Grinshpon - The Upanisadic Story and the Hidden Vidya

7/28/2019 Grinshpon - The Upanisadic Story and the Hidden Vidya

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YOHANAN GRINSHPON

THE UPANISADIC STORY AND THE HIDDEN VIDYA;

PERSONALITY AND POSSESSION IN THEBRHAD ARANYAKOPANISAD

1. For many generations, the Upanis.

adic literature has attracted atten-

tion mostly because of its philosophy and speculations about mans

metaphysical core and its relation with the Absolute. However, the

Upanis.

ads contain so much which cannot, generally speaking, count

as abstract, speculative speech-acts. Such are the numerous stories of

the Upanis.

ads. These stories have traditionally been taken to be the

mere occasion for the exposition of the Upanis.

adic vidy a. Although

destined for inferiority in relation to the wonderful, bold and imagi-

native mystical and metaphysical theories and visions, the Upanis.

adic

story may itself sometimes contain a hidden vidy a of some interest.

Such is the case, we argue, of the story about Y aj ~navalkya and the

sages who questioned him in the course of the competition initiated by

Janaka, the king of Videha.

2. The underlying theme thehidden vidy a of the entire third

section of Br.

hadaran.

yakopanis.

ad is Yaj ~navalkyas personality, and the

nature and meaning of his self-confidence and self-transformation. This

vidy a competes with the one explicitly present in Yaj ~navalkyas abstract

and beautiful speeches. The story contains references to the recurringawakening of this sage, in the course of his seeking answers to the

questions addressed to him.

3. The most conspicuous feature of the story is Y aj ~navalkyas

outstanding self-confidence. Yaj ~navalkyas teachings are embedded

within the story about his self-possession during a fateful competition.

The opening scene of the story brings to light most clearly the under-

lying theme of the narrative. Janaka, the king of Videha, held a big

sacrifice in which many gifts were given to the brahmins. The spiritual

king had a desire for knowledge aroused in him. He asked (himself)

about the brahmin most well-versed in the Veda (an uc anatama). He then

put aside one thousand cows with gold on their horns. He addressed

the brahmins assembled there: Let the best brahmin ( brahmis. t. ha)take these cows. The brahmins present did not dare speak ( te ha

b rahman.

a na dadhr.

s.

uh.

). Then came forth Y aj ~navalkya and ordered

Journal of Indian Philosophy 26: 373385, 1998.c

1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.


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374 YOHANAN GRINSHPON

his disciple S amasrava to take the cows home. Y aj ~navalkya does not

wait for the end of the forthcoming competition. He seemingly con-

siders his superiority a fait accompli. The other sages are frustrated

and angry at Y aj ~navalkya; how come he says he is the best brahmin?

(te ha brahman.

a s cakrudhuh.

. katham no brahmis.

th.

o bruvteti). One

of the sages, Asvala, dared address Y aj ~navalkya directly. You say,

Yaj ~navalkya, indeed, that you are the best brahmin among us (tvam nu

khalu no y aj ~navalkya brahmist.

h.

o sti). This statement seems to express

an obvious sense of challenge and threat.1 Yaj ~navalkyas response to

Janakas official Hotr.

is breathtaking indeed: Let the best brahmin be

honored. We just wanted the cows (namo vayam.

brahmis.

t.

h aya kurmo

go-kam a eva vayam.

sma iti).

4. Y aj ~navalkya beats Asvala.2 He knows the relevant connections

(upanis.

ad) whereby the yajam ana attains immortality and transcends

time. Did he have this knowledge at his disposal even before A svalas

questioning? Or, did he rise to the occasion and discover this truth inthe course of a self-transforming quest after the right answer? We are

not sure about the answers to such questions. In the case of A svalas

questions, we do not have a good enough clue.

