YOHANAN GRINSHPON

; THE UPANIS ADIC STORY AND THE HIDDEN VIDY A : PERSONALITY AND POSSESSION IN THE  HADARAN YAKOPANIS AD BR : : :

1. For many generations, the Upanis . adic literature has attracted attention mostly because of its philosophy and speculations about mans metaphysical core and its relation with the Absolute. However, the Upanis . ads contain so much which cannot, generally speaking, count as abstract, speculative speech-acts. Such are the numerous stories of the Upanis . ads. These stories have traditionally been taken to be the . Although mere occasion for the exposition of the Upanis . adic vidya destined for inferiority in relation to the wonderful, bold and imaginative mystical and metaphysical theories and visions, the Upanis . adic  of some interest. story may itself sometimes contain a hidden vidya ~avalkya and the Such is the case, we argue, of the story about Y ajn sages who questioned him in the course of the competition initiated by Janaka, the king of Videha.  of the entire third 2. The underlying theme thehidden vidya ~avalkyas personality, and the section of Br aran ajn . had . yakopanis . ad is Y nature and meaning of his self-condence and self-transformation. This  competes with the one explicitly present in Y ~avalkyas abstract vidya ajn and beautiful speeches. The story contains references to the recurring awakening of this sage, in the course of his seeking answers to the questions addressed to him. ~avalkyas 3. The most conspicuous feature of the story is Y ajn ~avalkyas teachings are embedded outstanding self-condence. Y ajn within the story about his self-possession during a fateful competition. The opening scene of the story brings to light most clearly the underlying theme of the narrative. Janaka, the king of Videha, held a big sacrice in which many gifts were given to the brahmins. The spiritual king had a desire for knowledge aroused in him. He asked (himself)  anatama  about the brahmin most well-versed in the Veda (anuc ). He then put aside one thousand cows with gold on their horns. He addressed the brahmins assembled there: Let the best brahmin ( brahmis tha) .. take these cows. The brahmins present did not dare speak (te ha ahman  na dadhr ~avalkya and ordered br ajn .s .a . uh . ). Then came forth Y
Journal of Indian Philosophy 26: 373385, 1998. c 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.

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~avalkya does not his disciple S ama srava to take the cows home. Y ajn wait for the end of the forthcoming competition. He seemingly considers his superiority a fait accompli. The other sages are frustrated ~avalkya; how come he says he is the best brahmin? and angry at Y ajn  s cakrudhuh (te ha brahman teti). One .a . . katham no brahmis . th . o bruv ~avalkya directly. You say, of the sages, A svala, dared address Y ajn ~avalkya, indeed, that you are the best brahmin among us (tvam nu Y ajn n ~avalkya brahmist khalu no yaj ti). This statement seems to express .h . o s ~avalkyas response to an obvious sense of challenge and threat.1 Y ajn Janakas ofcial Hotr is breathtaking indeed: Let the best brahmin be .  kurmo honored. We just wanted the cows (namo vayam thaya . brahmis ..  a  eva vayam go-kam . sma iti). ~avalkya beats A 4. Y ajn svala.2 He knows the relevant connections  attains immortality and transcends (upanis . ad) whereby the yajamana time. Did he have this knowledge at his disposal even before A svalas questioning? Or, did he rise to the occasion and discover this truth in the course of a self-transforming quest after the right answer? We are not sure about the answers to such questions. In the case of A svalas questions, we do not have a good enough clue. 4.1 But there are other cases, more revealing in this respect. The most ~avalkyas encounters with Bhujyu L conspicuous ones are Y ajn ahy ayani  (BU 3.3) and Udd alaka Arun i (BU 3.7). In these cases, it is obvious that . ~avalkya does the Upanis ajn . adic denition of the situation is such that Y not know the answers when he is asked by his opponents. However, he seems to know his potential for nding truth. This knowledge could be the source of his truly outstanding self-condence. ~avalkya 5. The two great exponents of the Upanis ajn . adic tradition, Y 3 according  and Udd alaka Arun i, meet and bitterly confront each other, . to a remarkable episode related in the most classical among all the 4 Upanis aran alaka tells . had . yakopanis . ads, the Br . ad. In BU 3.7.1 Udd of an occurrence of the distant past, when he was apparently much younger. He and some of his brahmin-colleagues were travelling in the country of Madra, eager for Vedic knowledge. The hosts wife was ), a non-human being by possessed by a Gandharva (gandharva-gr ta . h  the name of Atharvan a Kabandha. The sages were apparently taking . advantage of the presence of the supra-human source of knowledge; they addressed him, and he responded. The Gandharva then introduced two questions: What is the string on which this world and the next, as well as of all beings, are strung together?5 Who is the inner controller  (antar-yamin )? The sages present at the hosts house did not know. The narrative suggests that they also could not know the answers to

