Kaivalya Upanishad

Translated by Rory Mackay

Introduction

The Kaivalya Upanishad is a short yet sublime scripture of little over twenty-four verses. Classified a ‘minor Upanishad’, it is attached to both the Artharva Veda and the Yajur Veda.

The word ‘kaivalya’ might be translated as detachment and release from worldly sorrows and bondage; which is to say, spiritual liberation, or moksha. This can only be attained by the full realisation of one’s nature as Brahman, the Self; eternal, ever free awareness/consciousness/existence. That is the core message of this Upanishad, which takes the form of a dialogue between the ancient sage Ashvalayana, and Brahma, the Creator God. In the opening verse, Ashvalayana asks Brahma to share with him the secret of Brahma Vidya, or Self-knowledge, that most ancient and cherished of Knowledge by which a soul may attain liberation.

Although the principle teacher is Brahma, the Kaivalya Upanishad is considered a Shaiva Upanishad. The term ‘Shiva’, used throughout, not only refers to Shiva the deity — part of the trimurti, or divine trinity (that also includes Brahma and Vishnu) — but is also synonymous with the Self. The word ‘Shiva’ literally means “that which is auspicious at all times and in all ways”, and is derived from the roots ‘Shi’, meaning “that in which all things lie and are pervaded”, and ‘va’, meaning “the embodiment of divine grace”.

Verses six and seven are particularly interesting. Brahma first advises us to meditate upon the Self as the formless, all-pervading substratum of Existence; That which is, by his own admission, “unreachable by thought”. This refers to Nirguna Brahman; the Self without form or attribute; the eternal, unmanifest root and essence of all things.

Contemplation upon the Self as the formless and all-pervading Eternal obviously requires an extremely subtle and sattvic intellect. That’s perhaps why the following verse suggests meditating upon the Self in the form of Lord Shiva. Most people find it easier to meditate upon the Self in the form of a symbol; thus, worship of Saguna Brahman (the Self with form) generally precedes worship of Nirguna Brahman (the formless, Unmanifest Self). The Puranic deities of India are depicted with a great amount of symbolism. For instance, Shiva’s three eyes and blue neck represent the Self as the Eternal Witness whose divine vision removes the the ‘poison’ of worldly sorrow.

Perhaps keen to avoid sectarianism, one of the lowlier tendencies of the human mind, the next verses then make it clear that this divine Self is not just Shiva, but also Vishnu, Indra, and all the gods and all the forms and elements of existence. Indeed, “By recognising one’s own Self in all beings and all beings in the Self, one attains the Highest Liberation and not by any other means.”

The remainder of the Upanishad provides further reflection upon the nature of the Self, the nature of the jiva (individual), and, recalling the great Mandukya Upanishad, a brief analysis of the three states of consciousness, here called the ‘three cities’, experienced by all beings: the condition of the waking state, the dreaming state and the deep sleep state. All three states are pervaded by the Self; pure Consciousness/Awareness—That in which all forms and experiences arise and eventually dissolve.

Following the main text are two additional verses, considered by some a minor addendum to the Upanishad. These verses suggest studying and reciting a particular passage from the Yajur Veda, called Sata Rudriya. It may seem like a strange interjection, but the message would seem to be that living one’s life according to the scriptures and careful reflection upon the ancient knowledge will in time lead to liberation.

My gratitude and thanks to Swami Chinmayananda, whose translation and commentary greatly aided this effort.

Shanti Patha (Peace Prayer)

O Lord, May we hear with our ears what is always auspicious, may we see with our eyes what is always auspicious. May we live our allotted lifespan with health and vigour, offering our praises unto Thee. May Indra, the ancient and famed; Pushan, the all-knowing Sun; Vayu, the Lord of the Air; and Brihaspati, guardian of our spiritual wealth, save us from harm and bless us (with a mind capable of understanding the teachings and a heart bold enough to live them).

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti (Om Peace, Peace, Peace)!

Part 1

Thus, it happened that Ashvalayana approached Lord Brahma and said:



1. O Bhagavan, teach me Brahma Vidya; the Highest Knowledge of Reality. I seek the sacred wisdom cherished by the pure of heart and mind; that greatest of secrets; the Truth by which the wise, releasing all karma, attain the Self.

To him, the Great Father of Creation said:

2. You will come to know this by means of faith, devotion and contemplation.

3. Immortality cannot be gained by work, nor by progeny, nor wealth, but by renunciation of attachment to worldly objects. Higher than heaven and seated in the innermost cave of the heart, It shines; attainable only by qualified seekers.

4. Those who clearly ascertain the importance of Vedanta, the Highest Knowledge of the Upanishads, who have pure minds and a spirit of renunciation; they, in the end, gain liberation.

