14. The Associate in the Cave

Adhyaya 1 Pada 2 - AdhikaraNa 3


The Associate in the Cave is Brahman


Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


ViShaya: The KaTha UpaniShad (1.3.1) states:

R^itaM pibantau sukR^itasya loke
guhAM praviShTau parame parArdhe
chAyA-tapau brahma-vido vadanti
pa~ncAgnayo ye ca trinAciketAH


"Two persons drink the results of karma in cave of the heart. They who know Brahman, they who keep the five sacred fires, and they who perform the three nAciketa sacrifices say these two persons are shade and light."


SaMshaya: In this passage a companion to the jIva, who experiences the results of karma, is described. This companion may be interpreted to be either intelligence, life-breath, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PUrvapakSha: The companion here must be either intelligence or life-breath for they assist the jIva as he experiences the results of karma. The companion cannot be the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the Supreme Lord never experiences the results of karma. Therefore the companion must be either intelligence or life-breath.

SiddhAnta: The conclusion follows.


SUtra 11

guhAM praviShTAv AtmAnau hi tad darshanAt


guhAM—in the cave; praviShTAu—entered; AtmAnau—two selves; hi—indeed; tat—that; darshanAt—because of being seen in other passages of Vedic literature.


The two persons that have entered the cave of the heart are the two selves (the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the jIva because this explanation is seen in Vedic literature.


Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


The two persons that have entered the cave of the heart are the jIva and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not the jIva and intelligence, and not the jIva and the life-breath. Why? The sUtra says tad darshanAt (because this explanation is seen in Vedic literature). Š The KaTha UpaniShad (2.1.7) says that the jIva has entered the cave of the heart:

yA prANena sambhavaty
aditir devatAmayI
guhAM pravishya tiShThantIM
yA bhUtebhir vyajAyata


"Accompanied by the life-breath and a host of powers, the jIva, who is the king of the senses, enters the cave of the heart."


Another verse (KaTha UpaniShad 1.2.12) says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has entered the cave of the heart:

taM durdarshaM gUDham anupraviShTam
guhAhitaM gahvareShTaM purANam
adhyAtma-yogAdhigamena devaM
matvA dhIro harSha-shokau jahAti


"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the oldest person, and who is worshiped in the jungle of this world, remains hidden in the cave of the heart. A wise man, meditating on Him in a trance of spiritual yoga, gives up all material joy and grief."


The word hi (indeed) in this sUtra means "This is indeed corroborated by all the PurANas." The word pibantau (they both drink) in the passage of the UpaniShad is used in the same sense as the phrase "the two parasol-bearers." Although only one of the pair carries the parasol, they are still known as "the two parasol-bearers." In the same way only one of the two "drinkers" here actually drinks. The word chAyA-tapau (shade and light) here means either that the knowledge of the two persons is different, or it means that one of the persons is bound to the cycle of repeated birth and death and the other is free from the cycle of repeated birth and death.

SUtra 12

visheShaNAc ca

visheShaNAt—because of distinctive qualities; ca—also.

Also because of the differences between them.

Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


In this section of KaTha UpaniShad the jIva and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are carefully distinguished, the jIva described as the meditater and the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the object of meditation. Thus is KaTha UpaniShad 1.2.12 quoted above they are carefully distinguished: one as the meditater and the other as the object of meditation. In KaTha UpaniShad 1.3.1 in the words chAyA-tapau (shade and light) they are again distinguished: one being all-knowing and the other having only a small sphere of knowledge.

KaTha UpaniShad 1.3.9 explains:

vij~nAna-sArathir yas tu
manaH-pragrahavAn naraH
so .adhvanaH pAram Apnoti
tad viShNoH paramaM padam


"A person who has transcendental knowledge as his charioteer and who carefully holds the reins of the mind reaches the end of the path: the transcendental realm of Lord ViShNu."


In these words they are again distinguished: one being the goal to be attained and the other the person who attains the goal.