CHAPTER IV

LXTERAFS ASPECTS

IN - BW~XR~YAKOPANISAD

Though Upanisada a r e philosophical thoughts

i f WO go through the passage8 of the Upan*ads w e

can 6.8 tha t they are good l i t e r a r y creation8 rl8o.

The aim of any l i t e r a r y work i s t o please But Upa-

n I p d 8 have a higher purpose t o make one aware ef

the ultimate truth. Hence l i t o r r t u r e and philo-

sophy mews t o be divergent i n aim and contente But

the Upaninads c l ea r ly exploi t the poss ib i l i t i e8 of

l i t e r a r y methods t o bring haw the higher truth. In

short. it use. literature a s a too l t o attain i ts

goal. Infact there 1. no incanpat ib i l i ty betwoon

upaniaadm and l i t e r a r y forms . Since the ultimate

object (paramapusiirtha) 8aught t o be achieved by

oahitya ( l i t e r a t u r d a l so is f i n a l inuncipatioa

(mokmha). The Pleasure one get8 f ran r -tic

crea t ion i s sa id t o be a bro ther of t he b l i s s i n

the r e a l i s a t i o n of Brahman (Brahmbnanda Sahodar32.

The sages who composed t h e major Upanigads

had a poetic mind. It i s evident f r a n t h e beau-

t i f u l way of presentat ion of even deep upanisadic

ideas couched i n a t t a r a c t i v e combination of words.

B~hadSranyaka can claim a pos i t i on among poems

because of t h e beau t i fu l i deas expressed i n it 3

and t h e arrangement of blemishless words f u l l of

4 a r t i s t i c q u a l i t i e s . A s i n poems f o r pure mundane

enjoyments, w e f ind i n t h i s Upanisads b e a u t i f u l

episodes, dramatic s i t ua t ions , allegory. symbols,

paral le l isms, use of words i n secondary meanings etc.

2. sutva&kapraka$~nandama~a ~amvldv id ran t iykse~ana

Paratrahmasvadanvaridena bhogena parabhyjyate AB P.52 .

3. Jagannatha def ines poem thus: ramaniyzrthaprati- padakah sabdah kIivyam. Rasagangadhara.T.1.

4. Vide: tad adogau sakdzrthau s a g q a u . ... .. . . . . . klammata, Kavyaprakada. 1.4.

Though t h e concepts of Alankara, g-a, ~ i t ; etc.

w e r e de f ined by r h e t o r i c i a n s long a f t e r t h e comp-

o s j t i o n of t h i s Upanisad, w e f i n d examples of

such concepts i n it. D~.Manudev Bandhu has t aken

pains t o p r w i d e such examples i n h i s s tudy of

5 t h e Upanisad i n Hindi . H e has been gene ra l l y

f o l l m e d i n t h e present s tudy i n dea l i ng wi th - -

AlankZra. g y a , R i t i , etc.

EPIBODES

Brhadsrnyakopaniqad c o n t a i n s many ep i sodes

which a r e b e a u t i f u l l i t e r a r y specimens. They

make t h e abs tuse and monotonous phi losophic i d e a s

i n t e l l i y b l e and i n t e r e s t i n g . They be t r ay t h e

5. Bandhu, Brhadcnyakopanisad - Ek Adhyayan.

P.P 192 - 213

a r t i s t i c t a s t e of the composer of the upanisad. A s

i n the ~ h a n d o ~ ~ o ~ a n i ~ a 8 and ~ a $ h o ~ a n i ? a d ~ we f ind

thought provoking parables and conversations of a

dramatic nature i n t h i s Upanisad. Speaking through

parables i s a technique employed by great seers i n

d i f ferent pa r t s of the world. 8

THE HORSE - SACRIFICE

~rhadarar)yakopanisad mentions the s tory of

Horse-sacri:Eice. Body of the s a c r i f i c i a l Horse i s

the cosmic form of Prajapati. Prajapati i s t h e

presiding de i t y of the horse-sacrifice. srl Sankara

observes t h a t t he ideas of time, worlds and dut ies ,

the cosn~Ic body of prajapat i a re superimposed on

the horse. It i s only an imagination. Truly it

i s a meditation t h a t w i l l enable a l l t o der ive

6 . e.g. hretaketu - A r ~ i UddalZika dialogue.

7. e.g. ~ a d i k e t a s - Yama dialogue.

