The teaching of connecting links (Taittiriya Upanisad 1.3)
There are many sets of interdependent things in the material creation. The fact everything depends on something else leads to the conclusion that there is someone independent, who controls all.
Section 3: The teaching of connecting links
There are many sets of interdependent things in the material creation. The fact everything depends on something else leads to the conclusion that there is someone independent, who controls all. Not only things are not created by chance, but everything has a purpose. When this purpose is understood, we can use everything as the Lord intended. As a result, we can live happily in this world and grow in spiritual realization.
Text 1.3.1
saha nau yaśaḥ saha nau brahma-varcasam
athātaḥ samhitāyā upaniṣadam vyākhyāsyāmaḥ
pañca-svadhikaraṇeṣu
adhilokam adhijyotiṣam adhividyam adhiprajam adhyātmam
tā mahāsamhitā ity ācakṣate athādhilokam
pṛthivīpūrva-rūpam dyaur uttara-rūpam
ākāśaḥ sandhiḥ vāyuḥ sandhānam ity adhilokam
May fame and the power of Brahman (brahma-varcasam) come to both of us! I will now explain the secret teaching (Upaniṣad) of the Samhitā. This teaching of connecting links is divided into five sections: adhilokam (the realm of the planets), adhijyotiṣam (the realm of light), adhividyam (the realm of knowledge), adhipraja (the realm of family life) and adhyātmam (the realm of the self).
First, I will explain adhilokam, the planets above. The Earth is the foundation, the heavens are the higher realm, ākāśa (sky) is the space in between (sandhiḥ), and vāyu (cosmic winds) are the connection (sandhānam) that holds them together.
Commentary: The first section was an invocation and the second briefly described the science of pronunciation. Now, the third section will describe the teaching of connecting links. This explanation teaches us that everything in the universe is interconnected and under the control of the Supreme Lord.
This description is similar to the description of the adhyātmic, adhidaivic, and adhibhautic persons offered in the 10th chapter of the second canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, which explains the universe as a series of sets of interconnected persons and objects.
For the process of seeing to happen, for example, there must be an observer, the cooperation of the demigods who control vision (for the sense of vision to work) and some object to be observed. Without an observer (the soul), there is no activity of the senses. If there is no cooperation from the demigods, one can't see, and even if he can see perfectly, his vision is useless if there is nothing to be seen. In this way, if one is absent, the process of observation doesn't happen. The sunlight is useful because we have eyes; if we didn't have eyes, if we were not able to see, or if there were nothing to be seen, the sunlight would be useless.
Just like in this example, there are many other sets of interdependent things in the material creation. This leads to the logical conclusion that someone created them in this way. Someone created the universe the way it is, with many interdependent factors. The fact everything depends on something else leads to the conclusion there is someone who is independent, who controls all the others, who are dependent. This example therefore is used to maintain the idea that there is an ultimate shelter or asraya for everything that exists. This shelter is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He gives shelter to everyone, but He doesn't depend on any other shelter. He is fully independent.
Similarly, the Taittiriya Upanisad describes five sets of interconnected and interdependent things to gradually bring us to the understanding that everything works under the control of the Lord.
The first section of the teachings gives us a description of Vedic cosmology, explaining the adhilokam, the structure of the universe.
The Earth is part of a larger structure, the Bhu-Mandala, which is situated close to the vertical middle of the universe. On top of it, there are the many different planets and stars that form the higher planetary systems: Swargaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka. These different planets and stars are like balls floating in space, orbiting around Dhruvaloka in a circular motion, like a chandelier. The sky (or space) in between is called antarīkṣa, and all these different planets and stars are connected and moved by cosmic winds.
