PRASNOPANISHAD 3

                                                                       

Kabandhi, Bhargava and Kausalya, the aspirants, question their preceptor Pippalada on the nature of Prana, its importance and the Self and how it comes into the human body. The teacher explains the function of the different breaths or vayus and how they function in the body and in which positions they are placed. The functions of Prana, Apana, Samana Vyana and Udana are dexterously explained to them. It is now the turn of another disciple to ask a very pertinent question regarding sleep! He wants to know the powers that are dormant and active when a person goes to sleep. Who sees and experiences the dreams and enjoys them?  Pipalada points out that like the Sun withdrawing his rays while setting and rising with full radiance and glory. The Divine mind withdraws all activities and cannot see, smell, taste, touch, speak, or take, rejoice, or emit or  move about during sleep!

         He explains that the fires of the Mind alone are wakeful in the body. The Mind sees, hears and experiences whatever it has seen already again and again in different places and directions. Not only   these but things not seen or heard or experienced are visualized by the Divine Mind. In short  It sees all being all! Dreams disappear with the power of light and wakefulness ensues. Just like the birds return to the tree for rest and relaxation, so too all things merge into the Supreme Self! Elements of earth, water, fire, air, ether, sight, hearing, smell,  taste, touch, speech, hands, genitals,  excretory organs feet, mind  intellect, self consciousness,  and light merge themselves into the supreme Self!

            In effect, the seer, toucher, hearer, smeller, taster, perceiver, knower, doer, and the  thinker, is none other than the “ Supreme Imperishable Self! Having explained and answered the questions of his disciple Gargya, Pippalada  asserts that one who  recognizes the “shadowless, bodiless, colorless, pure, imperishable Self reaches the imperishable self itself! Knowing all, he becomes the all! Thus, Pippalada declares that the person who recognizes the imperishable self, in whom the conscious self, with all its powers, , its vital breaths and the elements are established--- he, knowing all, has become the ALL.”