8. f o r instance. the Bible and the Koran contain many parables.

t h e r e s u l t s of t h e horse-sacrif ice even without

the p e r f o m n c e of it. It is n p e r a y 8 1 of t h e

poet ic beauty of t h i s Upaniqad. The head of t h e 9

s a c r i f i c i a l horse i s t h e sun etc . Thus a l l

l i v ing and non-living being are p a r t s of the

horse. I n t h e absense of the horse, he should

imagine himself as the s a c r i f i c i a l horea and L

meditate upon t h e p a r t s of h i s own body a s di - f f e r e n t parts of the c o m i c being. I n olden days

only kings are qua l i f i ed f o r performing t h e horse

sacrifice. But one who is no qua l i f i ed f o r it

w i l l get the same r e s u l t f r m t h i s meditat im.

The horse-sacrif ice i s g r e a t e s t of t h e vedk

rites leads t o the world of Hirar?yagprbha. B u t

t h e r e s u l t of t h e s a c r i f i c e i s a l s o t r a n s i tOry

and cannot s top the transmigration of t h e salf.

~ h u s t h e upaniead mentions the s a c r i f i c e inorder

t o c r e a t e a spirit of dispaesion. The u p a n l e d

therefora exhaust themselvee the unfoldment of

knowledge, which once attained i s never lost.

PARABLE O F DEATH

The Upanisad mentions t h a t hunger i s

10 death. There was nothing before creation . The universe was cwered with death. Then hun-

ger produced the mind. A s it worshipped

water was produced. H e thought t h a t he was wor-

shipping water sprang up, t h i s is why f i r e l 8

cal led uka l ? Water i s cal led Arka. I n t h i s

work of creation Prajapat i was t i red . Fram t h a t

action f i r e was produced. H e devided the b@y

i n three ways. They u s sun air and f i r e . Pra-

japat i desired m May a second body be born t o m e m 12

w i t h the union of speech(vSk) with t he mind. Thus

a baby w a s born then he opened h i s mouth t o wa-

l l ~ the body a s the was born, The baby cr iad

nBha?Y. it became speech. Then prajapat i pro-

duced a,l lVedas, le Rgveda, Yajwecla, siim v d a

Atharvaveda etc. H e parformelsacrifice again and

i n . Thus it describes t h e o r ig in md nature

of Agni umd i n the horse sacr i f ice . The fire 13 and the eunare Ar'ka the horae-sacrif ice

Theae two trimghs wer f u r t h e r death, it does

not wercume him. Hiranyagarbha Wanes iden-

t i f i e d with these d e i t i e s .

STORY OF CREATION OF SPECIES

The c rea t ion of hhe world is very intere-

s t ing i n B~ahad&ranyrka ra the r than In any other

upanlsad. It g i v e s a c l e a r account of t h e crea-

t i o n of t h e species. In t h e beginning, t h i s

universe was only t h e se l f i n t h e form of 8

14 person. H e was f r ightened . One i s f r ighte-

ned when one i a alone. Then he r e a l i s e d t h a t

the re i s nothing besides himself. Then t h e f e a r

i s departed t h a t f e a r canes from a second e n t i t y

on account of h i s lonelfness he was s t iden with 15 dissatisfAction. So he desired a mate . Jqs

n i s d e s i r e was i n f a l l i b l e he became as big a s

a man and wife embracing together. But he did

not become of t h i s s i z e by wiping out h i s or ig i -

n a l e n t i t y , a s milk i s transofrmed i n t o curd. H e

remained a s he was, but projected another body.

he parted i n t o two, male half being Hanu and t h e

16 female half s a t d p a . Fran their union men

w e r e born. Both turned i n t o d i f f e r e n t species,

and from t h e i r union i n each a l l c rea tu res down

t o a n t s w e r e created. Thus the whole animate world

came t o H e fe l t t h a t he vae t h e whole

creat ion, which was not over and &we himself.

A l l men ancl animals d e s i r e f o r mates. This i s

t h e b a s i s c* t h e concept of the half man and

half woman god i n Li terature .

DIALOOUE OF Y - ~ V A L K Y A AND MAITREYI

The sage YPjiiavaUrpa had two wives.

Militreyi and Katya yani. Intending t o embrace

the monastic l i f e . he expressed h i s d e s i r e t o

divide h i s wealth between the wives before depa-

r ture . Maitreyi asked him whether she would be

immortal i f the whole e a r t h of wealth belonged

t o her1*. The sage rep l ied t h a t the re was no

hope of Immortality through wealth ie, r i t ee

performed, with wealth Maitreyi therefore refused

t o accept, any wealth, but desired t o learn the

means of inmortali ty from t h e sage YajEavaUrga

te l l s her' t h a t the knawledge of the s e l f is t h e

only meanis of immortality, and gives her a grand

descripti.on of the s e l f . It is not f o r the sake

of the husband, wife, sons, wealth, t h e Brahmans.

