Tejo Bindu Upanishad (tejobindūpaniṣad): This Tejo Bindu Upanishad is part of the Krishna Yajur Veda, having six chapters (Shad Adhyayas), and all these six chapters describe, explain mostly the higher dimensions of the practices. The entire Upanishad describes the practices which are mostly internal, concerned with the Antaranga. Though it gives some tips regarding Asana and Pranayama for the practice of meditation, Dharana, Dhyana, and to have an extraordinary strong will, and to maintain a very strong sense control unwavering, stabilized without distractions, what are all the qualities needed? This Upanishad explains it.
Tejo Bindu Upanishad keeps on hammering about the "Ahaṃ brahmāsmi" of the famous Mahavakyas. The Upanishad also deals and explains the Ekatmata, how Jivatma is actually an expression and manifestation of the Paramatma, how Vyashti is inseparable from the Parameshti. What is the link? What are the expressions? What are the symbolic measurements? Tejo Bindu Upanishad handles all these subjects. Avichinnata, Akhandata, Ekatmata, Brahmatatvam, these topics are brilliantly explained in the Tejo Bindu Upanishad.
The first chapter has 51 mantras. The second one has 43 mantras. The third one has 74 mantras. The fourth chapter contains 81 mantras. The fifth chapter contains 105 mantras. And the last one, the sixth chapter contains 111 mantras. Tejo Bindu Upanishad proposes, presents to the sadhaka Pancha Dasanga Yoga, the 15 limbs yoga, like Ashtanga Yoga. Tejo Bindu Upanishad presents, explains the methods and techniques of the 15 methods, 15 limbs Pancha Dasanga Yoga.
In the first chapter, the third, fourth, and the fifth mantras are full of experiencing, practicing of the Nirvishesha Brahma; Nirvishesha Brahma Sadhana it is. And the Upanishad says these techniques are very secret:
paraṃ guhyatamaṃ viddhi hyastatandro nirāśrayaḥ।
somarūpakalā sūkṣmā viṣṇostatparamaṃ padam।।
By practicing these secret techniques, these deeper and subtle techniques, one attains Paramampadam. The techniques are secret doesn't mean it is to be kept secret or it is to be practiced secretly. No, it only suggests that these techniques are very deep and very important.
Then the Upanishad talks about the Pancha Dasangas. The 15th and the 16th mantras, the two mantras, give the list of the 15 limbs of the Tejo Bindu Upanishad's Pancha Dasanga Yoga.
yamo hi niyamastyāgo maunaṃ deśaśca kālataḥ।
āsanaṃ mūlabandhaśca dehasāmyaṃ ca dṛksthitiḥ।।
prāṇasaṃyamanaṃ caiva pratyāhāraśca dhāraṇā।
ātmadhyānaṃ samādhiśca proktānyaṅgāni vai kramāt।।
This is the kramat. In serial, in order, the list begins with the yamaha and ends with the samadhischa ha. Whenever more than one is told, or whenever more than one is listed, or whenever more than one is written or said, there will be something in the first, there will be something in the second or third. It doesn't mean the second and third depend on the first, and the first is the most important. Because 15 are there, there will be in order; that's what the kramani says.