This model was described by Srila Prabhupada in a letter dated from April 27th, 1976, to Svarupa Damodara:
“My final decision is that the universe is just like a tree, with root upwards. Just as a tree has branches and leaves so the universe is also composed of planets which are fixed up in the tree like the leaves, flowers, fruits, etc. of the tree. The pivot is the pole star, and the whole tree is rotating on this pivot. Mount Sumeru is the center, trunk, and is like a steep hill... The tree is turning and therefore, all the branches and leaves turn with the tree. The planets have their fixed orbits, but still they are turning with the turning of the great tree. There are pathways leading from one planet to another made of gold, copper, etc., and these are like the branches. Distances are also described in the 5th Canto just how far one planet is from another. We can see that at night, how the whole planetary system is turning around, the pole star being the pivot. Each planet has its orbit fixed but the sun is moving up and down, north and south.”
The Vedic model of the universe explains that everything works in an ordered way under the order of the Supreme Lord, contrasting with modern theories which describe a chaotic universe organized the way it is by mere chance. The Vedas explain that nothing happens by chance; everything is the result of superior control.
Bhu-Mandala is formed by the earthly planets that form the intermediate planetary system. Human beings living on these planets have the mission of performing sacrifices, worshiping the Supreme Lord and thus progressing in spiritual realization. Krsna explains this process in the third chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita, and in the Srimad Bhagavatam, we hear descriptions of the process of worship followed by other inhabitants of Jambudvipa. The ones who fail to follow this cycle of sacrifices are degraded into the lower planetary systems, or to animal life, where they become immersed in gross sense gratification, deprived of high intelligence. After a long time in this cycle, however, they eventually get another chance as human beings and can rethink their choices.
Inhabitants of the celestial planets are enjoying the results of past activities, and are thus mostly distracted by sense enjoyment, but above them, there are the higher planetary systems of Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Brahmaloka, which are reserved for advanced spiritual practice. The great transcendentalists living in these planetary systems can live for extremely long periods and usually continue their spiritual practice until the end of the universe, when they have the opportunity of attaining liberation together with Lord Brahma.
The whole universe works as a gigantic system designed to allow the conditioned souls to gradually advance in spiritual understanding, but at every step, there is the temptation of gross sense enjoyment, which simply leads to degradation. By obtaining spiritual knowledge, however, we start seeing things as they are, and can learn to avoid the trap.
Text 1.3.2
athādhijyotiṣam agniḥ pūrva-rūpam āditya uttara-rūpam
āpah sandhiḥ vidyutaḥ sandhānam
ity adhijyotiṣam
Now the description of the adhijyotiṣam, the realm of light. Fire is the foundation, the sun is the higher form, water resides in between, and lightning is the connection between them.
Commentary: Fire is the earthly form of light. When it's night, we depend on the light of fire or artificial lights to be able to see. Electricity is also considered a form of fire, therefore all artificial lights are nothing more than different forms of fire. Fire also allows us to perform sacrifices, therefore it is central to our lives.
Above us, there is another form of fire: the sun, which is much more powerful than the earthly fire. In the Vedanta-sutra, there is a discussion about the person in the sun, who we address by chanting the Gayatri mantra. A neophyte chants the Gayatri meditating on the sun as a planet. One who is a little more advanced meditates on the demigod, while one who is truly wise meditates on the Supreme Lord, the source of both the celestial body and the demigod, and the source of power for both.
This true nature of the sun as a manifestation of the Lord and not as a material object is easy to realize. The Maitrāyaṇi Upaniṣad, for example, mentions that: agnau prāstāhutiḥ samyag ādityam upatiṣṭhate. "The oblation offered to fire goes to the sun". Since the ghee and grains are not teleported to the sun, it means that the Supreme Lord accepts the offerings.
Between the earthly fire and the sun, there is water in the form of clouds in the sky. Water is essential for all forms of life, and the clouds are generated by the energy of the sun. The clouds, in turn, generate lightning, which is described as the connector between the earthly and heavenly realms, being another form of fire. This lightning is also a manifestation of the power of the Lord and thus helps us to remember Him.
By the arrangement of the Supreme Lord, most of the water present on the planet is stored in the oceans, mixed with salt, which conserves it. To become usable, this water has to be transported to the top of the mountains and other places on land, from where it can flow in the form of rivers, nourishing the land and producing grains that can sustain the human population. This is done by the energy of the sun, which evaporates the water, as well as the currents of wind and other natural forces that form the clouds, transport them to the right places and finally deliver the rain.
