To speak the truth is the first necessity of a preceptor, tutor or teacher.
In this prayer for peace, we also experience the noble conduct of the teaching rishi. Thus, this sentence implies that we should serve the manifest guru with supreme divinity, for he is the manifest form of Aksharbrahman and Parabrahman.
The guru himself is Aksharbrahman, and Parabrahman continuously resides within him. This feeling of manifestation should be developed towards the Gunãtit guru, and be repeatedly strengthened. The manifestation of both Aksharbrahman and Parabrahman is indicated here. For this reason, in the Taittireeya Upanishad, both these divine entities of brahmavidyã have been remembered and offered obeisance before precepts on brahmavidyã commence.Īfter bowing, homage is now paid. The Upanishads themselves define brahmavidyã – ‘येनाऽक्षरं पुरुषं वेद सत्यं प्रोवाच तां तत्त्वतो ब्रह्मविद्याम्।’ – ‘Yenã’ksharam purusham veda satyam provãcha tãm tattvato brahmavidyãm’ – ‘That by which Akshar, i.e., Aksharbrahman, and Purush, i.e., Parabrahman, are known in their essence is called brahmavidyã’ (Mundaka Upanishad: 1/2/13). Upanishads are the shastras for brahmavidyã. The reason for this bow is understandable. Thus using the common word ‘Brahman’ for both Aksharbrahman and Parabrahman, the rishi bows with both these divine entities in mind using the words ‘Namo Brahmane’ – ‘I bow to Akshar-Purushottam’. The reason for this is that later in this Upanishad statements like ‘Brahmavidãpnoti Param’ (Taittireeya Upanishad: 2/1) and ‘Satyam jnãnam anantam Brahma’ (Taittireeya Upanishad: 2/1) refer to Aksharbrahman using the word ‘Brahman’, whereas statements like ‘Ãnando Brahmeti vyajãnãt’ (Taittireeya Upanishad: 3/6) refer to Parabrahman using the word ‘Brahman’. Using just the one word, ‘Brahmane’, the preceptor rishi bows to the two divine entities Aksharbrahman and Parabrahman. Now let us see another message of this mantra. The elimination of everyone’s every misery, the experience of utmost bliss, the attainment of utmost peace – this has been the direction of Hindu Sanatan thinking. This is the great and unique quality of Indian spiritual thought. This prayer to Paramãtmã at the onset of this Upanishad asks for the good of the whole of creation. Let the devas, like Mitra, Varuna, Aryamã, Bruhaspati and others, who have been appointed by Paramãtmã to manage creation, be a source of happiness for us and shower peace everywhere. It is a request for bliss and peace everywhere. These are the words of the preceptors praying for peace before giving their precepts. Let us see the precepts and essence of all of these three vallis. The first of these is the Shikshãvalli, the second the Ãnandvalli, and the third the Bhruguvalli. The Taittireeya Upanishad is split into three sections, each called a ‘valli’. Hence this Upanishad is also called the Taittireeya Upanishad. This Upanishad is recited as part of the Taittireeya Aranyaka in the Taittireeya shãkhã (branch). This Upanishad is encompassed in the Krishna Yajur Veda. Let us take a glimpse at this interesting Vedic education by pondering over the Taittireeya Upanishad. This is because it is alive, alive with adhyãtmavidyã, alive with brahmavidyã. It is not fruitless or only fruitful to some extent, but it bears eternal fruits. Above this, its greatest uniqueness is that it is not lopsided or partial but it is all-round and complete. This is easily experienced by glancing through the Vedic literature. Variety and vastness are both wedded to Indian education. The type and extent of education that had taken place in India is astounding. The ancestry of Vedic teaching and learning is a superb example of this. India has an ancient heritage of education.