Taittiriya Upanishad

Social norms of behavior have drowned in the Ganga.
Contentment has disappeared from the minds of people.
Morality, character, and human values are shattered.
Men have lost their humanness.

Everyone needs food to survive. Food is the prime necessity of life. However, man cannot rest contented by merely filling his stomach. Why? Food satisfies the body, not the mind. It does not make the heart blossom. To eat and laze around is not human nature. You must eat, and then work. While working, you must ask yourself three questions: What am I doing? Why am I doing it? How am I doing it? When man inquires into the what, where, and how [of his actions], he can achieve victory in his efforts and derive self-satisfaction.

As man observes the world, he assimilates the good around him and tries to put it into practice. He experiences the joy and bliss emanating from good actions. He conveys his bliss to others. This is the main teaching of Taittiriya Upanishad. This Upanishad asserts that the journey of life is to progress from food to bliss.

Sayings of the Taittiriya Upanishad

The Taittiriya Upanishad belongs to the Taittiriya branch of the Dark Yajur Veda [the “Dark” half of the Yajur Veda scripture]. This Upanishad is extremely ancient. Every couplet in it is a mantra. What is meant by the word mantra? You think that only invocations like the five-syllabled Om namah Shivayah or the eight-syllabled Om namo Narayanaya are mantras. No, no, whatever is recalled again and again and made steady in your mind is a mantra. Every verse, every word of this Upanishad, is a potent mantra because it has reverberated in human minds since time immemorial.

Satyam vada, dharma chara (Speak the truth, follow righteousness.)
Satyam jnanam anantam Brahma (God is truth and wisdom and is infinite.)
Ekam sat Vipraah badhudaa vadanti (Truth is One. Sages describe it in various ways.)
Ekovasi sarvabhutaantaratma (The One is the indweller in all beings.)
Ekoham bahusyam (The One manifests as many.)

These truths in the form of brief aphorisms are mantras known the world over, granting wisdom and delight to mankind. There is a secret in the Upanishads: They can be interpreted in more than one way, based on the state of the interpreter. The Taittiriya Upanishad propagates lessons indispensable to all—students, householders, retirees, and renunciates. The teachings of this Upanishad are absolutely necessary for everyone, irrespective of age, status, and other conditions.

The Five Fires

This text talks about the “five fires.” The first is udaragni (udara [stomach] plus agni [fire]), the fire of the stomach. The longing of hunger is udaragni. The second fire, mandagni (manda means “slow,” “sluggish,” “lazy,” “dumb”) is the suffering of indigestion arising from overeating. Kamagni (kama means “desire”), the third, is the craving of desires, which assaults the mind endlessly.

Next comes sokagni (soka means “sorrow”), the fire of sorrow. What is this sorrow? It is not sorrow born out of unsatisfied worldly desires. The yearning for the divine vision, permanent bliss, and merger with God gradually becomes a fire within, known as sokagni.

The Bhagavad Gita is the scripture acknowledged and accepted by peoples of all countries and faiths. Open it and you find the first chapter called “The Yoga of Arjuna’s Dejection.” What was Arjuna’s dejection? Was he gloomy about some worldly issue, about relatives and friends? If so, why was his despair given the noble title of yoga? No, no, his grief was not related to worldly joys, friends and relatives, money, power, or fame. His dilemma was about his duty to God.

“Countless men will die in this war,” lamented Arjuna. “With widespread destruction of males, dharma [right action]will diminish, castes will intermarry, and immorality will reign,” His grief was a result of his adherence to God and duty and, hence, qualified as yoga. Thus, sokagni is not to pine for wealth, fame, or power, but to yearn for God and dharma.

Finally, there is badabagni, the suffering of terrible diseases, worries, and death. These five fires affect the body alone, not the soul, which is a witness to the suffering caused by the fires. The Taittiriya Upanishad teaches you how to act as a witness to the five fires.

Four Types of Human Beings

There is another deep secret ingrained in this text. There are four categories of men: divine, human, demonic, and animal. The first type is divine man. God appears in human form. He is present in the heart. Therefore, these are the characteristics of a divine man: filling the heart with divine feelings, performing all actions with the motive to please Him, believing that his reality is the same spark of God present in others, being affectionate to all with love and compassion, offering his life to God.

The second type is human man. Man is a combination of truth and dharma. These are the qualities of a human man: keeping truth and dharma in view; propagating truth and dharma; loving all with kindness and compassion; understanding the importance of human values; performing charity and good deeds; uniting thought, word, and deed; executing his duty and responsibilities even as a householder; and seeking to demonstrate the divine potential of human life.

Next is demon man. Intoxicants identify a demon. A man who indulges in liquor, hurts others, acts out of selfishness, looks out for his own convenience and progress, and is devoid of kindness and love is classified as a demon man by the Upanishads.