5. In a clean and undisturbed place, sitting in a comfortable posture, with neck, head and body held steady and straight, with a mental attitude of renunciation and control of the senses, mentally saluting one’s own teacher with reverence, meditate within the lotus of the heart upon Brahman, the Eternal Self; That which is taintless, pure, ever-shining and untouched by grief.

6. This Self is unreachable by thought; Unmanifest; the One of endless forms; the ever-auspicious; the peaceful and Immortal; the origin of the very Creator; the One without beginning, middle or end; the One and all-pervading; Its nature pure Knowledge and Bliss; Formless and most wonderful.

7. By meditating upon the Lord Paramesvara (Shiva), consorted by Mother Uma (Shakti), the Highest Lord, the all-powerful; the three-eyed; the blue-necked and ever tranquil, the qualified seeker reaches Him who is the Source of all the manifest world; the Witness of all, and beyond all darkness and ignorance.

8. He is Brahma; He is Shiva; He is Indra; He is the Immutable; Supreme and Self-luminous. He alone is Vishnu; He is prana, the life force; He is Time and Fire; and both Sun and Moon.

9. He alone is All that was and All that will be—the Eternal. Knowing Him, one crosses beyond death. There is no other way to reach complete liberation.

10. By recognising one’s own Self in all beings and all beings in the Self, one attains the Highest Liberation and not by any other means.

11. Taking one’s attention away from the ego and making Om (Brahman; the Self) one’s sole focus, through the repeated application of Self-Knowledge the wise burn up all cords of worldly bondage.

12. When deluded by Maya’s spell of ignorance, Awareness, identifying with the body and sense of doership, seemingly becomes a jiva (individual person). In the waking state, this jiva seeks gratification only through worldly objects of enjoyment, such sex, food and alcohol.

13. In the dream state, the jiva experiences an imagined world of pleasure and pain created by its own Maya (misapprehension of Reality). In deep sleep, when mind and senses are overcome by tamas, they merge into the causal state and the jiva experiences the bliss of its own nature.

14. Due to unresolved karma from this life and others, that same jiva is then pulled from deep sleep back to the dream and waking states. Ever travelling between these ‘three cities’, from which arise all the worlds of diversified experience, this jiva is ultimately nothing but the Self under a veil of ignorance. As the Substratum of all, this unending Consciousness, the source of all Bliss, is That from which these ‘three cities’ arise and dissolve.

15. From It (the Self) is born prana (the vital air, or life force); the mind, and all the organs; space, air, fire, water and the earth which supports all.

16. That which is the Supreme Brahman, the Self in all, the great Support of the Universe; Eternal; subtler than the subtlest and greater than the greatest—That alone thou art! That alone thou art!

17. Realising with the entirety of one’s being that “That which illumines the world of relative experiences in the waking, dream and deep sleep states—that Self am I”—one attains liberation and freedom from all bondage.

18. In the three states, whatever constitutes the enjoyable, the enjoyer and the enjoyment is easily distinguished from Me; the Witness, the Pure Consciousness that is the Self, or Shiva, the ever-auspicious.

19. In Me alone all things are born; in Me alone do all things exist, and to Me alone will all things resolve. I am That non-dual Brahman; the Eternal Self in all.

20. Smaller than the smallest atom, yet greater than the greatest galaxy, I pervade all the universes. I am the ancient One; the Eternal Consciousness; the Supreme Ruler of all, by nature Self-effulgent and ever auspicious.

21. Although without hands and legs, I am of incomprehensible power. I see without eyes and hear without ears. Devoid of all form, I am the Knower of all, yet none know Me. My nature is Pure Knowledge.

22. I alone am That which is taught in the different Vedas; I am the revealer of the Vedanta; I am the real Knower of the sacred Knowledge. For Me, there is neither good or bad karma. I am impervious to destruction. I have neither birth nor body, nor sense organs, nor mind or intellect.

23-24. For Me, there is neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air or space. Thus realising the nature of the Supreme Self, dwelling in the hearts of all beings, without division and non-dual; the Witness of all, beyond both existence and non-existence, one attains the very nature of the Self.

Epilogue

1. Those who study and recite the Sata Rudriya (scriptures) become purified from all misdeeds, whether they be sins or omission or sins of commission. The pure of heart and mind gain refuge in the One who always abides as Truth-Consciousness: Shiva, the Supreme Self. Those abiding as the Highest should always repeat this at least once a day.

2. One then gains the Knowledge that destroys samsara (worldly sorrow). The fruits of liberation are thus enjoyed by the one who attains Kaivalyam (freedom).

Here ends the Kaivalya Upanishad belonging to the Atharva Veda.

Om tat sat.