[Advaita-l] Mahavakyas of Upnishaths

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Tue, 15 Jan 2008, Shyam wrote:

> Pranams Any sentence in the Upanishads that *reveals* the identity or 
> "aikyam" of jivatma and paramatma is a Mahavakya. There are numerous 
> such Mahavakyas strewn through each and every Upanishad. The Mahavakyas 
> are so-called because the truth that they reveal is the *sole* pramana 
> for the establishment of such a "aikyam" of seemingly separate and 
> different entities. For a prepared mind, an understanding of their 
> import confers jnanam and grants mukti - here and now - hence their 
> glorification. Other sentences in the Upanishads are only aids to help 
> understand the Mahavakyas. These Mahavakyas are not injunctions, they 
> are statements of fact, that establish a truth that is unavailable to 
> any other means of knowledge.

Right and why stop at the upanishads?  Even in the samhita and brahmana 
portions of the Vedas contain statements teaching jnana.  Thus karma kanda 
and jnana kanda should not be thought of as seperate "books."  In fact 
there is no reason why a particular vakya couldn't be considered part of 
both. (e.g. purushasukta)

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>