janmano/gre/dhibhavayatmanameva
Tat bhavayatyesham lokana santatya
Evam sanata heeme lokastadasya dviteeyam janma

The feminine presence with which the sperm of virility got engaged nurtures the virility. She carries the embryo and is being nurtured by the virility that had impregnated her. Virility thus nurtures the embryo through its mother. After birth virility keeps nurturing its offspring as if that is its own self. The entanglement of virility with the nourishment needed to whet appetites is essential to provide continuity to the structure of manifested universe. The father, mother and child thus are inseparable parts of a whole. This mutual support and dependency between potential, demand and product ensures the continuity between the various domains. This evolution of the principle of the continuity between domains is the second step in the manifestation of Brahman.

So/syayamatma punyebhyah karmebhyah pratidheeyate
Athasyayamitara atma krutakrutyo vayogatah praiti
Sa itah prayanneva punarjayate tadasya truteeyam janma

The offspring is verily the essence of the actions and virtues of the forces that brought it into being. It grows up to act as the agent of virility for the subsequent generation. The parental virility recedes into the background when it has fulfilled the role expected of it. It then becomes the subject of another birth. The evolution of this principle of recursive births is the third step in the manifestation of Brahman.

Taduktamrusheena garbhenu sannanveshamavedam
Aham devanam janimani vishva shatam ma pura ayaseerarkshan
Athah shyeno javasaa niradeeyamiti
Garbha evaitachchayano vamadeva evamuvacha

The sages who can fathom the depths of subtle truths could conceive the true nature of the embryonic manifestation of Brahman. This embryo, which is in the womb of Mother Nature, knows all the ideals that propel the movements in the manifested universe. It finds itself guarded by the many layers formed of past culture which stand like a citadel of iron. A hawk imprisoned in its egg feels the stirrings for liberation when it becomes aware of its true nature. Then it breaks the shell, which was protecting it, and comes out. Like this the embryo of the spirit of enterprise breaks out of its dormancy and comes out when it is ready. A being has two components. One component is the awareness of its status as an as an integral part of the undifferentiated Brahman. The second component is the propensity to break away from this undifferentiated status to establish its identity. The ideal for an integrated being ought to be the harmonious merger of the two components. Vamadeva is the ideal for this.

Sa evam vidvanasmachchareerabhedadoordhva
Utkramyamushmin svargaloke sarvan kamanaptva/mrutatva samhbhavata

Like this the enlightened persons recognize the factors that keep him attached to Mother Nature. By the power of his enlightenment he break the shell that keep him captive to come out and enjoy the sky of freedom, which is the abode of all ideals. This journey takes him to the attainment of all desirables. He finds peace and is relieved of all anxieties and fears. He attains the state of immortality.

Virility, The Spirit of Enterprise

The inner spirit conceived the various domains and the governors for the domains. It provided nourishment for their sustenance. Through these domains and their governors individual identities became possible. Now there is the bigger problem of holding the individual identities together preventing them from drifting apart. Asserting one’s identity in a way promotes separatism. What is the thread that connects an individuated identity to the spirit of the manifested universe and through that to each other? It is its spirit of enterprise or virility. Without virility an individuated entity will be dead weight that cannot network with others. The nature of virility is being discussed in the third section of the second chapter of Eitereya Upanishad.

Sa eekshate me lokashcha lokapalashcha annamebhya sruja iti

The inner spirit conceived the domains and the governors for the domains that set the stage for individuated entities.

Sa apo abhyatapanabhyo abhitaptabhyo moortirajayata
Ya vai sa moortirajayata annam vai tat

It churned the ocean of sensibilities. Inducting the principle of virility caused the brisk agitation of the sensibilities. From the agitation several forms were generated. These different products were meant to provide nourishment for the manifested universe. These however cannot be grabbed. They remain as nourishment only as long as one approaches them the universe with the spirit of giving.

Tadenatsrushtam prangtyajigham sadvacha jighrukshata tannashaknodvachagraheetum
Sa yadvainadvacha agrahaishyad abhivyahrutyahaivannamatrapsyut

The nourishment created by the churning of the ocean of sensibilities turns away when the governors of the various domains try to capture it for themselves. The fires of passion tried to capture it through words. But nourishment remained elusive. If it was possible to capture nourishment through words it would have been possible to find satisfaction just by intellectual discussions on the different states of being.

Tat pranena ajighrukshata tannashaknot pranenagraheetum
Sa yadvainat pranena/grahaishyad abhipranya haivannatrapsyat

The inflowing life forces tried to capture it through the inhalations. But nourishment remained elusive. If it was possible to capture nourishment by drawing in vital air the process of inhalation of vital air by itself would have provided satisfaction. Nourishment cannot be ingested by any amount of accumulation of vital systems under one’s command.

