Sleep, Dream, and state of Wakefulness of the creatures and the creator---the regulations of the Universal Consciousness

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https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5955560258235058628/6023944735223155783 1/60
Sleep, Dream, and the state of Wakefulness of the creatures and the creator---
-the regulations of the Universal Consciousness.
Index
1.0 Introduction.
2.0 Position of the modern science.
3.0 Some interesting findings on Sleep and Dream by present-day researchers.
4.0 References in Upanishads.
5.0 Clarification of some keywords.
6.0 The implication of the word svapna (dream).
7.0 Soul and the self.
8.0 The observer—indra.
9.0 aha (the day) and aham (I am).
10.0 The wakefulness, the physical world, the sense of reality, and the sun
(aaditya).
11.0 Eye and the physicality,
12.0 The divine mind, the divine eye, and aaditya jyoti.
13.0 Dream and the moon.
14.0 Moon, dakShiNaagni, dream, the one who enjoys or eats by differentiation
or in a subtle manner.
15.0 Dream and the place of the junction.
16.0 The lunar plane, the place of dream.
17.0 Dream and the abode of the divine fathers (pitRiloka).
18.0 Sleep.
19.0 More descriptions of the state of sleep and activities of the soul during
sleep.
20.0 praaNa, vaak, and the radiating Soul.
21.0 The measure of bliss.
22.0 Insights to some of the divine beings mentioned in the above verse on
aananda (bliss).
23.0 Transition from one state to the other and the state of existence beyond
physicality. The dream creator.
24.0 The ever-awake Soul, its active aspects.

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25.0 The unattached (asa~Nga) Soul——Consciousness, Soul, and light of the
Soul—-j~naana and svayamjyoti.
26.0 The three states and the unattached Soul.
27.0 hitaa NaaDi and REM sleep/dream.
1.0 Introduction
The present article is based on various verses in Upanishads that explain the
mysteries of our three states of existence, i.e. the state of sleep, dream, and
wakefulness. The three states in an individual are outcomes of the regulations
by the Universal Consciousness. The three states in an individual occur in
synchronization with the mechanisms happening in worlds that are beyond the
limits of the individual. Many verses (original text and translation) of
Upanishads have been quoted and referred. One of the reasons for quoting the
original verses is to illustrate how structured are the expressions of those seers
and how far-reaching could be meaning of a word. Etymological meanings of
various words in Upanishad verses have been presented.
Sanskrit words that are written in italics are the ITRANS (Indian languages
TRANSliteration) version and can be found in the English Sanskrit Lexicon by
Sir. Monier Williams available on the internet (https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-
koeln.de/scans/MWScan/2020/web/webtc/indexcaller.php)
( Acknowledgment: This article is written following the teachings of the great
seer Shri.BijoyKrishna Chattopadhyaya (1875-1945) and his principal disciple
Shri.Tribnath Bandyopadhyaya (1923-1994).)
2.0 Position of the modern science.
I have no background in medical science and psychology, but as a layman, I
understand that serious research works are going on sleep and dream, and
there is also a realization that the findings can lead to a better understanding
of what is Consciousness.
Regrettably, present-day science mentions Consciousness as if it is an object to
be further studied. We don’t realize that we are all integrated seamlessly into
Consciousness, and we are made of Consciousness and made by
Consciousness. When someone is researching Consciousness, the one (the
researcher) is also driven by Consciousness. We don’t realize that it is more
correct to say, ‘Consciousness sees, Consciousness speaks, Consciousness
knows….’ rather than saying, ‘ I see, I speak, I know…..’, as ‘I’ is also a form of
Consciousness.
3.0 Some interesting findings on Sleep and dream by present-day researchers.
1. During sleep, the brain becomes most active. It also perform cleaning.

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2. Our body is paralyzed during sleep and dream.
3. Dreaming sometimes provides clairvoyance
4. Lucid dreams.
Followings are a few among several of the links on the Internet about sleep and
dream.
https://www.saatva.com/blog/sleep-stages/?
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12148-sleep-basics
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/dreams
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/lucid-dreams-overview
https://beta.nsf.gov/science-matters/scientists-break-through-wall-sleep-
untapped-world-dreams
4.0 References in Upanishads
Names of some of the Upanishads, where the action of Consciousness during
Sleep, Dream, and wakefulness have been disclosed, and knowledge related to
the realms of sleep and dreams have been mentioned are quoted below.
1. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Chapter 2, 4).
2. Mandukya Upanishad
3. Chandogya Upanishad
4. Prashnopanishad (Chapter 3 and 4.)
5.0 Clarification of some keywords.
In this article by Consciousness and Universal Consciousness, the same
Consciousness is meant. Everything is made of Consciousness, i.e.,
Consciousness is the element of everything, and also Consciousness is the
cause of every element and event, and controls every element and event.
Every element, every event, and every being is a form of Consciousness.
Similarly, by the words soul and Universal Soul, the same Soul is meant. There
is only ‘One’ everywhere. The soul is the Oneness of Consciousness.
Sometimes, the words Soul and Consciousness have been used in synonymous
ways. Similarly, in this article, the terms being and entity are used in a
synonymous way with the term Soul because an element or a creature or an
entity or a being is a part of the Soul or Consciousness. Thus, in this article, an
entity/being (puruSha) has also been addressed as ‘Soul’ or ‘soul’.
We have used the pronoun ‘it’ for the nouns ‘Soul’ and ‘Consciousness, and also
the relative pronoun ‘who’ has been used for Consciousness instead of the

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pronoun ‘that’. Similarly pronoun ‘it’ has been used for the nouns ‘being’, and
‘entity’.
The Sanskrit words which are written in italics are traceable in Monier-Williams
Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
As everything and event are held in the awareness or knowledge of
Consciousness, so being conscious of that ‘awareness’, we have written, most
of the time, the words consciousness and soul as Consciousness and Soul in
this article.
6.0 The implication of the word svapna (dream).
Before we get into more details, we note that in Upanishad, all three states of
Consciousness, i.e. sleep, dream, and wakefulness have been described as the
three dreams and the three abodes of Consciousness.
tasya traya svapnaa, traya avasathaaH ----(the Consciousness) has three
dreams, three abodes. ( Refer to Aitareya Upanishad Chapter 1, Section 3,
Verse 12.)
( tasya---it; traya--- three; svapnaa---dreams; avasathaaH----abodes ).
Sleep, dream, and the state of wakefulness are all within Consciousness, and
the dreams of Consciousness and abodes or states of existence.
The word svapna means ‘dream’.  This word, svapna implies ‘svayam (by the
Soul) aapnoti (gets, acquires, achieves)’ or, ‘achieving in the Soul’.  During the
dream, we get everything within us, without the participation of the events in
the external world.
So, as mentioned before, ‘three dreams’ or the three states (sleep, dream,
wakefulness) are the three expressions of the ‘Soul’ or Universal
Consciousness. Wakefulness, dream, and sleep are the three expressions of the
Universal Soul or Universal Consciousness, achieved in Consciousness.
7.0 Soul and the self
When we refer to the soul of an entity, it is called ‘soul’. However,  there is only
‘one Soul’ or only one ‘one’. ‘Two one’ cannot exist. We say Universal Soul when
we realize that it is the same Soul everywhere, in every entity. The oneness of
the Consciousness is called ‘soul’. One of the words for the Soul in Vedic terms
is svayam. There is a difference between the words ‘Soul’ (svayam) and the
word ‘self / I am’ (aham).
‘I am’ or ‘self ’ is an assertion. It is an assertion and in the background exists
the ‘neutral one’ or the ‘Soul’ or svayam.  At every moment, ‘self ’ is emerging
from the ‘Soul ’ as a different ‘personality’, as a different ‘observer’. ‘Self’ or ‘I’
keeps changing with the assertions. With every assertion or with every sense,

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say the sense of a bird or the sense of a flower, the self emerges from the Soul
in a specific manner. ‘I’ who sees a bird is different from the ‘I’ who sees a
flower and so on. Thus, at any given moment, the self is a specific observer,
but the ‘Soul’ or svayam remains the same or constant in the background or as
the source.
8.0 The observer---indra
This observer, or ‘self’ or ‘I’ is exhibiting the ‘eye’ of  Consciousness. This
observer as an individual and also as a personality of the Universal
Consciousness is called indra in the Vedas. indra means, idam—
dra/draShTri, or who is observing everything that can be addressed as ‘it’, like
‘it is a tree, it is a flower, ‘it is the sun’, etc. Whatever we are viewing is part of
Indra’s vision.  Thus, the being or the personality of Consciousness in the eye is
called indra and we will narrate the part of Upanishad where indra has been
described in the context of the dream. (Refer to Section 27.0 of this article.)
9.0 aha (the day) and aham (I am)
The daytime or the morning is called aha. aha is also a word (particle) for
‘affirmation’ or ‘certainty’.  It is the expression of Universal Consciousness as
the ‘presence’. aha is also the word for the day from the sun. aham (’ I am ‘ ) is
also the expression of Consciousness that asserts the ‘presence’ or
‘existence’.  In Upanishad, it is said that what is aham, or the ‘self ’ in an entity,
it is aha or the ‘day’ that emerges from the sun (aaditya). (Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad, Fifth Chapter, Fifth Part/Brahmin, Verses 5.5.3 and 5..5.4).
The sun or aaditya is the eye of Consciousness, as manifested in our external
sky, from where both the colourful, dimensional world is being generated and
as well as the cycle of time.
As ‘I am’ (aham) is an assertion of my presence or existence, similarly, the
emergence of the day or aha is the assertion of the existence or presence of
the life or creation.
The direction in which the sun rises is called east (praak or praachii). In
whatever form Consciousness is rising in me at any moment, it is appearing in
the eastern direction. Direction means the way I am inclined in Consciousness.
So, when I see a tree, or a bird, at first I am oriented toward the east. This is
the front.
In our state of wakefulness, we remain principally externally oriented or
oriented toward the ‘time’ or the regulation by the sun in our external sky, or
oriented to the front or east. We are driven by the external time when we are
awake. This is also called vahiH praj~na or ‘consciousness oriented externally’.
This is the fundamental of living in a ‘physical state’.  The Universal