4.1 But there are other cases, more revealing in this respect. The most

conspicuous ones are Y aj ~navalkyas encounters with Bhujyu L ahyayani

(BU 3.3) and Udd alaka Arun.

i (BU 3.7). In these cases, it is obvious that

the Upanis.

adic definition of the situation is such that Y aj ~navalkya does

not know the answers when he is asked by his opponents. However, he

seems to know his potential for finding truth. This knowledge could

be the source of his truly outstanding self-confidence.

5. The two great exponents of the Upanis.

adic tradition, Y aj ~navalkya

and Uddalaka

Arun. i, meet and bitterly confront each other,3 accordingto a remarkable episode related in the most classical among all the

Upanis.

ads,4 the Br.

hadaran.

yakopanis.

ad. In BU 3.7.1 Udd alaka tells

of an occurrence of the distant past, when he was apparently much

younger. He and some of his brahmin-colleagues were travelling in

the country of Madra, eager for Vedic knowledge. The hosts wife was

possessed by a Gandharva (gandharva-gr.

hta), a non-human being by

the name of Atharvan.

a Kabandha. The sages were apparently taking

advantage of the presence of the supra-human source of knowledge;

they addressed him, and he responded. The Gandharva then introduced

two questions: What is the string on which this world and the next, as

well as of all beings, are strung together?5 Who is the inner controller

(antar-y amin)? The sages present at the hosts house did not know.The narrative suggests that they also could not know the answers to


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THE UPANISADIC STORY AND THE HIDDEN VIDYA 375

the Gandharvas questions. Indeed, in his bh as.

ya on BU 3.3 Sankara

proposes that the Gandharvas knowledge was perhaps inaccessible to

the brahmins.6

5.1 Consequent upon the telling of the story from the past, Udd alaka

asks Yaj ~navalkya the same questions, the answers to which had once

been impossible for humans to know. At this point Uddalakas challenge

to Yaj ~navalkya becomes an open threat; if you pretend to know without

really knowing, your head will shatter apart!7 In the episode told at

BU 3.7.1, Udd alaka challenges Y aj ~navalkya with respect to the core

of the Vedic scholars self-understanding and esteem. Y aj ~navalkya, a

Yajurvedic sage of great renown, is accused of being one who pretends

to know while in reality he does not. He is put to trial for his preten-

sions under the most unfavorable of circumstances; he is required to

know what only a non-human being such as a Gandharva could know.

The animosity, ridicule and contempt on Uddalakas part are hardly

concealed; everyone can say I know, I know. If you know, then saywhat you know.8

5.2 Uddalaka and Y aj ~navalkya are the two sages most prominent in

the Upanis.

adic tradition. Though affiliated with different offshoots of

the Veda,9 they share very similar interests. Both are well-known experts

on the sacrifice. Uddalaka is depicted in the Satapatha-Brahman.

a as a

much-feared sage, approached with reverence and awe.10 Indeed, as far

as the knowledge of the agnihotra is concerned, Udd alaka stands out

most conspicuously. According to SB 11.5.3 he brilliantly answers an

unusually long series of 41 questions11 about the agnihotra. His answers

to the minute questions reveal the depth and skill of his interpretation.12

Uddalaka is portrayed as a true seeker of truth, humble enough to admit

that he does not know. Thus, for example, in the famous episode fromthe BU 6.2, repeated also in the ChU 5.3-10, 13 he seeks secret knowledge

of the fate of the dying man from a Ks.

atriya. He cannot tolerate empty

pretensions to knowledge. He believes in being a true brahmin, who

really knows. We are not brahmins by name only (brahma-bandhu),

he says to his son Svetaketu.14

5.3 Like Udd alaka, Yaj ~navalkya is keenly interested in, and knowl-

edgeable about the agnihotra. Knowledge of this sacrifice is very

important to him, and he also seeks to be taught by a Ks.

atriya.15

According to SB 11.6.2.6 Janaka tells Y aj ~navalkya about the fate of

the two agnihotra fires, a fate which significantly resembles the fate

of the dead man as told to Udd alaka.16

5.4 Thus, Yaj ~navalkya and Udd alaka are both featured in the

Upanis.