Taschkshusha/jighrukshata tannashaknot chakshushagraheetum
Sa yadvainachakshusha/grahaishyad drushtva haivannamatrasyat

The faculty of sight tried to capture it through enlightenment. But nourishment remained elusive. If it was possible to capture nourishment through enlightenment the process of being illuminated itself would have provided satisfaction. Clarity of awareness itself can not help one to access nourishment.

Tachchotrena/jighrushata tannashaknot chchotrenagraheetum
Sa yadvainachchotrena/grahaishyad chchrutva haivannamatrapsyat

The faculty of hearing tried to capture it through hearing. But nourishment remained elusive. If it was possible to capture nourishment through hearing the process of attentive listening by itself would have provided satisfaction. Any amount of lateral studies about the surrounding environment is not going to assure one of nourishment.

Tanmanasa/jighrushata tannashaknot manasagraheetum
Sa yadvaimanasa/grahaishyad dhyatva haivannamatrapsyat

Mind tried to capture it through imagination. But nourishment remained elusive. If it was possible to capture nourishment through hearing the process of imagining itself would have provided satisfaction. The construction of nebulous dreams in mind is not sufficient to acquire nourishment.

Tashchishnena/jikhrukshata tannashaknot chishnenagraheetum
Sa yadvainachishnena/grahaishad visrujya haivannamatrapsyat

The faculties for enjoyment tried to capture it by indulging in enjoyment. But nourishment remained elusive. If it was possible to capture nourishment through the equipment for enjoyment the process of enjoyment itself would have provided satisfaction. Concentrating on what is enjoyable is not going to help one to find nourishment.

Tadapanenajighrushata
Tadava yata saisho/nnasya graho yadvayurannayurva esha yadvayu

Finally nourishment was captured by apana, the outflow of life forces. The life force flowing out is the true hunter of nourishment. Food can be earned only by generous interaction with the environment. The process of giving alone can bring in nourishment. A potent relationship with the environment is necessary to nourish oneself.

Sa eekshata katham nvidam madyate
Sa eekshata katarena prapadya iti
Sa eekshata yadi vacha/bhivyarutam
Yadi pranenabhipranitam yadi chakshushadrushtam yadi shrotrena shrutam
Yad tvachasprushtam yadi manasadhyatam yadyapanenabhyapanitam
Yadi shishnena visrushtamatha ko/hamiti

The individuated entity pondered: “All these things outside seem to be depending on me. They don’t seem to have an existence without me. That being so how can I grasp them? That led to the question of the true nature of one’s self. It asked itself: “My words does the categorization. The life forces associated with me does the enlivenment. The faculty for seeing does the illumination. Te faculty for hearing fetches the collective knowledge from the environment. The bounding skin does touch the subject. The mind does the thinking to connect up all these within. The outflow of life forces consummates the relationships. The faculties of for enjoyment bring out my essence. But who is the true ‘Me’ that transcends all these separate functions?

Sa etameva seemanam vidaryataya dvara prapadyata
Saisha vidrutirnnama dvah tat nandanam
Tasya traya avastatrayah svapnah
Ayamavastho ayamavasthah ayamavastha iti

The reflection brings to surface some insights about the nature of the virility of an individuated entity. A being in the manifested universe is limited by its boundaries. Virility punctured a hole in the boundary to connect the being with the rest of the universe. This hole is vidruti. It is located at the most sublime part of the being, which is most receptive to the theme of transcendence. This hole is the abode of the most sublime form of joy for a being. The spirit of enterprise enters a being through the sublime joy that transcends all boundaries. The spirit of enterprise has three states, namely, the state of dormancy, the state of passive engagement and the state of active engagement. All dreams emanate from the sprit of enterprise. It dwells in a being in all three states. In the state of dormancy it operates as visions. In the state of passive engagement it operates as missions. In the state of active engagement it operates as strategies.

Sa jato bhootanyabhi vaikhyata kimihanyam vavidishaditi
Sa etameva purusham brahma tatamapashyadidamadarshamiti

Virility, the form of the spirit of enterprise, when it descends into this manifested universe studies categorically all the objects that seemed to be existing outside it. It realizes that it contains everything and there is nothing external to it. It realized that the principle of Brahman pervades the manifested universe through it.

Tasmadidandro nama idandro ha vai
Tamidandram santam indramityachakshate parokshena
Parokshapriya iva hi devah parokshapriya iva hi devah

Because of this direct identification with the principle of Brahman virility, the spirit of enterprise is known as Idandra. It transcends the domain where sense organs operate presided over by Indra. It is beyond the understanding possible in the domain of sensibilities. Remaining like this it manifests in a subtle manner as Indra, the lord of all ideals. All ideals are characterized by the subtle nature of the manifestation of virility through them. Where such subtle manifestation of virility is there it is to be perceived as an idedal.

