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The Kalisantarana Upanishad of the Krishna Yajur Veda
The word "Upanishad" means the knowledge a Guru, well
versed in the Vedas, imparts to his disciple, seated near him.
The Vedas provide two kinds of knowledge - Para and Apara.
Apara vidya consists of knowledge which leads to material
prosperity, but Para vidya leads one to Moksha or liberation.
Para Vidya consists of the right knowledge of God and the means
of reaching Him. Certainly, Para Vidya is superior to
Apara Vidya. This Para Vidya of the Vedas is contained in the
heart of the Vedas, the Upanishads.
The Upanishads are also known as Vedanta or the conclusions of the Vedas.
It is impossible to overstate the influence of the Upanishads on the
major philosophical systems of India, including the Advaita, Visistadvaita,
and the Dvaita.
The lofty philosophy of Advaita can have no quarrel with any other
system on the basis of religious beliefs. In the masterly work, Pancadasi,
the Jnani par excellence Vidyaranya Swami explains how diverse
systems of beliefs, going down to even those which involve worshiping
trees and the like, can be reconciled with Advaita. Shankara never
attacked the religious beliefs of any system; he only criticized its
philosophical doctrines. Still, for anyone who reads the commentary on
the Bhagavad Gita, it is possible to discern Shankara's willingness to
admit that Bhakti is a prerequisite for Jnana. His numerous devotional
hymns only confirm the fact that he attached great importance to the
path of Bhakti. That he had realized the efficacy of chanting
the names of Vishnu can be clearly seen by reading his commentary on
the Vishnu Sahasra Nama. His Acyutashtaka is a sublime panegyric packed
with the glorious names of Vishnu.
acyutam keSavam rAmanArAyaNam
kRShNadAmodaram vAsudevam harim
Sridharam mAdhavam gopikAvallabham
jAnakInAyakam rAmacandram bhaje || acyutAShtaka verse 1
I worship Acyuta, Kesava, Narayana who is Rama, Damodara who is
Krishna, Vasudeva, Hari, Sridhara, Madhava, the beloved of the
Gopis, and the Lord of Seeta, Ramacandra.
The Vaisnava Acharyas are, of course, quite emphatic in prescribing
Bhakti as the only means of achieving Moksha in this age, the Kali Yuga.
Madhva quotes the following from the Narayana Samhita in his
commentary on the Mundaka Upanishad:
dvAparIyair janair viShNuh
pancarAtraistu kevalaih
kalau tu nAmamAtreNa
pUjyate bhagavAn harih ||
In the Dvapara Yuga, people worshiped Vishnu according to the principles
described in the Pancaratra. In the Kali Yuga, Bhagavan Hari is to be
worshiped simply by chanting His names.
Madhva writes in his famous Dvadasha Stotra :
SruNutAmalasatyavacah paramam SapatheritamucchritabAhuyugam |
na hareh paramo na hareh sadRSah paramah sa tu sarvacidAtmagaNAt ||
Listen (O devotees) to the pure and true words which I proclaim with
uplifted arms! There is none superior to Hari; there is none equal or
similar to Hari. Certainly, He is superior to the host of all sentient
beings.
The Kalisantarana Upanishad of the Shukla Yajur Veda instructs us to perform
the japa of the names of Hari, Rama and Krishna. It asserts that this mantra
is the best way to overcome the evils of Kali Yuga. The mantra may be chanted
without any restrictions or injunctions, whether one is in a clean or unclean
state.
The crest-jewel of all Vaishnava scriptures, the Bhagavata recommends the
chanting of the divine names of Krishna, and thus echoes the teaching of
the Upanishad.
kalerdoShanidhe rAjannasti hyeko mahAn guNah |
kIrtanAdeva kRShNasya muktasangah param vrajet || 12.3.51
In the repository of faults/evils that is Kali Yuga, O King (Parikshit),
there is one great virtue. Simply by singing the praises of Krishna, one
becomes free from all material attachments, and attains the Supreme.
kRte yad dhyAyato viShNum tretAyAm yajato makhaih |
dvApare paricaryAyAm kalau taddharikIrtanAd || 12.3.52
The result one obtained in the Krita Yuga by meditating on Vishnu, in the
Treta Yuga by performing Yajnas for the sake of Vishnu, in the Dvapara Yuga
by serving Him, is obtained in the Kali Yuga by singing the glories of Hari.
The Kalisantarana Upanishad
---------------------------
AUM saha nAvavatu | saha nau bhunaktu | saha vIryam karavAvahai |
tejasvi nAvadhitamastu mA vidviShAvahai | AUM Santih Santih Santih |
Tr: May God protect us (the Guru and the disciple). May we both
enjoy the results (of this Upanishad). May we attain strength
together. Let the study of this (Upanishad) be illuminating to
both of us. Let us not show contempt for each other.