adic literature as true seekers of knowledge. They are will-


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ing to receive knowledge from a Ks.

atriya, they are interested in subtle

questions of meaning and significance pertinent to the sacrifice and

in particular the agnihotra and they are open to questions concerning

subtle matters such as the nature of the Self, etc.17

5.5 Uddalaka and Yaj ~navalkya share some of their spiritual interests

as well as most likely much of their knowledge. They are represented

as essentially equal, the two prominent personalities of the Upanis.

adic

literature. Who, expounding the Absolute, can stand much higher than

Yaj ~navalkya? Who can transcend Uddalaka Arun.

is That are thou as

the final answer to the question what is man??18

5.6 The encounter of Y aj ~navalkya and Udd alaka, as it is told in the

BU 3.7, is thus of obvious interest. The meeting of these two heroes

is particularly attractive to follow, since the rare meeting of such

philosophers could serve as an occasion for the Upanis.

adic authorities

to explore some of the more important topics in the mental world

which Udd

alaka and Y

aj~

navalkya share. Such a topic is the origins ofknowledge possible for man. In this context, Y aj ~navalkyas personality

and self-confidence are particularly significant. The Upanis.

adic story,

we argue, is an indispensable means to bring home the hidden vidy a

about mans potential for self-transformation and truth.

6. The entire narrative that unfolds in the third section of the

Br.

had aran.

yakopanis.

ad is a combination of a dramatic story with some

of the most impressive mystico-philosophical reflections on the human

condition and its transcendence. The series of encounters between

Yaj ~navalkya and his opponents and colleagues19 is the occasion for

some of the most beautiful expressions of the Upanis.

adic vidy a. The

two components of the Ved anta-text, the vidy a and the narrative which

provides the occasion for its exposition or transmission, are mostlydistinguishable. Janakas address to the assembled brahmins about the

most learned brahmin, the sages submissive (or reluctant) silence,

Yaj ~navalkyas boastful (or assertive) taking away of the cows, Asvalas

rise to challenge Y aj ~navalkya, the sub-stories of the various encounters

of Yaj ~navalkya with the sages including Bhujyus and Udd alakas

telling of their journey to Madra the meeting of the brahmins in the

past with the Gandharva, Udd alakas threat to Y aj ~navalkya, etc. are

all parts of the story. The Upanis.

adic teaching which Y aj ~navalkya

imparts in the course of his being questioned by the brahmins is the

vidy a.

6.1 But is the clear-cut distinction between vidy a and story always

fully justified? How are the narrative and the philosophical speechrelated?


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7. In his Brahmas utrabh as.

ya 3.4.2324, Sa _nkaracarya reflects on the

place of the Upanis.

adic story in relation to the Ved antic message (vidy a)

expressed in the philosophical speech. The p urva-paks.

in asserts that

the Upanis.

adic stories are available for certain uses (such as recitation)

in the course of certain rituals such as the p ariplava. Sa _nkara maintains

against his M mam.

saka p urva-paks.

in that the Upanis.

adic story is an

integral part of the teaching of Ved anta, independent of the ritual-

use. The stories within which the teaching of Ved anta is embedded

are significantly specific, not the same, and must consequently be

assessed according to their function and contribution to the knowledge

(philosophical speech) transmitted in their proximity.

