Brahmavidyopanishad (brahmavidyopaniṣad) - Brahma Vidya Upanishad. This Brahmavidyopanishad is part of the Krishna Yajurveda, having 110 mantras. Brahmavidyopanishad is an elaborate description and explanation, discussion on the Pranava, Omkara. And it explains in detail various aspects from the micro to the macro level, from the smallest seed form to the vast expansive form of the Akara (अ), Ukara (उ), Makara (म्), and the Ardha Matra. The amplification of these four Matras. That is the beginning of the Brahma Vidya Upanishad:
ṛgvedo gārhapatyaṃ ca pṛthivī brahma eva ca।
akārasya śarīraṃ tu vyākhyātaṃ brahmavādibhiḥ।।
yajurvedo'ntarikṣaṃ ca dakṣiṇāgnistathaiva ca।
viṣṇuśca bhagavāndeva ukāraḥ parikīrtitaḥ॥
sāmavedastathā dyauśāhavanīyastathaiva ca।
īśvaraḥ paramo devo makāraḥ parikīrtitaḥ॥
It means Akara has been equated to the Rigveda and gārhapatyaṃ; garhapatyadhmi – the earth and the Brahma, means Akara is the symbolic or is the expression, is the manifestation of the Rig Veda, garhapatyadhmi, the Bhoomi, the Earth, and Bhagawan Brahmadeva. So, four dimensions of Akara. Similarly, the Ukara of the Pranava is the Yajur Veda; then it is the Antarikshaha, that is the sky; then the Dakshinagini it is; then the Bhagawan Vishnu. Similarly, the Makara has been explained beautifully as the Ardha Matras. It explains the Akara as the sun, the Ukara as the moon, and the Makara as the brilliant bright light, brilliance.
The same way, each and every aspect of the Akara, Ukara, Makara, and the Ardha Matra have been explained in a most brilliant symbolic way, which shows, which expresses that the entire world is symbolic of Om, or the whole world is an expression of the Om, and how Akara, Ukara, Makara, by an imagery linking, symbolizing, permeates and pervades the entire creation.
Then the Darshanopanishad explains the practice of Omkara of the 16 matras. We keep on hearing the word 'matra' many times. 'Matra' is just a syllable. The time taken to pronounce A (अ), the time taken to pronounce Aa (आ), the time taken to pronounce U (उ), like this, the time taken to pronounce Aksharas: Ek Akshara, Samyukta Akshara, Dwi Akshara, Tri Akshara, and words, sentences, and the combination of Aksharas, Samyukta Aksharas, Dwi Aksharas. This is how the measurement of time is done, and these measurements are also used in synchronizing and harmonizing the practice of Pranayama. By arranging these words and sounds, letters, and sentences in a specific form, mantras have been created. By chanting and repeating those mantras in a specific manner, for a specific time, in a specific speed, for a specific period, an amount of energy is generated and balances are achieved by eliminating the imbalances. This is the entire practice of the Omkara, Pranavaha. So all words, all sounds, all syllables, all Aksharas are nothing but various permutations and combinations and expressions of the Akara, Ukara, Makara. That is how Pranava is the Shabda Brahman; Pranavaha is the Nada Brahman; Pranavaha is the beginning and end of all these sounds, all the letters, all the sentences. That is how Pranava Mantra is the most powerful and important mantra. So whenever we hear 8 Matras, it means whether it is the time taken to pronounce 8 Ekakshara Matras, Dviyakshara Matras, like that there will be a specification. If no specification is given, it is always meant as single Akshara pronunciation.
For example, in the Brahmavidyopanishad, the practice of Sodasha Matra Pranava Abhyasa is given. The practice of Omkara of 16 Matras, means 16 times of chanting one syllable. Now, Om by describing these Matras, the Upanishad goes brilliantly. It says that A is the Ekaha, U is the Dwi, and M is the Tri, Trimatraha. That means in O (ओ) there is a combination of Dviya matras. That is why whenever we chant Om, it should not be chanted as A (अ), U (उ), M (म्). No. Because O (ओ) already contains Akara and Ukara, the M (म्) always contains the Tri. So, this is how the chanting and the clarification are given in the Brahma Vidya Upanishad.
