Taittiriya Upanishad- Petal 9

SECTION 5 – THE INTELLECT AS BRAHMAN

vij~nanam brahmeti vyajanat.h .
vij~nanad.hdhyeva khalvimani bhutani jayante .
vij~nanena jatani jivanti .
vij~nanam prayantyabhisa.nvishantiti . tadvij~naya .
punareva varunam pitaramupasasara . adhihi bhagavo brahmeti .
ta{\m+} hovacha . tapasa brahma vijij~nasasva . tapo brahmeti .
sa tapo.atapyata . sa tapastaptva .. 1..

He realized that the intellect (vijnana) is Brahman; for from the intellect, verily, are these beings born; by the intellect, when born, do they live; into the intellect, at the time of dissolution, do they enter, do they merge. Having realized this, he approached his father again and said: "Venerable Sir, teach me Brahman." To him, the son, he said this: "Seek to know Brahman by means of austerities; for austerities are the means of knowing Brahman." He practiced austerities. Having practiced austerities—

As he completed his meditation in the fifth section of this Valli, Bhrigu understood that knowledge is also a form of the Brahman. As he realized that knowledge is a form of the Brahman he understood that it is intellect which drives the mind in the necessary direction. Bhrigu after deep contemplation feels that intellect is subtler than mind. With the help of intellect living beings are able to determine what is right and what is wrong and hence he concluded that certainly knowledge or intellect can be Brahman.  Then the following doubt arose. Such sensations as pain and pleasure, inner longings etc. are experienced by the intellect or the intelligent agent and hence the intellect cannot be Brahman. The teacher again told Bhrigu to focus himself on the theme.

iti pa~nchamo.anuvakah ..

End of Section 5 - Chapter 3

SECTION 6 –BLISS IS BRAHMAN

anando brahmeti vyajanat.h .
anandadhyeva khalvimani bhutani jayante .
anandena jatani jivanti . anandam prayantyabhisa.nvishantiti .
saisha bhargavi varuni vidya . parame vyomanpratishthita .
sa ya evam veda pratitishthati . annavanannado bhavati .
mahanbhavati prajaya pashubhirbrahmavarchasena .
mahan.h kirtya .. 1..

He realised that Bliss is Brahman; for from Bliss (ananda), verily, are these beings born; by bliss, when born, do they live; into bliss, at the time of dissolution, do they enter, do they merge. This is the wisdom taught by Varuna and learnt by Bhrigu. It is established in the supreme akasa, in the heart. He who knows this is established in the Bliss of Brahman. He becomes a possessor of food and an eater of food. He becomes great in offspring and cattle and in spiritual radiance and great in fame.

In the sixth section Bhrigu leaves behind the element of intellect far behind and decides that Bliss is the manifestation of the Brahman which is experienced through the non-duality of existence. Bhrigu had realized that Bliss-sheath is devoid of pain and far worthier than the other sheaths. Moreover he had also realized that on experiencing the Bliss-sheath one is able to realize the Supreme Being or the Brahman and in the process fulfils the goal of his life.  This is to say that the seeker gradually gives up the five sheaths and attains to the Supreme Support, which is the unconditioned Brahman.
The fruit of this knowledge has been described at the end of this Mantra. But it should be kept in mind that the knower of Brahman is not really affected by it because having realized the unreal nature of the universe, he remains unattached to them just as a man, having realized the true nature of a mirage may still see the illusory nature of water and yet remains not deceived by it.

iti shashtho.anuvakah ..

End of Section 6 - Chapter 3

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD

SECTION 7

annam na nindyat.h . tad.hvratam.h . prano va annam.h .
shariramannadam.h . prane shariram pratishthitam.h .
sharire pranah pratishthitah . tadetadannamanne pratishthitam.h .
sa ya etadannamanne pratishthitam veda pratitishthati .
annavanannado bhavati .
mahanbhavati prajaya
pashubhirbrahmavarchasena . mahan.h kirtya .. 1..

Let him (the knower of Brahman) never condemn food; that is the vow. The prana is, verily, food; the body is the eater of food. The body rests on the prana; the prana rest on the body. Thus food rests on food. He who knows this resting of food on food is established; he becomes a possessor of food and an eater of food. He becomes great in offspring and cattle and in spiritual radiance and great in fame.

These latter sections of this chapter include mediation on food as it is considered food as the basis for any living being. It is with the help of food that an individual is able to sustain and only if an individual sustains he is able to attain enlightenment. Thus contemplation of food is ever desired. This sort of meditation is meant for those who are attached to the worldly matters in order to develop one-pointedness of mind to ultimately enable them to concentrate on Brahman.

The seventh Anuvaka of the Bhrigu Valli says that one who meditates on the food and the food eater as one and the same he is worthy of the rewards like plenty of food which he will be able to enjoy to the fullest, plenty of children who will look after him in his old age, plenty of cattle and certainly lots of wealth.

It has been said that prana or the vital force is the food and the physical body of the man is the food eater and hence the body consumes the prana. At the same time the body is established within the prana and so almost every moment the vital force or the prana is consuming the body. Thus, it can be said that eater and the eaten is the same thing. The deeper implication of this message is that one should not entertain any kind of un-divine idea within his divine Self.

iti saptamo.anuvakah ..

End of Section 7 - Chapter 3

SECTION 8

annam na parichaxita . tad.hvratam.h . apo va annam.h .
jyotirannadam.h . apsu jyotih pratishthitam.h .
jyotishyapah pratishthitah . tadetadannamanne pratishthitam.h .
sa ya etadannamanne pratishthitam veda pratitishthati .
annavanannado bhavati .
\medskip
mahanbhavati prajaya
pashubhirbrahmavarchasena .
mahan.h kirtya .. 1..

Let him (the knower of Brahman) never abandon food; that is the vow. Water is, verily, food; fire is the eater. Fire rests on water and water rests on fire. Thus food rests on food. He who knows this resting of food on food is established; he becomes a possessor of food and an eater of food. He becomes great in offspring and cattle and in spiritual radiance and great in fame

In the eighth section there has been ample glorification of food. It has been said that one should not reject food because that is disregarding food. By explaining the role of fire and water in our digestive system the teacher here tries to emphasize the fact that the role of the eater and the eaten are the same. This section has said that one should not reject food in any form but the deeper inference of this message for a student like Bhrigu is that one should never reject the world of objects. The manifested world of plurality is not to be rejected as a false and delusory nothingness, but on the contrary, it should be utilized as a means to Self-Realization.

ityashtamo.anuvakah ..

End of Section 8 - Chapter 3
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