This system is part of the cycle of sacrifices that includes both human beings and demigods and is ultimately designed for the advancement of both. Human beings advance by performing sacrifices (the chief of which is the chanting of the holy names) and the demigods advance by performing their service of managing the universe. Everyone who worships the Lord by following this cycle advances in spiritual realization.
Krsna explains this in detail in the Bhagavad-Gita: “All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties. Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice.” (Bg 3.14-15)
In this way, fire, the sun, clouds, and lightning are described as another set of interconnected units created by the Supreme Lord and meant to gradually elevate us in devotional service to Him.
Text 1.3.3
athādhividyam ācāryaḥ pūrva-rūpam antevāsy uttara-rūpam
vidyā sandhiḥ pravacanam sandhānam
ity adhividyam
Concerning the adhividyam, the realm of knowledge, the teacher is the first form, the student is the later form. Knowledge is the junction, and instruction is the connection between them.
Commentary: The realm of knowledge (adhividyam) is composed by the teacher, the student, the knowledge itself and the process of transmitting this knowledge. The teacher is the source of knowledge, and the student is the receiver of such knowledge. Knowledge is the junction between both, and the instructions of the teacher are the connecting medium, through which the knowledge and wisdom of the teacher are transmitted to the student.
The connection between the teacher and student is necessary for the transmission of all kinds of knowledge. Even when the teacher is not personally present, we can learn from him through books and other mediums. The most evolved form of knowledge is transcendental knowledge, and thus the relationship between the guru and disciple is the most exalted relationship. The perfect examples of teacher and student are exemplified in the Srimad Bhagavatam by Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Parīkṣit Mahārāja, Nārada Muni, and Vyāsadeva, Maitreya and Vidura, and so on.
Since all conditioned souls share the same four defects (making mistakes, being in illusion, cheating, and having imperfect senses), perfect knowledge can’t be produced in this material world at any stage. Perfect knowledge has to be imported from the spiritual world, and delivered by the Lord himself or His representatives. This perfect knowledge is then received in human society and transmitted through the parampara system. Generation after generation, this spiritual knowledge is realized by spiritual seekers, who receive this knowledge from the spiritual master and later deliver it to their own students. The system is so perfect that it allows even an imperfect person to deliver perfect knowledge, as long as he repeats what was received from the previous link without speculative interpretations.
As Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to SB 1.12.3:
"Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is recognized Vedic wisdom, and the system of receiving Vedic knowledge is called avaroha-panthā, or the process of receiving transcendental knowledge through bona fide disciplic succession. For advancement of material knowledge there is a need for personal ability and researching aptitude, but in the case of spiritual knowledge, all progress depends more or less on the mercy of the spiritual master. The spiritual master must be satisfied with the disciple; only then is knowledge automatically manifest before the student of spiritual science. The process should not, however, be misunderstood to be something like magical feats whereby the spiritual master acts like a magician and injects spiritual knowledge into his disciple, as if surcharging him with an electrical current. The bona fide spiritual master reasonably explains everything to the disciple on the authorities of Vedic wisdom. The disciple can receive such teachings not exactly intellectually, but by submissive inquiries and a service attitude. The idea is that both the spiritual master and the disciple must be bona fide. In this case, the spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, is ready to recite exactly what he has learned from his great father Śrīla Vyāsadeva, and the disciple, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, is a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. A devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is he who believes sincerely that by becoming a devotee of the Lord one becomes fully equipped with everything spiritual. This teaching is imparted by the Lord Himself in the pages of the Bhagavad-gītā, in which it is clearly described that the Lord (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) is everything, and that to surrender unto Him solely and wholly makes one the most perfectly pious man. This unflinching faith in Lord Kṛṣṇa prepares one to become a student of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and one who hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a devotee like Śukadeva Gosvāmī is sure to attain salvation at the end, as Mahārāja Parīkṣit did."