ksa t r iya , worlds, gods, beings and a l l , t h a t they

a r e dear , but it 1s f o r t h e sake of one's se l f

t h a t they are The r e a l se l f should be

heard of ref lected on and meditated upo~?O-

Brahma~Z8. ksa t r iyas , worlda. gods beings and

a11 r e j e c t the man who knows them t o be d i f f e -

ren t from the s e l f , because a l l these a r e only

-88-

the self , . A s the par t icular notes of a drum,

conch or l u t e cannot be understood apart from

t h e i r general note2', So nothim par t icular i s 22 perceived apart from the se l f . Sea is the

merging place of a l l s o r t s of water Skin is the

merging place of a11 kinds of touch. Nostr i ls

a r e the merging place of a11 odours, toungue is

t h e merging place of a l l savours, Eye is the

merging glace of a l l colours. E- i s the merging

place of a l l sounds. Mind i s the merging place

of a11 deliberations. I n l e u e c t i s t h e merging

place of a l l kinds of knowledge. Hands a r e t he

merging place of a l l actions. Anus is the merging

place of a l l excretions. Organ of generation i s

the merging place of a l l kinds of pleasures. Feet

a re the merging place of a l l kinds of walking.

Organ of speech i s t h e merging place of a l l vedas 23.

A lump of salt thrown i n t o water only di-

ssolves In to the water, None can pick it up. It

has only a sa l lne tas te . Thus great endless,

i n f i n i t e r e a l i t y i s only hancgoneoue i n t e l l i g e -

When there i s dual i ty , then one emells

another, speaks another etc. 25. ~PjFiavalkya

advised t h a t ear th is honey t o a l l beings and a l l

h i n g e a r e honey t o t h i s ear th , t h e b t igh t inmar-

t a l being,, who is i n t h i s e a r t h aeeociated with 26 t he body. These four a r e only t h e se l f .

Militreyi came t o r e a l i s e t h a t everything

i n the world is l imlted. It l i a b l e t o bc de-

stroyed and ins igni f icant . Whatever obj-t of

lwe i~; t h i s world i s not and end i n i tself. It

is means t h a t pure lwe which one a t t a i n s i m o r -

t a l i t y .

Cont.inuing the exhertat ion, yajiiavalkya

said t o Uaitreyi, "The s e l f i s not elsewhere it

i s our arn inmost nature. In response t o m e i t -

r eyb9s question a s t o how can convert every hln-

iurance i n t o a help. Yajiiavalkya gave m in-

t e r e s t i n g reply t h a t %he senses a r e i n t h e na- 27 t u r e of a hindrance .

Gargi again asked t h a t "what pervade8 t h a t

which i s abwe heaven and b e l o w the ea r th? Y*-

navalkya rep l ied t h a t t h e unmanifeeted other.

The knmers of Brahman descr ibe it a s t h e ab-

solute. It i s ne i ther substance nor an a t t r i b u t e

Niether coarse nor f ine , nei ther short nor long 28

nei ther shadow nor darkness and so on . Under

the rule! of t h i s very absolute, days and nights

for tn ights , months, seasons and years a r e main-

tained in t h e i r respective places29. This abeo-

l u t e i s never seen but i s t h e seer, neverheard

but i s the thinker never knovn but is t h e knarer.

There i s no Other seer, no other h e a r e ~ etc.

This absolute pervads the unmanifested e i the r .

Thus t h e episode of y%j;avalkya M i t r e y i debate

i s very in te res t ing and none cm see t h i s in any

other Upanisads.

DISCUSSION AT JANAKA'S COURT - The s tory of Janaka and Yajnavalkya i s

very in te res t ing . Janaka was the r u l e r of videha.

H e desired t o perform sac r i f i ce . A l a rge number

of learned. men assembled there. I n t h a t state,

he wished t o honour throughly prof ic ien t echolars

among tham.. The most e r u d i t e scholar has a g i f t

of thousand ccws. W i t h t h e home of each cm stu- 3 0

dded with t en padae of gold.

Janaka said t o the Brahmanas t h a t t h e g r e w

test of t h e vedic scholars amongst you d r ive these

cows. The Brahmanas d id not dare. Then yiijiia-

valkya sa id t o h i s pupi l *s*&nae>avas t o d r i v e 31

these cws home. me Brahmanas were angry. Then

t h e invoking p r i e s t *ala resolved t o quastion

him. These questions w e r e very interest ing. One

quest in i s t h a t a l l i s caught by death what does

t h e s a c r i f i c e r transcend t h e reach of death.