Finally, there is animal man. The man without discrimination is equal to an animal. What is animal nature? Considering sensual gratification as the aim of life, being submerged in sensual pleasures from birth to death, spending time in eating and sleeping, and forgetting your human aspect is animal nature. Food, sleep, and shelter are needs common to men and animals. Then what distinguishes men from animals? A man who doesn’t discriminate between the temporary and the permanent is no better than a beast. When does discrimination seem unpalatable? When the heart is full of selfishness and self-interest.

Having acquired a human birth, a man must follow the noblest path, which is to attain divinity. If divinity remains beyond his reach, acquiring human values and maintaining his stature as a human being is a matter of blessedness also. But it is a gross violation of dharma to stoop down to demonic or animal levels. The world has no human values today because demon and animal men have grown in population. Morality is absent. Even social etiquette is destroyed. Man does not understand what is meant by society.

What is society? Society is not just a collection of heads. That which promotes the awareness of unity in diversity is society. The dharma of society is to act with a unified motive and to collectively experience the fruit of actions. The significance of society is to teach man that true happiness is available to individuals only through the collective welfare. Without society, individuals cannot exist. Your joys are dependent on those of society. Someone who is blind to this truth pursues his selfish aims heedlessly.

The Taittiriya Upanishad elaborates beautifully on the five fires and the four kinds of men. When students completed their education in the hermitage schools of ancient India, before entering the householder stage of life, they sat around the guru to listen to his final instructions on how to lead fulfilling lives. These instructions are collected in this Upanishad.

Worldly Gain and Spiritual Merit

You can make life proceed in one of two directions—worldly gain or spiritual merit. Worldly gain is that which grants happiness immediately, meaning pleasures of the senses. Such joys are not only just temporary but also utterly unreal. The majority of mankind pursues the allure of worldly gain. Only a small fraction trusts in the permanent and true path of spiritual merit. Why? The fruit of spiritual merit take time to germinate. Man does not relish the waiting period. He demands quick results.

Even his desires are chosen based on convenience. Position, power, fame, and a comfortable life top his list of wants. He does not wish for wisdom, good character, and virtues. Those on the spiritual path aspire for good character, good qualities, good knowledge, and good behavior. To hanker after short-lived and immediate gains like fame, power, and money is a worldly quality.

True Education Teaches Virtue

The gurus said, “Students, What is the aim of education? The aim of education is humility. Humility is the jewel of students. Character is your life.” Such instructions were grouped under the title—sikshaavalli [the section on education]. Students were instructed to keep sikshaavalli in view throughout their lives and adhere to it. The gurus told their pupils, “Honor your mother and father as God. Under any circumstances, do not give up truth or violate dharma.” With such divine instructions and education, the gurus filled the minds of students with total satisfaction and dharma and transformed them into divine personalities.

Unfortunately, today’s education only serves to turn human beings into demons! It fosters guile and cleverness without instilling virtue. Instead of developing gratitude, education fills men with pride and makes them ingrates. No, no, this is contrary to the aims of true education. What is the great “progress” achieved by modern-day education? [Students are]

Harming those who help them,
Destroying those who feed them,
Making fun of those who teach them—
This is the “progress” in today’s education.

Yes, all love to preach about morals and character. They only repeat the words morality and values without practicing them. These words are relegated to books and scriptures alone.

Morality and discipline are relegated to books.
Hearts stink of pollution.
Hands engage only in selfish actions.
This is the “progress” in today’s education.

Ancient tutelage was totally unlike current education. Speak truth, follow righteousness. Honor your parents. This is your first duty. Why? Only because the reflection, reaction, and resound of your actions will affect you later in life. Disrespect your father today, and definitely, your son will deride you. If you cheat your friend today, without a doubt you will be betrayed tomorrow. You are bound to experience the reactions of your actions. The respect you show to your parents today will be reflected in your children’s demeanor tomorrow. Hence, the joys and sorrows of the future are bundled into your present actions. The Taittiriya Upanishad reveals that the future is concealed as seeds in your present actions.

Merge into Universal Consciousness

The Brahman principle is all-pervading. What is Brahman? It is the vast, expansive, all-encompassing awareness. This awareness is present in equal measure in every human being. The consciousness in the individual is narrow and limited, while the universal consciousness is boundless, infinite and all-inclusive. You must tap the infinite awareness through your limited awareness. How?

You have air all around you, and you can fill air in a balloon. As long as the balloon is intact, there is a distinction between air inside and outside. How can you merge the two bodies of air? Inflate the balloon and make it bloat—till it bursts!

The narrow feelings of I and mine are like the limited air in the balloon. The one soul is the indweller in all beings. Develop this broad attitude to merge your awareness into the cosmic consciousness. Tell yourself repeatedly, “This and That is one, this and That is one…” Then you will find your heart expand to let your awareness become one with the Lord. Only then can the world become a place of peace and happiness.

