Aruneya Upanishad (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

: आरुणेय उपनिषद्) is a minor Upanishad in the corpus of the 108

Upanishad The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...

s of Hinduism. It is written in

. It is one of the 16 Upanishads attached to the

Samaveda The Samaveda (, from ' "song" and ' "knowledge"), is the Veda of melodies and chants. It is an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, and part of the scriptures of Hinduism. One of the four Vedas, it is a liturgical text which consists of 1,875 verses. A ...

. It is classified as a

Sannyasa ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' A ...

Upanishad. It deals with the cultural phenomenon of a

Sannyasi ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...

(Hindu monk), a practitioner of Sannyasa or renunciation. The Upanishad also outlines the character and lifestyle of a Paramahamsa, the monk who has achieved the highest state of spirituality. The text is told as a sermon from the god

Prajapati Prajapati ( sa, प्रजापति, Prajāpati, lord and protector of creation) is a Vedic deity of Hinduism. In later literature, Prajapati is identified with the creator god Brahma, but the term also connotes many different gods, depe ...

(identified with

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...

in some commentaries) to the sage Aruni, who gives his name to this Upanishad. The text is dated from the 1st-millennium BCE, and is notable for its details on the

renunciation Renunciation (or renouncing) is the act of rejecting something, especially if it is something that the renunciant has previously enjoyed or endorsed. In religion, renunciation often indicates an abandonment of pursuit of material comforts, in t ...

tradition in ancient India. The Upanishad recommends the practice of ''

Samadhi ''Samadhi'' ( Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yo ...

'' as a means to know the ''

Atman Atman or Ātman may refer to: Film * ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto * ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo People * Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...

'' (Self), which states

Patrick Olivelle Patrick Olivelle is an Indologist. A philologist and scholar of Sanskrit Literature whose work has focused on asceticism, renunciation and the dharma, Olivelle has been Professor of Sanskrit and Indian Religions in the Department of Asian Stu ...

, contextually means deep yogic contemplation. It is also notable as one of the earliest text stating that knowledge qualifies one to undertake Sannyasa, a position different from other ancient Upanishads such as the Jabala Upanishad which states that detachment from the world qualifies one to begin the journey of renunciation. The text, states

Paul Deussen Paul Jakob Deussen (; 7 January 1845 – 6 July 1919) was a German Indologist and professor of philosophy at University of Kiel. Strongly influenced by Arthur Schopenhauer, Deussen was a friend of Friedrich Nietzsche and Swami Vivekananda. In ...

, is a vivid record of a remarkable cultural phenomenon of ancient India, that has survived into the modern era, and "what gave birth to it lies in Man, lies in all of us". The text also known as Aruneyi Upanishad, Arunika Upanishad and Aruni Upanishad.

Chronology

The Aruni Upanishad is one of the oldest renunciation-related Upanishad. The text was likely completed between 4th-century BCE to the start of the common era, according to Sprockhoff, the German scholar of Upanishads and according to Patrick Olivelle.

The ''Aruneya Upanishad'' is presented as a conversation between the sage Aruni and the Vedic god

(some translations consider Prajapati an epithet of

). The text opens by Aruni visiting Prajapati and asking him the means by which he can stop the need for any and all rituals. Prajapati tells him to relinquish all relationships (sons, brothers, sisters, friends etc.) as well as external symbols like the a hair tuft and the

sacred thread ''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...

. He must also give up on the Vedic recitation and all mantra chanting, everything in the entire universe that he is attached to. Take up a garment and a staff, states the text, then begin the journey of renunciation. Prajapati also tells Aruni to abandon the seven upper realms of the universe - Bhur, Bhuvah, Svar, Mahas, Jana, Tapas,

Satya ''Satya'' (Sanskrit: सत्य; IAST: ''satya)'' is a Sanskrit word loosely translated as truth, essence. A. A. Macdonell, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Asian Educational Services, , pp. 330–331 It also refers to a virtue in Indian relig ...

, and the seven lower realms of “ Atala, Patala, Vitala, Sutala, Rasatala, Mahatala, Talatala, and egg of creation of the world." Give up all material things of life. Prajapati teaches Aruni that in the three stages of life (

ashram An ashram ( sa, आश्रम, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions. Etymology The Sanskrit noun is a thematic nominal derivative from the root 'toil' (<

Brahmacharya ''Brahmacharya'' (; sa, ब्रह्मचर्य ) is a concept within Indian religions that literally means to stay in conduct within one's own Self. In Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism it generally refers to a lifestyle char ...

(student), Grihastha (householder), and in Vanaprastha (forest dwelling retirement), one should perform ''Prana-Agnihotra'' fire sacrifices to serve the fire in the stomach, and recite

Gayatri mantra The Gāyatrī Mantra, also known as the Sāvitri Mantra, is a highly revered mantra from the '' Rig Veda'' ( Mandala 3.62.10), dedicated to the Vedic deity Savitr. is the name of the Goddess of the Vedic meter in which the verse is composed. ...

to serve the fire of speech. He should dispense with his hair tuft and the sacred thread into the ground or throw it in water. In

stage, as a pupil, he should forego all attachments with his relatives, surrender his begging bowl and filtering cloth as well as the realms of the universe and also discontinue performing fire sacrifices which give him material comforts. As a renouncer, he should give up Vedic mantras. He should bathe thrice a day - dawn, noon, and dusk, intensely meditate to realize and gain union with

(soul). and recite just the

Aranyaka The Aranyakas (; sa, आरण्यक; IAST: ' ) are the part of the ancient Indian Vedas concerned with the meaning of ritual sacrifice. They typically represent the later sections of the Vedas, and are one of many layers of the Vedic text ...

s and the Upanishads.

How to renounce?

As a renouncer, after "I am truly

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...

", should consider Brahman as the internal sacred string, therefrom "I am the string", and so he should throw away the external sacred thread. Uttering three times the words, “I have renounced, I have renounced, I have renounced”, he should pick up a bamboo staff and the loins-cloth, thus begin his journey. He should expect little food, eat sparingly as if food was a medicine. The renouncer must give up anger, greed, delusions, deceit, falsehood and desire. He must observe non-violence, truthfulness, chastity and sharing with others passionately. He should consider his staff (walking stick) as his friend, and say, "You are my energy and friend to me, you are

Indra Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...

’s thunderbolt".

The Paramahamsas

Prajapati further tells about the

Paramahamsa Paramahamsa (Sanskrit: परमहंस, Bengali: পরমহংস, romanized: Pôromohôṅso; pronounced ɔromoɦɔŋʃo, also spelled paramahansa or paramhansa, is a Sanskrit religio-theological title of honour applied to Hindu spiritual ...

Parivrajaka, the highest class of monks. They are wandering monks who are believed to have attained enlightenment. They remain homeless, sleep and sit only on the ground, live by begging with a bowl made of mud or gourd or wood. During the four months of rainy season, he should reside at one place, and in the balance eight months, he should be a wandering monk on his own. After grasping the meaning of the Vedas, before or after the sacred thread ceremony, the renouncer leaves his father, mother, wife, family and friends, his work and gives up the sacred thread and fire sacrifices as well as all material objects. He should go to a village only with intent to beg for food, with his belly as his bowl, and eat only what he gains as alms. The word Om should be his Upanishad. Ultimately, he abandons his Palasa, Bilva, Udumbara staff, his deerskin, his girdle, his string. He who knows this (hymn from

Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only on ...

1.22.20-1.22.21), conquers: This is what Vedas teach, this is the teaching on liberation, states the Aruneya Upanishad.

Chronology

Contents

How to renounce?

The Paramahamsas

References

Bibliography

External links