Kŗşhņa, Son of Devaki

The Chāndogya Upanishad gives a special teaching in the sections (3.17.1-3.17.5). The section (3.17.6) states: “Ghora Āňgiras expounded this well-known doctrine to Devaki's son Kŗşhņa and said; ‘such a knower should, at the time of death, repeat this triad:

akşhitamasi                 You are imperishable

achyutamasi                You are unchangeable

prāņasamshitamasi        You are the subtle essence of Prāņa’

(On hearing the above) he (Kŗşhņa) became tireless apipāsa”.

Then the Upanishad quotes two verses from the Rigveda Samhita namely (8.6.30) and (1.50.10), the famous mantra to the supreme God, the Divine Sun Sūrya.

Here is the earliest mention of Sri Kŗşhņa. As Sri Aurobindo states, “it speaks of Kŗşhņa, son of Devaki, in a tone that would justify us in assuming that it regarded them not as ancient and far—off names but as men who had walked on earth in living memory."

Satyakāma Jābāla and the Vedic Society

The story of Satyakāma is one of the most typical in the Upanishad. It is full of sidelights on early Vedantic teaching, Yogic sādhana and that deep psychical knowledge which the writer took for granted in the hearers of his work. So much knowledge, indeed, is thus taken for granted that it is impossible for anyone not himself a practiser of Yoga, to understand anything but its broad conclusions. The modern commentators, Shankara included, have approached it in order to establish particular metaphysical doctrines, not to elucidate its entire significance. I shall take the side that has been neglected; for what to the European inquirer are merely "the babblings of children", bear to the Yogin an aspect of infinite truth, value and significance.

"Now Satyakāma Jābāla spoke unto his mother Jābāla and said, 'Mother, I shall go and lead the life of the Brahmachārin; tell me what is my gotra.' But she answered him, 'This I know not, my son, of what gotra thou art; resorting to many as a serving-woman in my youth I got thee, therefore I know not of what gotra thou art. But Jābāla is my name and Satyakāma is thine, Satyakāma Jābāla therefore call thyself.' So he came to Haridrumata the Gautama and said, 'I would stay with my Lord as a Brahmachārin, let me therefore enter under thee.' And he said to him, 'My son, of what gotra art thou?' But the other answered, 'This, alas, I know not, of what gotra I am; I asked my mother and she answered me, "Resorting to many in my youth as a serving-woman I got thee, therefore I know not of what gotra thou art, but Jābāla is my name and Satyakāma is thine"; Satyakāma Jābāla therefore am I.' And he said to him, 'None who is not a Brāhmin can be strong enough to say this; gather the firewood, my son, I will take thee under me, for thou didst not depart from the truth.' He admitted him and put forth four hundred cows weak and lean and said, 'These, my son, do thou follow as a herd,' and he set the cows in motion and said, 'Return not until they are a thousand.' And he fared abroad with them during the years till they were a thousand."

Caste was no bar in Hinduism for study.

So the story opens, and simple as it seems, it already contains several points of capital importance in understanding the ideas of the time and the principles of the old vedantic sādhana. Satyakāma, as we gather from other passages, was one of the great vedantic teachers of the time immediately previous to the composition of the Chhāndogya Upanishad. But his birth is the meanest possible. His mother is a serving-girl, not a dāsī attached to a permanent household whose son could have named his father and his gotra, but a parichārikā, serving for hire at various houses, “resorting to many” and therefore unable to name her son's father. Satyakāma has, therefore, neither caste, nor gotra, nor any position in life. It appears from this story as from others that, although the system of the four castes was firmly established, it counted as no obstacle in the pursuit of knowledge and spiritual advancement. The Kşhatriya could teach the Brāhmin, the illegitimate; fatherless son of the serving-girl could be guru to the purest and highest blood in the land. This is nothing new or improbable, for it has been throughout the history of Hinduism and the shutting out of anyone from spiritual truth and culture on the ground of caste is an invention of later times. In the nature of things the usual rule would be for the greater number of spiritual preceptors to be found in the higher castes, but this was the result of natural laws and not of a fixed prohibition. It is noticeable also from this and other instances that it was the father's position that fixed the son's, and the mother's seems to have been of very minor importance. The question about the gotra was of importance, probably, with regard to the rites and other circumstances of initiation. Satyakāma must have known perfectly well that he was the illegitimate son of a serving-woman, but he wished to know his father's name and gotra because he would have to tell it to his guru. Even after knowing the worst, he persisted in his intention of taking up spiritual studies, so that he can have had no fear of being rejected on account of his base origin. His guru, impressed by his truth-fullness, says, "None but a Brāhmin would have the moral strength to make such an avowal." It can hardly be meant by this that Satyakāma's father must have been a Brahmin, but that since he had the Brahmin qualities, he must be accepted as a Brāhmin. Even the Kşhatriya would have hesitated to speak so truthfully, because the Kşhatriya is by nature a lover of honour and shuns dishonour, he has the sense of māna and apamāna but the true Brahmin is samo mānāpamānayoĥ, he accepts indifferently worldly honour and dishonour and cares only for the truth and the right. In short the Gautama concludes that, whatever may be Satyakāma's physical birth, spiritually he is of the highest order and especially fitted for a sādhaka; na satyād agāĥ, he did not depart from the truth.