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. ya on BU 3.3 Sankara the Gandharvas questions. Indeed, in his bhas proposes that the Gandharvas knowledge was perhaps inaccessible to the brahmins.6 5.1 Consequent upon the telling of the story from the past, Udd alaka ~avalkya the same questions, the answers to which had once asks Y ajn been impossible for humans to know. At this point Udd alakas challenge ~avalkya becomes an open threat; if you pretend to know without to Y ajn really knowing, your head will shatter apart!7 In the episode told at ~avalkya with respect to the core BU 3.7.1, Udd alaka challenges Y ajn ~avalkya, a of the Vedic scholars self-understanding and esteem. Y  ajn Yajurvedic sage of great renown, is accused of being one who pretends to know while in reality he does not. He is put to trial for his pretensions under the most unfavorable of circumstances; he is required to know what only a non-human being such as a Gandharva could know. The animosity, ridicule and contempt on Udd alakas part are hardly concealed; everyone can say I know, I know. If you know, then say what you know.8 ~avalkya are the two sages most prominent in 5.2 Udd alaka and Y ajn the Upanis adic tradition. Though afliated with different offshoots of . 9 the Veda, they share very similar interests. Both are well-known experts  on the sacrice. Udd alaka is depicted in the Satapatha-Br ahman . a as a 10 much-feared sage, approached with reverence and awe. Indeed, as far as the knowledge of the agnihotra is concerned, Udd alaka stands out 11.5.3 he brilliantly answers an most conspicuously. According to SB unusually long series of 41 questions11 about the agnihotra. His answers to the minute questions reveal the depth and skill of his interpretation.12 Udd alaka is portrayed as a true seeker of truth, humble enough to admit that he does not know. Thus, for example, in the famous episode from the BU 6.2, repeated also in the ChU 5.3-10,13 he seeks secret knowledge of the fate of the dying man from a Ks . atriya. He cannot tolerate empty pretensions to knowledge. He believes in being a true brahmin, who really knows. We are not brahmins by name only (brahma-bandhu), 14 he says to his son Svetaketu. ~avalkya is keenly interested in, and knowl5.3 Like Udd alaka, Y ajn edgeable about the agnihotra. Knowledge of this sacrice is very 15 important to him, and he also seeks to be taught by a Ks . atriya. 11.6.2.6 Janaka tells Y ~avalkya about the fate of According to SB ajn the two agnihotra res, a fate which signicantly resembles the fate of the dead man as told to Udd alaka.16 ~avalkya and Udd 5.4 Thus, Y ajn alaka are both featured in the Upanis . adic literature as true seekers of knowledge. They are will-