~a j i iava lkya rep l ied t h a t t h e s a c r i f i c e r t rans-

the reach of death. Since a l l t h i s is caught by

t h e bright, and dark halves of the month and wer-

powered by them the s a c r i f i c e r transcend t h e reach

of Udgatf. The v i t a l force of t h e s a c r i f i c e r is

indeed t h e chanting p r i e s t . The v i t a l force of

the s a c r i f i c e r i n vagu ie. vayu is the chanting

pr ies t . The v i t a l force of t h e s a c r i f i c e r i n

vsyu i e v a p i s the chanting priest32. i h a l a

asked e ight questions and yiijiiavalkya quickely an- -

swered them, ~ s i r a l a r ea l i sed t h a t h i s opponent

was more than a mach f o r him and kept quie t .

Deszription of the debate of yzjzavalkpa

and kthab;Zga i s the key noteof vedantic thought.

k thabhaga asked s i x quest ions and y;i jilavalkya

answers t o him. i'he l a s t question i s very in-

te res t ing , GthabhZga asked t h a t she re goes t h e

man who d i e s without a t t a i n i n g the highest

3 3 knowledge . ~aj i iava lkya sa id t h a t t h i s question

was t o be decided between them only and not i n a

crawd. They went t o a s o l i t a r y place. After

discussion they deoided t h a t work was t h e guide

of a disembodied soul, r e b i r t h is due t o pas t

work. Hence one became noble through righteous

work and ignoble through unrighteous work.

Kahola t h e son of Kusitaka questioned

yZjn"avz1kya Brahman is immediate and d i r e c t - The

self t h a t i s witnin a l l . This i s your s e l f t h a t

Q i s within a l l i s the stqnent. Then which ia it 34

t h a t i s within a l l ? That which i s beyond hunger

and t h i r s t , g r ie f and delusion, dscrpi tude and

death. Realising t h i s very se l f Brahma?as g ive up

the d e s i r e f o r sons, f o r wealth and take up a W a n -

dering rnedicantss l i f e . Deaire f o r son i s the

des i r e f o r wealth, worlds and desires. Therefore

~ r h a n a having mastered self-knowledge should

seek t o l i v e on t h a t s t r eng th . Having mastered

t h a t s t r e n g t h a s w e l l as t h a t knowledge he beco- 3 5 m e s medi ta t ive , he becomes a r e a l Brzhmana .

DIALOOUE O F UDDALAKA AND YAJNAVALKYA

uddalaka, t h e son of k u n a ques t ioned

yajfiavalkya, t h e sutra by whbch t h i s l i f e and t h e

next l i f e and a l l be ings from vi ra j down t o a

clump of g r a s s a r e s t rung t oge the r and t h e i n t e r n a l

r u l e r by whom they a r e ~ o n t r o l l e d ~ ~ . ~ ~ j F i a v a l k ~ a

r e p l i e d t h ~ a t vzyu i s t h a t s i i t r a and t h e Antarpamtn

or i n t e r n a l ruler. He who i n h a b i t s e a r t h w a t e r ,

f i r e , sky, a i r , heaven, t h e sun, t h e d i r e c t i o n s ,

t h e moon, and s t a r s , e t h e r darkness, l i g h t , a l l

beings, t h e nose, t h e voca l organ. eye, e a r , mind

skin, i n t e ! l l e c t and seed. Although he i s wi th in

them, t hey d o no t know him whose bodiea they are,

who c o n t r o l s them £ran within. and who i s a t t h e

sametime one ' s w n s e l f . H e i s t h e seer but i s never

seen, H e i s t h e hea re r bu t i s never heard, he i s

t h e t h inke r but is never thought , he is t h e knawer

bu t i s rimer known1 t h e r e i s no o the r seer, heara r ,

th inker , o r knower than He.

PARABLE OF PRANA AND INDRIYAS

The ~ n d r i y a s a r e q u a r r a l w i th each o t h e r

t h a t they a r e super io r among them. The sense organs

went t o p r a j g p a t i t o t ake a decis ion . P ra jSpa th i s a i d

t h a t t h e g r e a t e s t among them was, when whose depar t -

ure would make t h e body more wretched than it was.

Then t h e organs went out one by one t o t r y t hem 3 7

p w e r . ~t l a s t t h e p r z ~ a was on t h e po in t of de-

pa r tu r e t h e o t h e r organs w e r e v i o l e n t l y dielodged

from t h e i r places. Thus pr+a i s c a l l e d Ayseya.