Acquire Practical Knowledge

Education today does not foster virtues. You are proficient only in bookish knowledge, which cannot be good for anyone. You need practical knowledge. Determination is essential for practical knowledge. The know-how of students is 99 percent superficial knowledge. They spend all their time merging books with their head. What good can the nation possibly experience from such cramming? You must inquire, what actions will help society as well as me? When ancient students were ready to depart from the hermitage schools and enter into family life, the sages filled their hearts with such expansive feelings.

The sages said, “Sons, troubles and difficulties are an inseparable part of life. Remain steady without fear or agitation. Never give up truth, even in the most strenuous conditions. Do not forget your dharma. Follow these instructions, and you will find your conscience exuding contentment, which is a treasure.” Satisfy your conscience. Today students do not even know what a conscience is! Satisfying it, therefore, is a remote possibility. The conscience is the witness. The four Fs are:

Follow the master.
Face the devil.
Fight to the end.
Finish the game.

“Follow the master,” means to follow your conscience. “Face the devil/Fight to the end/Finish the game” describes the journey of life. Such truths are not seen in modern education. Knowledge of the soul (the science of self-realization) alone is true education. Every other branch of information is only cultivated to earn a living. Yes, such study is necessary, but you must cultivate the science of self-realization as well.

Yes, life can be enjoyed with the body, senses, food, and sleep. But the mind, intellect, and soul go beyond physical existence. Satisfying them is more important. Man is content with food for the body, sleep for the eyes, and a house full of children. This is shallow thinking. Mental satisfaction is important. Contentment of the mind is possible only through the spiritual path. Spiritual merit transcends human existence.

Recognize the path that will foster your human values. If a man cannot love his own mother, wife, and fellow men, how can he hope to love God? It is impossible! First, expand your love to your family and fellow men. Love is not something that emerges and subsides in short bursts. The love that decreases at any time is not love at all. True love grows and grows. “Love is God. Live in love.”

Science of Self-realization is the Basis

Worldly education is not your goal. Any number of sciences devoid of human qualities are rubbish. There is no education greater than the knowledge of human qualities and true humanness.

What is the use of all your education?
Who can change the destiny written on your forehead?
As soon as wrong ideas enter your mind,
Your intelligence becomes dead like a rock.

Yes, worldly education and research are necessary. However, the basis of all knowledge—the soul principle—must be pursued. Can the gross, physical manifestation exist without the basis? Here is a table with a tumbler on it. The table stands on the earth. The earth is the basis; the table and tumbler are the gross. You neglect the basis and hold on to the based. This is why you suffer.

Cultivate the basis. All can be known when you are armed with the science of self-realization. This is unity in diversity, the teaching of Upanishads. In modern education, there is no chance given for the propagation of the Upanishads, Brahma Sutra, Vedas, epics, and Puranas. The complete potential and value of human beings is contained in these scriptures. Leaving such valuable diamonds aside, you run after pieces of charcoal!

You must acquire [the divine] diamond. How? When you destroy the mind, which pursues worldly matters, that state of “die mind” is the diamond. Therefore, you must restrict the movement of the mind into mundane matters. There are highly educated people in the world, equipped with complex degrees and elevated positions. To what end? They dedicate their lives to the acquisition of facts. They feed the same stomach day after day, wash the same face. If you ask them about the chief aim of life, they are confused. They respond, “You can earn a lot of money, deposit it in the bank, even send it overseas.” What can they buy with their money? When their time arrives, they close their eyes, and all their possessions disappear forever.

Earn the wealth of wisdom. Earn the lofty state of divinity. The wealth of wisdom can never diminish or be destroyed. Worldly education is depleted. You study day and night to master secular knowledge. You collect useless facts in your head. First, you transfer everything from the book into your head. Then, in the examination, you transfer everything back from your head to the paper—and come home with an empty head! What is the use? If you are asked to answer the same question one week after the exam, you cannot. No, no, this is not education, but only memorization for the immediate purpose of earning a degree. The world can never benefit from such study. It will help you fill your stomach and earn money for your family. But to the world, such studies are totally useless.

Students must desire the welfare of the world. Today selfishness rules their minds, making them agitate society. They have no trust or respect for the guru, no love for parents, no concern for society. How can they call themselves humans? First, pursue education that instills human qualities. Even animals observe limits, but man has no reason, no season. What universities do animals attend? What degrees do they possess? What positions of authority do they command? None. Still, they acquire morality to the extent possible.

Students must develop human values. Science is soaring beyond the skies in progress. But the senses are descending downward. Is this progress? No, no, no, no! The senses must be controlled. Man has traveled millions of miles into space, but not even half an inch into his heart! Introspect, dive deep into your heart. Realize that your soul is an eternal witness. Then human qualities will emanate from within you.

Devotion is not limited to worship and devotional songs. The heart must be expanded. Peace and forbearance must be strengthened. Treat love as your life breath, and nurture it with equal care. Life without love is a living death. Love is all-important.

Source: Summer Showers in Brindavan 1991