Summary of 1.

1
• 1.1.1 to 1.1.3—
◦ Tradition of teachers is presented. गुरुपरम्परा निरूपणम्, for glorification of the
knowledge.
◦ One should approach the Guru as prescribed in the shastras
◦ परिप्रश्न is also presented.
• 1.1.4-1.1.5—
◦ Angiras answers that two knowledges, higher and lower, are to be known.
◦ The latter, with 4 Vedas and 6 Vedangas—
▪ serves as the means to चित्तशुद्धिः
▪ should not be misunderstood as the highest goal
◦ The higher knowledge is introduced as being imperishable.
• 1.1.5 to 1.1.9—
◦ Subject matter of higher knowledge is presented as not subject or object,
but pervades everything.
◦ Knowing this, everything is known.
◦ One has to become धीरः to attain this knowledge.
◦ The word भूतयोनिम् is elaborated in the 7th mantra via 3 examples of spider-
web, earth-tree, and person-hair.
◦ It is further explained in detail in the following mantras.
◦ Sequence of creation.
◦ Ishvara is all-knower, generally and specifically.
◦ All names, forms and food are born from that.

Summary of 1.2—
• 1.2.1-1.2.4:
◦ अपरविद्या which was briefly presented earlier is elaborated.
◦ 1st mantra introduces it, while the 2nd mantra talks of अग्निहोत्र as an
example of it.
◦ Part of procedure.
◦ Associated karmas for results.
• 1.2.5-1.2.6:
◦ Various tongues of the fire.
◦ The offerings/ oblations carry the sacrificer and his wife to higher
loka.
• 1.2.7-1.2.10:
◦ Limitations of अपरविद्या।
◦ अपरविद्या give only limited results, being dependent on 18 (representative of
more) fragile factors.
◦ Those who consider this to be highest are deluded.
◦ They attain birth again and keep moving in संसार, having enjoyed heaven for
some time.
◦ Like the blind leading the blind.
◦ Because of attachment to actions and results, they don't see the truth.
• 1.2.11:
◦ All three उपासक s are mentioned.
◦ They attain Brahmaloka via the solar path.
• 1.2.12-1.2.13:
◦ Having examined what can be attained through karmas due to चित्तशुद्धि via कर्मयोग,
one वैराग्यम्।
◦ He should approach a Guru following the scriptural process to whom the
Guru should teach the परविद्या।

Summary of 2.1—
• 2.1.1: Brahman is said to be the cause of everything.
◦ example of fire and sparks.
▪ Bhashakara gives another example of pot-space and external space.
• 2.1.2: Brahman is presented as निरुपाधिकतत्त्वम्।
 ◦ Formless
◦ pervades everything
◦ present in every body
◦ pure
◦ superior to superior Maya.
• 2.1.3-9: Talk of creation.
◦ Everything is born of this Purusha, brahman.
• 2.1.10: तात्पर्यम् is said to be that since everything is born of brahman,
everything is brahman.
◦ Existence of everything is due to brahman.
◦ One who knows this and as oneself, is freed.
• This is a तत्प्दार्थप्रधान section, सत्प्रधान। The next section is चित्प्रधान।

Summary of 2.2
• Is full of महावाक्य s.
• 2.2.1-2 महावाक्य s.
◦ That consciousness which is available in the individual adjunct which is
the त्वम्पदलक्ष्यार्थ is the जगत्कारणम्ब्रह्म which is the तत्पदलक्ष्यार्थ।
◦ May you know that truth behind both individual jIva and total Ishvara
◦ ब्रह्म is the support of everything, that itself is in the form of individual
प्राण, वाङ्मनः and total. That is the shining consciousness.
◦ That should be know विद्धि/ target विद्धि in the sense of व्यध।
• 2.2.3-4
◦ साधन for knowing ब्रह्म is given, consisting of श्रवण hearing, मनन reflecting,
निदिध्यासन contemplation.
◦ Omkara is the bow, individual is the arrow, target is brahman.
◦ First, the individual should be associated with the शास्त्रप्रमाण represented by
Om, then withdraw from everything else, like a bow is drawn, and arrive at ब्रह्म।
• 2.2.5-8
◦ The जगदधिष्ठानब्रह्म is present in the heart as the साक्षी manifesting as the I-
cognition.
◦ The Guru blesses the disciple to cross over, asks to give all other
pursuits.
• 2.2.9
◦ When परावर ब्रह्म which is Ishvara and jIva, who is the cause and the effect,
is known, the knot of the heart, all doubts, sanchita and AgAmi karmas are
destroyed.
• 2.2.10-12
◦ ब्रह्म s present in the हिरण्मयकोश which is आनन्दमय, विज्ञानमय or हृदयाकाश।
◦ It is ever-pure, light of all lights.
◦ ब्रह्म is स्वयंप्रकाशचैतन्यम्।
◦ Everything is nothing but ब्रह्म alone.