A descendant of Garga named Proud ~ P l & k i

proposed t o t each t h e king about Brahman. B u t h e

se t fo r th only sane p r h a f a c i e conceptions of

Brahman. But t h e king already knew the being who

i s i n the sun, moon, l ightning. e ther , a i r . f i r e

water, t he looking-glass, t h e sound of foots teps

3 8 t h e quar te rs , shad- and i n t h e se l f . a l l these

re la ted t o the unconditioned Brahman. B u t Ajsta-

s a t r u a l s o knew the unconditioned Brahman. s o he

i&ructed ~ i l a k i i n r e tu rn about tha t . Saying

t h a t i n deep sleep. when the organs are absorbed,

the individual se l f i s merged i n t h e supreme se l f .

3 9 t he unconditioned Brahman When t h e self beco-

mes f a s t asleep. it is not aware of anything. it

remains l i k e a baby o r a g r e a t king, o r a worthy

Brahmans. having reached the very 1Mt of b l i s s .

AS a spider mwes along the thread o r a s from a

f i r e l i t t l e sparks sca t t e r . j u s t so, the se l f

i s sue a l l organs, a l l worlds a l l gods and a l l

l iv ing being. Its secret name i s Truth of Truth

THE PUZZLlE OF TRANSMIGRATION

The IJpani?ad descr ibes the process of t rans-

migration i n d e t a i l . After narrat ing the supreme

b l i s s , the experience of "I am Brahman*, upanisad

again disc!usa- the transmigration. A t t h e W e of

death the s e l f slowly withdraws i t s organs and

comes t o t h e heart. The organs a r e united With

t h e subt le body4', and with t h e revealed impre-

salons of the next body t h e s e l f depar ts through

some par t of t h e body. It i s accompanied by me-

d i t a t ion , work and previous imprassion. Just a s

a goldanith moulds new things with gold. eo the

se l f takes a body suited t o i ts past work. When

the r e s u l t s of pas t work a r e exhausted. the s e l f

re turns frcxn t h e other world t o t h i s world for

new work. Thus the man w i t h craving Tranmlgra- 4 2

t es . But he has no craving does not transmigrate . The organs of a person whose d e s i r e s a r e dissolved

i n t he s e l f do not go anywhere. H e i s Brahman

and i s merged i n Brahman. When t h e d e s i r e s

t h a t abide i n t h e mind a r e gone, man becames

immortal. Like t h e l i f e l e s s lough of a snake,

t h e body of a knclwer of t h e s e l f i s c a s t e of f 43

A knower of t h e s e l f i s t h e r e f o r e never wer-

taken by thoughts of reward o r punishment f o r

having done good o r e v i l , nor by those of joy

o r compunction wer d u t i e s done o r l e f t undone 44.

A knower of t h e s e l f becomes con t ro l l ed , poss-

essed of f o r t i t u d e serene, f r e e from d e s i r e s ,

concentrated,, he sees t h e s e l f wi th in h i s body

and t h e un iverse a s h i s s e l f . H e Is f r e e £ran

a l l doubts arid e v i l s , ever b lessed and absolu-

4 5 t e l y f e a r l e s s

S 've taketu went t o t h e c o u r t of k ing Pra-

vahana t o shcw h i s learning. The king asked

him f i v e ques t ions . The important of them a r e

(1) how people a f t e r dea th t ake t o d i f f e r e n t ways?

? ( 2 ) how they r e t u r n t o t h i s world ; ( 3 ) why t h e

next world :Ls never f i l l e d , though sanany people

d i e here 46? While man who win worlds through

s a c r i f i c e s , g i f t s and penance. The king obl iged

him by expounding t h e d o c t r i n e of t h e f i v e f i r e s -

of heaven, t h e r a i n god, t h i s world, t h e woman

and man. House-holders who know t h i s medi ta t ion

on t h e f i v e f i r e s and hermi ts who medi ta te wi th

f a i t h an Hi1:anyagarbha go t o Brahmaloka, from

which t h e r e i s no r e t u r n t o t h i s world. B u t

p r a c t i s e s s a c r i f i c e , g i f t s and penance Qravel

along t h e way of t h e manes t o t h e moon. Af te r

t h e i r p a s t work i s exhausted. they r e t u r n t o

world i s exhausted. they r e t u r n t o t h i s world.

They r o t a t e l i k e a c i rc le of t ransmigra t ion , till

they a t t a i n t h e nor thern way of immediate l i b e -

r a t i on . While those who a r e ignorant of e i t h e r

way a r e born a s insects, moths and a l l t h e s e o f t .