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Consciousness, who is this physical state and by whom we also get the
‘physical state’ is called ‘sthuula bhuk’ which means, ‘one who eats/lives or
enjoys grossly, without any differentiation, or one who lives in a physical state’.
(Refer Mandukya Upanishad, Chapter 1, Verse 3.)
A physical object is called vuuta, which also means ‘past’. Something or an
entity that is ‘physical’ means, it is already created or defined, already
enveloped within a boundary. We are physical means, we are limited and we
are constrained to live within a well-defined boundary. We remain overwhelmed
or dominated by what all have been already created and exists around us. We
are dominated by the ‘present’.
10.0 The wakefulness, the physical world, the sense of reality, and the
sun (aaditya).
Thus during jagrata-paada, or during the state when we are awake, we are
active in the physical world. This is enforced by the sun or aaditya. So, when
the learned king janaka asked the great sage yaj~navalka, about the
illumination (jyoti) in which a being (purusha) lives, the sage replied that it is
the shine of the sun----aaditya jyoti. (Refer Verse 4.3.2 of Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad.)
The word aaditya is from the root verb ad meaning to eat. Consciousness
as aaditya is eating and assimilating every entity and thus everyone is getting
into aaditya. Consciousness is ‘adding’ all of us. aaditya also means the one
who is characterized by the absence of duality.  aaditya also means the one
who is the son of aditi. aditi = a (without) + diti (duality).  Universal
Consciousness is ‘eating’ or ‘assimilating’ all of us, and that means we are
‘evolving’ to merge with Universal Consciousness. Consciousness is ‘grossly’
(without any preference) eating all of us together, this is sthuula-bhuk (also
mentioned earlier).  All of us together are defining the Universal Personality.
This Universal Personality is also called vaishvaanara (vishva=universe
+ nara = person).
Also, in every moment, each of us is a different person. Our personality or the
expression of every individual is different at every moment and still, each of us
is a single unique person. This is what is called ‘gross’ or ‘overall’, and is related
to the state of being static/physical (sthuula).
11.0 Eye and the physicality
The word sthuula (coarse/physical) is from the root word sthuu, sthaa implying
the state of being static and absence of dynamism.
Our physical body (shariira) is a part of the physical world and constitutes the
wall or the boundary between our physical entity and the physical universe. In
Vedic parlance, the word ‘earth’ and the word ‘body’ are synonymous and imply

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boundaries or limitations imposed by physicality or imply the state of mortality.
The more it is physical, the more it is specific, limited, and well-defined.
The sun or aaditya or the personality of the Universal Consciousness
called aaditya is known as the eye of the universe. There are plenty of verses
in the Upanishads, stating the sameness of the ‘being’ in the eye and the
‘being’ in the sun.
We believe what we see. The eye or the vision is mentioned in Upanishad as
the sap of all that is formed or cast into a shape (muurta). Here is a quote
from Brihadranyaka Upanishad:
“ atha (now) adhyaatmam (in the context of an individual)—idam eva (it is)
muurtaṃ (materialized/defined physically), yad (that what is) anyad
(different/appears to be different from) praaNaat (praaNa) cha (and), yash cha
(what is) ayam (this) antara (inside)-aatmanna (self/entity)-
aakaashaḥ(sky/firmament /sky inside the entity); etat (this is) martyam
(mortal), etat (this is) sthitam (stationary), etat (this is) sat (reality/what is
existing); tasya etasya (of that what is) muurtasya (materialized or defined),
etasya (of this) martyasya (mortal), etasya (of this what is) sthitasya
(stationary or static), etasya (of what is) sata (existing or realized), esha (this
is) raso (sap/essence) yat (what is) chakShuh (the eye/vision), sataH (of
existing) ha (indeed) esha (this is the) rasaH (sap)”(Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad, verse 2.3.4.)
Consolidated meaning
Now in the context of every individual or every entity/self, this is what that is
materialized (physical)—— that what appears different from praaNa
(consciousness within) and (different from) what is this sky inside an entity;
this (what is physical or realized universe) is mortal, this is static, this is the
reality (or state of ‘existence’ or realized universe); the eye or the vision is the
sap of that what is materialized or defined, of what is mortal, of what is static,
of what is appearing as existence or the realized world. (Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad, verse 2.3.4).
Thus, we believe in what we see. From the eye or the vision of Consciousness
all shapes, forms and colours are created. Consciousness, in whom we are all
created, creates the view by the look or vision and we view what all are created
from the vision of Consciousness; and further, whatever we view is also a part
of the vision of Consciousness. Thus Consciousness is the observer among all
observers and is called indra. (See also above for indra).
gRihapati agni, pRithivii (the earth), aaditya (the sun), and the state of
wakefulness

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As the sun rises in the morning, it takes us or our eyes along with him. We also
rise while oriented toward the sun. (Refer to Prashnopanishad, Verse 3.8).
Consciousness who thus awakens us is called gRihapati agni. agni means who
is in the front of all activities or who leads in everything. agni = ag (agram---in
front) + ni >nii (leading).
General meaning of agni or praaNa is fire. It also implies Self-manifesting
Consciousness. agni in the domain of divinity is called vidyut. vidyut =
vid (knowing; existence)+ut (supreme), i.e. the state of supreme existence or
supreme knowledge.  The general meaning of vidyut is thunder/electricity. In
the domain of inner-space /antariikSha agni/Consciousness is described as the
shine of the moon or moon/chandramaa. This is the domain of reflection and
absorption as well. We are the reflection of Consciousness and our
development is as per the absorption of the sap or soma or the feed that
Consciousness administers to us.  In the terrestrial
domain, agni/Consciousness is called ‘fire’ or agni, and also the sun or the
shine of sun/aaditya. Here, fire or agni means our illuminated, manifested
instincts by which we live and perform our daily chores.
(It is noteworthy that when the thunder touches the earth, it becomes
terrestrial fire.)
Consciousness is called agni, because any activity, manifestation of any
moment, is initiated by Consciousness and Consciousness emerges as that
moment or as that activity. agni is also called praaNa. praaNa= pra
(prathama= first) + ana (animation). Thus in Vedas or Upanishads, the
words, agni, and praaNa are sometimes used conjunctly as praaNaagni.
In the core of Consciousness, there is no activity, no time, everything is laid in
Oneness. When Consciousness becomes active, Consciousness
becomes praaNa, and the cycles of ‘beginning, existence, and end’ start. Also,
the ‘One’ no longer remains ‘One’. To be active means splitting into many,
creating duality. In Consciousness, when we see that Oneness and duality are
existing in togetherness, we call Consciousness as praaNa. Thus praaNa is
numbered as ‘one and a half ’. (See Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse
3.9.8.)  This is the origin of ‘attachments and detachments’, this is the origin of
‘love’. Consciousness is knowing Consciousness as a different entity. This is the
origin of the universe.
So, gRihapati agni is a personality of praaNa or agni, or personality
of praaNaagni. gRihapati = gRiha (house) + pati (lord)---who rules our house.
The being inside the sun (aaditya) has been mentioned as gRihapati agni, and
the outermost layer or the external body of gRihapati agni is pRithivii or the
earth (the physical universe). (Chandogya Upanishad Verse 4.11.1.)
So when we are called by the sun, our day begins, and so do our household
chores. With whatever desires and determinations, we sleep in the

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Consciousness, we get up with the same, and we run through the day driven
by those desires and determinations.
pRithivi or the earth is the external layer or, the body of gRihapati agni.
pRithivi = pRi (pRithaka= segregated, separated, isolated) + tha (sthiti—
status, state) + vii----the goddess who is the home of separate or isolated
existences or entities.Thus the earth or anything terrestrial is
called marta or martya, meaning mortal and also meaning muurta i.e.
‘embodied’ or ‘frozen into a shape’. Thus, earthly existence exhibits
‘definiteness’, ‘well-defined identities’, and of course ‘isolation’.
So, our state of wakefulness happens under the domain of the sun or aaditya,
and we are said to be illuminated or activated by the shine of aaditya during
the awakened state.
So, the learned king janaka asked the sage yaj~navalkya, the first question on
the illumination of an entity as below (quoted from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad,
Verse 4.3.2):
“ kim jyotiH ayam puruShaH iti ”------What is the illumination of this being? (
Who illumines this being? )
{ kim---which/what
jyotiH----the illumination
ayam ----of this
puruSha—being. (The word iti denotes the end of the statement. )}
yaj~navalkya replied----aaditya jyotiH---illumination of the sun.
yaj~navalkya further mentioned
aadityena jyotiShaH (by the illumination of aaditya) aaste
(exists/rests),  palyayte (moves from one moment to the next),  karma kurute
(performs activities),  vipalyetiti (withdraws)----By the illumination of the sun,
the entity exists, moves from one moment to the next, performs the activities,
and withdraws.
So, from the above discussion, we summarize that our wakefulness is directly
controlled by the sun, who is also the being existing in our vision or eye. The
state of physicality is expressed by this vision of Consciousness and we get the
realized universe or the physical universe in the domain of this ‘vision’. The
divine observer is called indra.
The state of physicality is the external-most body of Consciousness and is
called pRithivii or the earth. Consciousness, who, as a self-illuminating

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personality has manifested the physical universe is called gRihapati-agni and
has been described as the being in the sun or the divine personality as the sun.
12.0 The divine mind, the divine eye, and aaditya jyoti.
The illumination of the sun or aaditya jyoti is also known as the illumination of
the ‘divine mind’. Mind, manasa , or mana belongs to the region of
Consciousness, where we can measure, where words or ideas are defined and
articulated. This defined, articulated and expressed universe is being exhibited
in the divine mind. Mind is also called the ‘divine eye’. This divine mind is
illuminated as our sun in the terrestrial sky and is directly supporting the
physical universe. ( We have already mentioned above the quotes from
Upanishad on ‘eye and the materialized universe’. )
We quote below an extract from a verse (5.1.12) of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
regarding the illumination of the divine mind:
“ atha (now) etasya (this) manasaH (mind’s) dyauH (divinity is) shariiram (the
body), jyotiruupam (illumined form is) asou (that) aadityaH (sun)……”
“Now this mind’s body is the divinity (the self-revealing plane) and the
illumined form is that sun…..” (Extract from verse 5.1.12 of Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad).
So, this world to which we are externally oriented is revealed by the sun which
is the illuminated mind of Universal Consciousness.
13.0 Dream and the moon
We have mentioned that during the state of wakefulness we get oriented
externally and live in a "physicalized world". We have also mentioned two
terms from Upanishad, namely vahi-pra~nja (externally
conscious) and sthuula-bhuk (living physically). We will now explain the
corresponding features of Consciousness during the dream or svapna.
During the dream, we are internally oriented or driven by the internal time, and
this state is called anta (internally)-praj~na (conscious). We see a dream in the
internal light, by the illumination of praaNa. The world is ‘illuminated inside’ or
‘reflected inside’. The illumination of praaNa is called the light of the moon or
lunar illumination.
Thus, here is an extract from a verse of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:
atha (now) etasya (this) praaNasya (praaNa’s) aapaH (water) shariiram (is the
body), jyotiiruupam (illumined form is) asau (that) chandraH (moon)
“Now this praaNa’s body is the water (the entity that is the sap of physicality)
and the illumined form is that moon…..” (An extract from verse 5.1.13 of
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad).