7.1 However integral a part of the Upanis.

adic text, Sa _nkara accords

to the narrative only a secondary role within the overall structure of the

Ved anta texts. The Upanis.

adic story is conducive to the stimulation

(prarocan a) of the listener, and it also promotes the smoothness

(sauk

arya) of transmission and absorption of the liberating knowledge(vidy a).20 The Upanis.

adic stories are meant to bring nearer to our

understanding the approximate vidy as with which they are seen to form

connected wholes; so they serve to render the latter more acceptable and

facilitate their comprehension.21 The key-concept in Sa _nkaras bh as.

ya

is thus the integrity and unity (ekav akyata) of the Upanis.

adic text, which

contains both the story and the vidy a. However, the narrative, according

to Sa _nkaras theory, does not seem to have an intrinsic thematic

relationship to the vidy a-portion, but is meant primarily to prepare

the listener in terms unrelated to the vidy a-contents expounded in the

Ved anta text. The stories affect only the psychological aspects (such

as faith or motivation ( sraddh a), stimulation (prarocan a), etc.) of

the knowledge-transmission. But the thematic relationship of the storywith the vidy a expounded in its proximity (within its boundaries) is

not touched upon by Sa _nkara.

7.3 Sa _nkara picks up certain examples of Upanis.

adic narratives, in

order to illustrate the function and place of the Upanis.

adic story in the

Ved anta-texts. He mentions three good stories from the Br.

had aran.

yaka,

Chandogya and the Kaus.

taki Upanis.

ads.

7.4 In the BU 4.5.1 there is the famous story of Y aj ~navalkyas teaching

to his wife Maitrey who unlike the teachers other wife, K atyayan

is eager to learn about atman (rather than be rich). Obviously, this

story stimulates the listener, makes him appreciate the forthcoming

vidy a, enhances his eagerness to hear about the atman which makes

one eternal.


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7.5 In the ChU 4.1 we find the story of J anasruti, a pious, very

generous man. He has built many hospices, thinking people are going

to eat my food everywhere. One night, he overhears two geese talking

about himself and a certain person by the name of Raikva-of-the-cart.

Though the geese think very highly of J anasruti, they consider Raikva

much superior, in particular because of his knowledge. Now, J anasruti

sends his charioteer away to look for Raikva. Finally he is found under

his cart, scratching his itches. He declines presents such as cows and

riches. However, he is fascinated by J anasrutis wifes face, and is

willing to teach J anasruti the vidy a. The vidy a, in this case, concerns

the two gatherers, the wind and the breath, into which everything

dissolves. This story, although complex and attractive to the point of

almost overshadowing the vidy a expounded by Raikva, is still within

the limits set by Sa _nkara to the Upanis.

adic story. The reader of the

story wishes to be acquainted with Raikvas vidy a, the knowledge which

makes Raikva so outstanding and worthy of the arduous and costlysearch for him.

7.6 In the KauU 3.1 there is the story of Pratardana, who asks Indra

to choose a boon for himself. Indra declines Pratardanas request. He

insists that a superior should not choose a boon intended for an inferior.

Pratardana says he renounces the boon altogether. Indra changes his

mind, and suggests not without some characteristic arrogance that

Pratardana should know him (Indra). When a man perceives me,

nothing that he does whether it is stealing, or performing an abortion,

or killing his own father or mother will ever make him lose a single

hair of his body. And when he has committed a sin, his face does

not lose its colour.22 Having demonstrated thus the high benefits of

knowing him, Indra proceeds to teach Pratardana the vidy

a.7.7 Indeed, the choice of the examples brought forth by Sa _nkara is

commensurate with his theory of the Upanis.

adic story as it was outlined

above (according to BSBh 3.4.2324). The stories are complex enough

and interesting as narratives, and yet the transmission of the vidy a

can qualify as the climax of the entire text. Moreover, the stories do

promote some eagerness in the readers mind to know the always

somewhat secret and hard to obtain vidy a. The urgency to know and

the renunciation of worldly riches on Maitrey s part do help to create

a certain predisposition in the listeners mind. The art of story-telling

seems to stimulate the growth of the right frame of mind in the recipient

or the reader. Even information of seemingly lesser significance could

be presented as conducive to the build-up of the occasion for an efficienttransmission of vidy a. Thus, the Maitrey -story presents the other wife


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K atyayan as inferior in the eyes of the spiritual hero, Y aj ~navalkya.

