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the Unmanifested Absolute  The Upanishad discusses the process of manifestation wherein the unmanifested Avyakta unfolds into the diverse forms and phenomena of the perceivable world. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of the Avyakta with the manifest creation. Further it encourages seekers to recognize the Avyakta not only as an external reality but also as the innermost essence of the individual soul (atman). By realizing the oneness with the Avyakta, seekers can attain self-realization and liberation (moksha). The Avyakta Upanishad expounds on the path of spiritual practice and meditation as a means to unite the individual soul with the unmanifested Absolute. Through sincere contemplation, seekers can experience the oneness and eternal nature of the Avyakta. The Avyakta is beyond all dualities and divisions, transcending the limitations of the material world. By recognizing the unmanifested reality, individuals can go beyond the realm of impermanence and find eternal truth. Its ex

 The Mystical Significance  of Rudraksha The Rudraksha Jabala Upanishad (also known as Rudraksha Jabalopanishad, Rudraksha Upanishad and Rudrakshopanishad), is one of the 14 Shaiva Upanishad associated with the Samaveda. The exact origins and dating of the Upanishad are uncertain but it is believed to have been composed between 800-200 BC.  This Upanishad is named after the sage Jabala, to whom the teachings of Rudraksha and their mystical powers were revealed. It explores the mystical significance of Rudraksha beads and their enduring significance in spiritual practices. This Upanishad delves into the origins, properties, and usage of Rudraksha beads as a means to attain spiritual upliftment and inner transformation. The Upanishad explains the origins of Rudraksha beads, stating that they originated from the tears of Lord Shiva and considered to be an embodiment of Shiva’s divine energy and blessings. It highlights the spiritual benefits of wearing Rudraksha beads. It is believed that

The Path of Devotion and  Self-Realization in   Upanishad  The Jabali Upanishad, one of the 14 Shaiva Upanishads ais one of the 14 Shaiva Upanishad forming integral part of the Samaveda, offers profound insights into the nature of the individual soul (atman) and the supreme reality (Brahman).  The exact origins and dating of this Upanishad are uncertain but it is believed to have been composed between 800-200 BC. This scripture explores the spiritual path of devotion and self-realization, highlighting the significance of the individual’s relationship with the supreme reality. The Upanishad emphasizes the significance of devotion (bhakti) to the supreme reality, Brahman. Through sincere devotion and surrender, seekers can establish a profound connection with the divine and experience the grace of the ultimate reality. It expounds on the pursuit of self-realization (atma-jnana) as the key to liberation (moksha). By understanding the nature of the individual soul (atman) and its oneness w

The Avyakta Upanishad  (Unraveling the Unmanifested Absolute) The Avyakta Upanishad, a profound scripture from the Samaveda, delves into the concept of the Avyakta, the unmanifested or the undifferentiated Absolute. Its exact origins and dating are uncertain but it is believed to have been composed between 800-200 BC. Its teachings are rooted in the exploration of the Avyakta as the ultimate reality beyond the manifest world. It explores the Avyakta as the unmanifested, eternal, and all-pervading reality that transcends the limitations of time and space. It signifies the source from which the manifest universe arises. The Upanishad discusses the process of manifestation wherein the unmanifested Avyakta unfolds into the diverse forms and phenomena of the perceivable world. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of the Avyakta with the manifest creation. Further it encourages seekers to recognize the Avyakta not only as an external reality but also as the innermost essence of the individua

 The Kundika Upanishad  (Exploring the Essence of Kundalini and Spiritual Awakening) The Kundika Upanishad, also known as Laghu-Sannyasa Upanishad, is one of the 19 Sannyasa Upanishads attached to the Samaveda. The exact origin and dating of the Upanishad remain uncertain, but it is believed to have composed before 3rd century AD. The text delves into the profound concepts of Kundalini, spiritual energy, and the awakening of consciousness.  It offers deep insights into the nature of the self, the energy centers within the body and the transformative potential of spiritual awakening. The exact origin and dating of the Upanishad remain uncertain, but it is believed to have composed before 3rd century AD. The Upanishad focuses primarily on the concept of Kundalini, described as a dormant spiritual energy residing at the base of the spine. It expounds upon the intricate system of energy centers, known as chakras, and the channels through which the Kundalini energy ascends, known as nadis.

 The Sannyasa Upanishad  The Sannyasa Upanishad, one of the 20 Sannyasa Upanishads belongs to the Samaveda, explores the profound teachings of sannyasa, the path of renunciation and spiritual liberation. The term “sannyasa” refers to the enunciate way of life, where seekers voluntarily abandon worldly attachments to seek spiritual truth and liberation. The exact origins and dating of the Sannyasa Upanishad are uncertain but it is believed to have been composed between 800-200 BC. This Upanishad delves into the principles and practices of sannyasa, guiding seekers on the journey of detachment, self-realization, and ultimate freedom.  This Upanishad presents profound teachings on the philosophy and practices of sannyasa, guiding individuals on the path to inner freedom and self-realization. It emphasizes the cultivation of detachment (vairagya) as a means to transcend the material world. It guides seekers on the path of spiritual liberation, urging them to inquire into the nature of the

 Seeing Beyond the Sun The final four verses of the Isha Upanishad are recited at the cremation of bodies in India, and are a prayer for ascension to the higher realms that are beyond the compulsion of rebirth in this world. These deal mainly with the sun. Throughout history and throughout the world the sun has been worshipped or considered a symbol of divinity. The full comprehension of the spiritual nature of the sun was discovered in India untold ages ago and embodied in the Upanishads. Light beyond the light “The face of truth is hidden by thy golden orb, O Sun. That do thou remove, in order that I who am devoted to truth may behold its glory.” The sun illumines us and shows us what we assume to be reality. But actually that “seeing” veils the Truth (Reality) behind that veil. Therefore we seek to pierce beyond it. However, the sun actually is that Reality, and we must approach it and petition for the removal of its outer light in order that we may behold its inner Light. (More on