Text 1.3.4
athādhiprajam mātā pūrva-rūpam pitottara-rūpam
prajā sandhiḥ prajananam sandhānam
ity adhiprajam
Concerning the adhipraja, the realm of family life, the mother is the first form, the father the second form, the sons and daughters are the combination, and the sexual act is the connecting link.
Commentary: While promiscuous sexual life outside of marriage is considered abominable, sex also has its place in Krsna consciousness, inside of the institution of marriage and with the purpose of begetting good children who can be thus taught in the process of Krsna Consciousness. In the proper context, sex life can actually help us progress in spiritual life.
As Prabhupada mentions in his purport to SB 3.21.1:
"Regulated sex life to generate good population is worth accepting. Actually, Vidura was not interested in hearing the history of persons who merely engaged in sex life, but he was interested in the progeny of Svāyambhuva Manu because in that dynasty, good devotee kings appeared who protected their subjects very carefully with spiritual knowledge. By hearing the history of their activities, therefore, one becomes more enlightened. An important word used in this connection is parama-sammataḥ, which indicates that the progeny created by Svāyambhuva Manu and his sons was approved of by great authorities. In other words, sex life for creating exemplary population is acceptable to all sages and authorities of Vedic scripture."
As Krsna mentions in the Bhagavad-gita: "I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bhāratas [Arjuna]."
When sex life is used in the proper context, the results can be extraordinarily positive, bringing forth good children who are not only a source of happiness for their parents but do great good for society. However, when sexual life is misused, practiced as a way to simply satisfy lust, the results can be quite destructive, both for our own spiritual development and for the society at large.
This is a topic discussed in the first chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita. As Arjuna declares: “With the destruction of the dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligion. When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Kṛṣṇa, the women of the family become polluted, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, comes unwanted progeny. An increase of unwanted population certainly causes hellish life both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. The ancestors of such corrupt families fall down, because the performances for offering them food and water are entirely stopped. By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted children, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated. O Kṛṣṇa, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those whose family traditions are destroyed dwell always in hell.” (Bg 1.39-43)
Children need both a father and a mother to properly develop, therefore this verse from the Taittiriya Upanisad explains the importance of the basic family nucleus, with a father and a mother cooperating to raise the children. Nowadays, these basic human values are practically forgotten. People come together out of the desire for mutual satisfaction, and when this satisfaction they aim for is not realized, they file for divorce and look for new partners. In this way, the enjoying principle is never treated and the lust that binds us to this material world remains, carrying us to another body. Children are forced to grow up without the father or the mother (or both) and end up being neglected, creating a situation of chaos where no one can find peace.
Text 1.3.5
athādhyātmam adharā hanuḥ pūrva-rūpam uttarā hanur uttra-rūpam
vāk sandhiḥ jihvā sandhānam
ity adhyātmam
Now the adhyātmam, realm of the self. The lower self (adharā hanuḥ) is the foundation, and the upper self (uttarā hanuḥ) is the higher form. Speech is the junction, and the tongue is the connecting link.
Commentary: The words adharā hanuḥ and uttarā hanuḥ are normally translated as "lower jaw" and "upper jaw", but their meaning is highly metaphorical. The adharā hanuḥ (lower jaw, or lower self) represents the gross body and animal instincts, while the uttarā hanuḥ (upper jaw, or upper self) represents the higher aspects of our self, starting with the mind and intelligence, and culminating with the soul.
Although we are born in ignorance, starting our lives as small babies who are just concerned about food, human life offers us the possibility of progressing and gradually reconnecting with our eternal nature as souls, eternal servants of the Lord. On this path to perfection, the tongue and the faculty of speech are extremely important, because it is by the tongue we can have contact with the Lord through the transcendental vibration of the holy names.
Although we may relate the chanting of the holy names with the movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this is actually the process of self-realization for all four ages. In Satya-yuga, the chanting is done by vibrating the syllable Om, in Treta-yuga by vibrating Vedic mantras that glorify the Lord during fire sacrifices, in Dvapara-yuga through the mantras connected with temple worship, and in Kali-yuga directly through the chanting of the Maha-mantra. We can see that in all four eras, the process of self-realization is performed through the use of the tongue. By the tongue, we can also taste the remnants of sacrificial offerings (prasadam), which is also a part of the process.