Her ordinary and womanly frame of mind, bound apparently for

material goods, is a useful background for Y aj ~navalkyas relationship

with Maitrey . There is closeness and love between husband and wife.

The mutual respect is apparent, and the transmission of the vidy a

seems a well-integrated climax of the story; one is made ready for the

disclosure of the teaching: The atman, my lady, should be seen. Once

the transmission of the vidy a is discharged, Y aj ~navalkya leaves for the

forest.

7.8 Likewise, the beautiful story of J anasruti and Raikva is both

complex and interesting in itself as well as reaching climax in Raikvas

teaching. It stimulates the listeners curiosity. The reader identifies with

Janasruti, shares in the yearning to find Raikva, is partially taken aback

at Raikvas somewhat insulting refusal to relay the vidy a, and is finally

relieved when Raikva starts talking about the wind and the breath.

7.9The story of Pratardana in the Kaus

.

itak

Upanis.

ad is also botha very good story and useful in its extolling the superior value of

knowledge.

7.10 It is obvious that Sa _nkara is primarily interested in the vidy a-

section of the Upanis.

ads. The controversy with his p urva-paks.

in

the M mam.

saka over the role of the Upanis.

adic story is part of the

more general controversy over the primacy of the J~n ana-kan.

d.

a and

the karma-kan.

d.

a of the Veda. Sa _nkara suggests that the M mam.

sakas

position with respect to the Upanis.

adic story is a reflection of this

general controversy. The p urva-paks.

in maintains that those scriptural

stories subserve the p ariplava because they are stories like others, and

because the telling of stories is enjoined for the p ariplava. And from

this it follows that the Ved

anta-texts do not chiefly aim at knowledge,because like mantras they stand in a complementary relation of sacrificial

performances.23

7.11 According to Sa _nkaras theory there is a clear-cut distinction

between the story ( akhy ana) and the knowledge (vidy a). This

distinction enables him to express his basic interest in the vidy a. The

Upanis.

adic story as well as the karma-kan.

d.

a of the Veda subserves

the abstract teaching of the Ved anta-texts. The Upanis.

adic story is a

kind of arthav ada in relation to the vidy a-portion.

7.12 Sa _nkaras assertion against the p urva-paks.

in, introduced in BSBh

3.4.23, could also be levelled against Sa _nkara himself. For Sa _nkara, as

we have seen, all the stories are alike in the sense that they provide an

occasion for the transmission of the Upanisadic teaching.

Sa _nkaradoes not introduce a theory intended to account for the relationship of


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the specific story-contents with the accompanying vidy a. In the absence

of such a theory, one can say that many stories in their capacity to

arouse motivation and curiosity are interchangeable with other stories

in the Ved anta texts. Cannot one embed the teaching of Y aj ~navalkya

to his wife Maitrey in the occasion (or textual environment) of the

Janasruti-story? (Raikva would say, in this case, that the atman should

be seen).

7.13 The basic definition of the Upanis.

adic story as conceived

by Sa _nkara implies the existence of two parties; one eager or

made eager to learn, the other transmitting the vidy a. The one who

knows enlightens the one who does not. The applicability of Sa _nkaras

definition of the Upanis.

adic narrative depends entirely on this condition,

namely, the existence of two parties, unequal in their knowledge.

8. Is the tale of the competition between Y aj ~navalkya and his brahmin-

colleagues according to BU 3 similar to the ones mentioned above,

the narratives selected by

Sa_

nkara as characteristic of the Upanis.

adicstory? The stories of Maitrey , Janasruti and Pratardana are certainly

characteristic of a large sample of the Upanis.

adic stories. Indeed, many

other stories such as, for example, the famous teaching of Udd alaka

to his son Svetaketu,24 or Yamas teaching the vidy a to Naciketas25 do

essentially fit Sa _nkaras theory of the Upanis.

adic story. As suggested

above, all the stories of this kind share one essential characteristic; the

transmission of the vidy a is made from one who knows to one who

does not.

8.1 The narrative that unfolds in the third section of the

Br.

had aran.

yakopanis.

ad is often significantly different. Clearly, according

to BU 3.7.1, Udd alaka as well as Y aj ~navalkya know the string upon

which all beings are strung, and also the identity of the inner controller.Thus, there is no thirst for knowledge on the part of one of the parties

to the competition. The listener or reader of the story is not encouraged

to know the vidy a, but rather to find out who the winner in the fateful

competition is. Thus, the contents of the Upanis.

adic knowledge are

withdrawn into the background, making room for a new focus of atten-

tion. The conflict between Y aj ~navalkya and Udd alaka seems possibly

to represent not only an inter-personal clash, but a controversy as well.

Thus, new questions seem to be asked, substantially different from,

and competing with those focused on the contents of the vidy a.

8.2 At least with regard to Udd alaka and Bhujyu (who received their

knowledge from a Gandharva) it is obvious that Y aj ~navalkya shares

precisely in the same knowledge as they have. Thus, in the case of BU


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3.3.12 and BU 3.7 there is no transmission of knowledge at all. The

party which receives the teaching knows it already.

8.3 Some of the sub-stories then, told in BU 3, cannot be understood

simply as an occasion for the vidy a-transmission. The questions pertinent

to this context do not concern the contents of the vidy a, but rather

Yaj ~navalkyas capability to answer them. Will Y aj ~navalkya prevail?

Will he find the right answer? Will he discover the vidy a imparted by

the Gandharva (and thus known already to Udd alaka and Bhujyu)?

Need one be possessed by a non-human being such as a Gandharva in

order to find truth? In fact, such are the questions which come to mind

with respect to most of Y aj ~navalkyas encounters with the brahmins in

the BU 3.26

8.4 Thus, the occasion of the vidy a-pronouncement becomes the

foreground, and the vidy a-contents the background. The Upanis.

adic

story in this case can hardly be said to subserve the vidy a in the

sense in which

Sa_

nkaras choice of Upanis.

adic stories could be said todo so. On the contrary, the story ( akhy ana) seems to substitute for

the vidy a explicit in Y aj ~navalkyas abstract speeches another hidden

vidy a. This second vidy a is implied and reflected upon primarily in

and by the story itself.

9. In fact, the narrative of Y aj ~navalkya and his colleagues strongly

suggests that from a certain point of view, the teacher who is about

to expound the vidy a (Yaj ~navalkya) is the one who does not know.

For most of the sages present at the conference initiated by Janaka,

Yaj ~navalkya pretends to know, and consequently does not know. Even

Vidagdha Sakalya, Y aj ~navalkyas adversary at the end of the series of

challengers in the BU 3, still seems to preserve and express at his own

risk the basic presupposition concerning Y

aj~

navalkyas ignorance.27

9.1 In his anxiety over, and hunger for knowing the answer to the

basic question will Y aj ~navalkya prevail? the listener/reader of

the story moves from curiosity over the contents of the vidy a to the

wish to know of Y aj ~navalkyas success. In this sense, the listener

whether present at the competition or reader of the story identifies with

Yaj ~navalkyas predicament and ignorance. When Udd alaka addresses

Yaj ~navalkya, he is sure Y aj ~navalkya does not know. For how could

he? the Gandharva did not tell him.

9.2 In the course of the competition, however, Y aj ~navalkya finds out

the answers to the challenging questions addressed to him. Thus, the

story of Yaj ~navalkya is that of his self-transformation, from a person

who initially does not know into a sage who does.


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9.3 The underlying theme the hidden vidy a of the entire third

section of Br.

hadaran.

yakopanis.

ad is Y aj ~navalkyas personality and

implicitly self-transformation. This vidy a competes with the explicit

one visibly present in Yaj ~navalkyas abstract and beautiful speeches.

The astonishing fact and thus center of the story is that Y aj ~navalkya

knows, not what he knows. Can Yaj ~navalkya know truths such as that

about the string upon which all the creatures are strung? Can he know

the inner controller? Can he find out the place to which the Par ks.

its

had gone?28 Can he tell the atman29 in clear-cut, direct and descriptive

terms? Can he know how many gods there are?30 Can he know how

the yajam ana overcomes death and reaches beyond time?31

9.4 The questions addressed to Y aj ~navalkya are interesting indeed.

The vidy a expressed in the answers is not commonplace. Y aj ~navalkyas

exposition of the secret of immortality and nature of the Self, the

peculiar difficulty or impossibility of approaching the Self, etc., in

BU 3, are among the most beautiful in the Upanis. adic literature. Andyet, given the structure and features of the story, the primary, explicit

vidy a is of secondary importance. Yaj ~navalkyas power of finding truth

is the center of the story.

10. Each encounter of Y aj ~navalkyas with his brahmin-colleagues

involves a story and a vidy a. Some of the sub-stories seem to fit Sa _nkaras

definition of the Upanis.

adic story. These are the cases in which the

brahmin who is Yaj ~navalkyas colleague seeks to be enlightened, to

know something he does not know. Thus, for example, the encounter

of Yaj ~navalkya with Artabhaga (BU 3.2) includes a very short teaching

(vidy a) and a story. Artabh aga asks about the fate of man after he dies.

Yaj ~navalkya says that this is a secret, not to be told in the presence

of all the others. Y aj ~navalkya and

Artabhaga exit. Now comes theexposition of the vidy a. Yaj ~navalkya tells a certain truth about karma.

A man becomes good by good deeds, and bad by bad deeds (pun.

yo vai

pun.

yena karman.

a bhavati, p apah.

papeneti). Obviously, the sub-story

of Artabhagas secretive meeting with Y aj ~navalkya may be seen as an

occasion for the transmission of the vidy a. The listener is motivated

and prepared for an enhanced openness and reception of the vidy a,

much in accordance with Sa _nkaras definition of the Upanis.

adic story.

Other sub-stories seem significantly different. Obviously, Udd alakas

encounter with Yaj ~navalkya is such a case.

10.1 Thus, there are apparently some sub-stories in which

Yaj ~navalkyas party to the dialogue knows the answer, and some in

which he does not (in the latter cases, he truly seeks knowledge ratherthan Yaj ~navalkyas defeat). It seems likely, that the hostile opponents


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of Y aj ~navalkya do know the answers to the questions they address to

Yaj ~navalkya, while the others the more innocent sages do not

know the answers to the questions they ask. Asvala, Bhujyu, Uddalaka

and Sakalya belong to the first group. Artabhaga, Us.

asta and Kahola

belong to the second.32

11. All the sub-stories in BU 3 focus on Y aj ~navalkyas character.

Beginning with Janakas question about the most learned brahmin,

through the sages non-assertive behavior, Udd alakas vicious attack on

Yaj ~navalkya, G arg s clear-cut assertion of Yaj ~navalkyas superiority,33

up to the hostile encounter with Sakalya (who lost his head as a

result of his defeat), Y aj ~navalkyas character and particularly his self-

confidence loom large as the central theme of BU 3. Even the cases whereSa _nkaras definition of the Upanis

.

adic story seem to hold, Y aj ~navalkyas

personality competes with the vidy a as the true center of the story. Take

for example the two beautiful dialogues, with Us.

asta Cakrayan.

a34 and

Kahola Kaus

takeyi.35 These dialogues, however attractive the vidy aincluded therein, present Y aj ~navalkya as the calm and powerful teacher

at the center of the narrative. Although the vidy a transmitted to Us.

asta

and Kahola is most probably new to them, Y aj ~navalkyas method of

instruction is the prominent issue of BU 3.4-5.