 From Death to Immortality “They who devote themselves both to life in the world and to meditation, by life in  the world overcome death, and by meditation achieve immortality.” Life is not just some maze to be somehow gotten through, or a Monopoly board with random advances and regressions–and there is certainly no Get Out of Jail Free! Rather, life demands the fullest exercise of the two faculties that mark human beings out from the rest of earthly life-forms: developed reason and intuition. Intelligence of the highest order is necessary. This does not mean that the aspirant needs to be an “intellectual,” but he must be intelligent. Stupid people simply do not make it–mostly because stupid people never seek it. Nor can the seeker’s intelligence be kept on the shelf for only occasional use and amusement. At all times the yogi must be keenly aware of what is going on in his life sphere and ever seeking to understand and work out the mystery. As already said, he needs highly developed i

 From Darkness to Greater Darkness “To darkness are they doomed who devote themselves only to life in the world, and to a greater darkness they who devote themselves only to meditation.” The Purna, the Full (it also means the Complete) is one, yet it is dual. This makes no sense, but considering the limitation of our intellects that should be no surprise. It is our intuition that must come into function when we begin dealing with these higher spheres of reality. We, too, are dual, being image-replicas of the Divine Archetype. Just as God is both relative and absolute, both immanent and transcendent, so are we on a miniature scale. We, too, then, must learn to function fully in both spheres, for since they are essentially one, if we do not so function we will be partial, incomplete, and therefore faulty rather than perfect–which originally meant to be complete rather than without fault. (“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”) One of the fundamenta

 The path of liberation “But those who are devoted to the worship of the Self, by means of austerity, continence, faith, and knowledge, go by the northern path and attain the world of the sun. The sun, the light, is indeed the source of all energy. It is immortal, beyond fear; it is the supreme goal. For him who goes to the sun there is no more birth nor death. The sun ends birth and death.” Later in the fifth section of this Upanishads it will be explained that by meditation on Om a yogi will be united with the solar light and ascend to the realization of Brahman. But right now the necessary adjuncts to such a meditation are enumerated: austerity [tapasya], continence [brahmacharya], faith [shraddha], and knowledge [vidya]. Those who prepare themselves by these practices–in conjunction with meditation on Om–will ascend to the solar world and, freed from the compulsion to rebirth, will pass onward to the transcendental realm of Brahman. In the mechanism of the universe there are many w

Witnessing of the Self “Gargya then asked: ‘Master, when a man’s body sleeps, who is it within that sleeps, and who is awake, and who is dreaming? Who then experiences happiness, and with whom are all the sense organs united?’”(Prashna Upanishad 4:1) Anyone who ponders the nature of consciousness comes to realize that there are three modes of experience: waking, dream, and dreamless sleep. All three of these states are experienced by a single witness who says: “I slept without dream,” “I slept and dreamed,” and “I am now awake.” Who is that witness? This is Gargya’s inquiry. Who is the unchanging witness of change? Who is the unseen seer? For no intelligent person of unclouded intellect can doubt the existence of such a one. “‘As the rays of the sun, O Gargya, when he sets,’ replied the sage, ‘gather themselves up in his disk of light, to come out again when he rises, so the senses gather themselves up in the mind, the highest of them all. Therefore when a man does not hear, see, smell

 Dreams and Dreamlessness Where do dreams come from? Gargya has not asked, but Pippalada tells him: “While in dream, the mind revives its past impressions. Whatever it has seen, it sees again; whatever it has heard, it hears again; whatever it has enjoyed in various countries and in various quarters of the earth, it enjoys again. What has been seen and not seen, heard and not heard, enjoyed and not enjoyed, both the real and the unreal, it sees; yea, it sees all.” (Prashna Upanishad 4:5)  Everyone is creative in the dream state, though some are definitely better writer/directors of their inner movies than others. He continues:  “When the mind is overpowered by deep slumber, it dreams no more. It rests happily in the body.” (Prashna Upanishad 4:6) From the very first yogis have spoken of the importance of the dreamless, deep sleep state they call sushupti. This is because in dreamless sleep we are aware of awareness itself with no interference from the senses. We are aware deep within o

 Meditation on Om So far the questions put to Pippalada have been about the components of the human organism which both empower and limit it. In the last section the subject of the Self was considered–specifically the nature of the Self and the results of knowing the Self. Now we approach the subject of the way in which the Self is known. Without knowing this, all the foregoing teaching is pointless. Life and death “Whereupon Satyakama, coming near to the master, said: Venerable sir, if a man meditate upon the syllable OM all his life, what shall be his reward after death?” (Prashna Upanishad 5:1) Satyakama understood that what really mattered was not short-term gain in this life, but the state of consciousness that would determine where the individual would go after death when stripped of body, possessions, relationships, and all that is “of the earth, earthly”–when he has nothing but his degree of evolution to determine his future. So he wants to know what will be the result of medit

 Spiritual honesty It is impressive when a spiritual teacher honestly admits to not knowing something. In a filmed interview, Carl Jung was asked what he thought some dream symbol meant. He laughed and said: “I haven’t the faintest idea!” End of question! Here we see the integrity of Sukesha who readily admitted not knowing the answer to a question. And his reason he gives, saying: “I will not lie, for he who lies perishes, root and all.” Satya–truthfulness–is one of the essential observances of Yoga according to Patanjali, and here we see why. This should be taken to heart by us throughout our life. Sri Ramakrishna said that a person can realize God by scrupulously adhering to truth.