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We have mentioned earlier, that in praaNa (Consciousness), oneness and
duality exist together. This is the characteristic or feature of the inner plane,
the plane of ‘feelings’. Where everything is ‘achieved inside’, ‘perceived inside’,
where everyone is within everyone, that plane or domain is called antariikSha.
antariikSha means, inner-vision, internal-regulation, or domain of internal
time. antariikSha----antara (inner) + iikaSha (vision); iikSha = ii+kSha;
kSha means decay or action of time. iikShaNa means ‘seeing’
and kShaNa means an element of time. Vision or any expression is associated
with time, it has a beginning, stay, and end.
Like the sun, who is the source of ‘time’ or ‘ regulation ’ during the day or
during wakefulness, similarly, the moon or antariikSha is the source of ‘time’ or
‘ regulation ’ during the night or the dreaming. Thus, in Brihadaranyaka, it is
said that when the sun goes down, the being is illuminated by the
moon (chandra/chandramaa). As praaNa is the first expression or
illumination (jyoti) of the soul (svayam), so, the illumination of praaNa, or the
illumination of the moon has been termed as svayamjyoti and this is the
illumination during the dream.
(What we are seeing as the moon in the terrestrial sky, is a tiny fragment
of antariikSha that has been revealed in the terrestrial sky or that has got
caught in our limited perception obsessed by physicality.)
Thus, the sage yaj~navalkya said the following about the dream: “ when the
being dreams, the Soul having all the elements of the universe, destroys the
physicality (or the sense of physicality), constructs (every event) of the dream
that is illumined by the luster of the Soul, illumined by the radiance of the Soul,
and thus executes the dream; here the Soul (including the being) exhibits self-
illumination (soul-illumination—svayam jyoti). (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad,
Verse 4.3.9.).
Here is an extract from verse 4.3.9 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:
“…..sa (the soul) yatra (where) prasvapiti (dreams), asya (this)
lokasya (world’s) sarvaavato (entire) maatraam (elements) apaadaaya (by
withdrawing) svayaṃ (by itself) vihatya (killing/destroying/abandoning the
physicality), svayaṃ (by itself) nirmaaya (constructing), svena (by its) bhaasaa
(light), svena (by its) jyotiShaa (illumined formation) prasvapiti (carries out the
dream), atra (here) ayaṃ (this) puruShaH (entity) svayaṃ jyotiH (illumined by
the light of soul) bhavati (becomes) || 9 ||
Where the Soul (Consciousness) dreams, the Soul by withdrawing entire
elements of this (physical) world, killing (abandoning) the physicality by itself,
constructing (everything of dream) by itself, by its light (self-expression), by
its illumined formation carries out the dream; here the entity (the dreamer)
becomes illumined by the light of the Soul. (Extract from Verse 4.3.9 of
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.)

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14.0 Moon, dakShiNaagni, dream,  the one who enjoys or eats by
differentiation or in a subtle manner
The divine mind, whose radiation is the sun (as mentioned in Section 13.0
above), is the external -manifesting Consciousness. Universal Consciousness
oriented outward and creating the external world is the ‘divine mind’. Thus,
with respect to ourselves, ‘mind’ is immediate to the physical world. The term
praaNa is also used to mean Universal Consciousness oriented inward and the
illuminated praaNa is called chandramaa/chandra or the moon. (Refer to Verse
1.5.13 of Brihadranyaka Upanishad.) The realm of chandramaa is
called antariikSha which means ‘where internal (antara) vision (iikShaNa) or
time (kShaNa) are dominating. Our feelings, desires, and internal activities are
controlled by chandramaa or the moon.
Sometimes in Upanishad, the terms mind (manasa) and praaNa have
been used interchangeably. This is like a person speaking to others
being active externally and then reflecting internally about what is
being spoken, or it is like the same person looking outward and
inward.
During our wakefulness, the Soul is the ‘gross eater’ or enjoying
grossly,  taking all together, or in a ‘whole manner’.  This is the opposite in the
realm of dreams. There, in the domain of dream, the soul or Consciousness
or agni is called praviviktabhuk---pra (perfectly)—vivikta (segregating) –
bhuk (eater, enjoyer).
As agni is called vaishvaanara and sthuulabhuk in the domain of physicality or
where we remain awake, similarly agni is called taijasa and praviviktabhuk in
the domain of dream or where everything in the physical world exists without
physicality. taijasa means the radiant one, and this means, that whatever is
‘gross’ or ‘whole’ is now split into many spectra of shades or light or
expressions of Consciousness; it is now differentiated and broken into many
colours (varNa).
Our transformation and evolution depend on our karma or activities. The
feelings with which we perform a task, determine the effects, or the resultant
transformation. So, what matters is not the physical work, but the underlying
senses, and feelings, that dominate while carrying out the work.
When we execute any activity, we are first determined about it in our mind,
and accordingly, we proceed to perform the task. This is our motion toward the
external and happens by the illumination of the aspect of Consciousness called
the sun or aaditya; simultaneously we keep feeling good, bad, joy, sorrow,
whatever, as we pass through the activities, and this happens in our inside and
happens in the realm of the moon or chandramaa.
chandramaa,  moon or the Consciousness illuminated in antariikSha, has been
addressed as dakShiNaagni (dakShiNa agni). dakShiNa means the ‘south’ or
‘right’ (as opposed to left). It is from the root word dakSha meaning dexterous,

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skilled, industrious, etc. South or right is the name of the direction or
inclination of Consciousness in which an activity or a task is discharged or
executed and the consequence of the same is determined. It (south) is the
inclination of the Consciousness that discharges the activities. The
god yama (also known as the lord of death) belongs to the ‘south
side. yama means who is ‘governing, restraining, controlling’
and yamana means the act of control. So, our destination, our future is
determined in this domain, as per our karma.
svayam-prakaasha Consciousness, or agni, whose one aspect is dakShiNaagni
(dakShiNa agni), is also known by another name----anva-aaharya-pachana-
agni. This long name has the following meaning:
anva---following; aaharya----food, victual; pachana----digestion,
assimilation; agni----self-manifesting Consciousness.
So, how our assimilation or digestion is going to happen and the consequent
transformation of ours are happening by the action of this agni, or by the
domination of this agni. Any food, any sense, is thus getting merged or
assimilated in every entity in a unique manner. And, also we are
correspondingly getting merged in Consciousness or getting assimilated or
transformed. By the action of Consciousness, we are changing or evolving,
getting assimilated, and thus merging with Universal Consciousness, i.e.
Consciousness is also assimilating us. It is for this reason when we are taken
into the state of the dream by Consciousness, we undergo a cleansing or
refining process. It is stated that during the dream, the one who does not
sleep (asupta), keeps looking at the sleeping one (supta).
As we are built and evolved by dakshiNa-agni, so, dakshiNa-agni belongs to the
‘motherhood’ of Universal Consciousness.
A verse in Upanishad says,
“svapnena shariiram abhiprahatya asupta suptam abhichaakashiiti
(by neutralizing the body or the physical/external activities, the ever-awake
keeps looking at the one in sleep)
sukram aadaaya punaraiti sthaanam hiraNmoyaH puruShaH eka haMsa
(again by drawing all the elements, the being is placed {in the domain of
wakefulness} by the one who is a golden being and the sole controller)”.
By immobilizing the body during the dream, the ever-awake Soul keeps
observing the sleeping being.
By collecting all the elements, the Soul leads the being back to wakefulness.
(The Soul) is the golden being, the sole controller. (Brihadranyaka Upanishad,
verse 4.3.11).

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The Sanskrit word ‘abhiprahatya’ used in the verse means ‘ by killing or by
immobilizing’. The body is immobilized, and external orientation to the
physicality is killed or removed during the period of the dream.
The word, ‘ hiraNmoyaH’ (hiraNmaya) means ‘golden’. The word originates
from the root word hiM or hiMkaara (expression of hiM). hiM is the first
expression of saama or praaNa, and this carries the sense of absolute certainty.
So, hiraNmaya or golden means the one whose presence removes all
uncertainties.
The word haMsa, means who is the center of hanana (annihilation)
and sa/savana (manifestation of life or animation). haMsa also means swan,
who with the two flapping wings of annihilation and manifestation is flying
everywhere, making the universe run.
The word ‘abhichaakashiiti’ means ‘keep looking’ or ‘gazing’. This look of the
ever-awake soul at the ‘one who is dreaming’ refines the dreamer. His/Her
instincts get refined, and the finer and more subtle capabilities are generated.
Thus, the dream is an essential part of the evolution process.
15.0 Dream and the place of junction
The domain of dream is said to be the third place and the place of junction of
the ‘present world’ or the physical world and the worlds beyond. Thus, the
following is said by the sage yaj~navalkya:
“tasya vaa etasya puruShasya dve eva sthaane bhavata, idam cha paraloka
sthaanaM cha; saMdhyaM tRitiiyaM svapnasthaanaM; tasmin sandhye sthaane
tiShThnnete ubhe sthaane pashyati--- idam cha paraloka sthaanM cha”------
that entity or the soul has two locations, one is the ‘present location’ (physical
world) and the other is the ‘world beyond’;  the junction and the third location
is the place of dream; while staying in the junction, the Soul looks at both the
places---the physical world and the world beyond. (Refer to Verse 4.3.9 of
Brihadranyaka Upanishad.)
{ Word -word translation: tasya vaa etasya—that this; puruShasya ---being’s /
soul’s; dve eva sthaane bhavata----two stations/locations exist; idam—it,
this;  paraloka sthaanM cha---and the station/location or the world beyond;
saMdhyaM—the junction;  tRitiiyaM—- the third;  svapnasthaanaM—is the
location or the world of dream; tasmin—in that; sandhye sthaane—place called
junction; tiShThnnete---by staying; ubhe---both;  sthaane---stations/worlds;
pashyati—looks at; idam cha paraloka sthaanM cha---this world as well as the
world beyond.}
Physical-world is the world where we are living at present. We live in the
‘present’. We do not know from where the events are appearing, and where
they are disappearing. This is living in iha-loka or the physical world. iha means
‘it’, ‘this’, or ‘as appearing’, ‘as present’. The word para means ‘beyond’ or

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‘greater’. The independent, self-manifesting, all-manifesting soul, reviews our
‘present’ and ‘beyond’ while being stationed in the land of dreams.
16.0 The lunar plane, the place of dream.
We have clarified the lunar plane and the role of dakShinaagni (anva-aaharya-
pachana-agni).
When we leave mortality, we are no longer ruled by the regulation or by the
time whose source is the sun (aaditya); then the sun sets and the moon rises.
During the dream as well as after death, we enter into the domain of the moon
or chandramaa. Here, the shine is from within, the expressions are from within,
and all activities are within.
The realm of dreams and that of the moon have been described as a junction.
As the dream has been stated as a junction from where the present world and
the worlds beyond are observed, similarly the moon or the lunar aspect of the
Universal Consciousness is a junction. Whoever departs from the earth, they go
to the moon or the lunar domain. From the moon, the soul is either destined to
higher planes or returns to the earth. In various texts of Upanishads, the
journey of the departing soul to the lunar domain has been mentioned. The
elevated souls, who have gone beyond the regulation of death, also go to the
moon, but they travel further to the higher domains from the moon. Those who
are still under the regulations of the compulsory cycles of death and re-birth,
they, after leaving the physicality go to several other realms and finally return
from the moon to mortality again.
The other species, who are not much evolved, do not follow the trajectories
mentioned above. In this respect, the following verses from Chandogya
Upanishad may be referred——Verse 5.10.1, 5.10.2, 5.10.3,510.4,5.10.5,
5.10.6,5.10.7,5.10.8,5.10.9,5.10.10.
During the process of dying, we first enter into the fire or praaNa. praaNa leads
us beyond physicality and is called udaana. udaana= ud + ana; ud means ‘to
lift’ or ‘uproot’. By udaana, we are lifted off from the physical body to the
subtler state. udaana is also called teja. teja means ‘energy /heat’ or ‘radiance’
that creates motion or brings about a change. teja means ‘tad ejati’ or, ’that is
vibrating’; it is the vibrant Consciousness. When the motion is ‘within’ it is
called ‘vibration’ (kampana).
(Thus, there is the ritual of cremation or burning the dead body in fire by
Hindus and others. We are born out of praaNa (praaNa-agni) and we return
to praaNa/agni or ‘fire’. The others who bury under the earth, follow the
knowledge that what is the body in an individual is the earth or physicality of
the Universal Person called vaishvaanara. { We have earlier
mentioned vaishvaanara while narrating the state of wakefulness.})
17.0 Dream and the abode of the divine fathers (pitRiloka).