Summary of 3.1—
• 3.1.1-2:
◦ Analogy of two birds for individual and Ishvara.
◦ Former is कर्ता, भोक्ता, while the latter watches over unaffected.
◦ When the grieving individual sees Ishvara as oneself, he becomes free
from sorrow.
◦ The freedom lies in the knowledge alone is presented.
• 3.1.3-4:
◦ The individual goes beyond पुण्य and पाप and becomes free while living
itself.
◦ He enjoys and revels in himself.
◦ He is the most superior wise person.
• 3.1.5-6:
◦ The values required as सहकारि साधन are mentioned to be सत्य, तपस् and ब्रह्मचर्य।
◦ The self is known and attained by those who follow these values.
 ◦ Truthfulness was emphasized though it represents others, by saying that
it prevails in the end.
◦ It is also glorified as by which the path to Brahmaloka is paved for क्रममुक्ति।
Then what to talk of जीवन्मुक्ति/ सद्योमुक्ति!
• 3.1.7-9
◦ The nature of ब्रह्म/ आत्मा is talked of as huge, effulgent, far, near, subtle,
etc, within oneself in the intellect for the wise person.
◦ It is not available as वाच्यार्थ of any word, by any other sense organs.
◦ It is known only by one with a purified mind through thinking, that
is,श्रवण, मनन, निदिध्यासनम्।
◦ The self is understood in the intellect, in the body.
◦ The self reveals itself, फलव्याप्ति is not required.
• 3.1.10:
◦ Talks of the result of self-knowledge as everything is attained.
◦ One desirous of prosperity should worship the wise person.

Summary
• 1.1.1-1.1.9:
◦ Describes the teaching tradition that started with Hiranyagarbha
manifesting as Brahma, who taught the Upanishad to his son Atharva is one kalpa.
◦ Shaunaka asks Angirasa the question as to knowing which everything else
is known.
◦ Angirasa says two knowledges, lower and higher, are to be known.
◦ अपरविद्या includes all Vedas and परविद्या is that by which the highest is known.
◦ 1.1.3, 1.1.6, 1.1.7 are important mantras.
• 1.2.1-1.2.13:
◦ Elaboration of अपरविद्या।
◦ कर्मस्वरूपम्, description of karma is explained with the help of the simplest
karma अग्निहोत्र।
◦ Their results were talked of and if the procedure is not followed well,
one is deprived of the results. सप्तलोकान् हिनस्ति।
◦ It leads to स्वर्ग but one will return from there after भोग।
◦ Limitations thereof. अनित्यम्।
◦ Those who follow them are मूढ s.
◦ उपासन is also described with their limitations.
◦ Transition to परविद्या। परीक्ष्य लोकान्।
◦ Process of approaching the teacher.
◦ 1.2.12, 1.2.13 are important mantras.
• 2.1.1-2.1.10:
◦ Elaborates परविद्या।
◦ तत्पदार्थप्रधान description.
◦ जगत्कारणम् of living beings with the example of fire and sparks.
◦ 2.1.2: निर्गुणब्रह्म without उपाधि।
◦ 2.1.3-9: various descriptions of how ब्रह्म is जगत्कारणम् such as seven vital
airs, Vedic karmas, accessories, etc.
◦ Being the cause of everything, ब्रह्म is everything.
◦ Should be known as that which is in the हृदय intellect. ऐक्यम्।
◦ 2.1.2-2.1.10 are important mantras.