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ing to receive knowledge from a Ks . atriya, they are interested in subtle questions of meaning and signicance pertinent to the sacrice and in particular the agnihotra and they are open to questions concerning subtle matters such as the nature of the Self, etc.17 ~avalkya share some of their spiritual interests 5.5 Udd alaka and Y ajn as well as most likely much of their knowledge. They are represented as essentially equal, the two prominent personalities of the Upanis . adic literature. Who, expounding the Absolute, can stand much higher than  ~avalkya? Who can transcend Udd Y ajn alaka Arun . is That are thou as the nal answer to the question what is man??18 ~avalkya and Udd 5.6 The encounter of Y ajn alaka, as it is told in the BU 3.7, is thus of obvious interest. The meeting of these two heroes is particularly attractive to follow, since the rare meeting of such philosophers could serve as an occasion for the Upanis . adic authorities to explore some of the more important topics in the mental world ~avalkya share. Such a topic is the origins of which Udd alaka and Y ajn ~avalkyas personality knowledge possible for man. In this context, Y ajn and self-condence are particularly signicant. The Upanis . adic story,  we argue, is an indispensable means to bring home the hidden vidya about mans potential for self-transformation and truth. 6. The entire narrative that unfolds in the third section of the  Br had aran . . yakopanis . ad is a combination of a dramatic story with some of the most impressive mystico-philosophical reections on the human condition and its transcendence. The series of encounters between ~avalkya and his opponents and colleagues19 is the occasion for Y ajn . The some of the most beautiful expressions of the Upanis . adic vidya  and the narrative which two components of the Ved anta-text, the vidya provides the occasion for its exposition or transmission, are mostly distinguishable. Janakas address to the assembled brahmins about the most learned brahmin, the sages submissive (or reluctant) silence, ~avalkyas boastful (or assertive) taking away of the cows, A Y ajn svalas  ~ rise to challenge Yajnavalkya, the sub-stories of the various encounters ~avalkya with the sages including Bhujyus and Udd of Y ajn alakas telling of their journey to Madra the meeting of the brahmins in the ~avalkya, etc. are past with the Gandharva, Udd alakas threat to Y ajn ~avalkya all parts of the story. The Upanis adic teaching which Y ajn . imparts in the course of his being questioned by the brahmins is the . vidya  and story always 6.1 But is the clear-cut distinction between vidya fully justied? How are the narrative and the philosophical speech related?

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_ trabh  as ac arya reects on the 7. In his Brahmasu . ya 3.4.2324, Sankar  ) place of the Upanis adic story in relation to the Ved a ntic message (vidya .  expressed in the philosophical speech. The purva-paks in asserts that . the Upanis . adic stories are available for certain uses (such as recitation) nkara  _ in the course of certain rituals such as the pariplava . Sa maintains  against his M m am saka p urva-paks in that the Upanis adic story is an . . . integral part of the teaching of Ved anta, independent of the ritualuse. The stories within which the teaching of Ved anta is embedded are signicantly specic, not the same, and must consequently be assessed according to their function and contribution to the knowledge (philosophical speech) transmitted in their proximity. _ 7.1 However integral a part of the Upanis accords . adic text, Sankara to the narrative only a secondary role within the overall structure of the Ved anta texts. The Upanis . adic story is conducive to the stimulation ) of the listener, and it also promotes the smoothness (prarocana  ) of transmission and absorption of the liberating knowledge (saukarya ).20 The Upanis (vidya . adic stories are meant to bring nearer to our understanding the approximate vidy as with which they are seen to form connected wholes; so they serve to render the latter more acceptable and nkaras _ . ya facilitate their comprehension.21 The key-concept in Sa bhas  ) of the Upanis is thus the integrity and unity (ekavakyat a adic text, which . . However, the narrative, according contains both the story and the vidya nkaras _ to Sa theory, does not seem to have an intrinsic thematic -portion, but is meant primarily to prepare relationship to the vidya -contents expounded in the the listener in terms unrelated to the vidya Ved anta text. The stories affect only the psychological aspects (such raddha ), stimulation (prarocana ), etc.) of as faith or motivation (s the knowledge-transmission. But the thematic relationship of the story  expounded in its proximity (within its boundaries) is with the vidya nkara. _ not touched upon by Sa nkara _ 7.3 Sa picks up certain examples of Upanis . adic narratives, in order to illustrate the function and place of the Upanis . adic story in the Ved anta-texts. He mentions three good stories from the Br aran . had . yaka,  Ch andogya and the Kaus taki Upanis ads. . . ~avalkyas teaching 7.4 In the BU 4.5.1 there is the famous story of Y ajn to his wife Maitrey who unlike the teachers other wife, K aty ayan  is eager to learn about atman (rather than be rich). Obviously, this story stimulates the listener, makes him appreciate the forthcoming , enhances his eagerness to hear about the atman  vidya which makes one eternal.