4 7 b i t i n g c r e a t u r e s . ~t l a s t it le d s t o - perform t h e Brimanthakarma, ie . ceremony t o t h e

48 b i r t h of a g i f t e d son . GODS, DEMONS AND HUMAN B E I N G S

~ r a j a p a t i ' s sons w e r e of t h r e e k inds , t h e

gods, men and demons. They l i v e with t h e i r

f a t h e r Pra j i ipat i a s s tuden t s , p r a c t i s i n g con-

t inence . Af t e r f i n i s h i n g t h e i r term, t h e gods

sa id t o him rto t each us . H e t o l d them t h e s y l l -

ab le aDaa49. P ra jSpa t i asked i t s meaning. The

gods understand t h e meaning "con t ro l yourselves".

The gods a r e t h e i n h a b i t a n t s of happy re-

gions. They ga in t hose r eg ions a s t h e reward of

v i r t u e f o r them t h e p e r s u i t of p leasures beco-

mes t h e bus iness of l i f e . Unless they a v a i l

themselves: of t h e super io r opper tuni ty w a i -

l a b l e t h e r e t o a t t a i n t h e knowledge of Brahman.

T o them p leasure was t h e enemy and t h e c o n t r o l

of t h e senses was t h e i r a l l y they mean 'da l

5 0 means damyata . The nien understood t h a t 'da ' means ' d a f t a s

Man always su f f e r ed s e l f i s h n e a s they understood

t h a t t h e t.rue g iv ing i s not t h a t which a man

leaves i n h i s w i l l a s what he has acquired and

accumulated by a l i f e t i m e of prudence, but t r u e

g iv ing i s t h e g iv ing of onese l f .

LastlLy t h e demons understood t h e meaning

' dam i s 'I)ayathvam9 ' thou sha l f be c a p a s s i o -

nate" Each one f e l t t h a t he had made himself

i n h i s w m : n i n d i v i d u a l i t y by h i s l ack of cm- 5 1

passion

ie. da, da, da means s e l f con t ro l , c h a r i t y

and compassion.

SYMBOLISM - symbols a r e used i n t h e Upanisads which i s

on a par w i th modern symbolic l i t e r a t u r e . A

good example i s t h e horse s a c r i f i c e i n BrhadSr-

apyaka . A . l l ma t e r i a l and non-material o b j e c t s

a r e symbolised i n a horse. Here t h e horse i s

a universa.1 power. Manifestat ions, s t r eng th .

f o r ce and speed a r e d i f f e r e n t formulat ions of

consciousn~ess. In anc ien t t i m e ~ d v a come i n

va r ious names Haya and VSji. Haya i s one of

de l igh t fu l . and sw i f t mwement. V B j i i s t h e

horse of p l e n t i f u l s t r e n g t h and fo r ce and

c a r r i e s gandharvZs of joy, beauty and easb.

As'va i s t h e f i g h t e r fo rce . Thus m a t e r i a l

and non-material o b j e c t s i n t h i s w ~ r l d a r e

superimposed on a Horse. ~ r u l y it i s a Sacr i -

f i c e without t h e performance of i t . The Adva i s

a mystic represen ta t ion . I t i s a po t raya l of t h e

poe t i c beauty of t h i s Upanisad. The fundamental

conception of! t h e Atman d o c t r i n e appears i n Sym-

b o l i c a l g a i s e and w e should be disposed t o t r a c e

i n a l l e g o r i c a l specu la t ions of t h i s na ture , t h e

e a r l i e s t o r i g i n of t h e Upanisad doc t r ine .

ALNKARAS

~ l a n k ~ l i r a s ( f i g u r e s of speech) are p o e t i c a l

advices t o make l i t e r a r y works a t t r a c t i v e t h e

readers and Learers. They a r e of two types - (1) S'abdalankara, which r e l a t e s t o t h e meaning ( i d e a

experessed). AnuprSsa ( A l l i t e r a c t i o n ) of t h e

f i r s t ca tegory and ~pama(s imi1e) . Rilpaka (metap-

h o r ) , UtprGksa ( ~ a n c y ) . ~ t i d a y o k t i ( ~ y p e r b 0 1 e ) .

etc, of t h e second a r e seen i n t h e Brhadsr-

anyaka. .

Anuprasa ( A l l i t e r a t i o n )

Repet i t ion of sounds t o g ive phonetic

beauty t o a l i t e r a r y work i s c a l l e d AnuprBsa,

sometimes a s i n g l e sound i s repeated , sometimes

a group of sounds, sometimes a word and s o m e t i m e s

a group of words. Verbal s i m i l a r i t y i n s p i t e of

5 2 t h e difference! i n vowels i s a l s o Anuprasa . In Brhadaranyakopanisad w e f i n d examples l i k e t h e

following:

dve vZva b rahma~o rupe m u r t a m daivam-

u r t a n da martyam damrtam . c a s th i t am c a ya dda

, , 53, sadda tyacca

Sa yatha sarvaq&nap%n samudra evayata-

nam, evam sarvesam spa r sham tvagEvZyatanam,

5 4 evam sarvesan gandhzn-am nas ike evayatanam .