The following mantras, these pancha dashangani, have been explained: yama; niyama; tyaga; mauna; desha — desha means right place; kala, proper duration; asana, the right posture; mulabandha; dehasamyaha — dehasamyaha is equilibrium of the body; drigsthiti — stability of perception and introspection; pranasamyama; pratyahara; dharana; atmadhyana; and samadhi. Beautifully, the next 15 to 16 mantras keep on explaining what each one is. It will be interesting to know that the yama, niyamas don't have any constituents; they just define what is yama. Just for example the description of the yama is
sarvaṃ brahmeti vai jñānādindriyagrāmasaṃyamaḥ।
yamo''yamiti samprokto'bhyasanīyo muhurmuhuḥ।।
It says 'sarvaṃ brahmeti vai jñānādindriyagrāmasaṃyamaḥ' controlling restraining the indriyas and considering everything as brahman, this is yama, quite different from other yoga texts where 'yama' means ahimsa, satya, astheya, brahmacharya, aparigraha or daya, karuna, astikyam in some other upanishads, but here simply the yama is stated as the feeling or the ability or the practice that everything is brahman by controlling the restraining the indriyas. The Niyama is:
sajātīyapravāhaśca vijātīyatiraskṛtiḥ।
niyamo hi parānando niyamātkriyate budhaiḥ।।
What is needed, what is suitable: 'sajātīyapravāhaśca' — that which is suitable and useful or accepted. What is not suitable and useful is rejected. 'sajātīyapravāhaśca vijātīyatiraskṛtiḥ' — reject that which is not suitable, reject that which is not convenient, reject that which is not comfortable, reject that which is not complimentary to the practice, and accept that which is complimentary, supportive to the practice. This is niyama.
Then what is maunam? Maunam is an absolute practice of maunam, not just shutting of the speech or the sound. It is shutting of the thought talk. That is maunam.
Then tyagaha, renunciation, absolute renunciation. It is very interesting to see what is asana. Asana is balancing, balancing of what Tejo Bindu Upanishad presents as the highest dimension of the practice of asana by defining asana as aligning sthula, sukshma, and karana shariras. You align the karana sharira, aligning sukshma sharira, aligning the sthula sharira. Sthula, sukshma, karana sharira have been aligned, bringing a balance, an equilibrium, samatvata, santulana of all these three is the asana. Not just practicing some bending asanas, forward and backward bendings. The highest dimension of asana is presented in this.
Similarly, mulabandaha is not the normal mulabandaha which we understand. It is the mula, the basic, the root has been caught.
Then the dehasamyaha i.e. equilibrium. Drishtihi is not just looking. It is the internal perception on the Brahman. Pranasamyamaha, beautifully the Upanishad explains what is pranasamyamaha and it defines exclusively that
cittādisarvabhāveṣu brahmatvenaiva bhāvanāt।
nirodhaḥ sarvavṛttīnāṃ prāṇāyāmaḥ sa ucyate।।
Including chitta i.e. mana, buddhya, ahankara, chitta are all Brahman; Brahman only having this bhavana and holding all vrittis. 'nirodhaḥ sarvavṛttīnāṃ' — this is pranayama. So pranayama has two dimensions: one is bhavana of Brahma tattva of mano buddhi ahankara chittaha, and nirodaha of all vrittis: 'chitta vritti nirodaha'. It is not attaining that Brahma bhavana by chitta vritti nirodaha. Chitta vritti nirodaha and Brahma bhavana, this is pranayama. How beautifully the highest dimension is being presented here in the Tejo Bindu Upanishad. Similarly, the Upanishad explains various other dimensions of the Pancha Dasanga Yoga.