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7.5 In the ChU 4.1 we nd the story of J ana sruti, a pious, very generous man. He has built many hospices, thinking people are going to eat my food everywhere. One night, he overhears two geese talking about himself and a certain person by the name of Raikva-of-the-cart. Though the geese think very highly of J ana sruti, they consider Raikva much superior, in particular because of his knowledge. Now, J ana sruti sends his charioteer away to look for Raikva. Finally he is found under his cart, scratching his itches. He declines presents such as cows and riches. However, he is fascinated by J ana srutis wifes face, and is . The vidya , in this case, concerns willing to teach J ana sruti the vidya the two gatherers, the wind and the breath, into which everything dissolves. This story, although complex and attractive to the point of  expounded by Raikva, is still within almost overshadowing the vidya nkara _ the limits set by Sa to the Upanis . adic story. The reader of the , the knowledge which story wishes to be acquainted with Raikvas vidya makes Raikva so outstanding and worthy of the arduous and costly search for him. 7.6 In the KauU 3.1 there is the story of Pratardana, who asks Indra to choose a boon for himself. Indra declines Pratardanas request. He insists that a superior should not choose a boon intended for an inferior. Pratardana says he renounces the boon altogether. Indra changes his mind, and suggests not without some characteristic arrogance that Pratardana should know him (Indra). When a man perceives me, nothing that he does whether it is stealing, or performing an abortion, or killing his own father or mother will ever make him lose a single hair of his body. And when he has committed a sin, his face does not lose its colour.22 Having demonstrated thus the high benets of . knowing him, Indra proceeds to teach Pratardana the vidya nkara _ 7.7 Indeed, the choice of the examples brought forth by Sa is commensurate with his theory of the Upanis . adic story as it was outlined above (according to BSBh 3.4.2324). The stories are complex enough  and interesting as narratives, and yet the transmission of the vidya can qualify as the climax of the entire text. Moreover, the stories do promote some eagerness in the readers mind to know the always . The urgency to know and somewhat secret and hard to obtain vidya the renunciation of worldly riches on Maitrey s part do help to create a certain predisposition in the listeners mind. The art of story-telling seems to stimulate the growth of the right frame of mind in the recipient or the reader. Even information of seemingly lesser signicance could be presented as conducive to the build-up of the occasion for an efcient . Thus, the Maitrey transmission of vidya -story presents the other wife

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~avalkya. aty ayan as inferior in the eyes of the spiritual hero, Y ajn K Her ordinary and womanly frame of mind, bound apparently for ~avalkyas relationship material goods, is a useful background for Y ajn  with Maitrey. There is closeness and love between husband and wife.  The mutual respect is apparent, and the transmission of the vidya seems a well-integrated climax of the story; one is made ready for the  disclosure of the teaching: The atman , my lady, should be seen. Once  is discharged, Y ~avalkya leaves for the the transmission of the vidya ajn forest. 7.8 Likewise, the beautiful story of J ana sruti and Raikva is both complex and interesting in itself as well as reaching climax in Raikvas teaching. It stimulates the listeners curiosity. The reader identies with J ana sruti, shares in the yearning to nd Raikva, is partially taken aback , and is nally at Raikvas somewhat insulting refusal to relay the vidya relieved when Raikva starts talking about the wind and the breath. 7.9 The story of Pratardana in the Kaus Upanis . itak . ad is also both a very good story and useful in its extolling the superior value of knowledge. nkara _ 7.10 It is obvious that Sa is primarily interested in the vidya  section of the Upanis ads. The controversy with his p urva-paks in . . the M m am . saka over the role of the Upanis . adic story is part of the ~ana-k  . d more general controversy over the primacy of the Jn an . a and nkara  . d _  the karma-kan a of the Veda. Sa suggests that the M m a m . sakas . position with respect to the Upanis adic story is a reection of this .  general controversy. The purva-paks . in maintains that those scriptural  stories subserve the pariplava because they are stories like others, and  because the telling of stories is enjoined for the pariplava . And from this it follows that the Ved anta-texts do not chiey aim at knowledge, because like mantras they stand in a complementary relation of sacricial performances.23 nkaras _ 7.11 According to Sa theory there is a clear-cut distinction  ana  ) and the knowledge (vidya ). This between the story (akhy . The distinction enables him to express his basic interest in the vidya . d Upanis . adic story as well as the karma-kan . a of the Veda subserves the abstract teaching of the Ved anta-texts. The Upanis . adic story is a  in relation to the vidya -portion. kind of arthavada nkaras _  7.12 Sa assertion against the purva-paks . in, introduced in BSBh nkara, _ _ 3.4.23, could also be levelled against Sankara himself. For Sa as we have seen, all the stories are alike in the sense that they provide an nkara _ occasion for the transmission of the Upanisadic teaching. Sa does not introduce a theory intended to account for the relationship of

