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Prashna Upanishad: The Six Questions and Their Answers
Prashna Upanishad comes from the Brahmana portion of the Atharva Veda belonging to the Pippaladasakha. It has 67 mantras spread over 6 chapters. The word “Prashna” means question. This Upanishad, like some other Upanishads, relies on the technique of questions and answers to explain many serious issues.
It discusses more elaborately some topics dealt with briefly in the Mundakopanishad and for that reason, it is considered as a commentary on that Upanishad. Much of the Mundakopanishad is in the form of verses with only a few passages being in the prose form. The Prasna Upanishad is just the opposite.
6 students
Six students, interested in knowing Brahman, come to Sage Pippalada requesting him to clarify their doubts. The sage asks them to take up penance for one year at his place and at the end of that period he will be willing to clarify all their doubts. The six students were
- (a) Sukesa, son of Bharadwaja
- (b) Satyakama, son of Sibi
- (c) Sauryayanee, born in the family of Garga
- (d) Kausalya, son of Ashwala
- (e) Bhargava belonging to Bhrigu gotra
- (f) Kabandhi the son of Katya.
The text consists of basically six questions asked of sage Pippalada. His answers form a dissertation on the question of creation, human personality and metaphysical principle in man. These students already knew about Saguna Brahman or Brahman with qualities (Apara Brahman). Now they want to know about Supreme Brahman – Brahman without qualities (Para Brahman).
According to the existing tradition they carried firewood in their hands to meet the teacher Pippalada who is described as Bhagavan because of his great qualities. An offering of firewood to a teacher is a symbol of respect, humility and keenness to learn on the part of a student.
6 Questions
The six questions are given below-
- What is the origin of all created beings?
- Who protects and guards created beings and who among them is supreme? This relates to the constituents of human personality
- How does the Chaitanya (Prana) enter the body and get diverted into five channels? How does it leave the body? How does it sustain the universe without and within? This refers to the nature and origin of Prana.
- Which are the senses that operate in the three stages – waking, dreaming and sleeping? Who is that in whom all these are established? This is about the psychological aspect of the human personality.
- What is the result of worshipping Omkara throughout one’s life? This is about Pranava Upasana.
- Where is that Supreme Being, the Person of sixteen forms? This relates to the metaphysical principle in man.
1st Question – Prashna Upanishad
From where have all these creatures come?
The first question was raised by Kabandi.
And the question was – from where have all these creatures come? The sage replied that Prajapati, the creator, was desirous of a progeny. He performed austerities and then created the pair – Moon the matter (rayi- food) and the Sun, the energy (Prana-). He thought the pair would produce manifold beings for him. Wherever there is a manifestation of life and energy, it is due to the influence of the Sun.
The Sun is being glorified as the nourisher of all life, the illuminator of all forms of matter and the provider of energy for the sustenance of life as well as matter. In addition, the Shruti says, our life, both within and without, is nothing but a play of the Sun and the Moon.
Time, represented by the Year, is indeed the Lord of Creation- Prajapati. He has two paths – the Southern and the Northern. Those who perform Ishtapoorta (sacrifices and charitable works) the World of the Moon and after a while they return. Hence, those attached to the material life go to the Chandraloka. They will return to this world again and again.
In contrast, those who sought the Atman by austerity, abstinence, faith and knowledge attain the Aditya by the North Pole. They do not return. The soul goes through the Devayana (path of Gods) to the world of Aditya and from there to Brahmaloka. Eventually he merges with the Brahman. This is known as Krama mukti (gradual liberation)
So far we have seen the glorification of Sun. Now the Upanishad talks about Prajapati – the Lord of creation. Time which is measured with reference to Sun is emphasized by calling it Prajapati. Time is the field in which creation operates. Prajapati, indeed, is the time or the year / season/ month/ day/ night.
2nd Question – Prashna Upanishad
Who protects and guards the created beings and who among them is supreme?
The second question was raised by Bhargava of Vidarbha.
The question was – Who protects and guards the created beings and who among them is supreme?
The sage replies that the supporting is done by the Prana, the vital energy. However, the scriptures refer to the Five Pranas. Though there is only one Prana, It is an allegoric representation to make the functionality clearer.