The second chapter is on the akhanda eka rasatvam. The entire Tejo Bindu Upanishad has this crux. There are 23 brilliant mantras which talk about the 'akhanda eka rasatvam'. The entire world is filled with only one 'rasa'. Rasa here is essence, the essence of the entire creation, the essence of the entire world, the essence of everything that we see and experience is akhandatvam. There is no khandana. This akhanda eka rasam is explained brilliantly in the 23 mantras, and all these 23 mantras begin with the word "akhanda eka rasam":
akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ dṛśyamakhaṇḍaikarasaṃ jagat।
akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ bhāvamakhaṇḍaikarasaṃ svayam।।
akhaṇḍaikaraso mantra akhaṇḍaikarasā kriyā।
akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ jñānamakhaṇḍaikarasaṃ jalam।।
akhaṇḍaikarasā bhūmirakhaṇḍaikarasaṃ viyat।
akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ śāstramakhaṇḍaikarasā trayī।।
akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ brahma cākhaṇḍaikarasaṃ vratam।
akhaṇḍaikaraso jīva akhaṇḍaikaraso hyajaḥ।।
akhaṇḍaikaraso brahmā akhaṇḍaikaraso hariḥ।
akhaṇḍaikaraso rudra akhaṇḍaikaraso'smyaham।।
akhaṇḍaikaraso hyātmā hyakhaṇḍaikaraso guruḥ।
akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ lakṣyamakhaṇḍaikarasaṃ mahaḥ।।
akhaṇḍaikaraso deha akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ manaḥ।
akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ cittamakhaṇḍaikarasaṃ sukham।।
akhaṇḍaikarasā vidyā akhaṇḍaikaraso'vyayaḥ।
akhaṇḍaikarasaṃ nityamakhaṇḍaikarasaṃ param।।
In all the 23 mantras, each mantra having two lines and explaining akhanda eka rasam, so the whole 23 mantras bring out 92 aspects in the creation and in this world. It says that all these 92 symbolic expressions and manifestations of the world are all that akhanda eka rasam. They are essentially the akhandam. So in 23 mantras, 92 aspects have been explained.
Then, the indivisible oneness of the entire world has been explained in the second chapter. Then it continues by saying, "sarvasyaha chinmatra bhavana" — the entire world has to be filled as chinmatra (cinmātra). It is the highest dimension, that is, the absolute consciousness. That is the chinmatra. Here, the mātra means aloneness. Chin alone it is. Alone it is, that specification ascertaining is the chinmatra. That is the entire world. There are about 18 mantras describing that beautiful dimension.
Then the Upanishad talks about the vidya phalam, the benefits out of it. The third chapter talks about the importance of "ahaṃ brahmāsmi" abhyasam — how to practice "ahaṃ brahmāsmi." "I am the Brahman." The jivatma is nothing but the paramatma. "I am, myself, my consciousness, my-ness of me, I-ness, and am-ness of me and I am" is nothing separate from the all-pervading omniscient omnipresent omnipotent Brahman. It is "ahaṃ brahmāsmi," the greatest Mahavakya of the Bharatiya Sanatana Dharma and an essence of the four Vedas and one of the powerful vakyams. It is Mahavakyam. As you are aware this "ahaṃ brahmāsmi" is named as the Atma Mantra. This Atma Mantra abhyasaha is the "ahaṃ brahmāsmi" mantra. It is beautifully explained in the 42 mantras, and all these 42 mantras go on with the word "ahaṃ brahmāsmi," "ahaṃ brahmāsmi," and "ahaṃ brahmāsmi."
ahaṃ brahmāsmi mantro'yaṃ dṛśyapāpaṃ vināśayet।
ahaṃ brahmāsmi mantro'yamanyamantraṃ vināśayet।।
By the practice of the "ahaṃ brahmāsmi" thought, by the practice of "ahaṃ brahmāsmi" japa, you should all understand as yoga practitioners and teachers: the greatest japa is the "ahaṃ brahmāsmi," "ahaṃ brahmāsmi," "ahaṃ brahmāsmi."