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. In the absence the specic story-contents with the accompanying vidya of such a theory, one can say that many stories in their capacity to arouse motivation and curiosity are interchangeable with other stories ~avalkya in the Ved anta texts. Cannot one embed the teaching of Y ajn to his wife Maitrey in the occasion (or textual environment) of the  J ana sruti-story? (Raikva would say, in this case, that the atman should be seen). 7.13 The basic denition of the Upanis . adic story as conceived _ by Sankara implies the existence of two parties; one eager or . The one who made eager to learn, the other transmitting the vidya nkaras _ knows enlightens the one who does not. The applicability of Sa denition of the Upanis adic narrative depends entirely on this condition, . namely, the existence of two parties, unequal in their knowledge. ~avalkya and his brahmin8. Is the tale of the competition between Y ajn colleagues according to BU 3 similar to the ones mentioned above, nkara _ the narratives selected by Sa as characteristic of the Upanis . adic  story? The stories of Maitrey, J ana sruti and Pratardana are certainly characteristic of a large sample of the Upanis . adic stories. Indeed, many other stories such as, for example, the famous teaching of Udd  alaka 24  to N to his son Svetaketu, or Yamas teaching the vidya aciketas25 do _ essentially t Sankaras theory of the Upanis . adic story. As suggested above, all the stories of this kind share one essential characteristic; the  is made from one who knows to one who transmission of the vidya does not. 8.1 The narrative that unfolds in the third section of the  Br had aran . . yakopanis . ad is often signicantly different. Clearly, according ~avalkya know the string upon to BU 3.7.1, Udd alaka as well as Y ajn which all beings are strung, and also the identity of the inner controller. Thus, there is no thirst for knowledge on the part of one of the parties to the competition. The listener or reader of the story is not encouraged , but rather to nd out who the winner in the fateful to know the vidya competition is. Thus, the contents of the Upanis . adic knowledge are withdrawn into the background, making room for a new focus of atten~avalkya and Udd tion. The conict between Y ajn alaka seems possibly to represent not only an inter-personal clash, but a controversy as well. Thus, new questions seem to be asked, substantially different from, . and competing with those focused on the contents of the vidya 8.2 At least with regard to Udd alaka and Bhujyu (who received their ~avalkya shares knowledge from a Gandharva) it is obvious that Y ajn precisely in the same knowledge as they have. Thus, in the case of BU