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We have mentioned above that dreaming is an essential process in our
evolution. During the dream, the omniscient, eternal soul, who never
sleeps (asupta), observes the one who is in the state of dream (supta).
(The word supta has been used in Upanishad to address someone who is either
dreaming or sleeping.)
During the dream, the vision of the ever-wakeful soul refines us, refines our
instincts.  Our instincts and habits define our lineage and ancestry, and our
lineage tells how we are evolving or how we have evolved. In the divinity, near
the domain of chandramaa or the moon, exists pitRi-loka or the abode of the
divine fathers.  During the process of births and re-births, there exist various
fathers or progenitors causing the births, but whoever might be the father in a
given birth, is a part of the ‘divine fathers’.
By the regulation of chandramaa or dakShiNa-agni, we are being transformed
and the process of evolution is happening. This is happening by the
‘observation’ or the ‘vision’ of Consciousness or the Soul as mentioned above
and is implied by the word ‘abhichaakashiiti’ (looking at) as mentioned in the
verse (4.3.11) of Brihadaranyaka  Upanishad. (See, the verse quoted above.)
The proximity of pitRiloka (abode of the divine fathers) and chandramaa (the
lunar domain) is observed in the verse 5.10.4 of Chandogya Upanishad,
referred above.
Here is an extract from verse 2.3.5 of Kathopanishad: yathaa svapne tathaa
pitRiloke----as in the dream, so in the world of the fathers. Thus what is the
domain of dreams in an individual or in micro, is pitRi-loka or the ‘abode of the
divine fathers’ in the divinity. Thus when we die, we go to pitRi-loka and our
instincts are refined there.
The amount of freedom that we get during the state of wakefulness is not there
during dreams for those who are still in infancy in the dream phase.
18.0 Sleep
Sleep has been defined as the state when the being does not see any dream
and does not desire anything. (Refer to verse 4.3.19 of Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad). During wakefulness, we are oriented externally, and during the
dream, we are oriented internally. During sleep, we go beyond both the
external and internal orientations. We are embraced by the omniscient soul.
Upanishad has compared the state of sleep with the state of a man who forgets
the happenings in the external and internal world when being embraced by his
beloved woman.
Here is the verse from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad on the state of sleep:
Brihadaranyaka Uapnishad verse 4.3.21
tadvaa asyaitadatichChandaa apahatapaapmaabhayaM ruupam; tadyathaa
priyayaa striyaa saMpariShvakto na baahyaM kiMchana veda naantaram

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evamevaayaM puruShaH praaj~nenaatmanaa saMpariShvakto na baahyaM
kiMchana veda naantaram; tadvaa
asyaitadaaptakaamamaatmakaamamakaamaM ruupam shokaantaram.
Word-word meaning
tad (that) vaa (indeed) asya (of the being) etad (all these) ati (beyond)-
ChandaaH (rhythms; what shrouds) apahata (destroyed) paapmaa (sins)
abhayaM (beyond fear) ruupam (form/state).
tad (that state)  yathaa (is like) priyayaa (by beloved) striyaa (woman) saM
(perfectly/passionately)-pariShvakto (embraced) na (not) baahyaM (existing
outside)  kiMchana (whatever is) veda (knows) na (not) antaram (existing
inside) evam (similarly) eva (indeed) ayaṃ (this) puruShaH (being/entity)
praaj~nena (by omniscient) aatmanaa (soul) saMpariShvakto (being fervently
embraced) na (not) baahyaM kiMchana veda na (not) antaram (existing inside)
tad (that) vaa (indeed) asya (entity’s) etad (this) aaptakaamam (when all
desires are achieved/fulfilled)  aatmakaamam ( when only desire is for the
Soul) akaamaṃ (beyond all desires) ruupam(form) sokaantaram ( beyond all
the griefs). (Brihadaranyaka Uapnishad verse 4.3.21)
That indeed is the form of the being (entity) beyond all these rhythms
(patterns), with all the sins destroyed, beyond the fears. That state is like that
of a man who remains unaware of whatever is outside or inside when being
passionately embraced by his beloved woman; indeed similarly, this entity
(being) is fervently embraced (during sleep) by the omniscient Soul, and does
not know anything outside or inside; that is the entity’s state (form) of having
all desires fulfilled, a state when the only desire is for the Soul, a state beyond
all desires, a state beyond all griefs. (Brihadaranyaka Uapnishad verse 4.3.21)
We are quoting another verse from Mandukya Upanishad, on the state of sleep.
Mandukya Upanishad, Verse 5
yatra supto na ka~nchana kaamaM kaamayate na ka~nchana svapnaM
pashyati tatsuShuptam; suShuptasthaana ekiibhuutaH praj~naanaghana
evaanandamayo hyaanandabhuk chetomukhaH praaj~nastRitiiyaH paadaH.
Word-word meaning
yatra (where) supto (the being in sleep) na ka~nchana (not any) kaamaM
(object of desire) kaamayate (longs for) na ka~nchana (not any) svapnaM
(dream) pashyati (sees) tat (that is) suShuptam (perfect state of sleep).
suShupta sthaana (the place/state of sleep) ekiibhuutaH (unified into oneness)
praj~naana -ghana (dense with consciousness) evaa (indeed) aanandamayo
(blissful) hi (indeed) aananda (bliss)-bhuk (enjoys) cheto
(consciousness/knowledge)-mukhaH (mouth/source) praaj~naH (praak—

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before; j~na—consciousness; who already knows everything; in whom
everything is already known)  tRitiiyaH (third) paadaH (state). (Mandukyua
Upanishad, Verse 5).
The perfect state of sleep (deep sleep) is when the being in sleep does not long
for anything of desire and does not see any dream; the state of sleep is the
state of unification in oneness, verily dense with Consciousness, indeed blissful,
and certainly living in bliss, source of all knowledge, where everything is
already known, it is the third state. (Mandukyua Upanishad, Verse 5).
So, when there is no wakefulness, i.e. when the sun sets, and when the being
is not dreaming also, i.e. when the moon sets, the being is illumined
by agni. Here, by agni is meant aahavaniya-agni.  This third aspect of agni is
called aahavaniya-agni. agni. (First two aspects are the gRihapati agni, or
the sun or aaditya, and dakShiNa-agni, or the moon, or chandramaa.)
This is the form of self-illuminating Consciousness during sleep that is beyond
the realm of dreams.
Here is the verse in Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad (verse 4.3.4):
(King janaka is asking): astamita aaditye yaj~navalkya (when the sun sets),
chandramasi astamite when the moon sets), kiM jyotiH eva ayam puruShaH
(what is the illumination of this being)?
(yaj~navalkya is replying) : agniH eva asya jyotiH bhvati (fire becomes its
illumination)
agni eva ayaM jyotiShaaH (indeed by this illumination of agni),  aaste (it
exists/rests)  palyayte (moves from one moment to the next)  karma kurute
(performs activities)  vipalyetiti (withdraws).
(King janaka is acknowledging):  evam eva (it is indeed) etad (like
this) yaj~navalkya
Below is the consolidated English translation of the above verse:
(King janaka is asking): When the sun sets and also the moon sets, what
indeed is the source of illumination of this being?
(yaj~navalkya is replying) : It is indeed illumined by the fire (agni). Indeed by
this illumination of agni it exists, moves from one moment to the next,
performs the activities, and withdraws.
(King janaka is acknowledging):  It is indeed like this, yaj~navalkya!
We wish to clarify here that ‘sleep’ is a distinct, clearly defined, and the third
state of Consciousness or the third state of us. Upanishads have said, whatever
we do externally during wakefulness, we do the same or similar activities
during the dream internally, and during sleep, we do perform the same or
similar activities by going beyond the orientation of internal and external. We
will quote and narrate the verses referring to the activities during sleep, later in

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this article. During sleep or while in a state where there is no ‘in’ and no ‘out’,
the activities are absolutely effortless or truly ‘autonomous’. This is the real
situation of what is called saMnyaasa (renunciation of the world)
and naiShkarmya (abstinence and exemption from acts and their
consequences) in Hinduism.
19.0 More descriptions of the state of sleep and activities of the soul during
sleep.
We quote below further some verses from Upanishad on the sleep. These
illustrate how different is sleep from the other two states.
Verse 4.3.22 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad describes how every specificity is
neutralized and becomes part of oneness in the state of sleep.There, in the
state of sleep, all identifications merge with the Soul who is one and only one.
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.22
atra pitaapitaa bhavati, maataamaataa, lokaa alokaaH, devaa adevaaH, vedaa
avedaaH; atra steno'steno bhavati, bhruuNahaabhruuNahaa,
chaaNDaalo'chaNDlaH, paulkaso'paulkasaH, shramaNo'shramaNaH,
taapaso'taapasaH, ananvaagataM puNyenaananvaagataM paapena, tiirNo hi
tadaa sarvaa~nchokaanhRidayasya bhavati.
Word-to-word meaning
atra (Here) pitaa (father) apitaa bhavati (becomes no father), maataa (mother)
amaataa (no mather), lokaa (worlds) alokaaH (no world), devaa (deities)
adevaaH (no deities), vedaa (knowledge) avedaaH (no knowledge).  atra
(Here) stenaH (a thief) asteno bhavati (becomes no thief), bhruuNahaa (an
abortionist) abhruuNahaa (no abortionist), chaaNDaalaH (an impetuous
person) achaNDaalaH (not impetuous), paulkasaH (a person with carnal lust)
apaulkasaH (not with carnal lust), shramaNaH (a labourer)  ashramaNaH (no
labourer), taapasaH (an ascetic) ataapasaH (no ascetic), ananvaagataM (not
subjugated ) puṇyena (by virtues) ananvaagataM (not subjugated ) paapena
(by the vices), tiirNo (surpasses) hi (certainly) tadaa (then) sarvaan (all)
shokaan (griefs) hRidayasya (of the heart) bhavati (happens).
(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.22)
Here (in this state of sleep), a father becomes no father (i.e. the personality of
fatherhood or the quality that creates fatherhood is no longer active,  ), a
mother becomes no mother, the worlds become no world, the deities are no
longer deities, there is no specific knowledge or sense. Here (in this state of
sleep) a thief is no longer a thief, an abortionist is no longer an abortionist, an
impetuous person is no longer impetuous, a person with carnal lust is no longer
lustful, a labourer is no labourer, an ascetic is no ascetic; (the being in the
state of sleep) is not subjugated by the virtues, and not subjugated by the

