Taittiriya Upanishad

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The Taittiriya Upanishad is one of the older, "primary" Upanishads commented upon by Shankara. It is associated with the Taittiriya school of the Black Yajurveda. It figures as number 7 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads. Black Yajurveda is also called Taittiriya Samhita. Like all vedas Black Yajurveda consists of Samhita, Brahmana and Aranyaka parts. The eighth and ninth chapters of Taittiriya Aranyaka form the Taittiriya Upanishad. The tenth chapter is famous as Mahanarayana Upanishad or Yajnikee.

It is divided into three sections called Vallis. the Siksha Valli, the Brahmananda Valli and the Bhrigu Valli. For the convenience of study, each Valli is subdivided into smaller verses called Anuvak.

1 Shiksha Valli
2 Brahmananda Valli
3 Brighu Valli
4 Conclusion
5 External links

[edit] Shiksha Valli

The Siksha Valli deals with the descipline of Shiksha( which is the first of the six Vedangas or "limbs" or auxiliaries of the Vedas). It is concerned with phonetics and pronunciation. Main intenion of starting with Shiksha seems to be that, though meaning of vedic Mantras is important, one should not give any less importance to the right pronouciation and phonetics of mantras. If Mantras are pronounced correctly then meaning becomes clear to recitor. Also there is a belief that Mantras uttered with incorrect pronouciation loose their power.

First Anuvak of this Valli starts with Shanti Mantra ( Peace Prayer) "OM Sham no Mitra ..". Purpose of having shanti mantra in the beginning is to please the gods and remove any obstacles during the study of Upanishads.

Second Anuvak defines the contents of Shiksha descipline.

Third Anuvak tells about the intimate connection between the syllables of vedic verses or mantras using five examples and implicitly tells that one should meditate on those examples to realise connections told in them. Also declares that one who realised those connections will get good fruits including heaven.

Fourth Anuvak consists of Mantras and Homas to be done by those who aspire for devine knowledge (Medha kama) and wealth (Shree kama). In this anuvak teacher prays that " As water flows from high land to low land, as months join to become year, let good desciples come to me from everywhere"

Fifth and Sixth Anuvaks try to describe Brahman in the form of "Vyahruti"s. The words "Bhooh" , "Bhuvah", "Suvah", "Mahah", "Janah", "Tapah" and "Satyam" are called seven Vyahruti's or Sapta Vyahrutis. These denote different worlds in Puranas. The term "Vyahruti" means pronounciation, since these above mentioned words are pronounced in Vedic rituals like Agnihotra, these are called Vyahruti's.

Fifth Anuvak states that the fourth Vyahruti "Mahah" was discovered by a Rishi called "Mahachamasya" and "Mahah" is Brahman all other Vyahrutis are its organs. This Anuvak says that "Bhooh" denotes earth, fire, Richa's and Prana. "Bhuvah" denotes space, air, Sama's and Apana. "Suvah" denotes heaven, sun, Yajus and Vyana. "Mahah" denotes sun, moon,Holy Syllable OM and food. This way, each of first four Vyahrutis become four each and in total they are 16. So all these four Vyahrutis should be meditated as all of their sixteen manifestations, this is known as famous vedic term Shodasha Kala Purusha in vedic literature. Finally this anuvak says that one who knows all sixteen manifestations of Vyahrutis knows Brahman and all gods bring gifts to him.

Sixth Anuvak tells that in the space inside the heart there exists a immortal golden being (Hiranmaya Purusha) and states that there is a subtly route through the middle of the head through which a self realized Yogi travels when he/she leaves the body and joins the all pervading Brahman.