• 2.2.1-2.2.11:
◦ Elaboration of अक्षरब्रह्म continues.
◦ त्वम् and असिपदार्थप्रधान।
◦ जीव is consciousness, ब्रह्म, अधिष्ठान of everything. ब्रह्म is प्रत्यगात्मा।
◦ 3-4: Bow analogy, प्रणव = bow, जीव = arrow, ब्रह्म = target.
◦ श्रवणमनननिदिध्यासन represented by प्रणव/ scriptures is the means.
◦ 5-8: nature of individual as consciousness is elaborated by saying that
the same ब्रह्म is in the heart.
◦ 9: How all doubts, etc, are removed, on rise of knowledge.
 ◦ 4, 9, 11, 12 are imp. Mantras.
• 3.1.1-3.1.10:
◦ Talks of सहकारिसाधन needed for efficacy of pursuit of knowledge and ब्रह्मस्वरूप।
◦ 1-2: bird analogy for individual and Ishvara, former suffering as कर्ता-भोक्ता।
Knowing Ishvara as oneself to be free, one becomes free.
◦ Elaboration of above.
◦ 5-6: Values such as सत्यम्।
◦ सत्यम् was glorified as even necessary for क्रममुक्ति।
◦ 7-9: ब्रह्मस्वरूपनिरूपणम्।
◦ 10-11: सर्वात्मभाव, wise person as altar of worship and that one should pray to
him.
◦ 3.1.1, 7, 8, last qtr of 10 are imp. Mantras.
• 3.2.1-3.2.11:
◦ Glorifies wise person as by praying to whom one gets freedom.
◦ सहकारिसाधनम् such as तपस्, ब्रह्मचर्य, आत्मवरणम्, बलम्, वैराग्यम्, etc.
◦ ज्ञानफल as जीवन्मुक्ति and विदेहमुक्ति।
◦ शोक is not there for a जीवन्मुक्त।
◦ स्थूल, सूक्ष्म and कारणशरीर merge into total स्थूल, सूक्ष्म and Ishvara in विदेहमुक्त।
◦ Individuality विज्ञानमय, as if dissolves into ब्रह्म।
◦ पुनरावृत्ति अभाव is विदेहमुक्ति।
◦ ज्ञानी is नित्यमुक्त।
◦ 7, 8: described विदेहमुक्ति in detail with example of river merging in the
ocean, नामरूपाद्विमुक्त।
◦ ब्रह्म वेद ब्रह्मैव भवति, knower of brahman becomes brahman figuratively, since he
owns up the fact आत्मभावेन, अयम् अहम् अस्मि इति।
◦ Rules regarding imparting ब्रह्मविद्या were given. One who has followed karmayoga
and उपासन, with devotion to Vedas and Ishvara.
◦ Specific rules for Atharvavedis, एकर्षिव्रत and शिरोव्रत। As per some, due to
latter, the name मुण्डक।
◦ Salutations to परमऋषिs.
◦ 3.2.3 second half, 6, 8, 9 are imp. mantras.

• षड्लिङ्गविचार।
◦ श्रवणनाम षड्लिङ्गैः ... अद्विते ब्रह्मणि तात्पर्यावधारणम्।
◦ उपक्रर्मोपसंहारौ presentation of the main subject matter in the beginning and the
end.
▪ 1.1.3 कस्मिन्नु भगवो..। Question itself shows तात्पर्य as अद्वितीयब्रह्म or start as
यत्तदद्रेश्यम्...।
▪ 3.2.9 ब्रह्म वेद ब्रह्मैव भवति।
◦ अभ्यासः repetition of the main subject matter.
▪ आविस्संनिहितं ... एजत्प्रणत्... । यस्मिल्ंलोकाः। पुरुष एवम्। २.२.७ यत् सर्वज्ञः सर्ववित्। ...। ब्रह्म पुरुस्ताद्,
etc.
◦ अपूर्वता subject matter which cannot be known by any other means.
▪ 3.1.8 न चक्षुषा गृह्यते... ।
◦ फलम्
▪ भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थि...।
◦ अर्थवाद glorification.
▪ 3.1.10 यं यं लोका... ।
◦ उपपत्ति reasoning.
▪ 2.1.1 यथा सुदीप्तात्... ।