Peace. Peace. Peace.
harih AUM | dvAparAnte nArado brahmANam jagAma katham bhagavan gAm
paryaTan kalim santareyam iti |
Tr: At the end of Dvapara Yuga, Narada, after traveling the world,
approached Lord Brahma and asked him:
"How may I overcome the (evil effects of) the Kali Yuga?"
sa hovaca brahmA sAdhu pRShTo asmi
sarvaSrutirahasyam gopyam tacchRuNu yena kalisamsAram tariShyasi |
Tr: Brahma said: "You have asked me an excellent question. I shall
reveal to you the secret of all Vedas, by which you will cross
over the (ocean of) samsara filled with the bad effects of the
Kali Yuga. This secret must be preserved and protected."
bhagavata AdipuruShasya nArAyaNasya nAmoccAraNamAtreNa nirdhRtakalir
bhavati| nAradah punah papraccha tannAma kimiti |
Tr: "By merely uttering the names of the Primeval Purusha, who is
Bhagavan Narayana, one is freed from the clutches of Kali."
Narada asked again: "What are those names of Narayana?"
sa hovaca hiraNyagarbhah |
Tr: Lord Brahma said:
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare |
Tr: O Hari, O Rama, O Hari, O Rama , O Rama O Rama, O Hari, O Hari!
hare kRShNa hare kRShNa kRShNa kRShNa hare hare |
Tr: O Hari, O Krishna, O Hari, O Krishna , O Krishna O Krishna,
O Hari, O Hari!
Note: Gaudiyas chant this mantra by reversing the order of
the two halves, ie. the Hare Krishna first and then the
Hare Rama. Also, they seem to believe that the name Rama
here indicates Balabhadra and not Ramacandra! Now there are
a number of Upanishads which have as their main topic the
discussion of devotion to Dasharathi Rama, such as the
Rama tapini, Rama rahasya, muktika, etc, and there is hardly
any which so discusses Balarama. Thus it would seem more
appropriate that Rama indicates Dashrathi Rama and not
Balarama.
iti ShoDaSakam nAmnAm kalikalmaShanASanam |
nAtah parataropAyah sarvavedeShu dRSyate |
Tr: This collection of sixteen names (of Narayana) destroys the
evils of the Kali Yuga.
I don't see any other effective means (of liberation) in the Vedas.
iti ShoDaSakalAvRtasya jIvasyAvaraNavinASanam |
tatah prakASate param brahma meghApAye raviraSmimanDalIveti |
Tr: (This mantra) destroys the sixteen kalas of the jiva, beginning
with the prana, which constitute the veil of ignorance. Then the
Supreme Brahman shines forth, just as the solar disc shines forth
brilliantly when the clouds vanish.
punarnAradah papraccha bhagavan ko asya vidhiriti |
tam hovaca nAsya vidhiriti |
Tr: Narada asked: " O Bhagavan, what are the regulations
or injunctions to be followed in chanting these names?"
Brahma said: "There are no regulations to be followed."
sarvadA SuciraSucirvA pathan brAhmaNah salokatAm samIpatAm
sarUpatAm sAyujyatAmeti |
Tr: "By chanting these names always, whether in a clean or
unclean state, a brahmana obtains the
four kinds of liberation, sAlokya, sAmIpya, sArUpya and
sAyujya."
Notes: 1) sAlokya -- living in the abode of God
2) sAmIpya -- living in the proximity of God
3) sArupya -- living with a form identical with God
4) sAyujya -- merging with the body of God
yadAsya ShoDaSikasya sArdhatrikoTIrjapati tadA brahmahatyAm
tarati| tarati vIrahatyAm |
Tr: When a brahmana chants this mantra of sixteen names, for a
total of one and one half crore times, he becomes free from
the sin of killing a brahmaNa. He overcomes the sin of
neglecting his domestic fire.
svarNasteyAt pUto bhavati |
pitRdevamanuShyANAmapakArAt pUto bhavati |
Tr: He becomes free from the sin of stealing gold.
He becomes free from the offences committed against
forefathers, Gods and human beings.
sarvadharmaparityAgapApAt sadyah SucitAmApnuyAt |
sadyo mucyate sadyo mucyate ityupaniShat |
Tr: He quickly becomes free from the sin of giving up all religious
duties. He becomes liberated immediately; he becomes liberated
immediately. Thus the Upanishad.
AUM saha nAvavatu | saha nau bhunaktu | saha vIryam karavAvahai |
tejasvi nAvadhitamastu mA vidviShAvahai | AUM Santih Santih Santih |
Tr: May God protect us (the Guru and the disciple). May we both
enjoy the results (of this Upanishad). May we attain strength
together. Let the study of this (Upanishad) be illuminating to
both of us. Let us not show contempt for each other.
Peace. Peace. Peace.
---------------------------------------------------------
NOTE : I have used the following as a transliteration key.
(the obvious sounds have been omitted for brevity)
A - as in mAtA; a - as in aditi; i - as in visheSh;
I - as in Ishwar; e - as in keshava; R- as in RShi
o - as in govinda ; u - as in puruSha; U - as in citrakUTa;
c - as cidambara; ch - as in chAyA ;
d - as in dAmodara; D - as in pandit ; dh - as in dharma;
t - as in trivikrama; T - as in kUTa or pATalIputra;
th- as in shrInAth; Th - as in ViThala; N - as in nArAyaNa;
l - as in BAla; L - as in MuraLi;
sh - as in shrI; s - as in samsAra; Sh - as in ViShNu or visheSh;
Anand
ahudli@silver.ucs.indiana.edu
