We are doing a scripture study together: reading along through some scriptures and discussing the passages. Today is the ninth post of my favorite Upanishad: The Katha. This is the story of a boy who chatted with the God of death.

http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/awakening101/upani_katha.html

6

He verily knows Brahman who knows the First—born, the offspring of austerity, created prior to the waters and dwelling, with the elements, in the cave of the heart. This, verily, is That.

7

He verily knows Brahman who knows Aditi, the soul of all deities, who was born in the form of Prana, who was created with the elements and who, entering into the heart, abides therein. This, verily, is That.

8

Agni, hidden in the two fire—sticks and well guarded—like a child in the womb, by its mother—is worshipped day after day by men who are awake and by those who offer oblations in the sacrifices. This, verily, is That.

9

Whence the sun rises and whither it goes to set, in whom all the devas are contained and whom none can ever pass beyond—This, verily, is That.

10

What is here, the same is there and what is there, the same is here. He goes from death to death who sees any difference here.

http://www.vedarahasya.net/katha-4.htm

That one who sees the Atma, which arose from the Brahman even before the creation of all the five components of life (the pancha bhuthas – viz., the water, fire, earth, air and space) and which resides in the heart cave of all beings, in everything else – only he sees the truth. That is that state which we are contemplating about.

That which is in the form of all Gods and Goddesses, and which is called as the aditi (because it eats up all), and that which is born as the chief life-breath out of the Brahman and which resides in the heart cave of all beings, and which is created along with all other things that are created, is the thing (that we are contemplating about).

Like the sparks of fire hidden in the fire-sticks dug out of a bunch burning in a yagna and like the embryo well hidden and protected by the pregnant women, like the incessant fire carefully protected and hidden by those who perform their rites very carefully and devoutly, the Atma is hidden and protected within the heart. That is the thing (that we are contemplating about).

From where the sun rises and unto where it returns on set, upon that vital energetic force of the Atma do rest all the Devas. (In other words, all the Gods and Goddesses are founded only on that force or power without which they would cease to exist). No one can go beyond that. That is the thing (that we are contemplating about).

Whatever is here, (only) that is there; whatever is there, (only) that is here. Whoever distinguishes it here (not understanding the all pervading principle of Atma while living in this world), he goes from death to death again. He is caught in the cycle of deaths.

Commentary (Swami Krishnananda)

This ishvara, Brahman, God, Atman, is externally visible and internally experienced. He is far and near. Externally, to the senses, He is the most distant, and yet, being your own Self, He is nearest.

…In dream, you are the objects and also the subject. You yourself are the experiences of the dream-content. Likewise, ishvara is present objectively in the cosmos, and subjectively in you.

…This fire of awakening has to be ignited. ishvara–sakshatkara or the awareness that one is the Universal—that conflagration which is in every matchstick—is what is necessary. This awakened Reality is verily That.

This agni is symbolically worshipped by the householders as the fivefold agni, even today, but it has become only a ritual. People mistake this earthly fire as the real, instead of recognising it as the universal fire. But the agni that we worship is a symbol of the vaishvanara–agni.

…What is the law that keeps all cells in the body intact? Why do they not run away? We have never seen cells in the body fighting with each other. Why do they react chemically and otherwise? Why should there be a relation between effect and cause? All this is due to this central Force or Energy on which everything is hung and on which everything depends. This is the God of all gods. Everything valuable in this world and the celestial one is determined by This. No one can break Its Law. No one can exceed It. There is no such thing as violation of It. This Reality is that Supreme Being.

…Birth and death cannot be obviated as long as there is attraction and repulsion, and they cannot be avoided as long as many things are perceived. So do not be under the misconception that there are many things here. All these forms are the forms of the One thing only.

My Thoughts

Another favorite verse of mine: “What is here, the same is there and what is there, the same is here. He goes from death to death who sees any difference here.” Suggesting that what traps us in the cycle of death and birth is seeing differences in the unity.

Over and over the analogy of a dream fits so well with our experiences of life. I love Swami’s point of how the same being can be both the object and the subject. We already experience that when we sleep and so we can understand how God experiences this world.