Text 1.3.6
itīmā mahāsamhitāḥ
ya evam etā mahāsamhitādhyakhyātā veda
sandhīyate prajayā paśubhir
brahma-varcasenānnādyena
suvargyeṇa lokena
These are the five great samhitas. One who deeply understands them lives happily in this world, being blessed with good children (prajayā), cows and other animals (paśubhiḥ), spiritual power (brahma-varcasenā), sufficient food (annādyena), and with promotion to the spiritual world (suvargyeṇa).
Commentary: This knowledge about the five realms allows us to live a pure life and make spiritual progress.
The adhilokam, the realm of the planets, consists in understanding the universe as the creation of the Lord, how it works and our place in it. A great part of the second canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam is dedicated to describing the universal form of the Lord, which allows us to see the Lord in His material creation. This process of seeing the Lord in everything is also described in the Bhagavad-gita. All this knowledge is summarized in this description.
The adhijyotiṣam, the realm of light, teaches us about the importance of performing sacrifices, and also of meditating on the Lord in the sun by chanting the Gayatri mantra, as well as seeing the Lord as the source of life in the forms of the clouds and water.
The adhividyam, the realm of knowledge, teaches us about the importance of receiving knowledge through authorities, which is the only process that allows us to receive perfect knowledge. As Prabhupada explains in Raja-Vidya (ch.5):
"According to the Vedas, there are three kinds of proof: pratyakṣa, anumāna, and śabda. One is by direct visual perception. If a person is sitting in front of me, I can see him sitting there, and my knowledge of his sitting there is received through my eyes. The second method, anumāna, is by inference: we may hear children playing outside, and by hearing we can conjecture that they are there. And the third method is the method of taking truths from a higher authority. Such a saying as “Man is mortal” is accepted from higher authorities. Everyone accepts this, but no one has experienced that all men are mortal. By tradition, we have to accept this. If someone asks, “Who found this truth first? Did you discover it?” it is very difficult to say. All we can say is that the knowledge is coming down and we accept it. Out of the three methods of acquiring knowledge, the Vedas say that the third method, that of receiving knowledge from higher authorities, is the most perfect. Direct perception is always imperfect, especially in the conditioned stage of life. By direct perception we can see that the sun is just like a disc no larger than the plate we eat on. From scientists, however, we come to understand that the sun is many thousands of times larger than the earth. So what are we to accept? Are we to accept the scientific proclamation, the proclamation of authorities, or our own experience? Although we cannot ourselves prove how large the sun is, we accept the verdict of astronomers. In this way we are accepting the statements of authorities in every field of our activities. From newspapers and radio we also understand that such and such events are taking place in China and India and other places all around the earth. We’re not experiencing these events directly, and we don’t know that such events are actually taking place, but we accept the authority of the newspapers and radio. We have no choice but to believe authorities in order to get knowledge. And when the authority is perfect, our knowledge is perfect."
The adhipraja, the realm of family life, teaches us about the importance of family relationships and how they can help us on our path back to Godhead. Some may be qualified to follow the path of celibacy, being brahmacaris and later sannyasis, but for others the path of pious family life in Krsna Consciousness is the best opportunity to progress.
Finally, the adhyātmam, the realm of the self, teaches us how to reestablish ourselves in our original position as transcendental spirit souls: eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, and not having to be born again in this material world.
When all these five are deeply understood (veda), not just as some theoretical knowledge, but as realized knowledge that permeates all spheres of our life, we can live a pious and happy life in Krsna Consciousness while in this world, and at the end go back to Godhead. Even a partial understanding of this knowledge is sufficient to bring us lasting benefits.
In the Bhagavad-gita (2.40) Krsna says: "In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear." This is also confirmed in the instructions of Narada Muni to Vyasadeva (SB 1.5.17): "One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything."