Vajra Soosika Upanishad
Om ! May my organs and limbs, my speech, my breath, my strength and my sense organs like the ear, the eyes etc., become efficient enough to perform their respective duties properly and without any hindrance. Everything is Brahman as propounded and abundantly made clear in the Upanishads. Brahman cannot leave me aside. And I cannot afford to leave Brahman aside (since both are inseparably dovetailed and also since both are one and the same). I pray further that such an inseparable relation may continue for times to come. May I also pray that the virtues (as described in the Upanishads) of those wise men who dwell in the Atma (or the Soul) become part of me and reside in me.
Om Shanti ! Shanti ! Shanti !
Om! I shall now explain the Vajra-soosi Upanishad. (As the Vajra Soosi - a needle made of diamond – is used to pierce hard metal and minerals, so is) This Upanishad pierces the substance of Ignorance or avidyaa. For those who do not possess the (spiritual) Knowledge, it appears as a blank, useless piece whilst for those who have the bent towards this, it serves as a treasure of knowledge.
The Vedas and the Smrutis, (the secondary remembered texts which are supportive documents to the Vedas) talk about four classes of people viz., the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas and the Sudras and they proclaim that the Brahmanas (not the Brahman – this is the Brahmana) are the most important of these. We should now enquire in to this and make an analytical review. Who is a Brahmanan? Is it the Jivan (the life or the Atma), is it the body, or the sect, or the knowledge, or the duties (cast on him), or is it the dharmas (the virtues he is bound to follow).
Primarily, if we say that the Jivan is the Brahmanan, it is just unacceptable. It is because of the fact that the Jivan is very much the same in all the different bodies that went (died) and are to come (to be born) and also because even if the Jivan is the same, he takes on many different bodies in accordance with the deeds of his and in all such bodies and shapes, the Jivan remains the same. So, one cannot conclude that Jivan is the Brahmanan.
However, if we try to say that the Body is the Brahmanan that again is unacceptable. This is because the body constituted of the five basic elements is very much the same for people of all classes up to those at the lowest level. Also the bodies of all classes of people are subject to almost the same sort of diseases and death and the body of each class is not any different in color so as to help distinction by color. Further, since the sons of a Brahmanan are not discredited with the blemish of “Brahmahathi” when they set fire to their father’s body, the body cannot be the Brahmanan.
But if we try to conclude that because of being (born) in a particular sect, one becomes a Brahmanan, this again is incomprehensible. This is because great wise men (Maharishis) have been given birth to by people of the lowest classes and even by creatures. To quote examples, the Rishi Rushyasrngar was given birth to by a deer, the great sage Kowsika was born of Dharba Grass (a variety of tall grass used for spiritual karmas), the sage Vaalmiki rose out of a mud-clan snakes’ nest, Veda Vyaasa was born to a girl of the fishing community, the sage Gowthama was born to a rabbit, the great rishi Vasishta was born to Oorvasi, who belonged to an artists’ (dancing) family, the sage Agasthya who is also referred to as Kumbha Muni is called so because he is believed to have born out of a pot or a Kumbha. We have heard of all these from the wise men. We have also heard about great men who have attained the spiritual knowledge even without attaining a birth like this. Hence, it is not right to say that one becomes a Brahmanan simply by reason of his being (born) in a particular sect or community.
If we try concluding that someone is a Brahmanan because of his knowledge that again is undependable. This is because there are umpteen examples of people born in the Kshatriya clan who have had a vision of the Supreme Divine and have gained the (spiritual) knowledge thereby. Thus, it will not be an acceptable decision.
If we try to conclude that someone is a Brahmanan because of the duties he is supposed to be performing, that again is invalid. This is because all the beings are guided and forced to do certain acts and duties based on their previous births and based upon their actions therein. Hence, one cannot be called as a Brahmanan even by the duties.
If we try concluding that one becomes a Brahmanan just by making certain gifts etc, that is unacceptable since we know of and have heard of a number of Kshatriya and other community people who have flooded the needy with a lot of gifts. Hence, it is not proper to identify one as a Brahmanan by this measure as well.
So, if there is a question as to “Who is a Brahmanan?”, it is that one who possesses the following qualities: The one who has identified himself with the Supreme Being and has become inseparable with it, the one who has no differentiation of sect, clan, duty or nature, who is out of the six stages of birth and death, who has crossed all the blemishes and curses, who has the aspects of truth, knowledge, happiness, joy and completeness in him, who is without a blemish and forms the basis of all imaginations, who resides within all living beings and controls them, who is all-pervading but undivided and joyous like the sky, who is not reachable to the mind and understandable only by practice and experience, who is of the aspect of Atma itself and who is unaffected by love and hate, who has destroyed the humanly diseases like desire, jealousy, greed etc, the one who is untouched by pride, the one who has the muktha lakshanam or who has satisfied the requirements of one awaiting liberation, such is the one who can be called and identified as a Brahmanan. This is the final understanding and verdict of all Vedas and Smrutis, the Puranas and the Ithihaasas.
There is no Brahmanism even if it goes against just one of these principles. One should understand the Atma as the truly joyous, non-dualistic Brahman. That truly joyous Brahman should be understood as the Atma. Such is the verdict of the Upanishad.
Om Shanti ! Shanti ! Shanti !