{"id":3229,"date":"2013-07-13T01:46:47","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:46:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=3229"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:46:47","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:46:47","slug":"11-the-isha-upanishad-vol-writings-in-bengali-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/02-other-editions\/writings-in-bengali-translation\/11-the-isha-upanishad-vol-writings-in-bengali-translation","title":{"rendered":"-11_The Isha Upanishad.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n
\n

\n
\nThe Isha Upanishad <\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\nI<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\nThe main obstacle that stands in the way of accepting the
\nstraightforward meaning of the Isha Upanishad and rightly
\nunderstanding its inner truth about the Brahman, the Self
\nand the Divine, is Mayavada, Illusionism, preached by
\nShankaracharya and the commentary he wrote on this
\nUpanishad. The one-pointed drive towards withdrawal that
\nis Illusionism and the much-praised inaction of the Sannyasi
\nare completely at variance with the Isha Upanishad. If the
\nmeaning of the slokas is strained and tortured to give an
\nopposite sense, the solution of this quarrel becomes impossible. The Upanishad in which it is written: ‘Doing verily
\nworks in this world one should wish to live a hundred years’,
\nand again: ‘Action cleaves not to a man’\u2014 the Upanishad
\nwhich proclaims with courage: ‘Into a blind darkness they
\nenter who follow after the Ignorance, they as if into a greater
\ndarkness who devote themselves .to the Knowledge alone; and again says: ‘By the Birth one enjoys Immortality ,how
\ncan that Upanishad be reconciled with Mayavada, Illusionism and the path of withdrawal? A highly erudite
\nperson, who was possibly the chief sponsor of Monism in
\nSouth India after Shankara, expunged it from the list of the
\ntwelve Upanishads and installed the Nrisimhatapini in its
\nplace. Shankaracharya was not so daring as to alter the
\nprevailing canon. The Upanishad was a ‘Sruti’ (heard scripture), and Illusionism was a subject for inquiry in the ‘Sruti’
\nand as such, he assumed, the meaning of the ‘Sruti’ could not
\nbut be favourable to real Illusionism. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-63 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nIf jagat (in īsa vāsyamidam sarvam yat kinca jagatyām
\njagat) meant the earth, then the meaning would be: ‘all that is
\nmoving on the earth in motion’, that is to say, all men,
\nanimals, insects, birds, torrents, and rivers, etc. This mean-
\ning is absurd. In the language of the Upanishads, the word sarvamidam<\/i> signifies all the visible objects of the universe,
\nnot of the earth. Therefore we must understand by the word jagati the Shakti in movement manifested as the universe and
\nby the word jagat all that is a movement of motion of the
\nPrakriti whether present as a living being or as matter. The
\ncontradiction lies between these two: the Ishwara and all that
\nis in the universe. Unlike the Ishwara who is immobile, the
\nPrakriti, the Shakti, is in movement always engaged in work
\nand world-wide motion; all that exists in the universe is also a
\nsmall universe in movement which is always, at each instant,
\nthe meeting-place of creation, preservation and destruction,
\nthe restless and perishable, the opposite of the immutable.