Then the Upanishad describes the importance of Guru Bhakti:
vedaśāstrāṇi cānyāni padapāṃsumiva tyajet।
gurubhaktiṃ sadā kuryācchreyase bhūyase naraḥ ॥
The practitioner should have Guru Bhakti, a devotion, respect, honor, humility towards Guru and that is Guru Bhakti. That Guru Bhakti 'gurubhaktiṃ sadā kuryācchreyase' it helps him for the progress and 'gurureva hariḥ sākṣānnānya ityabravīcchrutiḥ॥' The Shruti vaakyam is that Guru is sakshat Harihi. Harihi has other meaning also. Harihi means that one who removes, who eliminates. By surrendering, worshipping and devotion to the Guru, he removes, eliminates all the imbalances, all the unnecessary things by properly guiding. That is why he is a Guru. That is why he is a Harihi. This is how Guru Bhakti has been spoken beautifully in the Brahma Vidya Upanishad.
The Upanishad goes further explaining the Trividha Acharyas. the three types of Acharyas: codakaha, bodhakaha, mokshadaha. It calls it Trividha Acharyaha.
codako bodhakaścaiva mokṣadaśca paraḥ smṛtaḥ ।।
ityeṣāṃ trividho jñeya ācāryastu mahītale।
codako darśayenmārgaṃ bodhakaḥ sthānamācaret॥
mokṣadastu paraṃ tattvaṃ yajjñātvā paramaśnute।
What is Chodaka? What is Bodhaka? What is Mokshada? Chodaka Acharyaha, Chodaka Acharya, Mokshada Acharyaha? Chodaka Acharyaha is a prompter who prompts, who awakens. So the Chodaka is the prompter. Bodhaka is the awakener, and Mokshada is the bestower of liberation.
The Chodaka is the person who is in starts, and he shows the pupil, the disciple, what is the right path. There is another word, Desikaha is there, he who shows Disha. Sri Ramanuja is called Desikendraha, an Acharya, a person who shows the direction, not a physical direction, direction of thought, direction of emotions, to which direction the emotions and thoughts are to be directed, to which direction one's personality should be directed. That director is the prompter, Chodaka.
And who is the awakener, Bodhaka? Who awakens, who inspires the person, his own faith in himself, his own capacities are unlocked, he makes a person believe in his capacities, he makes a person understand his capacities, he makes the person stand by himself, he is called as Bodhakaha.
Who is the Mokshadaha? Who grants, who bestows Moksha, liberation, who makes a person establish himself in immortality, a beautiful description of the Acharyaha, Vividhacharya it is called. Trividhacharyaha it is called.
The Upanishad describes the various timings and practices of the Pranava Upasana, Omkara Upasana, where it is to be practiced, when it is to be practiced. As we all are aware by now, the practice of Omkara, chanting of Akara, Ukara, Makara in various matras, various dimensions, and by that establishing oneself in the primordial foundation of these, the Hamsaha is the Hamsavidyaha. And that is the various explanations the Upanishad goes in, talking about the Pranava Upasana, Hamsa Upasana it is. The Upanishad talks about the Yama, that is "pranava hamsanusandhanatmakam pratyakṣayajanaṃ..." - direct actual application it says:
pratyakṣayajanaṃ dehe saṃkṣepācchṛṇu gautama ॥
teneṣṭvā sa naro yāti śāśvataṃ padamavyayam।
svayameva tu saṃpaśyeddehe binduṃ ca niṣkalam॥
ayane dve ca viṣuve sadā paśyati mārgavit।
kṛtvā yāmaṃ purā vatsa recapūrakakumbhakān॥
pūrvaṃ cobhayamuccārya arcayettu yathākramam।
namaskāreṇa yogena mudrayārabhya cārcayet ॥
sūryasya grahaṇaṃ vatsa pratyakṣayajanaṃ smṛtam।
It talks when it is to be practiced, the junction of the Ida and the Pingala, and the junction of the night and the day. The junction of night and day is twice: in the morning and in the evening. In those junctions of the day and the night, if the junction of the Ida and Pingala are attained, and with that timing, if the Hamsa Upasana is done, it is highly beneficial. This is the sum and substance of the whole dimension that is practice of Omkar Sadhana in the Ushodaya and in the Sayam Sandhya. It is an important dimension prescribed, practical timing is given. Then by that, the Hamsa Phala i.e. Labdhisthanam is given what happens when the person practitioner establishes.