The Seventh Anuvak, is bit difficult to understand, It describes a meditation called "Paanktha Upasana", where Brahman is meditated upon as a set of "five" called "Paanktha". There is also a vedic meter of five lines called Paanktha. Outer world seen is classified into 3 set of five things called "AdiBootha" and also inner body world into 3 sets of five things called "Adhyaathma". This inner-outer grouping is then meditated upon and meditator realizes both inner and outer paankta are one and the same Brahman and every thing is Paanktha. This Anuvak states that Earth (Prithvi), Space (Antariksha), Heaven (DyuLoka), Directions(North, South etc), Subdirections(South-East, North-West etc..) (Worldly set of Five or Loka-Paankta) and

Fire (Agni), Air(Vayu), Sun(Aditya), Moon(Chandra), Stars(Nakshatra) (Divine-Five or Deva-Paanktha) and

Water, Herbs(Oshadhi), Trees, Sky(Akasha), Self(Atma)(Elemental Five or Dhaatu Paanktha) are called Adibhuta or Outer Elements.

further it states that

Prana, Vyana, Apana, Udana, Samana (all these are Five inner Vital currents of the body) and

Eye, Ear, Mind, Speech(Vaak), Outer-Skin(Tvak)(Sensory-Five or Indriya-Paanktha) and

Inner-Skin (Charma), Flesh, tendon-Ligaments, bones, Fat or Bone-Marrow (Elemental Five or Dhaatu Paanktha) are called Adhyaatma or Inner Elements.

The Rishi who realized this says, thus everything is Paankta. It further says that one who realized everything as Paanktha, completes Paanktha with Paanthks itself.

Eighth Anuvak states the greatness of Holy Syllable OM. It says that OM is Brahman and everything.

Ninth Anuvak explains the duties to be performed by persons aspiring realization of Brahman.

Tenth Anuvak is a Mantra for self practice (Swadhyaya) or meditation. It is stated by a Rishi called Trishanku as an exclamation of awe after he realized that he is one with Brahman. It is also called "Mantramnaya" of Trishanku.

Eleventh Anuvak is a set of instructions that teacher(Acharya) gives to his desciple after completion of vedic education.

Twelfth Anuvak concludes the Shikshavalli with Santi Mantra "OM Sham no mitra.." expressing gratitude toward gods who removed obstacles for study of Upanishad as prayed for in first anuvak of this Valli.

[edit] Brahmananda Valli

The statement "Brahmavida Apnoti Param" which means "The one who knows Brahman becomes one with Brahman" is the formula (Sutra-Vaakya) to get the high level gist of this Valli. First Anuvak starts with Shanti Mantra "OM sham no mitra" and "Shahana vavatu" pleasing gods and removing obstacles for study of Upanishad being the objective of these Mantras.

Second Anuvak starts with formula sentence "Brahmavida Apnoti Param" as stated above and also tries to define brahman succintly as "Truth, Devine Knowledge and Infinite " (Satya Jnyanam Anantam Brahma).

Anuvaks Second to Fifth describe that Five sheaths subtle bodies or (Five Atmans) reside in one another in human body. Starting with grosser, tangible human body called "Annamaya" or "Formed out of Food" to "Pranamaya" or "formed out of Vital life force" to "Manomaya" or "Formed out of Mind" to "Vijnyanamaya" or "One who is of Knowledge" to Final and subtle most being "Anandamaya" or one who is full of Joy.

In Sixth and Seventh Anuvaks, some of the questions asked by a desciple are answered. such as

"Brahman being equal to both knower and ignorant, who gets the Brahman after death, knower or ignorant and why? "

Eighth Anuvak, compares happiness of various evolved beings starting from Man to that of next higher level till Happiness of Brahman itself.

Ninth Anuvak describes that knower of Brhaman doesn't repent for not having done any good because for him/her, the terms good and bad loose their meaning and he/she has equalled them with Brahman since it is the only one which is really existing.

With this completes the "Brahmanada Valli"

[edit] Brighu Valli

This Valli describes how son of Varuna(The Water God) the [[Brighu]] obtained realization of Brahman through repeated Tapas and his fathers guidance.

Rest of the part of Valli describes greatness of donating food, that is feeding the hungry. It also emphasises on greatness of Food. It says that since food is support of all life, food should not be insulted, food should not be declined.