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vices; then transcendence beyond all the griefs of the heart
happens. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.22)
It is to be understood here, that by sleep, the so-called dormant state is not
meant. The specificities or the dualities become dormant or they disappear;
they merge with the Soul or with the Oneness. This is why it is mentioned that
a father is no longer a father, a mother is no longer a mother……during the
state of sleep. It is the Soul in Soul, Soul everywhere, it is a state of
omniscience, omnipotence, a state beyond all griefs and shocks (shoka).
The pair of words of opposite senses in the verse,
like pitaa (father) and apitaa (not a father), maataa (mother)
and amaataa (not a mother), etc., are noteworthy. Though the word apitaa (a=
without + pitaa= fatherhood) means the absence of the personality of father or
fatherhood, however, the fact that the word apitaa itself contains the
word pitaa (which means ‘father or fatherhood’) implies that though
‘fatherhood’ merges with Oneness or with the soul, still fatherhood is not
destroyed. All such words carry a similar significance. Nothing is lost, as
everything is perpetual since Consciousness is perpetual.
(The kind of words like apitaa,amaata, etc. are known as ‘na~n tatpuruSha’ in
Sanskrit grammar. The meaning of na~n tatpuruSha is na~n (no/negative)
+ tat/tad (that) + puruSha (Soul, being, individual)—-an individual in the state
of negativity. Thus, apitaa = a (without/no)+pitaa—-the personality of the
father in the negative state.)
Thus when we sleep we lose our identity but it still remains. This is why we find
ourselves back when we get up from sleep. We attain our supreme level of
existence during sleep. As mentioned before, the third illumination
(illumination or the light that illumines the domain of sleep) is the illumination
of aahvaniya agni or vidyut, and vidyut means, ‘vid =existence/knowledge
+ ut (supreme)—-supreme state of existence or knowledge/consciousness. This
is illustrated in the subsequent verses of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and some
of them are quoted below:
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.23
yad vai tat (that there) na pashyati (it does not see) pashyan vai (even seeing)
tat (at that time) na pashyati (it does not see), na hi (certainly not) draShTuH
(observer’s) dRiShTeH (vision) viparilopo (becomes extinct) vidyateH (it exists)
avinaashitvaan (due to perpetuity). na tu tat (not from it) dvitiiyam (different)
asti (exists) tataH (from it) anyat (separately) vibhaktaṃ (divided/ segregated)
yat (that what) pashyet (it will see). ( Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.23)
That there (in the domain of sleep) it (the being/entity/the Soul) does not see,
even while seeing it does not see; certainly, the vision of the observer does not

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become extinct, it exists due to perpetuity. Not anything that is different from
it (the being/entity/the Soul) exists so that it can look at it. (Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad Verse 4.3.23)
We quote below the English translation of the subsequent verses.
That there (in the domain of sleep) it (the being/entity/the soul) does not
smell, even while smelling it does not smell; certainly, the olfactory sense of
the smeller does not become extinct, it exists due to perpetuity. Not anything
that is different from it (the being/entity/the Soul) exists so that it can smell
it. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.24).
That there (in the domain of sleep) it (the being/entity/the Soul) does not
taste, even while tasting it does not taste; certainly, the sense of taste of the
taster does not become extinct, it exists due to perpetuity. Not anything that is
different from it (the being/entity/the Soul) exists so that it can taste
it. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.25)
speak, even while speaking it does not speak; certainly, the power of speech of
the speaker does not become extinct, it exists due to perpetuity. Not anything
that is different from it (the being/entity/the Soul) exists so that it can speak. (
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.26)
That there (in the domain of sleep) it (the being/entity/the Soul) does not hear,
even while hearing it does not hear; certainly, the auditory sense of the listener
does not become extinct, it exists due to perpetuity. Not anything that is
different from it (the being/entity/the Soul) exists so that it can hear. (
think, even while thinking it does not think; certainly, the power of thinking of
the thinker does not become extinct, it exists due to perpetuity. Not anything
that is different from it (the being/entity/the Soul) exists so that it can think of
it. ( Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.28)
touch, even while touching it does not touch; certainly, the sense of touch of
the toucher does not become extinct, it exists due to perpetuity. Not anything
that is different from it (the being/entity/the Soul) exists so that it can touch
it. ( Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.29)

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know, even while knowing it does not know; certainly, the sense of the knower
does not become extinct, it exists due to perpetuity. Not anything that is
different from it (the being/entity/the Soul) exists so that it can know it. (
This is the state of sleep. In this state we are not deprived of senses and
functionalities, rather we exist in the most enhanced state of Consciousness,
not as ‘ourselves’ but as merged with the omniscient, omnipotent Soul, or we
exist being embraced by the Soul. This Soul, who is everyone’s Soul, has been
described as aananda -bhuk (who lives in bliss), cheto-mukha (source of all
knowledge), praaj~na (in whom everything is already known). (Refer to
Mandukyua Upanishad, Verse 5, quoted above.)
To clarify further, the next verse of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad quotes the way
one sees, hears, touches, etc., when the sense of duality dominates.
We are quoting below:
yatra vaa (And where) anyat iva syaat (as if everything is different or duality
exists), tatra (there) anyaH anyat pashyet (one sees the other), anyaH anyat
jighret (one smells the other), anyaH anyat rasayet (one tastes the other),
anyaH anyat vadet (one talks to the other), anyaH anyat shRiṇuyaat (one hears
the other), anyaH anyat manviita (one thinks of the other), anyaH anyat
spRishet (one touches the other), anyaH anyat vijaaniiyaat (one knows the
other) (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.31.)
And where (as if) everything is different (i.e., where duality exists), there one
sees the other, one smells the other, one tastes the other, one talks to the
other, one knows the other. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.31).
It is to be noticed that in the above verse, the clause, “ yatra vaa (and where)
anyat iva syaat (as if everything is different or duality exists)”, contains the
term ‘as if’ (‘iva’). This signifies, that there is nothing like ‘only duality’;
‘duality’ means it is ‘duality of oneness’. Two cannot exist, if there is no ‘one’.
The next verse is quoted below:
salila eko draShTaa advaito bhavati eSha brahma -lokaH samraaDiti
hainamanushashaasa yaaj~navalkyaH. eSha asya paramaa gatiH, eSha asya
paramaa saMpat, eSha asya paramo lokaH, eSha asya paramaa anandaH;
etasyai vaa aanandasya anyaani bhuutaani maatraam upajiivanti.
(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.32.)

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salila (water) eko (same) draShTaa (observer) advaito (only one) bhavati
(exists/is), eSha (this is) brahma -lokaH (world of the supreme
being)  samraaD (the king) iti ha (thus indeed) enam (this) anushashaasa (was
taught by) yaaj~navalkyaH (yaj~navalkya); eSha (this is) asya (its) paramaa
(ultimate) gatiH (journey/destination), eSha (this is) asya (its) paramaa
(ultimate) saMpat (status), eSha (this is) asya (its) paramaa (ultimate) lokaH
(abode), eSha (this is) asya (its) paramaa (ultimate) anandaH (bliss); etasyai
(of this) vaa (indeed) aanandasya (bliss) anyaani (other) bhuutaani
(entities/creatures) maatraam (strengths/on the strengths) upajiivanti
(live) (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.32)
(Only) one water is there; (only) one observer is there. Oh, king, this (where
this oneness is experienced) is the abode of the supreme being. Thus this
indeed is taught by yaj~navalkya. This is its ultimate destination. This is its
ultimate status. This is its ultimate abode. This is its ultimate bliss. The other
creatures live on the strengths of this bliss. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse
4.3.32).
The word salia means ‘water’. The word etymologically means the
Consciousness in whom everything dissolves and disappears.
salila= sa +li + la; sal = sa (it) + li (dissolves) +la (earth)
salila = sal (dissolves) + ila/ilaa (earth)
So, salila means who dissolves the solids or definite shapes or structures. The
physical water dissolves solids and the solid remains within the water (or
solvent) as solute. Also, it is noteworthy that water (or any liquid) does not
have its own shape, but takes the shape of a receptacle.  The physical water is
part of the ‘water-form’ of Consciousness and this water-form is also
called ‘ap’. This water is the source or origin of physicality and matters. This
water ‘holds’ the physical world and is also known as apaana (ap +ana);
ana means praaNa or Consciousness.
So, ‘ salila (water) eko (same) ’ means, there is no one else but One
Consciousness in whom we all dissolve.
The alphabet la relates to the earth. The word laM is a seed or source word and
represents the seed of anything that is mortal or earthly. There are ten ‘ la
’  (lat, lot, lit…….) which determine the tense and mood of a verb in the
Sanskrit language, i.e. how an action could be executed. Maybe this is why a
rule is also called ‘law’ in the English language. The laws or rules, i.e.
grammar of Sanskrit language can demonstrate how a matter is
created from Consciousness. The matter of the Universe is created
from the words of Consciousness.