prāṇināṃ dehamadhye tu sthito haṃsaḥ sadā'cyutaḥ।
haṃsa eva paraṃ satyaṃ haṃsa eva tu śaktikam॥
haṃsa eva paraṃ vākyaṃ haṃsa eva tu vaidikam।
haṃsa eva paro rudro haṃsa eva parātparam॥
sarvadevasya madhyastho haṃsa eva maheśvaraḥ।
Hamsaha - we should always remember that it is the base of Om. Not Akara, Ukara, Makara or the Ardha Matra. The chanting of the Om merges into Hamsaha, the root of the base; the ultimate of the Omkar Abhyasa, that is Hamsaha. And that is the Param Satyam, that is the Satyam, that is the Param Vakyam, that is the Vaidikam, that is the Rudraha, that is the Paramatmaha. This is how Brahma Vidya Upanishad enhances the symbolic imagery of the Akara from seed level to the highest level. Then the Hamsa Yoga Vyasaha is also to be practiced; very beautifully it gives three hours, Puraka, Rechaka, Kumbhaka, Triyamam it is. And if it is practiced three times or three hours, the benefits are wonderful. Then the Upanishad talks about the Hamsa Asana Nirupanam i.e. what should be the Asana to be practiced.
prāṇo'pānaḥ samānaścodānavyānau ca vāyavaḥ॥
pañcakarmendriyairyuktāḥ kriyāśaktibalodyatāḥ।
nāga: kūrmaśca kṛkaro devadatto dhanaṃjayaḥ।।
pañcajñānendriyairyuktā jñānaśaktibalodyatāḥ।
pāvakaḥ śaktimadhye tu nābhicakre raviḥ sthitaḥ॥
bandhamudrā kṛtā yena nāsāgre tu svalocane।
Turning both eyes to the tip of the nose, "nasagre"; "Sa lochane" practicing Brahma Mudra adopting Brahma Mudra, and both eyes are focused on the tip of the nose, Nasagre. This is the best position for the practice of Hamsa Yoga. Sit in a comfortable posture, gain mastery of the Pranas, turn the eyes to the tip of the nose adopting Brahma Mudra. Then practice the Omkara, that is the best and most efficient practice of the Pranava Upasana prescribed by Brahma Vidyopanishad. The prescribed Asana is the Siddhasana; then Jalandhara Mudra is given. The number of breaths in 24 hours, the Brahma Vidyopanishad beautifully not prescribes measures how many times we breathe in a day, all of us. It says that we breathe 21,600 times. We can calculate per minute what will be our breathing, and that is how the Brahma Vidyopanishad describes that.
sahastramekaṃ dvayayutaṃ ṣaṭśataṃ caiva sarvadā।
uccaranpaṭhito haṃsaḥ so'hamityabhidhīyate॥
Means, why it measures is, if in a day 21,600 times Omkarabhyasa is done, Yoga Siddhi is assured. This is how the Upanishad puts it. It means every breath is associated with the chanting of the Om, and that is how the Brahmavidyopanishad explains brilliantly the actual practice of the Asana, actual practice of Pranayama, actual practice of chanting of the Om. And once that has come, the contemplation of the Hamsa Yogin, beautifully the Upanishad describes from the Shlokas, from the Mantras 81 Mantra, 81st Mantra to the 110th Mantra, means 30 Mantras.
Hamsa Yoginaha Anusandheya Atmasarupam
How Hamsa Yoga practice of Omkara takes a person, makes him experience the Atma Tattvam, thirty Mantras have been given. And all these Mantras are most powerful and wonderful Mantras, 81 to the 110 Mantras. That is how the whole Upanishad at the end concludes with the explanation that Omkara abhyasa is the practice of Hamsa Abhyasa and that is the ultimate aim of the Brahmavidya Upanishad.
The Brahmavidya Upanishad systematically elaborates how Akara, Ukara, Makara, and Ardhamatra should be chanted, how much time it should be chanted, how each Varna, each Akshara, each syllable should be chanted, from how many Matras, with how much breathing time, and at what time in a day. All these descriptions are found and suggested in the Brahmavidya Upanishad. This is the essence of Hamsa Vidya, and that is how, from Hamsa Vidya Upasana, Hamsa Yoga Upasana, one attains Brahmavidya, which is the ultimate of the Hamsa Vidya Upanishad. Let's conclude here. Aum Shanti Shanti Shanti:
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मुक्तसंग्ङोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वित:।
सिद्धयसिद्धयोर्निर्विकार: कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥१८.२६॥
Freed from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with courage and enthusiasm and unperturbed by success or failure, the worker is known as a pure (Sattvika) one. Four outstanding and essential qualities of a worker. - Bhagwad Gita : XVIII-26
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