52. nnuprzlsa sabdasamyam vaisamye'pi svara- syapat-SD.X.~

53. B U . I I . i i i . 1 .

54. U U . I I . i V . 1 1 .

When s i m i l a r i t y of something desc r ibed

w i t h a n o t h e r wel l -kna in t h i n g isshown, t h e

f i g u r e of speech i s Upama, To show t h e ve ry

s u b t l e n a t u r e of t h e n e r v e s known as H i t a s ,

t h e y a re cornpared t o t h e h a i r s p l i t i n t o a

thousand.

t a v?. a s , y a i t a l - I i t a nama nadyo y a t h a k e g 5 5

s a h s a 1.asradha bhinn?istSvataqimna t i s t h a n t i

When something i s compared w i t h mgny

o b j e c t s , t h e r e 1.s mSlopama(chain s i m i l e ) 5 6 . In

t h e BrhadSranyak;Z t h e s u b t l e body i s canpared

w i t h a c l o t h dyed w i t h turmeric, g r e y s h e e p ' s

wool, t h e insec t . c a l l e d Indragopa, a flame of

f i r e , a w h i t e l o t u s and a f l a s h of l i g h t n i n g .

t a sya ha i t a sya purusasya rClpam

yatha maharajanam vasah, ya tha

pandvavikam, yathendragopah, yathagnyarih

57 yatha pundarIkarn, ya tha sakrdvidyut ta . When t h e meaning of a sentence i s l ikened

t o t h e riieaning o'f another sentence, t h e figu-

re of speech i s VakyZrthoparna according t o

5 8 Dandin . The Brhadaranyaka c o n t a i n s s eve ra l

examples of t h i s l i k e t h e fol lowing :

sa yatha rnahZrZjo janapadan

g r h i t v a sve janapade yathakkam

parivart.etevarnevai?a e ta tp ravan

g r h i t v a sve s a r i r e yathakamam

5 9 p a r i v a r t a t e .

57. BU.II.iii .6.

58. Kavyadairsa 11.43.

59. hU.il.i.18.

upa aka (Metaphor)

"hen an ob j ec t compared and t h e ob jec t t o

which it i s l ikened a r e descr ibed a s i f they

6 0 a r e i d e n t i c a l , then t h e r e i s metaphor , e.g

tasyah prana rsabho mano va t s ah

( h e r v i t a l f o r c e i s a b u l l and mind,

6 1 a c a l f ) . i s t y u r v a i tamo jyotiramFtam62 (Death

i s indeed darkness, and immorta l i ty i s light 3

UtprGksa (Fancy)

When an ob j ec t i s fancied a s i f it w e r e -6 3 another , t h e f i g u r e of speech i s Utpreksa . e.g

60. VisayyabhedatadriipyaranjSnani vaisayasya yatrupakam ......... Kuvalayananda

6 3 . bhavet sambhavanotpreksa prakr tasya pa rz t - mans - S D . X . ~ ~ .

ya t r a h i dvaitamiua bhava t i t a d i t a r a

6 4 i t a r a n ~ j i g h r a t i . . . . ~ t i s ' a y o k t i (Hyperbole)

An exaggerated statement i s At i s ' ayok t i e.g.

Indro rnayabhih pururupa i j a t e 6 5

( Indra moves wi th many forms through h i s maya)

Ullekha (Manifold d e s c r i p t i o n )

When something is descr ibed i n d i f f e r e n t 66 ways, t he f i g u r e of speech is Ullekha @.g,

dkf tsno h i s a pra?annGva pravo

nama bhavat i , vadan vak, pasyarhsdaksuh,

6 7 srnvan drot rah: , manvsno rnanah . . .

6 6 . ekasyanekadhollekho yah s a u l l ekha udyate- SD.X.37.

Sasandeha (doubling )

When t h e r e i s a poe t i c , doubt of something

described a s t h i s o r t h a t , then t h e r e i s t h e

6 8 f i g u r e of speech c a l l e d sasandeha e.g,

tasrnin suklamuta nilamahuh

6 9 pingala in haritam lohitam da .

