The Basics of Ten Principal Upanishads — Isha Upanishad (The Divine is in Everything)
Background
Isha Upanishad is embedded in the Yajurveda. It is the first in the list of ten principal Upanishads on which Acharya Shankaracharya commented. Isha is the shortest upanishad with only eighteen shlokas. But, it’s known to be the most powerful of them all.
Eminent philosophers and thinkers of Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) like Swami Vivekanand and M.K.Gandhi have quoted that “ The entire Hindu civilization can thrive for centuries even if the entire Hindu scriptures and literature is destroyed and only the Isha Upanishad remains. The Upanishads writings are single handedly capable of guiding the Sanatan Dharma for hundreds of years.” Such is the power of Isha Upanishad.
Isha upanishad talks about the questions like “Where is God (The Divinity)?” “Where lies the dangerous darkness — in ignorance or in the arrogant ego?” The philosophy of God’s presence is described in this shortest Upanishad.
Invocation Prayer:
With an open mind and receptivity towards abstract/transcend knowledge, let’s attempt to understand the concepts that are beyond the physical state and bodily senses. It’s important that we question every statement (with a mind free of prejudice and past experiences) and seek answers until we are satisfied
Understanding the Isha Upanishad
Isha answers the most basic questions — Where is God? Where to find them?
Isha vasyam : Isha = God, Vasyam = to live
The entire physical, metaphysical and transcendental universe is made of the divine. The divinity is in everything and everywhere. It’s within and without, it’s above and below, its presence embraces the entire universe and its existence lies in everyone. The force is not divided, but multiplied in each form tracing it back to central divinity. The divine is not something external or outside, but it’s very much present internal and within. Even if the divine is shared between the physical matter, it doesn’t impact its completeness and it still remains wholesome and intact.
“How can one have an ego? And to whom to display the ego? When each one has the same shared divinity in each other.”
The concept of “Love thy neighbour as yourself” lies on the same principal. Except that, the neighbor and you are not sourced from different entities, but essentially have the same origins in the shared divinity. Then if you and the neighbour belong to the same original divinity, how can you be jealous, egoistic and fearful of others?
The philosophy of universal peace is explained impactfully in such plain matter-of-fact words.
The next question in Isha Upanishad is about, What is darker? The ignorance from lack of knowledge or the arrogance from the abundance of knowledge?
It’s widely accepted that ignorance is indeed a darker fearful space, due to unknowns and incorrect perceptions. But, it’s equally true that the arrogance and ego arising from the wrongly placed abundant knowledge without selfless duties is dangerous. The extreme pride taken in acquiring the knowledge blinds the intellect from being humble and makes them forget the basics of humanity. In some ways ignorance is much better than arrogant egoism.
Isha also describes the philosophy of detachment and Karma Yog (fulfilling the duties and surrendering the outcome to the divinity). The feeling of selflessness and sacrifices arise from the detachment to the outcomes. With this as the core essence of life, Isha urges humans to strive to live a healthy and prosperous long life in peace and contentment.
The pathway to end jealousy and fear is respecting the soul, our own and of others because we all are sourced from the same divinity and belong to each other — is the main lesson to learn from the Isha Upanishad.
The truth is hidden behind the golden mask. Gather the knowledge and the karma (duties) to seek this ultimate truth, and tread the righteous path to attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of life and death.
