Taittiriya upanishad is one of the ten most important upanishads on which Sri Shankaracharya has given his learned comments. The term 'tittiri' actually means vomiting. It is the undigested food that we vomit. Here the term applies to all that we write, speak or even what we read or hear! It is the half-knowledge, (words that are not digested?) not actually experienced by the author. Like small children who say nursery rhymes we rush to tell others, or write about things which we think we have understood and most often we repeat what others have already said or written without giving it a careful thought, contemplation, and experiencing the truth. Whoever understands and experiences the truth will not attempt to speak or write about it. Saint Tukaram says, "What can I say anything but what already the learned ones have said? I can utmost repeat it." This is real understanding. There is nothing that one can speak or write except what has already been said and written. Now-a-days we find large number of books in the market that are grossly misrepresenting the scriptures and doing great harm to society. Hence, it is better to leave it to people to learn on their own and enlighten themselves. Some times, we too feel like putting an end to all these and sit in total contemplation on brahman and, that will happen sooner or later.
Whatever one speaks or writes is an expression of a thought, idea, or a sound, or word that comes out. It is called 'vaikhari', a style of presentation. But the 'sat' , the 'truth' is something that cannot be expressed in any form, whatsoever! What all comes out of mouth is tittiti. Para, pashyanti, madhyama and vaikhari are the four stages that an expression undergoes before it is finally takes a form. AUM (Om), for instance has its origin in the navel, seat of brahmn. It starts as sound of 'A' at the brahma granthi near navel, and reaches anahata, at the heart level- Vishnu granthi, to add the sound of 'U' to it; later, the sound of 'M' generates at the Vishuddhi level (at throat level) and becomes AUM (Om) at the Ajnya level -Rudra granthi (between the eyebrows). As the primordial sound, the AUM (Om) is nada brahmn that has the power of creation, sustenance and dissolution.. The upasaka should see to it that it reaches the sahasrar-prajnya level above the head in the state of samadhi so that enlightenment takes place. However, we spell it out from our mouth and it becomes vaikhari and thereby, it loses all its power. Anything that we spell out loses power! Hence, it is advisable not to utter the sound (mantra) by word of mouth if one wants it to be powerful and effective. One should meditate on Om. It (Om) should be contemplated upon in meditation, dhyan.
Great sages remain in a state of dhyana, contemplate on Om and perceive, visualize brahmn- 'the truth'. It is extremely difficult to meditate on Om ('brahmn'). Whoever reaches the state of transcendental meditation contemplating on Om, brahmn will attain to the highest level of pure Consciousness. One can visualize the the supreme self at this state. dhyaanavasthita tadgatena manasaa yoginaa pashyanti paraah |
The yogins may reach a state in nirvikalpa samadhi, ie samprajnya samadhi, and find themselves in an ecstatic state and become unaware of themselves!
Any expression of mantra like the Om in sound form starts at the throat level as madhyama. But it has already lost it power by the time it reaches there (throat level or vishuddhi level). The mantra as sound starts from anahata (Rishi/ drushtara) level. Rishis who are at the anahata-prajnya level in meditative trance prefer to remain in that state. However, it is very difficult to be in that state. They come down to the lower levels soon.When, they reach to vishuddhi-prajnya level they become eager to spell out or express their experience and words begin to form at the throat. It becomes a style- vaikhari, when they try to express the inexplicable and thereby whatever they speak becomes only verbal, without much spiritual power.
Whatever one speaks or writes is an expression of a thought, idea, or a sound, or word that comes out. It is called 'vaikhari', a style of presentation. But the 'sat' , the 'truth' is something that cannot be expressed in any form, whatsoever! What all comes out of mouth is tittiti. Para, pashyanti, madhyama and vaikhari are the four stages that an expression undergoes before it is finally takes a form. AUM (Om), for instance has its origin in the navel, seat of brahmn. It starts as sound of 'A' at the brahma granthi near navel, and reaches anahata, at the heart level- Vishnu granthi, to add the sound of 'U' to it; later, the sound of 'M' generates at the Vishuddhi level (at throat level) and becomes AUM (Om) at the Ajnya level -Rudra granthi (between the eyebrows). As the primordial sound, the AUM (Om) is nada brahmn that has the power of creation, sustenance and dissolution.. The upasaka should see to it that it reaches the sahasrar-prajnya level above the head in the state of samadhi so that enlightenment takes place. However, we spell it out from our mouth and it becomes vaikhari and thereby, it loses all its power. Anything that we spell out loses power! Hence, it is advisable not to utter the sound (mantra) by word of mouth if one wants it to be powerful and effective. One should meditate on Om. It (Om) should be contemplated upon in meditation, dhyan.
Great sages remain in a state of dhyana, contemplate on Om and perceive, visualize brahmn- 'the truth'. It is extremely difficult to meditate on Om ('brahmn'). Whoever reaches the state of transcendental meditation contemplating on Om, brahmn will attain to the highest level of pure Consciousness. One can visualize the the supreme self at this state. dhyaanavasthita tadgatena manasaa yoginaa pashyanti paraah |
The yogins may reach a state in nirvikalpa samadhi, ie samprajnya samadhi, and find themselves in an ecstatic state and become unaware of themselves!
Any expression of mantra like the Om in sound form starts at the throat level as madhyama. But it has already lost it power by the time it reaches there (throat level or vishuddhi level). The mantra as sound starts from anahata (Rishi/ drushtara) level. Rishis who are at the anahata-prajnya level in meditative trance prefer to remain in that state. However, it is very difficult to be in that state. They come down to the lower levels soon.When, they reach to vishuddhi-prajnya level they become eager to spell out or express their experience and words begin to form at the throat. It becomes a style- vaikhari, when they try to express the inexplicable and thereby whatever they speak becomes only verbal, without much spiritual power.
Taittiria upanishad has a similar, but different version of this. It brings out the essentials of the Vedic texts for upasana. All the scriptures are meant for our upasana, dhyana, dharana, and realization. We attain pure state by contemplating on the mahavakyas like aham brahmasmi, tattvamasi, aatma eva brahmaa, ayam aatmaa brahma, sarvam khaluvidam brahmaa, etc. Ultimate reality is brahman. When we discard everything including 'knowledge' we attain to brahman. Even a brahma Rishi will not attain to brahman unless he / she stops the status of a Rishi, searcher, looking forward for brahman. One attains to brahman when everything becomes silent, The concept of brahmn is nothing but attaining to the ultimate state of silence, one of dynamic silence, like an engine ready to move any time! It is at total rest when it has reached the destination and steam is off, but ready to move again, any time, when called for!
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