Only self realization can give eternal peace (Upanishads...)

Many of the narratives in the Upanishads really amaze me! Not because I consider them to be ultimate truths but because of their simplicity and ‘the matter of fact’ style of conveying profound ideas.

In this post, I am referring to one of the most important narratives described in Brahadäranyaka Upanishad. This is the story of Yäjñavalkya and his wife Maitrëyi. I have touched upon this story in my book “How and Why of Yoga and Meditation”: Chapter: “The Vista beyond”. 

The well known Vedic sage Yäjñavalkya decided to renounce worldly affairs and take up sanyäsa – last stage in one’s life, (see my book “Ancient Wisdom – Modern viewpoints”, for a detailed discussion on stages in one’s life). So, he handed over all his wealth to his two wives. 

One of his wives namely Maitrëyi, who was also a great Vedic scholar, asked Yäjñavalkya whether worldly wealth can give her eternal happiness.

Most of us keep ourselves busy in our efforts to acquire wealth so that we, our spouse, children and all those near and dear can live happily. Yäjñavalkya points to the fallacy in this approach. He says -

Anything that is made up of parts cannot be eternal. Our wealth – however large it is – cannot last forever. Even if it does, our senses cannot go on enjoying it since they are prone to fatigue and aging. 

Our body itself cannot go on forever since it has to drop some day. So neither the wealth, nor the means to enjoy wealth can be eternal.

If we think that our spouse, children and the near and dear are the ones for whose sake we acquire wealth, then even that is yet another fallacy. The rude fact is that – in the ultimate sense each one of us does everything for our own benefit though we say that we are doing it for the sake of others.

Who is this ‘Me’ for whose sake we are doing all this? That is what we need to think, ponder about, and realize. Once we do that, wealth or no wealth, spouse or no spouse, children or no children, we will remain happy for ever, since the ‘real’ Me is eternal and inherently blissful. And all others are just facades that are but transient.

That is the main message of Yäjñavalkya to his wife.

What the Upanishad is trying to hint at is – no worldly wealth can make you happy for long. It is only the realization about who you really are is going to make you happy for ever.

Who is this 'You' we are talking about? How do the Upanishads view an individual? Let us see that in the next post.

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