Drstanta ( b a g i n a t i o n ) . . When an ob j ec t o f idea descr ibed i s shown

w i t h another ob j ec t o r idea resembling an o b j e c t

and i t s re£ l ec t ed image, t h e f i g u r e ' of speech

i s VfstSnta.e.g.

ya tha sminn~kzde &yeno v s suparno vs

v i p a ~ i p a t y a drantah samhatya paksau sGlayameva

dh r iya t e , evemevsyarn purusa etasrna antaya dhava ?P

68. sandehah prakrteranyasya sainsayah prot ibh- o t t h i t a h - SD:X.~S

Parikara (paraphernalia)

If purposeful adjectives are used to

q u a l i t y a word expressive of the main idea in

the ci,ntext, then the figure of speech is

parika e.g,,

ekadhaivZnud~astavyametadaprameyamdhruvam

virSj5h pSrZ akHs3daja Ztnla mahHn dhruvah 7 1

Here Brahman is qualified by the adjectives apra-

meya (incomprehensible) dhruva (permanent) aja

(unborn) etc.

Virodhabhzsa (paradox)

Where a statement contains apparently oppo- 7 2

site ideas, the figure of speech is virodhabhasa .

72. SD. X . 3.

a t r a p i t a 'pi tabhavat i . mata 'mZta, 7 3 loka alolcah ...

Anyonya (Mutual i ty)

When two o b j e c t s a r e mutually causes i n rel-

a t i o n t o some event , then w e have t h e f i g u r e of

7 4 speech Anyonya e.g.

i y m p r t h i v i sarves% bhutSnZn madhu,

75 asya i prthllvyai sarvani bhiitgni madhu . -

The f i g u r e of speech Vibhavana i s def ined

a s t he happening of something i n s p i t e of t h e

74. anyonyamubhayorekakriyayFih karanam mithah SD.X.73.

7 6 absence of i t s cause e.g.

n a t a t r a r a t h a na ra thayoga na

panthallo bhavani a t h a r a t h a n ra thayogan pa thah 7 -

KSvyaliAga ( P o e t i c c a u s e )

When some even t i s e s t a b l i s h e d by c i t i n g a

78 cause . t h e f i g u r e of speech i s Kavyal inga . e.g.

r n a n a ~ a i v ~ ~ n u d r a s t a v y a m neha nSnZs t i kific'ana S .

7 9 rnrtyoh s a rnrtyumapnoti ya i h a nzneva p a k y a t i .

As Manudev Bandhu describes, t h r e e gunas

a r e seen i n t h e ByhadZranyaka Upani5ad 80. . t h e y a r e Ma7hurya ( s w e a t n e s s ) , Ojas ( f e r e e f u l n -

e s s ) , and PrasSda ( P l e a s a n t n e s s ) .

16d hury a

C~~rnbinat . ion of words w i t h o u t t h e sounds c, $h, da, <h i s t h e main c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of ~ a d h u r y a ,

F i n a l rrasal sounds, r and Q are s u g g e s t i v e of t h i s

8 1 guna . The Urhadaranyaka c o n t a i n s examples l i k e

a t r a p i t a p i t a b h a v a t i rnata m 5 t a l okz a l o k z

-82 deva adeva .

Words w1t.h combinat ion of f i r s t and second

o r t h a t and f o u r of consenant series (Vargae)

80. Bandhu. Op.cit.PP.203-205.

81. SD.VIII.l . 82. BU. IV. iii. 22.

and t h e sounds f , <h, d, dh, S and s a r e sugge- . . 8 3 s t i v e of Ojas ( fo rce fu lnes s ) . A s example.

Bandhu quotes

sa va esa devataitasam devatanam papnanam

84 mrtywnapahatya ya t rasau disamantasted jamayancakara .

Expression of i deas w i t h words which g ives t h e

meaning a t t h e very moment of hearing i s the

85 c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of Prasada . e.g.

a sa to rnZ sadgamaya

tarnaso mZ jyotirgamaya

86 mrtyormz ' m f t a m gamaya .

~i t i . Dhavani. Rasa

Bandhu h a s t r i e d t o show t h a t some p a s s a g e s

i n t h e Rrhadalanyaka are examples of t h e iti is 87 ( S t y l e s ) namely, vaidarbhj. , g a u g i and p Z n c a i

H e h a s a l s o made e f f o r t s t o e s t a b l i s h t h e r e is

Dh ,vani ( s u g g e s t i v e s e n s e ) i n a few s t a t e m e n t s

i n t h e Upanisad and t h e r e i s S a n t a r a s a a t one

p l a c e . It r e q u i r e s much e f f o r t on t h e p a r t of

a c r i t i c t o e x p l a i n t h e e x i s t e n c e of such p o e t i c

p r i n c i p l e s i n a consp icuous way i n t h e Upani5ad.

However, t h e f a c t t h a t w e f i n d a t l e a s t t h e

t r a c e s of t h e r e i n t h e most a n c i e n t Upanigad

i s i n t e r e s t i n g .

87. Bandhu. Op.cit.P.105-106.