Ityaitereyopanishadi prathamadhyaye truteeyah khandah

This is the third section in the first chapter of Eitereya Upanishad

The Abode for Being

Any entity in the manifested universe needs food for sustenance and productive engagement. What is the source which can provide wholesome nourishment so that the entities can flourish in their assigned roles? This is being discussed here.

Ta eva devatah srushta asmin mahatyarnave prapatan
Tam ashanayapipasabhyam anvarjita
Ta enamabruvan
Ayatanam nah prahaneehi yasmin pratishta annamadameti

The paraphernalia created by the inner spirit when it expressed through a facet find themselves in the great ocean of causation. Caught in the field of cause and effect these entities are susceptible to hunger and thirst. So they spontaneously feel the need for a source of nourishment to sustain themselves. They appealed to the inner divinity: ‘Give us appropriate abodes where we can leverage our presence to acquire proper nourishment.’

Tabhyo gamanayata
Abruvanna vai no/yamalamiti
Tabhyo/shvamanayata
Abruvanna vai no/yamalamiti

In response to the appeal a cow was brought to them. A cow is a process with all logical connections. But the process with its rigid mechanical structure was not sufficient to provide adequate nourishment for the entities created by the inner divinity. The needs of the entities were more extensive than what could be provided by a logical structure in the physical plane. Then a horse was brought to them. A horse is the intense expression of vitality. May be a doze of vitality could whet the appetites that could not be satisfied by physical means. But this was not true. The flames of passion emanating from the intensity of vitality also were not sufficient to provide nourishment for the entities. Neither the docile process oriented approach of a conservative nor the passionate approach of an iconoclast can sustain a being with an identity in a healthy manner.

Tabhyah purushamanayata
Abruvan sukrutam
Bateti purushovava sukrutam
Ta abraveedhyathayatanam pravishateti

Then the concept of virility was brought to them. They immediately recognized that it can provide them nourishment for ever. They said with satisfaction: ‘this is well-made to suit our needs’. It is said that ‘the spirit of enterprise’ is behind all deeds that reflects excellence. Virility is the agent and reward for all good deeds. They accepted virility as their abode and flourished.

Human form is the organized template for all organized beings. It applies also to the organized expression of virility. In this form the different entities created by the inner spirit found their positions and remained there in different forms.

Agnir vagbhootva mukham pravishad

The fire of passion became words and entered the face. The passions transformed as verbosity became the spokesperson to engage the environment through verbal interpretations.

Vayuh prano/bhootva nasike pravishad

The currents of vitality became life forces and entered the nose. Nose became the instrument for the induction of vitality from the environment.

Adityashchakshurbhootva/kshinee pravishad

Aditya, the source of energy, from where all the processes emanate, became the equipment to see, and entered the eyes. Eyes became the instrument to perceive and evaluate all forms.

Disha shrotram bhootva karnam pravishan

The directions became the equipment for hearing, and entered the ears. The knowledge from the organized collective experience of the environment was now available to provide the sense of direction while moving around in this world.

Oshadhi vanaspatayo lomani bhootvatvacham pravisham

The herbs and trees – the means for modulation and the significant expressions that contribute to the infrastructure – became the outgrowths that dwelled on the boundaries.

Chandrama mano bhootva hrudayam pravisha

Moonlight, the reflection of the rays from aditya on earthiness, became the mind. It resided as feelings in the heart.

Mrutyurapano bhootva nabhim pravishad

Mortality – the principle of expending life forces – became apana, the outflow of vitality. It entered the navel waiting to sprout as creativity.

Apo reto bhootva shishnam pravishan

Apas became retas and entered the shishnam. The canalized sensibilities condensed into the sperms of productivity. It resided on the faculties for enjoyment.

Tamashanaya pipase abrootamavabhyam abhiprajaneehi iti
Te abraveedetasvevapam devatasva bhajamyetasu bhaginou karomeeti

Thus all creations of the inner spirit, excepting hunger and thirst, found their places in the organized form of virility. Hunger and thirst invoked the inner spirit and said: ‘Please define our productive engagement in this dispensation.’ The inner spirit said: ‘You are an integral part of the ideations that support this structure. You remain merged with the devatas – the presiding deities – of the ideas and are instrumental in bringing prosperity.’

Tasmadyasmai kasyai cha devatayai havirgruhyate
Bhaginya vevasyamashanaya pipase bhavatah

Thus when any devata aceepts the offerings in a yajna hunger and thirst also gets propitiated along with them. And this satisfaction of hunger and thirst manifest as prosperity. Hunger and thirst bring the power of relevance to the human plane.

Ityaitareyopanishadi prathamadhyaye dviteeya khandah

This is the second section of the first chapter of Eitereya Upanishad.