The Five Pranas, (Pancha Pranas) are –
- (a) Prana
- (b) Apana
- (c) Samana
- (d) Udana
- (e) Vyana.
They function in maintaining the body. Even the mind is dependent on the Prana. The mental activities are but the expressions of the same energy that function through the body and senses. The Upanishad mentions that even the Vedas are also fixed in Prana (may be due to their recitation depends on the Prana or they have their original manifestation in Hiranyagarbha, the Universal mind or Prana).
Our bodies have five sense organs (Jnana Indriyas) and five organs of action (karma Indriyas). The body cannot function without these Indriyas. However, these Indriyas are made of matter and hence they are inert. By themselves they cannot function. It is the Prana that keeps the body functionality going. Refer to the following table.
Prana is conceived as the nucleus of all energy both within the body and without in the larger universe. It is the power that vitalizes the matter in life. It is not just the air we breathe in and breathe out.
According to some commentators, of the different forms of Prana,
- it is Apana that controls the organ of speech;
- Vyana of hearing;
- Prana (breath) of seeing; and
- Samana, of thinking.
If Prana leaves the body none of those forms can function and the organs will become inactive.
The Prana is invisible. The eye cannot see it. Yet, the eye cannot function without it. The ear cannot hear it. Yet, the ear cannot function without it. In the same way, other Indriyas cannot function without the Prana.
3rd Question – Prashna Upanishad
What is meant by Prana and what is its Origin?
The first question dealt with the creation of the gross physical body. The second was concerned with the Prana which vitalizes the body and without which the body would disintegrate.
By now the students are very curious to know more about the Prana. The student Aswalayana Kausalya raises a third question seeking further clarification on Prana – Its origin, entrance into the body, its functioning and departure from the body.
The sage replies as follows
The Prana comes from the Self or Atman. An example of the relationship between a body and the shadow cast by it is given here. The shadow does not have an existence independent of the body. You can neither catch it nor separate it from the body. It is merely a projection of the substance. Similarly, Prana is a projection of the Self – Atman
How does Prana enter the body? A man’s present life is a result of his thoughts in his previous existence. And this body is a result of our desires, our decisions, resolutions and actions of our previous life. So the Upanishad points out that the mind creates the body. As you think so you become. So this text makes a reference to the doctrine of rebirth – an important concept in Vedanta.
The nucleus of all activities of the body is the Prana. It gets its work done through Upa-Pranas or secondary Pranas just as a king gets his work done by his subordinates. Each of these Upa-Pranas have their own work areas and they operate from specified action centres so to say. However, it must be noted that there is only one vital-breath or Prana.
Different names are given to it on account of the different duties it performs in the body. The fivefold nature is a functional division. The following table indicates the locations at the physical level and the functions of the Pancha Pranas (five vital airs)
The Prana dwells in the eye, ears, nose and mouth enabling them to see, to hear, inhale and exhale and speak. The Apana is in the organs of excretion and procreation and initiates the process of discharge of the wastes and procreation. Between the Prana and Apana, in the region of the navel is located Samana. The body’s energy and vitality produced by digestion are equally distributed by its function.
The lotus-like heart is the seat of the subtle Atman known as Lingatma. From within the space of the heart, seventy thousand energy channels branch out. Prana moves through all these channels giving energy to all the limbs and senses. For this reason, it is also referred to as Vyana.
As for the Udana, it raises by the Susumna-nadi (One of the energy channels) which goes up to the top of the head taking the soul after it and departs the body. It reaches regions of the blessed or that of the condemned depending upon the good or bad actions performed. Udana is the subtle aspect of the Prana which not only pervades the whole system, but also controls the Linga sharira (subtle body) in which the soul resides.
The Upanishad then goes on to state that the five forms of life-breath in the human body (microcosm or Vyashti) have an equivalent macrosystem (Samashti) in the cosmic counterpart. The table gives the details.
The following is a pictorial representation
Human Wants – 3 Categories
Vedanta Categorizes all human wants into three categories –
- (a) desire for progeny
- (b) desire for name and fame
- (c) desire for wealth.