And the Upanishad goes into raptures in the 43 mantras, explaining especially the 15 mantras what happens if we keep on chanting just "ahaṃ brahmāsmi," it says... svātmamantraṃ sadā paśyet.. dṛśyapāpaṃ vināśayet.. amanyamantraṃ vināśayet.. dehadoṣaṃ vināśayet.. janmapāpaṃ vināśayet.. mṛtyupāśaṃ vināśayet.. dvaitaduḥkhaṃ vināśayet.. bhedabuddhiṃ vināśayet.. All the everything will be vinashayet; it removes, it cuts, it eliminates, it cleans up, it deletes all the sins. In the sense, "ahaṃ brahmāsmi" japa, "ahaṃ brahmāsmi" chanting makes a sadhaka a pure enlightened person. That is the entire third chapter handles, and the fourth chapter talks about the jivan muktihi. Again, there are 23 mantras which talk about jivan muktaha, and these mantras from mantra number 8 to mantra number 30, these 23 mantras keep on emphasizing, "I am not this," "I am not this" as Adi Shankaracharya's Nirvana Shatakam, we are aware. This 23 mantras talk about "I am not this,": Na me dehaha.. na me mayaha.. na me doshaha.. na me kshetraha.. na me jagat.. na me triyam.. na me kalaha.. na me sthanam.. tirtham.. bandham.. punyaha.. jivaha.. mokshaha.. na me guruhu.. brahmaha.. prithvi.. agni.. means these 23 mantras, Tejo Bindu Upanishad explains what we are not and what we are, what I am not and what I am. This wrong identification or attachment with the things concerned with what I am, that is jivan mukti sthiti. The Upanishad keeps on explaining this throughout the entire fourth chapter.
Then the fifth chapter is another brilliant exposition on what is anatmaha. After talking about what is atmaha in the previous chapter, in the fifth chapter, it talks about anatma, what is not atman, anatmatvam. Beautifully the Upanishad explains. In general, what we feel, what we are, "I am this, I am this," our strong attachment, our strong inbuilt feeling that I am the body, I am the mind, I am my thoughts, I am my emotions. Tejo Bindu Upanishad removes that it says we are not always. And that is the entire essence of the fifth chapter, and explains that the whole thing is mithyaha, and for this, the cause is the mind, mana is the cause. How mind is the cause of this strong beliefs, how the mind is the cause of the entire troubles, dukkha karanam. There are 17 mantras brilliantly explaining the mind as the reason, mind is the cause, mind is the foundation for all the troubles, for all the afflictions and attachments which we have. In this entire "mana eva karanam, mana eva karanam," it keeps on talking. That is how the entire fifth chapter is the discussion of that one.
Then the last chapter is the sixth chapter, which again emphasizes "sarvasya sacchit anandatvam." It says everything is sat, chit and anandatvam:
sarvaṃ saccinmayaṃ viddhi sarvaṃ saccinmayaṃ tatam।
saccidānandamadvaitaṃ saccidānandamadvayam।।
saccidānandamātraṃ hi saccidānandamanyakam।
saccidānandarūpo'haṃ saccidānandameva kham।।
saccidānandameva tvaṃ saccidānandako'smyaham।
manobuddhirahaṅkāracittasaṅghātakā amī।।
The upanishad brilliantly keeps on explaining…
na śūnyaṃ nāpi cāśūnyaṃ nāntaḥkaraṇasaṃsṛtiḥ।
na rātrirna divā naktaṃ na brahmā na hariḥ śivaḥ।।
Means Tejo Bindu Upanishad keeps on hammering the real, the actual essence of the major Upanishads. That is how what is not and what is, what I am not and what I am, my real and my unreal, the reality of the creation, the unreality of the creation, the reason for the unreal to be felt as the real, the reason for the real to be felt as unreal, the cause for inability to recognize the real, and the cause for not being able to recognize the unreal as unreal, and the inability to recognize the real as the real. All these points were clearly explained in the Tejo Bindu Upanishad, and that is how this Upanishad becomes an extremely wonderful Upanishad.
Just by reading the mantras, listening to the mantras, the sound of the mantras, the sound of the Upanishad itself is excellent and soothing, elevates one's consciousness. Tejo Bindu Upanishad doesn't practically explain any of the normally known yoga practices, but in our normal terminology, it is the pure jnana and the jnana yoga. Even the asana, pranayama, even the mula bandha, yama, niyama, sand dharana, dhyana, which are commonly understood, Tejo Bindu Upanishad elevates and gives totally a new dimension, new definition, new direction, new orientation to the entire practices. That is how Tejo Bindu Upanishad is one of the most important and core of the yoga Upanishads.
Let us learn more and practice deeper and attain the higher dimensions in our yoga practices. Let us 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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