The sole aim and purpose of all Upanishads is to describe the Brahman or the Absolute soul. One of the definitions of the Upanishads is, “ Upanishaditi Brahma Vidya". All Upanishads starting from the Isavasya Upanishad proclaim the various aspects of the Brahman or the universal self that manifests in all creatures of the entire universe. Brahman is none other than the self enshrined in the innermost recess of our hearts. The Soul or the Self has to be realized and it is the purpose for which God has created man! But unfortunately, encircled in the cycle of Samsara, man has totally forgotten the purpose of his life. The nature of Self or Soul is described by Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra as “ nainam chindanti sastrani nainam dahati pavaka..”It cannot be cut by sastras or burnt by fire; air cannot dry it up nor water wet it”. It is indestructible! The pity with man is that he identifies the body with the Soul! He doesn't realize that the Soul is different from the body! All his sufferings are due to this mistaken identity!
Like the other Upanishads, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad proclaims the significance of realizing the Self. In one stretch it declares that “ This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than all else, and is the innermost”. Narayana Suktam describes the exact position of Paramatma in our body! “ Tasyas sikhaya madhye Paramatma vyavasthtaha”. The Upanishad says that a person who speaks of anything else than the Self as dear shall lose things that he holds dear! The mandate of the Upanishad is that “ One should worship the Self alone as dear!” The object of his love shall not perish if if he worships the Self as dear. The ultimate end is the knowledge of the Brahman by which one attains everything. The Upanishad asserts that, “ in the beginning this was Brahman. It knew itself only as, “I am Brahman". Therefore it became all.
Ananda Valli of Taittiriya Upanishad declares, “ Aum Brahma vidapnoti param tadesha bhuykuta” One who realizes the Brahman becomes the Brahman itself. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad points out that all Gods who are aware of this would become the Brahman itself. Rishi Vamadeva, realizing this, knew himself as, “ I was Manu, I was the sun too”. Who ever realizes that he is Brahman becomes all! None including the Devas can prevent this as the Brahman has become their self.The Upanishad continues and points out that the worshipper and the deity he worships are one and the same, not two different entities! He is similar to animals to Gods. Like animals that serve man, he serves the Devas! The deities do not want men to know this because they want the service of men.
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad hits the nail on the head by saying that, “ anyone who departs from the world without realizing his own Self, it being unknown, does not protect him”. Like the person who has not studied the Vedas is unprotected, the unrealized individual is prone to danger! All actions of such person are bound to perish says the Upanishad! “ One should meditate on the Self as one’s true world. If a man meditates on the Self only as his true world his work does not perish, for out of that very Self he creates whatsoever he desires.”
How far is the recommendation of the Upanishad relevant in this Kaliyuga and modern civilization? Tremendous changes have taken place from the Vedic and Upanishadic periods.Civilizations and societies have appeared and disappeared. Religion, rituals, faith and belief are at their lowest ebb. Rationalism has usurped their place. Scientific advancement and an upsurge of technology has almost brought an end to what little belief and faith people have in the Vedas, rituals and contemplation on the Brahman or the Absolute Self! People have no time to think of the Upanishads and the Self! It is only a rare aspirant here and there that attempts to think of the Self under an acharya in some ashram! Materialism and mundane interests have scuttled everything philosophical and based on the Vedas and the Upanishads! We only wish that humanity should revisit the Vedas and the Upanishads to reap the benefit of peace of mind for all.
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