Chap 26: Sat-svarupa of Atman - Conversation between Yajnavalkya and Gargi

The Self is of the nature of Sat or Existence. Pure Existence transcends time. It remains the same in the past, present and future. This nature of the Self is brought about in this chapter.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3:8

It was the court of King Janaka. Yajnavalkya received questions from all learned sages and seers assembled there, and he kept offering answers to all of them. Among them was a female sage Gargi, the daughter of Vachaknu. Addressing the assembly, she said, “Revered Brahmins, I shall ask Yajnavalkya two questions. If he is able to answer them, no one among you can ever defeat him. He will be the great expounder of the truth of Brahman.”

Yajnavalkya said, “Ask, O Gargi.”

Gargi said, “Yajnavalkya, that which they say is above heaven and below the earth, which is between heaven and earth as well, and which was, is, and shall be – tell me, in what is it woven, warp and woof?’

Yajnavalkya said, “That of which they say, O Gargi, that it is above heaven and below the earth, which is between heaven and earth as well, and which was, is, and shall be–that is woven, warp and woof, is the ether. “Ether (Akasha) is the subtlest element. So subtle that it is often indistinguishable from Consciousness. Without it nothing can exist. Yet there is more”.

Gargi said, “Thou hast answered my first question. I bow to thee, O Yajnavalkya. Be ready now to answer my second question.”

Yajnavalkya said, “Ask, O Gargi.”

Gargi said, “In whom is that ether woven, warp and woof?”

Yajnavalkya replied, “The seers, O Gargi, call him Akshara – the Immutable and Imperishable Reality. He is neither gross nor fine, neither short nor long, neither hot nor cold, neither light nor dark, neither of the nature of air, nor of the nature of ether. He is without relations. He is without taste or smell, without eyes, ears, speech, mind, vigor, breath, mouth. He is without measure; he is without inside or outside. He enjoys nothing; nothing enjoys him.’

“At the command of that Reality, O Gargi, the sun and moon hold their courses; heaven and earth keep their positions; moments, hours, days and nights, fortnights and months, seasons and years–all follow their paths; rivers issuing from the snowy mountains flow on, some eastward, some westward, others in other directions.’

“He, O Gargi, who in this world, without knowing this Reality, offers oblations, performs sacrifices, practices austerities, even though for many thousands of years, gains little: his offerings and practices are perishable. He, O Gargi, who departs this life without knowing the Imperishable, is pitiable. But he, O Gargi, who departs this life knowing this, is wise.”

“This Reality, O Gargi, is unseen but is the seer, is unheard but is the hearer, is unthinkable but is the thinker, is unknown but is the knower. There is no seer but he, there is no hearer but he, there is no thinker but he, there is no knower but he. In Akshara, verily, O Gargi, the ether is woven, warp and woof.”

Hearing these words from Yajnavalkya, Gargi again looked at the assembled Brahmins and said, “Revered Brahmins, well may you feel blest if you get off with bowing before him! No one will defeat Yajnavalkya, expounder of the truth of Brahman.”