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The word ilaa means the earth or the materialized state. It is from the root
word il meaning ‘to become still or quiet ‘, ‘to sleep or to be in a lay-down
state’. So, the earth is the materialized or frozen state of Consciousness and is
thus called ilaa. This rigidity and barriers of physicality are removed
by salila; the physicality is dissolved in Oneness. One of the words for sleep
is nidraa = ni (nija / Soul) + dra (draava=liquefaction,dissolution)——-act of
dissolving in the Soul.
The clause, ‘ draShṭaa (observer) advaito (only one)’, means there is only one
observer in the universe. In all the observations, it is the same observer. The
sense of vision is being created from the observation of Consciousness.
Consciousness is looking at the creation, looking at Consciousness.
20.0 praaNa, vaak, and the radiating Soul.
As described in the preceding sections, the three illuminations of Consciousness
are three aspects of the Soul or aatman. The Soul or aatman / svayam is the
one who is knowing oneself by oneself. In that knowing or Consciousness,
every event, every creature/entity exists—-everything is created and held in
the knowledge. The power or ability to know and thus create the duality is
called vaak. vaak is Consciousness and Consciousness creates duality out of
Consciousness by vaak. So ultimately all illumination, and expression is the
illumination or expression of vaak. As Consciousness drives Consciousness by
Consciousness, i.e. the power (or consort) of Consciousness is Consciousness
itself, so all expression, all illumination is the illumination or expression of
Consciousness or the Soul.
So, it is mentioned by yaj~navalkya, that when agni becomes calm or
inactive, vaak becomes the illumination of the entity and when vaak becomes
calm or inactive, the soul (aatman or svyaam) becomes the illumination of the
entity.
There is this verse in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Verse 4.3.5), about how an
entity lives by the illumination of vaak.
(King janaka is asking.)
astamita aaditye yāj~navalkya—after the suns sets
chandramaa asyastamite——after the moon sets
shaanteH agnau—-after the fire calms down
kiM jyotireva ayaM purusha iti——what illumines this entity?
(The sage yāj~navalkya is replying.)
vaak eva asya jyotiH bhavati iti——— vaak indeed is its illumination.
tasmaad vai samraaD —-that’s why the king

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api yatra svaH paaNiH na vinirj~naayate—even when by using the hands
(sensory and functionary organs) can not know (perceive)
atha yatra vaaguchcharati——however, where vaak (word ) is uttered
upa iva tatra nyeti iti——it leads it to there
(King janaka is acknowledging.)
evam eva etad yaaj~navalkya—-Yes yaaj~navalkya, it is like this.
Consolidated translation
After the sun sets, after the moon sets, and after the fire calms down, what
illumines the entity?
vaak indeed is its illumination. That’s why the king even if the organs (sensory
and functionary) fail to sense/perform, where vaak is uttered, it (the entity) is
led there. (Brihadaranyaka Verse 4.3.5.)
We are going to explain what is implied in the above verse. The keyword in this
verse is paaNirna/ paaNiH + na or paaNi. Many authors of Brihadranyaka
Upanishad have considered the word paaNi as ‘hand’. Here, in this verse, the
meaning of the word paaNi is indriya, or the sensory and functionary organs.
The general meaning of the word paaNi is hand. Another meaning of the
word paaNi is ‘market or a place of sale’ where things are ‘exchanged’. This
word paaNi is from the root verb paN which means ‘ to barter ’. We barter with
our organs (indriya). We are throwing ourselves into the external world by
using our organs and the external world is coming to us or creating impulses
within us through the organs. We are taking external ‘in’ and external is taking
us ‘in’. What we are calling, the ‘external world’ is the vast ocean of
Consciousness. The organs or indriyas are the channels and implements for
these to and fro actions. This is ‘bartering’. The motion of the knower or the
observer is happening in this ‘to and fro’ swing. This is why the organs are
called indriya or ‘indra iyate—-indra moves’. We have already explained the
meaning of the word indra, above. Thus, the word paaNi, does not only mean
hand or the functionary organ for touching, it actually means ‘organs for all
sensing and functions’. So, with the above understanding of the
word paaNi, the meaning of the verse is that, when the organs do no longer
perceive, no longer work, the entity continues to sense and perform by the
power or illumination of vaak.
Every sense, every perception in us, exists in a form of a ‘sound’ or a ‘word’.
The processed or articulated sounds or words are called vaakya, and they are
created from Consciousness by the capability of Consciousness called vaak.
(As a female takes the male inside and creates another entity, similarly vaak is
multiplying praaNa in many forms).

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So, the verse says, “…..that’s why the king even if the organs (sensory and
functionary) fail to sense/perform, where vaak is uttered, it (the entity) is led
there”.
(It is also noteworthy that as per the finding of modern science, the sense of
the departing soul that exists last during the process of dying is the sense of
hearing.)
We have already described vaak earlier in this article. vaak is the power or
consort of aatman or praaNa. The power or consort of Consciousness is
Consciousness, but for narrating with clarity and for the sake of learning,
Consciousness is described as the conjugal pair of praaNa and vaak. In
Upanishad it is stated that every entity is created from the conjugation
of vaak and praaNa. (Refer Chandogya Upanishad……). vaak is in conjugation
with praaNa, i.e. vaak is embracing gRihapati agni, dakShiNa
agni, and aahavaniiya agni.
21.0 The measure of bliss
We have explained earlier in this article verse 4.3.32 of Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad, where it is mentioned that the creatures live on the strengths of the
supreme bliss.
The universe is created out of bliss (aananda); every entity is created from the
conjugation of praaNa and vaak—-the other creatures live on the strengths of
this bliss. (Refer to verse 4.3.32 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad narrated
above.)
The next verse (4.3.33) describes the relative measurement or the strength of
the bliss. We are quoting below the original verse and its meaning:
Verse 4.3.33 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
sa yo manuShyaaNaaM raaddhaH samRiddho bhavatyanyeaamadhipatiH,
sarvairmaanuShyakairbhogaiH sampannatamaH, sa manuShyaaNaaM parama
aanandaH; atha ye shataM manuShyaaNaamaanandaaH sa ekaH pitRiNaaM
jitalokaanaamaanandaH; atha ye shataM pitRiNaaM jitalokaanaamaanandaaH
sa eko gandharvaloka aanandaH; atha ye shataM gandharvaloka aanandaaH sa
ekaH karmadevaanaamaanandaH—ye karmaNaa devatvamabhisampadyante;
atha ye shataM karmadevaanaamaanandaaHsa eka
aajaanadevaanaamaanandaaH, yashcha shrotriyo'vRijino'kaamahataH; atha ye
shatamaajaanadevaanaamaanandaaH sa ekaH prajaapatiloka aanandaH,
yashcha shrotriyo'vRijino'kaamahato; atha ye shataMprajaapatiloka aanandaaH
sa eko brahmaloka aanandaH, yashcha shrotriyo'vRijino'kaamahataH; athaiSha
eva parama aanandaH, eSha brahmalokaH samraaDiti hovaacha
yaaj~navalkyaH; so'haM bhagavate sahasraṃ dadaami, ata uurdhvaM
vimokShaayaiva bruuhiiti; atra ha yaaj~navalkyo bibhayaaMchakaaraH,

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medhaavii raajaasarvebhyo maantebhya udarautsiiditi. (Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad, Verse 4.3.33.)
Word-to-word meaning (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Verse 4.3.33.)
sa yo (The one who ) manuShyaaNaaM (among the human beings) raaddhaH
(successful), samRiddho (affluent) bhavati (is), anyeShaam (others) adhipatiH
(ruler), sarvaiH (all) maanuShuyakaiH (human beings’) bhogaiH (enjoyments)
sampannatamaH (perfectly endowed) sa (that is) manuShyaaNaaM (human
beings’) parama (supreme) aanandaH (bliss).
The one who, among the human beings, is successful, affluent, ruler of
others, and perfectly endowed with all the humane enjoyments, the
happiness of such a person is the measure of supreme bliss of human
beings.
atha ye (and what is) shataM (hundred times) manuShyaNaam (the human
beings’) aanandaaH (bliss) sa (that is) ekaH (one) pitRiNaaM (divine fathers’)
jitalokaanaam (jita—-won; lokanam—worlds’) aanandaH (bliss); atha ye (and
what is) shataM (hundred times) pitRiNaaM jitalokaanaam aanandaaH
(pitRiNaaM -of divine fathers; jita—won; lokaanaam—worlds; pitRiNaaM
jitalokaanaam aanandaaH—— the bliss of those who have won the rights to live
in the world of divine fathers);
And what is a hundred times the bliss of human beings, that is the
measure of one bliss of those who have won the rights to live in the
world of the divine fathers.
atha ye (and what is) shataM (hundred times) pitRiNaaM
jitalokaanaamaanandaaH (the bliss of those who have won the rights to live in
the world of divine fathers) sa (that is) eko (one) gandharvaloka (of the world
of gandharva) aanandaH (bliss);
And what is a hundred times the bliss of those who have won the
rights to live in the world of the divine fathers, that is the measure of
one bliss of the world of gandharva.
atha ye (and what is) shataM (hundred times) gandharvaloka aanandaaH
(bliss of world of gandharva) sa (that is) ekaḥ (one)
karmadevaanaam (karmadevaanaam—-of karma-deva; karma—work/deeds;
deva—-deity/divine entity) aanandaH (bliss) —ye (those who) karmaNaa (by
virtue of deeds) devatvam (divinity) abhisampadyante (have achieved) ;
And what is a hundred times the bliss of the world of gandharva, that
is the measure of one bliss of karma-deva who have achieved the
divinity by the virtue of deeds.

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atha ye (and what is) shataM (hundred times) karmadevaanaam
(karmadevanaams’) aanandaaH (bliss) sa (that is) ekaḥ (one) aajaana  (who
are innately; aajaana—-aa-from, jaana— birth) devaanaam (deities);
aanandaH (bliss) yaH cha (which is also) shrotriyaH ( who has transcended by
listening; shru—to listen, tra>trai—salvation, rescue) avRijinaH (those who
never turn aside) akaamahataH (a-kaama-hata—-a= not; kaama—
desire; hata/aahata—dead/afflicted; akaamahataH —-of those who are not
afflicted by any desire);
And what is a hundred times the bliss of the world of karma-deva, that
is the measure of one bliss of aajaana-deva (who are innately divine),
which is also a measure of one bliss of the one who is ‘shrotriya’ (who
has transcended by listening; who knows the universe as the words of
Consciousness), ‘avRijina’ (who never rejects or turns aside), ‘akaama-
hata’ (who is not afflicted by any desire).
atha ye (and what is) shataM (hundred times)  aajaana-devaanaam (of aajan-
deva) aanandaaH (bliss) sa (that is) ekaH (one)  prajaapati-lokaan (of the
world of prajaapati) aandaH (bliss), yaH cha (which is also) shrotriyaH ( who
has transcended by listening; shru—to listen, tra>trai—salvation, rescue)
avRjinaH (those who never turn aside; a= no/not; vRij—to turn aside, to
reject; avRijina- who never rejects or turns aside) akaamahataH (a-kaama-
hata—-a= not; kaama—desire; hata/aahata—dead/afflicted; akaamahataH —-
of those who are not afflicted by any desire);
And what is hundred times the bliss of the (deities called) aajaana-
deva, that is the measure of one bliss of prajaapati (prajaa=who all are
created from ‘praaNa’; pati—-who dominates; prajaapati= praaNa from
which all are created and praaNa who dominates on everyone) which is
also the one bliss of those who are shrotriya (who has transcended by
listening; who knows the universe as the words of Consciousness),
avRijina (those who never reject or turn aside), akaama-hata (those
who are not afflicted by any desire).
atha ye (and what is) shataM(hundred times) prajaapatiloka (of the world
of prajaapati) aanandaaH (bliss) sa (that is) eko (one) brahma loka (of the
world of brahma) aanandaH (bliss), yaH (which is) cha (also) shrotriyaH ( who
has transcended by listening; shru—to listen, tra>trai—salvation, rescue)
avRijinaH (those who never turn aside; a= no/not; vRij—to turn aside, to
reject; avRijina- who never rejects or turns aside) akaamahataH (a-kaama-
hata—-a= not; kaama—desire; hata/aahata—dead/afflicted; akaamahataH —-
of those who are not afflicted by any desire); atha(now) eSha (this is) eva
(indeed) parama (supreme) anandaH (bliss), eSha (this is) brahmalokaH (the
world of brahma) samraaD (king!);  iti (this is what) ha (verily) uvaacha (told)
yaj~navalkyaH (yaj~navalkya); saH (he/king janaka) (said), ahaM (I)