The desire for progeny points to a relationship with others in the society. Pippalada suggests that he who meditates on the truth that one’s own microcosmic form with its activity centres is in a nutshell a miniature universe will find his relationship with others congenial. He attains the immortal nature of Prana.
4th Question – Prashna Upanishad
What are they that sleep in Man? What are they that remain awake in Him? Which deity is it that seeks dreams? Who is the happess ? In whom, again are all thse gathered together ?
The fourth question is raised by Sauryayanin, belonging to the family of Garga. He asked – “Sir, what are they that sleep in man? What are they that remain awake in him? Which deity is it that sees dreams? Whose is the happiness? In whom, again, are all these gathered together?”
Cessation of physical activities distinguishes sleep from waking state. The waking stage is the period of our experience. Sense organs are active in this state. Sleep is not like the waking state. Hence during the sleeping state all Indriyas (both Jnana Indriyas (5 in number-ear, skin, eyes, tongue and nose) and Karma Indriyas (5 in number- speech, hands, legs, anus, genitals) – retire into their very source, the mind.
Apart from the organs of knowledge and action even the instruments of perception, feeling and comprehension also retire in sleep.
The following table gives some details.
The teacher explains this by giving an example of the Sun.
The rays of the Sun appear as if they are withdrawn temporarily and deposited in the Sun’s orb for the night. At dawn, the rays spring back.
The flames of Prana alone remain awake at the time of sleep. Even while the senses remain inactive, the different Pranas keep watch over the body. Pippalada compares the activities of the Pranas to that during the performance of Yajna. The mind as an important organ in this virtual Yajna, for it offers the senses and objects as oblations to the ever wakeful fire of Prana and yearns to experience the bliss of Brahman in a dreamless sleep.
The question of ‘which deity is that which witnesses the dreams’ is also answered. The answer is the mind with the senses gathered into it that experiences the dreams.Dreaming is the feature of the mind and not that of the Self. When the senses lie dormant in sleep, the mind builds up in a dream a world of its own out of impressions gathered during the awakened state. All the different parts of the dream are impressions of actual experiences – may have been gathered at different times or different places.
They are all curiously and fantastically linked together by the mind in sleep. In this state the controlling power of both reason and will is absent. So, in a dream, you end up experiencing things or circumstances you have never before seen or experienced.
In the Vedanta three states of consciousness are described.
Waking State
A person is conscious of the physical world outside
Dream State
A person is conscious of the inner world and objects created from impressions gathered during the waking state
Dreamless Sleep
Consciousness is free from the duality of subject and object and one experiences the feeling of undifferentiated awareness.
These three states are common to all – for both ignorant as well as enlightened. The sense organs do not function, the mind is inactive and the Prana keeps a watch over the body.
4th State – Turiya
There is a fourth state called Turiya, or pure consciousness or immortal. There are some basic differences between these two states of dreamless sleep and Turiya. The following table highlights some of the differences.
Explaining Sushupti, the state of deep sleep the teacher gives an example. Just like a bird after a daylong of flying goes to its nest, takes rest and returns fully refreshed we too go back to our resting place and come back refreshed.
Jagadguru Adi Shankara explains that during the waking state we are by our ignorance, desires and actions (avidya, kama and karma). Our ignorance leads to desires which in turn end up in our actions – some good and some bad. We get trapped in a cycle of Karya and karana. During deep sleep, we are free from these.
Our condition then is advayam, ekam, sivam and shantam – there is no duality (advayam); there is only one – consciousness (ekam); there is then peace (shantam) and auspiciousness (sivam). All Indriyas ( all 5 organs of knowledge – Ear, Skin, eyes, tongue and nose completely retire in sleep; also the 5 organs of action – Speech (Vaak), Hands, Legs, Anus and Genitals and inner instruments of perception 4 in number- Mans, Buddhi, Antahkarana and Chitta ) retire in sleep.
During deep sleep the apparent false knowledge of the external world disappears but not the real nature of the Jivatman. The Jivatman realizes oneness with the Supreme Atman. We then become Sarvam. The answer to the question – who is free from the three states, is the imperishable Atman.