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3.3.12 and BU 3.7 there is no transmission of knowledge at all. The party which receives the teaching knows it already. 8.3 Some of the sub-stories then, told in BU 3, cannot be understood -transmission. The questions pertinent simply as an occasion for the vidya , but rather to this context do not concern the contents of the vidya ~avalkyas capability to answer them. Will Y ~avalkya prevail? Y ajn ajn  imparted by Will he nd the right answer? Will he discover the vidya the Gandharva (and thus known already to Udd alaka and Bhujyu)? Need one be possessed by a non-human being such as a Gandharva in order to nd truth? In fact, such are the questions which come to mind ~ avalkyas encounters with the brahmins in with respect to most of Y ajn 26 the BU 3. -pronouncement becomes the 8.4 Thus, the occasion of the vidya -contents the background. The Upanis foreground, and the vidya . adic  in the story in this case can hardly be said to subserve the vidya nkaras _ sense in which Sa choice of Upanis . adic stories could be said to  ana  ) seems to substitute for do so. On the contrary, the story (akhy  explicit in Y ~avalkyas abstract speeches another hidden the vidya ajn . This second vidya  is implied and reected upon primarily in vidya and by the story itself. ~avalkya and his colleagues strongly 9. In fact, the narrative of Y ajn suggests that from a certain point of view, the teacher who is about  (Y ~avalkya) is the one who does not know. to expound the vidya ajn For most of the sages present at the conference initiated by Janaka, ~avalkya pretends to know, and consequently does not know. Even Y ajn  ~avalkyas adversary at the end of the series of Vidagdha S akalya, Y ajn challengers in the BU 3, still seems to preserve and express at his own ~avalkyas ignorance.27 risk the basic presupposition concerning Y ajn 9.1 In his anxiety over, and hunger for knowing the answer to the ~avalkya prevail? the listener/reader of basic question will Y ajn  to the the story moves from curiosity over the contents of the vidya  ~ wish to know of Yajnavalkyas success. In this sense, the listener whether present at the competition or reader of the story identies with ~avalkyas predicament and ignorance. When Udd Y ajn alaka addresses ~avalkya, he is sure Y ~avalkya does not know. For how could Y ajn ajn he? the Gandharva did not tell him. ~avalkya nds out 9.2 In the course of the competition, however, Y ajn the answers to the challenging questions addressed to him. Thus, the ~avalkya is that of his self-transformation, from a person story of Y ajn who initially does not know into a sage who does.

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 of the entire third 9.3 The underlying theme the hidden vidya   ~ section of Br had a ran yakopanis ad is Y a j n avalkyas personality and . . .  competes with the explicit implicitly self-transformation. This vidya ~avalkyas abstract and beautiful speeches. one visibly present in Y ajn ~avalkya The astonishing fact and thus center of the story is that Y ajn ~avalkya know truths such as that knows, not what he knows. Can Y ajn about the string upon which all the creatures are strung? Can he know the inner controller? Can he nd out the place to which the Par ks . its 28 29  had gone? Can he tell the atman in clear-cut, direct and descriptive terms? Can he know how many gods there are?30 Can he know how  overcomes death and reaches beyond time?31 the yajamana ~avalkya are interesting indeed. 9.4 The questions addressed to Y ajn  expressed in the answers is not commonplace. Y ~avalkyas The vidya ajn exposition of the secret of immortality and nature of the Self, the peculiar difculty or impossibility of approaching the Self, etc., in BU 3, are among the most beautiful in the Upanis . adic literature. And yet, given the structure and features of the story, the primary, explicit  is of secondary importance. Y ~avalkyas power of nding truth vidya ajn is the center of the story. ~avalkyas with his brahmin-colleagues 10. Each encounter of Y ajn nkaras . Some of the sub-stories seem to t Sa _ involves a story and a vidya denition of the Upanis adic story. These are the cases in which the . ~avalkyas colleague seeks to be enlightened, to brahmin who is Y ajn know something he does not know. Thus, for example, the encounter  ~avalkya with Artabh  of Y ajn aga (BU 3.2) includes a very short teaching  ) and a story. Artabh  (vidya aga asks about the fate of man after he dies. ~avalkya says that this is a secret, not to be told in the presence Y ajn  ~avalkya and Artabh  of all the others. Y ajn aga exit. Now comes the . Y ~avalkya tells a certain truth about karma. exposition of the vidya ajn A man becomes good by good deeds, and bad by bad deeds (pun . yo vai  bhavati, papah  . papeneti). Obviously, the sub-story pun . yena karman .a   ~avalkya may be seen as an of Artabh agas secretive meeting with Y ajn . The listener is motivated occasion for the transmission of the vidya , and prepared for an enhanced openness and reception of the vidya _ much in accordance with Sankaras denition of the Upanis . adic story. Other sub-stories seem signicantly different. Obviously, Udd alakas ~avalkya is such a case. encounter with Y ajn 10.1 Thus, there are apparently some sub-stories in which  ~avalkyas party to the dialogue knows the answer, and some in Yajn which he does not (in the latter cases, he truly seeks knowledge rather ~ avalkyas defeat). It seems likely, that the hostile opponents than Y ajn

