Chapter 1
Story Analysis
In the second valli of the first chapter, the description related to the Self had begun from the sixteenth verse. Until the fifteenth verse, Yama was only praising Nachiketa. Then from the sixteenth verse, the description related to the Self that had begun is now continued further in this third valli. There it was said that in the perishable body of all beings, the imperishable Self is present. I will read the verse for you:
“aṇor anīyān mahato mahīyān ātmā ajāto nihito guhāyām” — this is the twentieth verse of the second valli.
In the twentieth and twenty-second verses of the second valli, it is said that the Self is present in the perishable body, and it is situated in the cave of the heart.
In the twenty-second verse it is said: “aśarīram śarīreṣu avasthitam”, meaning that in the perishable body the imperishable Self is present. And in the twentieth verse it is said “nihito guhāyām”, meaning the Self is situated in the cave of the heart. Now we must pay attention here that in those two verses this statement was given in the singular — “the Self is present.” In Sanskrit there are singular, dual, and plural forms.
But in the first verse of this third valli, the same statement that was earlier given in the singular is now given in the dual. The first verse is:
“ṛtam pibantau sukṛtasya loke guhām praviṣṭau parame parārdhe chāyā-tapau brahmavido vadanti pañcāgnayo ye ca tri-nāchiketāḥ.”
The same thing that was earlier said in the singular is now said in the dual in this first verse. For example, the word pibantau is dual — pibati is singular, pibantau is dual, pibanti is plural. Then there is chāyā–tapaū — also dual. So in this first verse of the third valli, the same thing that was earlier said in the singular, here is said in the dual.
Now the question is: why? Earlier it was said: the Self is situated in the heart-cave of the human body. Now in this verse it says: there are two situated there.
To understand this “two,” we must first understand real knowledge and false knowledge — meaning the Self. Only then will we understand how the Self is situated in the heart-cave, first as one and here described as two.
First, real knowledge is that every person is the Self, not the body. The body is an instrument through which the Self expresses itself. The Self, situated in the secret space of the heart-sky, is not visible, but because of its presence this inert body becomes active. We speak, eat, drink, stand, sit, think, and do various actions only because of the presence of the Self. When the Self leaves, this moving body becomes motionless and we call it a corpse. There is no movement left. We all know this — the body is only a medium through which the Self expresses itself. When the Self is present, the body is active; when the Self is not present, it becomes inactive.
This is the first form of the expression of the Self. Without a body, the Self cannot express itself. So a person should always remain in the real knowledge that “I am the Self, and I, the Self, am situated in a secret place in the heart-sky, and only due to my presence this body is able to perform all actions.” The body is the doer; the Self is like a master who is present. The body is like a servant that does everything. Just as a master watches whether the servants are working properly, in the same way the Self only observes — it is the witness — watching whether the mind, intellect, memory, ego, and all organs — hands, feet, eyes, ears, etc. — are working correctly or not. This is real knowledge.
Real knowledge means: the Self is present like a master, a witness, and the body is performing all actions like a servant. To explain this relationship between Self and body repeatedly, the scriptures use the example of the chariot and the charioteer. In this very Upanishad, in this third valli, in verses three through thirteen, the example of the chariot and the rider is explained in detail.
Now, opposite to real knowledge, there is false knowledge — ignorance. When a person lives in false knowledge, he forgets his true form as the Self and begins to think “I am this body.” This is how we all are right now — we think we are the body. Because of this ignorance, the idea called “jīvātmā” arises. When a person is established in real knowledge, there is no jīvātmā present within. But when he lives in ignorance and identifies himself as the body, then the jīvātmā appears as a new designation.
The Self is always one, situated in the heart-cave. But when a person identifies with the body, then he takes on the designation “jīvātmā.” For example, when someone receives titles like “Your Excellency” or “Sir,” that does not mean he becomes those titles; they are only designations that can be put aside whenever he wishes. In the same way, every person is truly the Self, but when he wishes, he can put aside the designation called jīvātmā.
How? All realized beings are examples — they have removed the designation of “jīvātmā” and have become established in their true form, the Self. They do not call themselves jīvātmā; they call themselves the pure Self, because being established in real knowledge, they know themselves only as the Self. The designation “jīvātmā” comes only from identifying with the body.
Indian wisdom says that removing this designation is difficult but not impossible, because this designation appears only when one forgets the Self and considers oneself the body. Therefore, bringing to memory what was forgotten — the Self — is enough. When the person awakens to “I am the Self,” this designation naturally falls away.
Indian wisdom says a person is simply asleep to his real nature; he must only wake up. Or he is in a faint and must come to consciousness. Awakening means becoming aware that “I am the Self.” When this happens, the jīvātmā designation separates by itself.
Why must one awaken? Because identifying with the body is the root of all disturbances. All the impurities — desire, anger, greed, attachment, pride, jealousy, attraction, aversion, negativity — all arise due to ignorance. They are by-products of ignorance. If one wishes to be free from sorrow, one must awaken. One must break this unconsciousness that “I am the body.”
The Gita repeatedly speaks of selflessness, desirelessness, and egolessness. But these cannot flourish unless one awakens to the Self. Without true knowledge, one cannot simply “put on” the outer layer of selflessness, desirelessness, or egolessness. It is impossible.
Now in this first verse of the third valli, the Self and the jīvātmā are described as different — like shadow and sunlight. The Self is like sunlight; the jīvātmā is like the shadow. Just as shadow exists only because of light, the jīvātmā exists only because of the Self. The shadow has no independent existence. It is produced by ignorance and can be dissolved only by knowledge.
Another Upanishad explains the same thing with the example of two birds on a tree — one bird merely watches, the other tastes the fruits. The witnessing bird is the Self; the enjoying bird is the jīvātmā. So in one Upanishad the example is shadow and sunlight; in another, the example is two birds.
This verse also contains the word ṛtam pibantau, meaning “both drink or partake of ṛta.” Ṛta means truth — specifically the truth of nature. The truth of the Self is simply called “truth,” and the truth of nature — the body — is called ṛta. The body is real in the sense that it exists, but it keeps changing — childhood, youth, old age. So this changing truth is called ṛta. The unchanging truth — the Self — is called satya.
Thus ṛtam pibantau means: both — Self and jīvātmā — make use of the body. When established in the Self, a person uses the body as an instrument. When identified as the body, the person uses the body as an object of enjoyment. The Self is only the witness; the jīvātmā is the enjoyer.
Yama says: I am not the only one saying this. The brahmavids say this. The performers of the five fires say this. And the tri-nachiketas say this.
Brahmavids are those established in Brahman.
Pañcāgnis are those who perform the five inner disciplines symbolized by the five fires.
Tri-nāchiketa means one whose purity has descended into mind, speech, and action — mental, verbal, and behavioral purity.
In this way, in only thirteen words, this verse expresses many ideas.
The main point is: In the human body, in the heart-cave, the pure Self is present. Due to ignorance, an impure covering appears over it — the jīvātmā — like a shadow over light. When knowledge arises, that covering falls away, the shadow disappears, and the person becomes the Self alone.
This distinction between Self and jīvātmā must be understood clearly, because the entire Upanishad ahead continues on this foundation. If we understand this first verse properly, we will understand all the remaining teachings clearly.
So I will stop here for today. We will take the next verses next time.