The second point is the first action of the guru after the ceremony of initiation. Instead of beginning the instruction of this promising disciple he sends him out with four hundred miserable kine, more likely to die than prosper and increase, and forbids him to return till he has increased them to a thousand. Wherefore this singular arrangement? Was it a test? Was it a discipline? But Haridrumata had already seen that his new disciple had the high Brahmin qualities. What more did he require?

(from “The Upanishads” by Sri Aurobindo)

The Heavenly word da and its three meanings

Bŗhadāraņyaka U. (5.2.1-5.2.3)

Gods, humans and Asurā all three descendents of Prajāpati-lived with him as students for a time.

Then the gods said: “Teach us, Sir!”. In reply Prajāpati uttered one syllable “da”. Then he said: “Have you understood?” They answered, “Yes we have.

You said to us, ‘damyata-be self-controlled.’

“Yes” agreed Prajāpaati.

Then the humans said: “Teach us, Sir!”. In reply Prajāpati uttered one syllable “da”. Then he said: “Have you understood?”. They answered, “yes, we have.

You said to us, ‘datta-be charitable’”. “Yes”, agreed Prajāpati.

Then the asurā said: “Teach us, Sir!”. In reply Prajāpati uttered one syllable “da”. Then he said: “Have you understood?”. They answered, “Yes, we have. You said to us, dayadhvam-be compassionate.” “Yes”, agreed Prajāpati.

Then the heavenly voice daivī vāk, thunders da, da, da – be self-controlled, give and be compassionate. Therefore one should learn these three; damam, dānam, dayam, self-control, charity and compassion.

Chakrāyaņa Uşhasti and āpat dharma

(Section 10 of chapter one; Chhāndogya U.)

Uşhasti, son of Chakra, a brāhmin was well known as the chief priest for carrying out the sacrifices done on behalf of kings and nobles. As such, he traveled from place to place. At one instant he lived along with his young wife in a deplorable condition in a village of elephant-drivers. The village was in a state of famine because of the destruction of coops by hail or locusts. He begged food from an elephant driver who spared him some of the beans he was waiting. Then the driver offered him water which was refused saying, “I shall be drinking what is defiled”. Then the drawer asked him, “Are not these beans (which you took) also defiled”. Ushaste replied, “unless I ate them, I surely would not have survived, but drinking is at my option”. Ushasti brought the reminder of the beans to his wife. Next morning he said, “Alas, if I could get a little food, I could earn a little wealth since the king is going to perform a sacrifice.” His wife said to him, “here are the beans you gave me yesterday”. Then he started towards the place of sacrifice, where all the priests had to already been appointed. Then he introduced himself to the principal person in the sacrifice. He said, “I searched for you, received sir, for all these priestly offices, but not finding you, sir, I have chosen others; revered sir, you yourself take up all the priestly offices for me”. Ushasti replied, “Be it so; let these save priests sing the hymns permitted by me. But you should give me as much wealth as you give them”. Very well said the sacrifcer. Then he taught the current priests some subtle aspects of the sacrifice rite the deity etc.

This anecdote illustrates two aspects of the Vedic society. Ushasti being a brāhmin had to strictly follow the rules of diet. However in times of emergencies like starvation, the rules can be relaxed just to allow for survival. It is called āpat dharma, dharma in emergency.

Secondly note the cordial relationship between Ushasti and the priests who had already been appointed. These priests were eager to learn the deeper knowledge from Ushasti. Note Ushasti did not tell the king, “remove these priests from office”. He said, “let them continue under my direction”.

The Sage Raikva, the Yoked One

(Section one of chapter 4 of Chhāndogya U.)

Jānashruti Pautrāyaņa was a Kşhatriya king, well known as a generous and wise man. Once he overheard two swans conversing in the sky flying above. The first swan said, "the effulgence of the Janushruti has spread like the heaven". The second swan remarked, "How could you describe him as if he were Raikva, the yoked one" and so on. Janushruti on hearing this talk ordered his attendant to find out and bring this Raikva. The attendant was unsuccessful in his quest. Then Janashruti instructed him to search for Raikva in places where the knowers of Brahman abide. This time the attendant was successful. He saw the person sitting near a cart scratching eruptions on his skin. After getting the confirmation, he informed his master. Janashrute went to this person Raikva with several costly gifts including a chariot, necklace and a hundred cows and said, "O Raikva, all these presents are for you. Revered Sir, instruct me about the deity whom you worship".

Raikva replied, "O Shūdra, may the chariot and necklaces etc remain with you". After repeated entreaties including the offer of his daughter in marriage, and several villages, he went to Raikva for the instruction. Raikva gave him the esoteric knowledge known as Samvarga Vidya.

Note there the fearlessness of Raikva. He addressed the king as a shūdra because the king appeared to believe that presents can be exchanged for knowledge.

The Sanskrit text calls Raikva as "sayugvā raikvā” Yug means yoked. Clearly the meaning is that Raikva is the yoked one or yoked to the Divine. However it appears in English translation as 'Raikva with the cart.'