BRAHMAN IS ALL

The sixth adhyaya of Swetaswatara Upanishad decries the delusion of a few wise men who think that Nature is the first cause of the universe. A few consider Time as the first cause. The cosmic wheel is made to turn only by the power of God according to the Upanishad! He who envelops the world and who is the author of time and all qualities and knowledge is the Creator of the five elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether! His action is invisible. He is incomparable and has no equal! His power manifests in various ways. His knowledge and strength is inherent in him. Is there any other master or ruler of the world? The Upanishad questions and answers in the same vein that there is none like that! He, the God is the cause. He controls the powers that rule the sense organs! Has he parents? No! He has no birth but manifests in various forms! “ajayamano bahudha vijayathe”.

He is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient! He is the indweller of all beings. He is none other than the self within all creatures, the ordainer of all deeds! He is the silent witness of every    word, action, and thought. That is why He is called “ Karma Sakshi”. He is  all Alone! He has no attributes or qualities. In short He is “ Nirguna Brahman”. He inspires and activates the lazy and the lethargic! It is amazing that he multiplies the one seed into many! The Upanishad promises  eternal happiness to those who realize Him in their self!

In a splendid description of that God, the Upanishad proclaims, “ He is the eternal among the eternals, the intelligent among the Intelligences, the one among the many who fulfills their desires. He is the cause which is to be apprehended through discrimination and discipline. By knowing that God one is freed from all fetters.” There will be no end to sorrow without knowing God. In conclusion the Upanishad declares that the ‘wise Swetaswatara, by the power of his penance and through the grace of God has truly proclaimed the highest and the holiest Brahman to the advanced ascetics’ on the approval of the assembly of sages.

This God is interchangeable with Brahman or Atman. The Upanishad asserts that Deva is the light of everything and He is the ‘one swan’ of the universe, self made, the Supreme Spirit. He is the quality in everything, the master of primeval matter and of the Spirit. His knowledge leads to deliverance and release from all sorrow, misery bondage, and fear. The sixth chapter of Swetaswatara Upanishad asserts that it is impossible to end sorrow, confusion and consequences of evil without knowing this joyful, blissful Deva, (Divine Soul).

In short, the Upanishad establishes that it is Deva ( God, Brahman) the primal cause of everything. He is described as the knower, creator of the quality of everything-- the Sarva Vidyah-- all knowledge! God is one in each and every human being and in all living creatures! God is the Soul (Atman) veiled inside, the inmost self inside all living beings and the primal cause is within one self!!