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Vol. XXVI, 2003
THE CONCEPT OF 'GURU' IN THE UPANISADS
thought of, what is unknown becomes known? (6 a HRT 961461 301HF FOISRO HIG814912:
H
a la, 3140 HC, 41054, Tas Chăndogya Up.VI.1.3). Śvetaketu was shocked. He never learnt this in his gurukula, though he mastered all Vedas and Šāstras. Then, bowing down to his father requested him to instruct about this highest kind of knowledge (TFSTEL : Cui Hanifa Chando. IV.1.3). Then Uddālaka starts telling that it is indestructible Brahman or self, knowing which everything becomes known. Brahman is the cause of everything. Everything originates from It, and merges in It in the end. If the cause becomes known, the effect also becomes known. Just as through a single lump of clay, all that is made of clay would become known. In the case of jar, saucer, brick etc., there is clay together with their names and forms. Of these clay pervades them all. All modification is but name and form. But their essence is clay, which is the material cause. Similarly, if Brahman is known, the cause is known, everything originated from It becomes known (TT HRC afTusa d fasci RICE TERreui fachlar f e r44 1 Chandogya Up. VI.V.4). Then he explains the origin of the universe from that non-dual Brahman (Ha HISA 5649 HTC Chaifaci147 1 Chāndogya VI.II.13). Lastly, he tells him that, everything is Brahman only, and that thou art : You are that Brahman (araufh atachili Chān. Up. VII.X.3; VI.VIII.7; VI.IX.4 etc.) Similarly, in Taittirīya Upanisad, Bhrgu, approaches his father Varuna and requests him to instruct about the Brahman (yd arefu: Ianui fuaRYTHAT I 37ENE 40 qafa Taittirīya Up. Bhrguvallī - 1). Then Varuņa says, “That from which all these beings are born, that by which, having been born, these beings live and continue to exist, and into which, when departing, they all enter, that is Brahman. That you must know (यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते, येन जातानि जीवन्ति, यत्प्रयन्त्यभिसंविशन्ति, तद्विजिज्ञासस्व, तद् EU I - ibid - 1).
The way of teaching of Upanisadic Gurus was remarkable. They emphasized on personal experience of truth. Varuna imparted knowledge of Brahman to Bhrgu, step by step. First he said, annam Brahma i.e. Matter or Physical thing is Brahman i.e. Physical personality is Brahman. (3FFİ TET) Bhrgu, observed, and meditated on this teaching. He came to the conclusion after experience that physical personality, thing, cannot be Brahman, the ultimate Reality, because, he found that, there is something, which is subtler than physical thing, and - physical thing is perishable also. He again, came to father to learn more. Then father said, vital force or energetic personality is Brahman. (uma ) He observed and meditated on it for several months. Then again, he approached father and said that energetic personality cannot be Brahman, there must be
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