12. Thus, the two definitive features of the Upanis.

adic story and vidy a

unfolded in BU 3 are clear by now. The story exemplifies Y aj ~navalkyas

personality and self-confidence; the vidy a-contents recede to the back-

ground. How are these two features related?

12.1 Confronting Udd alaka who relies on the Gandharva-possessed

woman, Kapyas wife, and Bhujyu L ahyayani who retrieves the

knowledge transmitted by the Gandharva-possessed daughter of K apya

Yaj ~navalkya is mysteriously original in his methods to obtainknowledge.36 He resorts to the Veda, of course. He shares the mental

culture of the other sages. However, throughout the story of BU 3 he

is literally original knowledge partially but significantly originates

in him as no other scholar is. Indeed, in his intellectual fight with

Uddalaka, Y aj ~navalkyas originality comes through most explicitly.

Uddalaka outlines the premises of the controversy by telling the story

of the Gandharva, for how else could he have obtained the Gandharvas

inaccessible knowledge? If we accept Udd alakas definition of the situ-

ation, Yaj ~navalkya had to find by himself, or discover anew (by his

own resources) the at first inaccessible truth.

12.2 Y aj ~navalkya is presented as a Vedic scholar of a certain inde-

pendence; active, self-transforming, tapping his resources to obtain

knowledge. In this there seems to lie the root of his self-confidence.


12/13


13/13


11 After Uddalaka answers 31 questions, his interrogator ( Sauceya) asks 10 morequestions.12 The questions presented to Uddalaka in this context focus on the meaning of thedetails of the agnihotra. Thus, Sauceya asks about the real nature or significance ofthe cow, the calf, the milk, spoon, etc. and also of the significance of the sacrificersmotions such as the pouring of water, wiping the spoon or looking in a certaindirection.13 See W. Halbfass, Tradition and Reflection, 1991, pp. 32328.14 ChU 6.1.1.15

SB 11.6.1.16 According to ChU 5.3-10 and BU 6.2.17 For a comparison of the teaching of Y aj ~navalkya and Uddalaka, see Th.J. Hopkins,The Hindu Religious Tradition, pp. 4245.18 P.D. Mehta, Early Indian Religious Thought, 1956, p. 87.19 The eight persons who meet Y aj ~navalkya according to the story in BU 3 differin their attitude to their rival, Y aj ~navalkya. Some are apparently hostile (Asvala,Bhujyu, Uddalaka, Sakalya). Others are more accepting ( Artabhag , Garg ). Others(Usasta Cakrayana, Kahola Kausitakeyi) seem to challenge Yaj~navalkya but to bewilling to receive important and new teaching from him.20 BSBh 3.4.24: tatra tatra samnihit

abhir ekav akyata drsyate prarocanopayog at pratipatti-saukaryopayog ac ca.21 Thibauts translation of BSBh 3.4.23.22 P. Olivelle, Upanisads, p. 216.23 Thibauts translation of BSBh 3.4.23.24 ChU 6.25 KathU.26 The case of BU 3.2, where Y aj ~navalkya reveals to Artabhaga the secret of karmais different. See below.27 See BU 3.9.28 This is Bhujyus question to Y aj ~navalkya, according to BU 3.3.1-2.29 See Usasta Cakrayanas demand for such a description in BU 3.4.30 See Sakalyas famous questions in BU 3.9.31 See Asvalas question in BU 3.1.32 As to Garg Vacaknav (BU 3.6 and BU 3.8), I am not sure. But it seems likely

that she is a judicious sage, who undergoes a change of heart (transformation), frombeing one of Yaj ~navalkyas challengers (BU 3.6) to being a sage who recognizeshis greatness (BU 3.8).33 BU 3.8.34 BU 3.4.35 BU 3.5.36 We do not know how according to the story-telling Y aj~navalkya tapped hisown resources.

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Grinshpon - The Upanisadic Story and the Hidden Vidya

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