\nThe eternal contradiction does not become evident if we
\nplace on one side the Ishwara and on the other, the earth and
\nall that is in movement on the earth. This Upanishad opens
\nwith the eternal contradiction observed by everybody which
\nputs the immutable Ishwara on one side and on the other the
\nrestless Prakriti and all that she possesses in the universe
\ncreated by her, all ephemeral objects. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe whole Upanishad is constructed upon this contradiction and its resolution. Later on, the author of the Upanishad, while discussing the nature of the Ishwara and the
\nnature of the universe brings up thrice the same problem but
\neach time with a different approach. First when he talks
\nabout the Brahman, he demonstrates the opposition of the
\nPurusha and the Prakriti and in these few words, ‘anejad’ (unmoving) and manaso javiyah…tad ejati tannaijati (swifter
\nthan Mind, That the Gods reach not, for It progresses ever in
\nfront. That, standing, passes beyond others as they run. In <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-64<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nthat the Master of Life established the Waters-. That moves
\nand moves not) he explains that both are Brahman: the
\nPurusha is Brahman, the Prakriti and the universe which is
\nher outward form are also Brahman. Again, while speaking
\nof the Atman, he explains the opposition between the
\nIshwara and everything concerning the universe. The Atman
\nis the Ishwara, the Purusha.. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nIf it is squeezed, then most surely the true hidden
\nmeaning, that is to say, the doctrine of Illusionism, will be
\nforced out’ because of the pain: this was the conclusion that
\noverpowered Shankaracharya, and he wrote a commentary
\non the Isha Upanishad. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nLet us hear on the one hand what the commentary of
\nShankara says, and on the other what the Upanishad has
\ntruly to say. The author of the Upanishad right in the
\nbeginning compares the truth of the Ishwara with the Truth
\nof the universe and indicates their fundamental relation. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nīśa vāsyamidam sarvam yat kinca jagatyām jagat’, ‘All this
\nis for habitation by the Lord, whatsoever is jagat within jagati or individual universe in movement’\u2014the still all-pervading
\ncontroller Purusha and the Prakriti in motion\u2014the Ishwara
\nand the Shakti. As the name of Ishwara has been given to the
\nImmutable, we have to understand that the true relation
\nbetween the Purusha and Prakriti is this: ‘jagat’ depends on
\nthe Ishwara, is governed by Him and accomplishes all work
\nby His will. This Purusha is not only a witness and giver of
\nsanction but Ishwara, the knower, the director of action; the
\nPrakriti is not the controller of action but she works out the
\ndestiny, the mistress but dependent on the master, the
\nobedient active Shakti of the Purusha. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThen we observe that ‘jagati. is not simply the Shakti in
\nmovement, not simply the principle which is the cause of the
\n.universe; she is also present as the universe; It seIf. The
\nordinary meaning of the word ‘jagati’ is ‘the earth’, but it <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-65<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\ncannot apply here. By combining these two words jagatyām
\njagat<\/i> the author of the Upanishad has hinted that the root-
\nmeaning of these two words must not be neglected. To
\nemphasise it has been his aim. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n2<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nThe Isha Upanishad introduces to us the integral spiritual
\nrealisation and the principle of the integral yoga; within a
\nshort space it resolves many difficult problems. It is a sruti
\n<\/i>replete with sublime, profound and fathomless significances.
\nThis Upanishad, concluded in eighteen slokas, explains in
\nthese small mantras many major truths of the world. Such
\n\u2022infinite riches in a little room’ can be found only in this sruti.<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nSynthesis of knowledge, synthesis of dharma, reconciliation and harmony of the opposites form the very soul of this
\nUpanishad. In Western philosophy there is a law called the
\nlaw of contradiction, according to which opposites mutually
\nexclude each other. Two opposite propositions cannot hold
\ngood at the same time, they cannot integrate; two opposite
\nqualities cannot be simultaneously true at the same place and
\nin the same instrument. According to this law, opposites
\ncannot be reconciled or harmonised. If the Divine is one,
\nthen however omnipotent He might be. He cannot be many.
\nThe infinite cannot be finite. It is impossible for the formless
\nto assume form; if it assumes form, then it abrogates its
\nformlessness. The formula that the Brahman is at the same
\ntime with and without attributes, which is exactly what the
\nUpanishad also says about God who is nirguno gunī,<\/i> with
\nand without attributes, is not admitted by this logic. If
\nformlessness, oneness, infinity of the Brahman are true, then
\nattributes, forms, multiplicity and finiteness of the Brahman
\nare false; brahma satyam jaganmithya,<\/i> ‘the Brahman is the <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-66<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nsole reality, the world is an illusion’\u2014such a totally ruinous
\ndeduction is the final outcome of that philosophic dictum.