5th Question – Prashna Upanishad
to which world is attained by a person who meditates throughout his life, with a single minded devotion, on AUM
Satyakama, son of Sibi raises the 5th question. He asks, as to which world is attained by a person who meditates throughout his life, with a single minded devotion, on AUM (sometimes spelt as OM).
Some explanation on AUM and meditation would be in order at this stage.
AUM / OM
This single syllable incantation is regarded is the most powerful and significant of all mantras. It is accepted both as one with Brahman and ass the medium connecting man and the Supreme. The sound of ‘AUM’ is also called the ‘Pranava’, meaning that it is something that pervades life. The very central theme of Mandukya Upanishad is the syllable ‘AUM’, through which the mystery of Brahman is gathered.
Repetition of “Omkara” is done on different occasions. We find this in the repetitions of simple mantras like “Om namo Narayanaya” or “Om Namashivaya”. And Vedic mantras as well as hymns begin with “OM”. During sacrifices and acts of penance we notice that “OM” is repeated.
Sometimes “OM” is uttered and repeated independently – mostly by sanyasins and advanced sadhaks. This is called “Pranavopasana”.
Meditation
Meditation here refers to a continuous flow of mind towards Atman excluding everything else. The principal disciplines for meditation as laid down in Patanjali Yoga Sutra are Yama and Niyama. They refer to methods of self-control at physical and mental levels. Yama includes non-violence and truthfulness. Nonstealing, chastity of body and mind and non-receiving of gifts.
Niyama includes outer and inner purity, contentment, austerity, study of scriptures and devotion to God. Indian thinkers have referred to the Supreme Being in two different ways – Nirguna Brahman and Saguna Brahman. In the Nirguna version, the Supreme Being is attribute-less (has no form, smell etc) – He cannot be apprehended by our sense organs.
In the Saguna version, the Supreme Being has a form and can be apprehended by our sense organs. Though AUM is only one syllable that is to be meditated upon by uttering it as one unit, it can be uttered and meditated upon by using the sounds produced in three different parts (matras) viz. A, U, M. While meditating ton he syllable as a whole leads to the Nirguna Brahman, meditating on its different mantras leads one to the Saguna Brahman.
The person who meditates on the first matra “A” (sound produced by pronouncing the first letter) is born again in the mortal world endowed with austerity, chastity and faith. He will enjoy the glory and power of spiritual life. This is possible because the matra A in AUM constitutes the essence of the hymns of Rig Veda. One who meditates on the second mantra (sound produced by pronouncing the letter U) is carried after death by the hymns of Yajur Veda to the world of the Moon or mind.
After enjoying the pleasures of that world he returns to the mortal world once again. One who meditates on the Supreme Purusha as constituted by the three syllables becomes united with the Sun. Eventually, he is taken to the Brahmaloka by the Sama hymns. Essentially, the Upanishad indicates, that when the letters (A, U, M) are employed separately the Sadhak will be going through the cycle of rebirth. However, when the three matras are blended and meditated upon the Sadhak will reap the benefits as described above.
6th Question – Prashna Upanishad
Sukesa, son of Bharadwaja, told the Guru that he was once asked by the Prince of Kosala whether he knows of a person with sixteen parts. He could not answer the question. Sukesa wanted to know where such a Purusha lives. Guru Pippalada answers that the Purusha with sixteen parts exists within our body and is our inner Self.
The sixteen parts of the manifestation of the Self are as follows.
- (1) Prana, the life principle
- (2) Shraddha
- (3) Space
- (4) Air
- (5) Fire
- (6) Water
- (7) Earth
- (8) The Indriyas – 5 Jnana Indriyas and 5 Karma Indriyas together are considered as one
- (9) Manas, the mind
- (10) Food
- (11) Vigor (
- 12) Tapas, self-discipline
- (13) Vedic Hymns – mantras
- (14) Karma, Sacrifice
- (15) Wisdom – meaning spiritual worlds representing different states of consciousness
- (16) Name or distinct identity.
The world of names and forms are all manifestations of the Purusha. As the flowing rivers, bound for the ocean disappear into it on reaching it, are referred to simply as ocean so too these sixteen parts disappear into the Purusha. Sage Pippalada concludes his instructions with this. The students worship him as they would their father.