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~avalkya do know the answers to the questions they address to ajn of Y ~avalkya, while the others the more innocent sages do not Y ajn know the answers to the questions they ask. A svala, Bhujyu, Udd alaka    and Sakalya belong to the rst group. Artabhaga, Us . asta and Kahola belong to the second.32 ~avalkyas character. 11. All the sub-stories in BU 3 focus on Y ajn Beginning with Janakas question about the most learned brahmin, through the sages non-assertive behavior, Udd alakas vicious attack on ~avalkya, G ~avalkyas superiority,33 Y ajn arg s clear-cut assertion of Y ajn  up to the hostile encounter with S akalya (who lost his head as a ~avalkyas character and particularly his selfresult of his defeat), Y ajn condence loom large as the central theme of BU 3. Even the cases where nkaras _ ~avalkyas Sa denition of the Upanis ajn . adic story seem to hold, Y  personality competes with the vidya as the true center of the story. Take 34 for example the two beautiful dialogues, with Us akr ayan . a and . asta C  Kahola Kaus takeyi.35 These dialogues, however attractive the vidya ~avalkya as the calm and powerful teacher included therein, present Y ajn  transmitted to Us at the center of the narrative. Although the vidya . asta ~avalkyas method of and Kahola is most probably new to them, Y ajn instruction is the prominent issue of BU 3.4-5.  12. Thus, the two denitive features of the Upanis . adic story and vidya ~avalkyas unfolded in BU 3 are clear by now. The story exemplies Y ajn -contents recede to the backpersonality and self-condence; the vidya ground. How are these two features related? 12.1 Confronting Udd alaka who relies on the Gandharva-possessed woman, K apyas wife, and Bhujyu L ahy ayani who retrieves the knowledge transmitted by the Gandharva-possessed daughter of K apya  ~ Yajnavalkya is mysteriously original in his methods to obtain knowledge.36 He resorts to the Veda, of course. He shares the mental culture of the other sages. However, throughout the story of BU 3 he is literally original knowledge partially but signicantly originates in him as no other scholar is. Indeed, in his intellectual ght with ~avalkyas originality comes through most explicitly. Udd alaka, Y ajn Udd alaka outlines the premises of the controversy by telling the story of the Gandharva, for how else could he have obtained the Gandharvas inaccessible knowledge? If we accept Udd alakas denition of the situ~avalkya had to nd by himself, or discover anew (by his ation, Y ajn own resources) the at rst inaccessible truth. ~avalkya is presented as a Vedic scholar of a certain inde12.2 Y ajn pendence; active, self-transforming, tapping his resources to obtain knowledge. In this there seems to lie the root of his self-condence.

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He, apparently, can seek and nd truth by himself. This capability of ~avalkyas is the underlying theme of the entire BU 3. And thus, Y ajn nkara, _ unlike the stories selected by Sa the circumstances of knowledge transmitted. The transmission become more important than the vidya ~avalkya as a revolutionary sage of the Upanis story reects on Y ajn . adic culture. 13. The nature of the knowledge is in correspondence with the nature of the knower also transformed. Rather than being given, it is discovered and found. Such self-discovered knowledge inspires condence and assertiveness on the part of this boastful knower, nkaras ~avalkya. Unlike Sa _ Y ajn denition of the Upanis . adic story as , the story of subservient to a given, pronounced and abstract vidya ~avalkya is suggestive of a Udd alaka, the possessed woman and Y ajn  embedded in the story itself. The story of BU 3 contains this vidya  about the possible transition (transformation) of one great hidden vidya sage from being dependent on some external source for truth into being self-possessed and self-condent.