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bhagavate (to the revered) sahasraṃ (thousand) dadaami (am offering), ata
(now) uurdhvaM (about the higher state) vimokShaaya iva (for the salvation)
bruuhi (tell) iti; atra ha (at this point) yaaj~navalkyo (yaaj~navalkya)
bibhayaaMcakaaraḥ (was afraid), (thinking that) medhaavii (meritorious)
raajaa (king) sarvebhyo (all) maantebhya (those in the mind) udarautsiiditi (is
going to elicit).
And what is a hundred times the bliss of the world of prajaapati, that is
the measure of one bliss of world of brahma and which is also the one
bliss of those who are shrotriya (who has transcended by listening;
who knows the universe as the words of Consciousness),
avRijina (those who never reject or turn aside), akaama-hata (those
who are not afflicted by any desire). This is the utmost bliss and this is
the world of ‘brahma’, oh king!
This is what was verily told by yaj~navalkya.
He/(king janaka) said: “I am offering thousand to the revered, now
tell me of the further higher state for the sake of salvation”.
At this point yaj~navalkya became afraid, thinking that “ the
meritorious king is going to elicit everything (all the knowledge) that is
in my mind”.
22.0 Insights to some of the divine beings mentioned in the above verse
on aananda (bliss).
a) pitRinaam jitalokaanaam
The word pitRinaam is derived from the root word pitRi which means ‘the father
or progenitor’. Here, in this verse the term pitRinaam means ‘of the fathers’
and that implies the ‘world of the divine fathers ’. The world of the divine
fathers is called pitRiloka. There are seven divine fathers and we are always
born through them, in our cycles of re-birth and death. They are dominating
over the ‘water’ or ap that supports the physicality. This divine ap, is existing in
us in the form of the sense of acquirement, and satisfaction (tRipti) and it
drives our ‘sexuality’ and is in control of the re-production system.
chandra/ chandramaa/moon (Universal Consciousness as the lunar aspect or
lunar domain) is dominating our re-births and deaths, our destiny, and overall
evolution. In space, pitRi-loka, or the world of divine fathers is located near the
‘lunar center’ or the ‘moon’. (Thus, while describing the journey of a departed
soul from the earth, it is told that as the spirit transits, at one stage it is
transferred from the domain or the regulation of ‘ the months ’ to ‘ the world of
the Fathers ’ and from there to the ‘ lunar center or moon ’. (Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad Verse 6.2.16, Chandogya Upanishad Verse 5.10.4.)

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Because the divine fathers (as part of the lunar aspect /dakShiNaagni) are in
control of our births / re-births, because we are always born through them,
they can free us from the compulsory cycles of re-births and deaths.
Thus in a hymn to the divine fathers, it is said—-vimuktidaa (delivers salvation)
yo (to those) anavisamhiteShu (who do not have other intentions)——delivers
salvation to those who do not have other intentions.
Now, the term pitRiNaaM (of fathers) jitalokaanaam (winning the worlds) in the
verse means, “ those who have won the rights to live in the worlds of divine
fathers”.
b) gandharva
The word ‘gandharva-loka’ means the world of the celestial dancers and
musicians. Gandharvas are protectors of soma and they trade soma. soma is
flowing from Consciousness and perceived by everyone as the senses and
feelings, as the sap of life in antariikSha or inner-space.
The word gandharva means those who deal with gandha or ‘olfactory sense’.
The word gandha means ‘gaM dhattae’——-‘ holding the sensory and
functionary organs’. The sensory and functionary organs are also called go in
Sanskrit. The word go is related to the root verb gam meaning ‘to go’. We are
enabled active and are in motion by the organs (go/ indriya). The activities
take us through the course of our multiple lives and are the causes of our
evolution. They nourish us. So, go is also the word for the pasturing animal
called cows, which move around and whose milk is nourishing. It may be noted
that the physical features of the cows exhibit the organs very vividly.
The word gandha also implies gam (motion) + dha (held/arrested). praaNa as
the air is circulating through our nose, we are breathing in and out and this is
giving us stability. praaNa as apaana is holding us in our body
(Prashnopanishad Verse 3.8.) as well as in the earth. What is the body in an
individual, it is the earth in the external. The circulation of air through the nose
is analogous to the diurnal motion of the earth that has made us circulate
through the days and nights. Earth has been always related to fragrance or to
the olfactory sense in the Vedas. Like what is air in the external it is in you in
the form of the sense of touch, similarly what is your body or the earth,
subtlely is the olfactory sense in you.
If this mystery of Consciousness is known, then one dominates the physicality
and can enjoy everything of physicality without being afflicted by mortality. The
inner plane called antariikSha (internal space) is the natural habitat of the
entities who know this and so it is also the abode of Gandharvas (gandharva).
c) karma-deva

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karma deva means those who have attended the divinity by the virtue
of karma or the work they did. deva or deity and divinity are significant by self-
expression and perpetuity or infiniteness. The root of the
word deva is div meaning ‘to shine’ or ‘to express’. In the state of mortality, on
the earth, we get what is already there, already fixed. The air we breathe, the
water we drink, and the earth where we live, etc. are all those that have been
fixed for us by regulations unknown to us. Further, our existence is always in a
fleeting state giving us the feeling that everything ends, a feeling of limitations
at every time. Divinity is the realm where nothing is limited and ends in
emptiness. There, the things are already achieved and the joy is in the creation
out of the self.
Every deity is a personality of Universal Consciousness, representing a
particular aspect of Consciousness in an unending manner and is a source of
infinite expression of that aspect of Consciousness.
karma means any activity or work. Any work we do or perform is karma.
karma is derived from the root verb kRi which means ‘to do, or to
perform’.  So, karma means ‘any form or realization of kRi’.  If Rik is reversed,
it becomes kRi. Rik veda means vedna or feeling of Consciousness or the
‘process of knowing’ by which the Universal Consciousness has become arka or
the sun or the source of time, visibility, forms, colours, shapes, and the realized
universe. If Rik is expanded it becomes arka. So, all karma is originating
from Rik.  This origin or source of visibility i.e. the eye is also called the mind.
Mind is the third or the divine eye. The physical or realized universe is
immediately next to the realm of the divine mind. We, human beings are
particular about karma (work we do) and its effect or consequence
or phala. Behind karma is the ‘determination’ or saMkalpa or kratu, and behind
‘determination or kratu’ is the desire or ‘kaama’.
Thus, it is said in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (Verse 4.4.5),
kaaamamaya (desiring) eva (indeed) ayam (this) puruSha (entity) iti (is)—-
This entity indeed is desiring.
sa (it) yathakamo (as per the dsire)) bhavati (is) tat (that/accordingly) kratu
(determined/ willing) bhavati(is)——As per the desire it becomes determined
accordingly.
yat kratuH bhavati (the way it becomes determined) - tat (that/accordingly)
karmam (work/activity)  kurute (executes)———The way it determines, it
executes the work accordingly
yat karma kurute (the way it executes the work) tad (that/in that
way/accordingly) abhisampadyate (it gets/transformed)——The way it executes
the work, accordingly it gets that (it is transformed accordingly).

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This entity indeed is desiring. As per the desire, it becomes determined
accordingly. The way it determines, it executes the work accordingly. The way
it executes the work, accordingly, it gets that (it is transformed
accordingly). (Brihadaranyaka Upanishada, Verse 4.4.5).
The desire comes from the heart, the determination happens in the mind, and
the work or execution is the realization, materialization. Determination in the
mind drives the organs and drives us to physicality. We are not aware that the
source of work or activity is Consciousness, feelings in the heart and
determinations and definitions in the mind are also Consciousness, and that
physicality is also the form of our Consciousness that we call physical. As we
are ignorant and perform activities unaware of Consciousness, our activities
lead us to the termination or ending, and that makes us feel we are ‘going into
inanity or unconscious state’.
As we concentrate on the fact that Consciousness is the sense of vision, touch,
taste, odour, hearing, the feelings in our heart, is our every moment,
Consciousness is the one in whom and by whom we are created, in whom and
by whom we live and die, Consciousness is the living beings in all the beings,
then every work becomes the worship of our creator and regulator, who is
leading us to eternity. Then the senses do not age to decay; what is unseen
becomes seen, unheard becomes heard, unknown becomes known, our
existence becomes perpetual, and our senses cross all the limits. This is
reaching the divinity. This is the land of karma deva. Seeing Consciousness in
our, every activity has been taught by Lord Krishna in Geeta.
The soil or the dirt sticks. Physicality obsesses us. As we learn to see
everything as Consciousness, the obsession goes. We do not remain
permanently tainted by what we feel or know. The only permanent one is the
Oneness of Consciousness called aatman or nija who is the unperturbed form
under the waves of the ocean of Consciousness. In Oneness, no one can taint
another, as there is no duality. We have clarified this earlier.
Thus, in Upanishad, it is said:
iishaavaasyam idaM sarvaM yat ki~ncha jagatyaaM jagat
tena tyaktena bhu~njiithaa maa gRidhaH kasya svid dhanam (Ishopanishada,
verse 1)
Word-word meaning
iishaavaasyam—-iishaa—-by the Controller
avaasyam—- (i) is existing/dwelling (ii) is embraced or covered
idaM—it

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sarvaM—all
yat ki~ncha—-whatever
jagatyaaM—-in the moving one/in the world that is changing
jagat—-is moving/is changing
tena—-by Him/by the Controller (knowing that everything is set by Him)
tyaktena ——(i) by setting apart / by distinction, (ii) by giving up or by
returning to Him
bhu~njiithaa ——live
maa —-never
gRidhaH —-covet
kasya svid—-anybody’s
dhanam—-wealth
By the Controller (of the universe) everything is embraced /is placed in
existence, whatever is all in motion (in the wheels of time) in the dynamic
universe. Knowing (that everything is by Him), live by returning to Him. Never
covet anybody’s wealth. (Ishopanishada Verse 1.)
The clause ‘tena tyaktena bhu~njiithaa’ means ‘live by returning to Him or live
by acknowledging that everything is from HIM and by HIM. Every moment is a
form of Consciousness, originating from Consciousness, and ending in
Consciousness. Everything is regulated, assigned, and apportioned by
Consciousness. ‘tena tyaktena bhu~njiithaa’ also means, to live by discretion,
and not to covet what belongs to others. One need not has to covet, if one
knows that everything is coming from Consciousness, everything is within;
such knowing brings anything to such a knower when he or she desires for a
thing.
The next verse is:
Word-word meaning
kurvanneveha karmaaNi ( work) jijiiviShet shataM samaaH
evaM tvayi naanyatheto'sti na karma lipyate nare. (Ishopanishada Verse 2.)
kurvanneveha——kurvan (by doing) eva (thus) iha (in this world)
karmaaNi—-work

