TAITTIRIYA UPANISHAD BHRUGUVALLI SECOND ANUVAKA

                                       

                                                             

                                                                       

                                                        Brahma vignane prathama paryayaha

                                                             (First Attempt at Brahmagnana)

Mantra:  annam brahmeti vyajanath annadhyeva khalvimani bhuthani jivanthi……….

Meaning:  After his father instructed him on the characteristics of the Brahman and the gateways to approach it, sage Bhrugu performed  penance, the best means to achieve one’s desires. By performing penance thus, he realized that ‘annam’(food) is the Brahman. He found that whatever characteristics annam  exhibited were exactly the same and suited the qualities of the Brahman. It is because of annam all creatures are born. All living beings grow and thrive on annam   alone. They also merge into the same annam. In spite of this striking resemblance between annam and the Brahman, sage Bhrugu had his own reservations in accepting annam as the Brahman.He approached his father Varuna  and prayed by saying ‘adhihi bhagavo brahma.’ Sage Bhrugu’s doubt is valid because annam  is created by the Brahman.What is created is ephemeral-not permanent or everlasting whereas the Brahman is ‘nithya’permanent and everlasting.

       Seeing his son return with an insatiable thirst for the knowledge of the Brahman,Varuna,the father said “Know the Brahman with your tapas.Tapas itself is the Brahman.”After this parental instruction sage Bhrugu again sat in penance.

Sruthi describes annam as the Brahman because of these characteristics:

“yatovai manibhutani jayante” Brahmavalli also makes it clear with the sruthi: “annadwai prajaha prajayanthe yakascha pruthivig srithaa thoannenaiva jivantthi……..”All beings are created by annam, grow and thrive on it and merge into it.

The Vedas consider annam as the form of virat and fit for upasana. What is not the Brahman is unfit for upasana. So, to consider annam as the Brahman is called ‘upapatthi.’

“thapasa Brahma vijigna saswa”is repeated to establish it as the best among the various means of attaining the Brahman. “thapo Brahma”is an instruction to take up the best means of tapas for realizing the  Brahman. The desire for Brahmajnana  can be satisfied only through tapas-not by any other means.       

OM   THATH  SATH.