Prajnanam brahma..?

[thebigthinkg]

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The series of 'jnA' - the 'to know'​

1. jnA is knowing
2. pra-jnA means the large-knowing, which is the consciousness or 'awareness'.
3. jnAna are that are known.
4. vi-jnAna is knowing by dissecting or dividing (as we do in science)
5. ajnAna are unknown.

Prajnanam Brahma..?

Aitareya Upanishad sloka 5.1 talks of three different terms. Atma, Prajna, Brahma. All these three terms are in the same sloka. So to really understand the mahAvAkya prajnanam Brahma one has to understand the entire sloka.

Prior to this Aitareya Upanishad has defined Atma as one that existed, when nothing existed and from whose wish all worlds and their beings got created. The sloka 5.1 starts with the question who is this Atma (that existed before all and from whose wish, the worlds and their beings got created)..? The rest of the slokas are trying to answer the question by logical construction of deduction of one statement from another.

Aitareya Upanishad Sloka 5.1​

ko 'yam atmeti vayam upasmahe sa atma yena va pasyati yena va srnoti yena va gandhan ajighrati yena va vacam vyakaroti yena va svadu casvadu ca vijanati.

Meaning​

Who this atma worshiped by us..? Is atma which sees or hears, or smells the fragrances or differentiates the speech or which knows tasteful and tasteless..?

Sloka 5.2​

yad etadd hrdayam manas ca etat samjnanam ajnanam vijnanam prajnanam medha drstir dhrtir matir manisa jutih smrtih sankalpah kratur asuh kamo vasa iti sarvany evaitani prajnanasya namadheyani bhavanti.

Meaning​

Which/Where this Heart (hrdaya) and Mind (manas), this physically knowing (samjnAna), not knowing (ajnAna), logically analysing (vijnAna), concluding/decision making (prajnAna), information digesting/nourishing (medhA), ability to perceive (drstir), Constancy (dhrtir), wish (mati), ability to think (maniSa), instincts (jutih), storing information in memory (smrti), executing actions (sankalpah), kratu (plan, design, intention), breathing/metabolism (asuh), desire/love (kAma) , in the grip/control/influence of (vaza) all these become the name held by those /given to those with prajna (prajnan asya)

Which heart and mind that do below functions

1. Physical knowing (jnAna)
2. Not knowing (ajnAna)
3. Logical knowing (vi jnAna)
4. Awareness (pra jnAna)
5. Information digesting/nourishing (medhA)
6. Perception (drSti)
7. Constancy, ability to pursue (dhRti)
8. Wish/Opinion/Ideas (mati)
9. Think (Analyze ideas and opinions) (maniSa)
10. Speed (jutih)
11. Memory (smrti)
12. Executing actions (saMkalpa)
13. Will or ability (kratu)
14. Breathing/metabolism (asuh)
15. Desires (kAma)
16. Attraction (vaza)

are given the name of beings with prajna.

Sloka 5.3​

esa brahma esa indra esa prajapatir ete sarve deva imani ca panca maha-bhutani prthivi vayur akasa apo jyotimsity etanimani ca ksudra-misraniva. bijanitarani cetarani canda-jani ca jaru-jani ca sveda-jani codbhij-jani casva gavah purusa hastino yat kincedam prani jangamam ca patatri ca yac ca sthavaram
sarvam tat prajna-netram prajnane pratisthitam prajna-netro lokah prajna pratistha prajnanam brahma

Meaning​

These Brahma, these Indra, these Prajapati, all these devas, the five great bhuta (prthvi, vayu, akAsa, Apa, jyoti), minutive, mixed, those born of an egg, of a womb, of sweat and of a sprout, the horses, cows, human beings, elephants—whatever breathes here, whether moving on legs or flying in the air or unmoving, all that guided/lead by prajna, all situated on prajna, In the worlds guided by prajnA situated on prajna, that prajnA is brahma.

Prajna is the Consciousness or awareness that underlies every manifestation in the Universe from brahma, indra, prajapti, all devas, pancha-bhutas to beings. Prajna is the brahman (expander or creator), in those worlds situated on prajna and lead by prajna.

Sloka 5.4​

sa etena prajnena atmAnA asmal lokad utkramy amusmin svarge loke sarvan kaman aptva amrtah samabhavat samabhavat. ity om.

With this, by the prajna, atmanA , from our world (asmal loka) transcends to being in the world of svarga (ud kramy amusmin svarge loke), having obtained all desires (sarvan kaman aptva), immortality manifests (amrtah samabhavat).

With these, Atman, by the prajnA, after fullfilling the desire, moves from our world to world of immortal svarga.

Summary of the Aitareya Upanishad Sloka 5​

Who this atma worshiped by us..? Is atma which sees or hears, or smells the fragrances or differentiates the speech or which knows tasteful and tasteless..?

Those with heart and mind with functions such as 1. Physical knowing (jnAna) 2. Not knowing (ajnAna) 3. Logical knowing/common sense (vi jnAna) 4. Awareness (pra jnAna) 5. Intelligence (medhA) 6. sight (drSti) 7. Constancy, ability to pursue (dhRti) 8. Wish/Opinion/Ideas (mati) 9. Thoughts (maniSa) 10. Instincts (jutih) 11. Memory (smrti) 12. Executing actions (saMkalpa) 13. Designing (kratu) 14. Breathing/metabolism (asuh) 15. Desires (kAma) 16. Attraction (vaza), are given the name of those with prajna. From brahma, indra, prajapati, pancha-bhutas to all forms of living beings, prajna is the brahma for those situated in prajna, lead by prajna.
Thus all Universe is the expansion of prajna, with various manifestations. Atman after achieving the desire by prajnA, move from our world (of prajna) to svarga, the world of immortal.

So Atma is the the one that expands or causes the expansion (brahman) of prajnA.

 

[Lotusinsanskrit]

Aitareya Upanishad - Sloka 5 - prajnAnAm brahma

The series of 'jnA' - the 'to know' jnA is knowing pra-jnA means before knowing or the 'first' of knowing, the 'prominent' knowing etc. prajnA is awareness. It is the stage before 'knowing'. It is the 'first' of the series of knowings. A stage of just awareness. prajnA is just the basic...

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