NOTES
 a  (BUBh 3.2). As Sankara comments: plutir bhartsanarth BU 3.1. 3 ~avalkya and Udd This seems to be the only verbal exchange between Y ajn alaka in the Upanis . ads. 4 H. Oldenberg, The Doctrine of the Upanis . ads and the Early Buddhism. Trans. by , rep. 1991, p. 40. S.B. Srotr 5 See P. Olivelle, Upanis . ads, p. 41. 6 ~avalkyas interrogators, Bhujyu L Sankara suggests, that one of Y ajn ahy ayani, thinks that since the Gandharva is a supra-human (divya) being, one who had not received this knowledge from such a source cannot know certain truths. The Gandharva told ~avalkya had not been ajn the brahmins secrets inaccessible to humans, and since Y present at the moment, he cannot know these truths (sa ca gandharvah . sarvam  labdham ~anam.   t. Tena divyebhyo maya Tat tava nasti. Ato asmabhyam abrav . jn    h to s ty abhipr ayah ). nigr . . 7 n ~avalkya sutram     tac cet tvam avidvam aminam . yaj . s tam . cantar-y . brahma-gavir udajase murdha te vipatis . yati. 8 ~avalkyas This is how Sankara interprets Udd alakas bitter remonstration to Y ajn  anam  . s laghayan  ). Sankara praise of himself (I know, I know) (veda vedeti atm alakas harsh words as: What is all this boast for? You should rather paraphrases Udd  aya). dars show your wisdom by deed (kim tena garjitena? Karyam 9 Udd alaka is the spiritual hero of the Ch andogyopanis ama. ad, an offshoot of the S ~avalkya is the outstanding sage of the White ( ajn sukla) Yajurveda, of which Veda. Y aran the Br .had . yakopanis . ad is an offshoot. See P. Olivelle, Upanis . ads, p. 31. 10 See SB 11.4.1. Some brahmins of northern India identify Udd alaka as a particularly gifted brahmin, who could undermine their authority. They choose one of them to be the leader in the forthcoming brahmodya.
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After Udd alaka answers 31 questions, his interrogator (Sauceya) asks 10 more questions. 12 The questions presented to Udd alaka in this context focus on the meaning of the asks about the real nature or signicance of details of the agnihotra. Thus, Sauceya the cow, the calf, the milk, spoon, etc. and also of the signicance of the sacricers motions such as the pouring of water, wiping the spoon or looking in a certain direction. 13 See W. Halbfass, Tradition and Reection, 1991, pp. 32328. 14 ChU 6.1.1. 15 SB 11.6.1. 16 According to ChU 5.3-10 and BU 6.2. 17 ~avalkya and Udd For a comparison of the teaching of Y ajn alaka, see Th.J. Hopkins, The Hindu Religious Tradition, pp. 4245. 18 P.D. Mehta, Early Indian Religious Thought, 1956, p. 87. 19 ~avalkya according to the story in BU 3 differ The eight persons who meet Y ajn ~avalkya. Some are apparently hostile (A ajn svala, in their attitude to their rival, Y   alaka, Sakalya). Others are more accepting (Artabh ag , Garg ). Others Bhujyu, Udd ~avalkya but to be akr ayan sitakeyi) seem to challenge Y ajn (Us . a, Kahola Kau . asta C willing to receive important and new teaching from him. 20 BSBh 3.4.24: tatra tatra samnihit   dr  pratipatti-saukaryopayogac  ca. yate prarocanopayogat abhir ekavakyat a .s 21 Thibauts translation of BSBh 3.4.23. 22 P. Olivelle, Upanis . ads, p. 216. 23 Thibauts translation of BSBh 3.4.23. 24 ChU 6. 25 KathU. 26  ~avalkya reveals to Artabh  The case of BU 3.2, where Y ajn aga the secret of karma is different. See below. 27 See BU 3.9. 28 ~avalkya, according to BU 3.3.1-2. This is Bhujyus question to Y ajn 29   See Us asta C a kr a yan as demand for such a description in BU 3.4. . . 30  See S akalyas famous questions in BU 3.9. 31 See A svalas question in BU 3.1. 32 As to G arg V acaknav (BU 3.6 and BU 3.8), I am not sure. But it seems likely that she is a judicious sage, who undergoes a change of heart (transformation), from ~avalkyas challengers (BU 3.6) to being a sage who recognizes ajn being one of Y his greatness (BU 3.8). 33 BU 3.8. 34 BU 3.4. 35 BU 3.5. 36 ~avalkya tapped his We do not know how according to the story-telling Y ajn own resources.

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