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jijiiviShet——aspire for
shataM——hundred (the sense or span of time that brings in the feeling of
completion)
samaaH——years
evaM——like this only
tvayi—-for you
naanyatheto’sti—-na—no; anya—-else; asti—-exists
na—not
karma—deeds, work
lipyatae—-taints, entangles
nare—-oh man
(Live) by continuing (your) work only, in this world, (and) aspire to live a
hundred years; like this only and there is no other way exists for you, oh man!
(so that) you are not entangled by your deeds. (Ishopanishad, Verse 2).
Hundred years, mean the time that leads to ‘fulfillment’ or
‘completion’. (Numbers are first qualitative and then numerical.)
If everything is created by and made of Consciousness, then knowing that, one
cannot get tainted or entangled by deeds or karma. It's a domain of absolute
independence and it leads to ‘effort less work’ or naiShkarmya, a state where
all activities cease into Oneness and all activities emerge from Oneness; no
effort is needed to achieve anything. One cannot reach this highest state (also
called saMnyaasa) just by trying to give up earthly activities; even, otherwise,
also, the body and mind have to work and be active for existence. We have
addressed this state of naiShkarmya/saMnyaasa or effortless work while
describing the state of deep sleep or suShupti as narrated in Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad, in the earlier part of this article.
d) shrotriya
The word shrotriya is connected to the word shrotra or ‘ear’. The root word
is shru meaning ‘the act of listening. Our every perception, feeling, or sense is
associated with a sound/word and acts of listening (shruti). Whatever we sense
or feel, creates a word in us, a sound in us, and it means we listen to it. We
don’t get the world if we can’t listen. The word tra is a part of the
word shrotra (ear) and tra / traa means ‘rescue or relief’. Thus the ear or the
act of listening gives us ‘relief’, i.e. allows the perception of the word or of the
world.

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Like a baby in the earlier months of its birth does not understand clearly the
meaning of a word or a sound and also the direction from which a sound is
coming, so is our present status. Consciousness as the external world is
producing the sounds in us like ‘ tree’, ‘ flower’, ‘ bird’, etc. Whatever we are
seeing or sensing, is getting converted into a ‘sound’ in us or we are listening
to these sounds. What we are knowing as the external world, are the words of
Consciousness. Each such word is becoming a perception is us as it merges in
us as we listen. The more we know this, the more clearly the voice of
Consciousness is heard. This is why Vedas are called shruti. When we thus
listen, the words or every object of the world becomes a living personality, and
which is an expression of boundless Consciousness. Thus divinity emerges.
Thus the seers have said ‘ atha martyo'mRito bhavatyatra brahma samaShnute
’—-“and now this (mortal) earth itself becomes immortal and here itself the
Absolute one is found” (Extract from Kathopanishad, Verse 2.3.14.)
Those who are listening to the voice of Consciousness, to those whom thus the
divinity has got exposed, are called shrotriya.
e) avRijina
The word avRijina means someone who is not crooked. It also means who
cannot be bent or diverted. It also means someone who does not abandon or
reject. The word is from the root word vRij meaning ‘to bend’, ‘to break’, ‘to
abandon’ etc. So, avRijina means who does not bend, break, and does not
abandon. This is the character of a person who is tuned to the Consciousness
or regulations of Consciousness; he or she sees the same One in everything
and every being.
f) akaamahata
akaamahata—-a (not) kaama (desire) hata (killed/afflicted/subjugated)——-Not
subjugated by the desires.
The one who knows the Veda, the one who knows that Consciousness is the
origin of everything, is no longer dominated by desires. We desire from the
feelings of ‘want’ or not having the one that we are desiring. But the one who
has already achieved all in the One or Consciousness, the one desires to
multiply oneself from the unending fulfillment, out of the one’s own joy. The
more we know our conscious state, the more we find everything within.
Thus, there is this hymn in Mundakopanishad (Verse 3.1.10).
yaM yaM lokaM manasaa saMvibhaati vishuddhasattvaH kaamayate yaMshcha
kaamaan.
taM taM lokaM jayate taaMshcha kaamaaMtasmaadaatmaj~naM
hyarchayetbhuutikaamaH.

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Word-by-word meaning
yaM yaM lokaM——whichever loka (worlds)
manasaa—-by the mind
saMvibhaati——-illuminates
vishuddha——the pure
sattvaH——entity/person
kaamayate—-desires
yaMshcha—whichever
kaamaan—desire
taM taM lokaM —-that that worlds
jayate —conquers, gets
taaM cha—-and the corresponding
kaamaaM—-things/objects of desire
tasmaad——therefore
aatmaj~naM—-the one who knows the Soul
hi—-indeed
archayet—should worship
bhuuti—-wealth
kaamaH— desiring
Whichever the worlds the one illuminates in the mind
Whichever the desires the purified one craves
The one wins all such worlds and the desires
Hence those who desire wealth should indeed worship the one who knows the
Soul! (Mundakopanishad Verse 3.1.10)
g) aajaana deva

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aajana——aa (since); jaana (generation/birth); deva——deity.
aajaana deva——those who are deities by birth and have not acquired divinity
through evolution.
h) prajaapati and brahma
The word prajaa means, pra (praaNa)+ jaa (generation/creation) i.e. those
who are generated or created from praaNa or Consciousness.
pati means the one who dominates.
Thus Consciousness as prajaapati has created itself as the universe and also is
controlling the creation.
As Consciousness has multiplied as the creatures or the entities of the
universe, a verse in Upanishad says that praaNa or Consciousness moves
through every womb and reproduces itself as the creatures.
Here is the verse from Prashnopanishad:
prajaapatishcharasi garbhe tvameva pratijaayase
tubhyaM praaNa prajaastvimaa baliM haranti yaH praaNaiH pratitiShThasi.
(Prashnopanishad, Verse 2.7.)
prajaapatiH—-as prajaapati
charasi— move, travel
garbhe—-within the womb
tvam—-you
eva——indeed
pratijaayase—-reproduce yourself
tubhyaM—-to you
praaNa——oh praaNa!
prajaaH imaa—these creatures
baliM—-offerings
haranti—-fetch
yaH—to you

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praaNaiH—-along with your different forms; (praaNaiH—-this is plural and the
instrumental case of the word praaNa; praaNa functions in five forms, named
as praaNa,vyaana,apaana,samaana,udaana; also sensory and functional organs
are called praaNa, because they are seats as well as conduits
as praaNa functions)
As prajaapati you travel within the wombs (and) you indeed reproduce
yourself.
To you praaNa, these creatures fetch the offerings, you who stays (in them) in
your many forms.
From prajaapati we are being created and reproduced. We have mentioned the
divine fathers earlier. All our instincts can be mapped into the divine fathers or
from them we inherit our elements or instincts. Consciousness as prajaapati is
also known as the ‘grandfather of the universe’ (pitaamaha).
prajaapati is also mentioned as the first one created among all the deities as
the progenitor and is the personification of the divine mind and has been
named as brahmaa. We are quoting below an extract from a hymn from
Mundakopanishad:
oM | brahmaa devaanaaM prathamaH saMbabhuuva vishvasyakartaa
bhuvanasya goptaa | (Extract from Verse 1.1.1 of Mundakopanishad.)
oM
brahmaa——brahmaa
devaanaaM——among the deities
prathamaH——first
saMbabhuuva—-was born
vishvasya —of the universe
kartaa——-creator
bhuvanasya—-of the worlds, of the created universe
goptaa—preserver

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oM! brahmaa was first born among the deities, the creator of the universe, and
the preserver. (First part of verse 1.1.1 of Mundaka -Upanishad).
Being the creator and the preserver of the creation, brahmaa’s role belongs to
that of dakShiNa-agni (Refer to section 14.0 of this article.) Thus, brahmaa has
been identified with the lunar cycles/ waxing and waning periods of the
moon (shukla and kriShNa pakSha), saMvatsara (annual cycles, time-period to
rear an offspring or yearling), months, cycles of day and
night, chandra/chandramaa (moon),etc.. (Refer to Chapter 1 of
Prashnopanishad.) The word brahmaa is derived from the word brahma. The
origin of brahmaa is brahma. Consciousness who is evergrowing and always
surpassing everything, or beyond the reach of everything
is brahma, and from brahmaa, the divine mind, the perceptible measurable
universe has been created. Both the words are from the root
verb bRiMh meaning ‘to grow’ or ‘to expand’. It also means the ‘trumpet of an
elephant ‘. The expanding universe is notifying the trumpet of the divine
elephant!
Here is a hymn from Mundakopanishad (Mundaka-Upanishad)
bRihachcha tad divyamchintyaruupaM
sukShmaachcha tat sukShmataraM vibhati|
duuraat suduure tadihaantike cha
pashyantivhaiva nihitaM guhaayaam|| (Mundaka-Upanishad Verse 3-1-7)
bRihat cha—-And vast is
tad—-that
divyam—-divine
achintya—-beyond perception
ruupaM——form
sukShmaat—from the subtle
cha tat —-and that
sukShmataraM ——subtler
vibhati—-shines
duuraat —from the far

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suduure—-it is very far
tad—yet
iha—here
antike —-near
cha—-too
pashyantaH—-is seen
iha iva—-here as
nihitaM—located
guhaayaam—in the cave (within the heart)*
That form beyond perception is vast and divine
Shines as subtler than the subtle.
Quite farther from the far, yet near, here too
As seen here, is located within the cave (of the heart). (Mundaka-Upanishad
Verse 3-1-7)
(* guha or the word ‘cave’ has been used in Upanishad synonymously with the
word ‘heart’.)
23.0 Transition from one state to the other and the state of existence beyond
physicality. The dream creator.
The transition from wakefulness to the state of dream, or from the dream to
the state of sleep, and the corresponding transitions in the reverse directions,
have all been addressed in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Each such transition
occurs in a definite process and the sequences or stages followed in a given
transition, say those from dream to sleep, are retraced in the same manner
while transiting from sleep to dream.
When we go to the state of dream or to the state of sleep, we transit beyond
mortality. Thus it is said that the Soul surpasses mortality by becoming the
‘dream’. The states of sleep, dream, or wakefulness are felt and known in
Consciousness; they are all formations of Consciousness.
Thus it is said in Upanishad (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 4.3.7):
katamaH (who) aatmaa (the soul) iti (is)——Who is the Soul?

Sleep, Dream, and state of Wakefulness of the creatures and the creator---the regulations of the Universal Consciousness

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