by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 32
October. 2003

ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE BRAMHAN - Part 6

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

In the last discussions, we discovered and deduced that everything finally boils down to Bramhan. The never-ending cycle of birth, existence and further modification, undergoing through the process of death, is indeed Bramhan in its different aspects of self revealation. This goes on and on. That is one essential characteristic of Bramhan. Therefore, if Bramhan is the source, sustainer and modifier of the creation in its entirety, then his omnipresence in everything and everywhere becomes a foregone conclusion. This aspect is established in a sloka in another beautiful upanishad we have.

We shall now move from Bramhasutra to Isavasya Upanishad, but not before making one observation. The jewel house of Bramhasutras does not end with the sutra that we touched upon. Those of us who are serious thinkers are urged to study the rest of the sutras and see for themselves, how the mind gets clearer and clearer. Let me assure you,

even with very partial understanding, the happiness that descends within you is indescribable.

The Isavasya Upanishad starts with:

Isaavaasyam idam sarvam yat kincaa jagatyaam jagat
Tena tyaktena bhunjithaa ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam

The first line of this sloka is again a classic example of how inspite of absolute brevity of words an entire vista of knowledge opens up. Many scholars deem this sloka as the most poignant of srutic utterances.

This single sloka of the Upanishad, if you analyse it, is in itself a total explanation of not only the Bramhan, but also the definition of all that exists in the creation , and what is more, the second line also provides the spiritual guidance as how the individual self must conduct itself within the Lord’s creation. It tells me of my origin, my existence as well as advises me of my dharma (conduct) that I must follow.