\nThe Seer-Rishi of the Upanishad at each step tramples on
\nthat law and in each sloka announces its invalidity; he finds in the secret
\nheart of the opposites the place for the reconciliation and harmony of their contradiction. The oneness of
\nthe universe in motion and the immobile Purusha, enjoy-
\nment of all by renunciation of all, eternal liberation by full
\naction, perpetual stability of the Brahman in movement,
\nunbound and inconceivable motion in the eternal immobility, the oneness of the Brahman without atributes and the
\nLord of the universe with attributes, the inadequacy of
\nKnowledge alone or of Ignorance alone for attaining Immortality, Immortality obtained by simultaneous worship of
\nKnowledge and Ignorance, the supreme liberation and
\nrealisation gained not by the constant cycle of birth, not by
\nthe dissolution of birth but by simultaneous accomplishment
\nof Birth and Non-Birth,\u2014these are the sublime principles
\nloudly proclaimed by the Upanishad. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nUnfortunately there has been a great deal of unnecessary
\nconfusion regarding the meaning of this Upanishad. Shankara is generally recognised as the most important commentator of the Isha Upanishad, but .if all these conclusions are
\naccepted, then Mayavada, the Illusionism of Shankara, sinks
\nin the bottomless ocean. The founder of Mayavada is incomparable and immensely powerful among the philosophers.
\nJust as thirsty Balaram brought to his feet the Yamuna
\nunwilling to alter her course, by dragging and pulling her
\nwith a plough, so also Shankara, finding this Upanishad
\ndestroyer of Mayavada and standing across the path toward
\nhis destination, dragged and pulled the meaning till it agreed
\nwith his own opinion. One or two examples will suffice to
\nshow the miserable condition to which this Upanishad has
\nbeen reduced by such treatment. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-67<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nIt is said in the Upanishad, ‘Into a blind darkness they
\nenter who follow after the Ignorance, they as if into a greater
\ndarkness who devote themselves to the Knowledge alone’.
\nShankara says, ‘I am not willing to give to the words vidyā
\n<\/i>(knowledge) and avidyā <\/i>(ignorance) their ordinary sense; vidyā<\/i> signifies here devavidyā,<\/i> ‘the science of propitiating
\nthe gods’. The Upanishad declares, vināśena mrtyum tīrtvā
\nsambhūtydmrtāmaśnute’<\/i>, ‘by the dissolution crosses beyond
\ndeath and by the Birth enjoys Immortality’. Shankara says it
\nhas to be read as asambhūtyāmrtam.<\/i> ‘by Non-Birth enjoys
\nImmortality’, and vindsa<\/i> (dissolution) as signifying here
\n‘birth’. In the same way a commentator of the Dualistic
\nSchool, when he came across the word tattvamasi,<\/i> ‘Thou art
\nThat’, indicated that it should be read as atat tvwnasi,<\/i> ‘Thou
\nart that other one’. A prominent teacher of the Mayavada
\nwho came after Shankara adopted a different means; he
\nsatisfied himself by expelling the Isha Upanishad from the
\nlist of the principal authoritative Upanishads and promoting
\nthe Nrisimhottaratapini in its place. In fact it is quite
\nunnecessary to impose one’s opinions by such physical force.
\nThe Upanishad illustrates infinite aspects of the infinite
\nBrahman and, because it does not uphold any particular
\nphilosophic view, a thousand philosophic views have
\nsprouted from this single seed. Each philosophy takes up a
\nside of the infinite truth and presents it to the intellect in a
\nsystematic way. The infinite Brahman manifests itself in
\ninfinite ways; paths leading to the infinite Brahman are also
\nnumberless. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-68<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Isha Upanishad I The main obstacle that stands in the way of accepting the straightforward meaning of the Isha Upanishad and rightly understanding its…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-writings-in-bengali-translation","wpcat-64-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3229"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3229\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}