Atharvashiras Upanishad
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The ''Atharvashiras Upanishad'' () is a Sanskrit text that is one of the minor
Upanishads 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, , ...
of
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. It is among the 31 Upanishads associated with the Atharvaveda. It is classified as a
Shaiva Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...
Upanishad focussed on god
Rudra Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. Ru ...
. The Upanishad is notable for asserting that all gods are Rudra, everyone and everything is Rudra, and Rudra is the principle found in all things, their highest goal, the innermost essence of all reality that is visible or invisible. Rudra is Atman and Brahman, and in the heart. Rudra's symbol is Om, states the text, he can be realized by abandoning anger and lust, and through silence alone. The text is known for its
monism Monism attributes oneness or singleness (Greek: μόνος) to a concept e.g., existence. Various kinds of monism can be distinguished: * Priority monism states that all existing things go back to a source that is distinct from them; e.g., i ...
(''Advaita''), and was quoted extensively by the German philosopher Hegel. It is also known as Atharvasirasopanishad, Atharvashira, Atharvasira in some texts referencing it, and as Śira Upanishad in
Muktikā Muktikā (Sanskrit: मुक्तिका) refers to the Telugu-language anthology of a canon of 108 Upaniṣhads. The date of composition of each is unknown, with the oldest probably from about 800 BCE. The Principal Upanishads were compose ...
canon of 108 Upanishads. Being a
Shaiva Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...
Upanishad, it is also known as Shiva-Atharva-Sheersham or Shivātharva-Sheersham.


Chronology

The Atharvasiras Upanishad is an ancient text likely written in BCE, but its exact dating is uncertain. It is mentioned in Gautama Dharmasutras verse 19.12, Baudhayana Dharmasutra verse 3.10.10, Vasistha Dharmasutras verse 22.9 and elsewhere. The Upanishad, states Parmeshwaranand, belongs to the category of "later Upanishads", and he dates it to approximately 5th century BCE. Deussen remarks that it is from the group of five Upanishads which assert god Shiva as a symbolism for Atman in Hinduism. These five Upanishads – Atharvashiras, Atharvashikha, Nilarudra, Kalagnirudra and Kaivalya – are ancient, with Nilarudra likely the oldest and Kaivalya the relatively later era Upanishad (still BCE) composed closer to the time of Shvetashvatara Upanishad, Mundaka Upanishad, and Mahanarayana Upanishad.


Structure

The text consists of 7 chapters, mostly prose with some verses. Several versions of the text are known, and the surviving manuscripts show evidence of being corrupted.


Contents


Who is Rudra?

The Chapter 1 of the text begins with the answer to the question, "Who is Rudra?" He is introduced as that one "which existed at first, exists now and shall exist in future", the eternal and the non-eternal, the visible and the invisible, the Brahman and the non-Brahman, the east and west and north and south and above and below, the masculine and feminine and neuter, the Savitri and Gayatri, the appearance and the reality, the water and the fire, the cow and the buffalo, the lotus flower and the soma filter, the within and the without, the inner essence of everything. This chapter references and includes fragments of hymns from Atharvaveda sections 4.1 and 10.8,
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad The ''Brihadaranyaka Upanishad'' ( sa, बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्, ) is one of the Principal Upanishads and one of the first Upanishadic scriptures of Hinduism. A key scripture to various schools of Hinduism, the ''Br ...
section 6.1 and Chandogya Upanishad section 7.25, however it expresses those ideas through Rudra.


Rudra is the exalted one, is all gods, is universe

Chapter 2 is set in repeating verse style, of the form: The same verse is repeated with Brahma replaced with the names of numerous gods (Vishnu, Skanda, Indra, Agni, Vayu, Surya and others), thereafter replaced by objects of nature, substances, direction, colors, mantras, concepts (Truth), with the last verse stating "Rudra is the exalted one, he is the Universe, to him salutation, the salutation". Chapter 3 is set in prose, and continues to assert the oneness of everything and everyone as Rudra. He is asserted as growth, as prosperity, as peace, as all, as non-all, as whole, as non-whole, as done, as non-done, the principle behind everything and the highest goal of every living form and everything that changes. The Upanishad then references and includes a fragment of hymn 8.48.3 of the
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 one ...
, stating that the one who has seen this light can have no fear of anyone's hostility or malice:Compare: See Deussen et al (1997), page 772
Rigveda 8.48.3: अपाम सोमममृता अभूमागन्म ज्योतिरविदाम देवान् । किं नूनमस्मान्कृणवदरातिः किमु धूर्तिरमृत मर्त्यस्य ॥३॥
ऋग्वेद: सूक्तं ८.४८, Wikisource
br>Atharvasiras Upanishad ॥ ३॥: अपाम सोमममृता अभूमागन्म ज्योतिरविदाम देवान् । किं नूनमस्मान्कृणवदरातिः किमु धूर्तिरमृतं मार्त्यस्य

/ref> The soul, asserts the text, existed before the Soma and Surya. The whole world is Om symbol, and all deities, all vital breaths and He (Rudra) too is in the heart of each living being. Om is the holy call, Om is Rudra, he is infinite, he is protecting, he is the pure, he is the subtle, he is the lightning like, he is the highest Brahman, he is the One, he is the Rudra, he is the exalted Maheshvara, adds the text.


Rudra is Om, both symbolism for Atman, Brahman and the world

The Upanishad states that Rudra is resident in the soul in the heart. In chapter 4, the text offers mystical explanations to why Rudra is described the way he is. He is called Om, states the text, because when uttered he makes ''Prana'' go upwards. He is called the holy call because he is the essence of all the Vedas. He is called all prevading because he permeates the silence of the universe. He is called infinite because when uttered there is no end of it in any dimension, states the text. He is called protecting, because he removes the fear of rebirth and suffering. He is called subtle, asserts the text, because uttering him makes the limbs tinge. He is called the highest Brahman because he is the highest of the highest, the highest goal, the strength that strengthens the strong. He is called the one because everything ends in him and he unites all creatures. He, asserts the text is called the exalted Maheshwara because from him all the Vedas flow and in him is raised through the perception of the Atman (soul, self) and the mastery of
Yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...
. Rudra is in all men, omnipresent, he was born, and he will be born, he is in all the world spaces, begins chapter 5. One Rudra there is, states the Upanishad, and he has no second. He dwells in all living beings, and they return in him when they end. Through him, the whole universe spreads out. Whoever knows him, enters peace. He is unity, he is eternal, he is energy, he is Om, he is silence that follows Om.


Rudra is one without a second, the Pashupata

Chapter 5 of the text asserts that one should revere Rudra as one, he has no second. He dwells within, those who abandon anger, greed and worldly desires realize him and attain peace. Fire, states the text, is ultimately ashes, wind is ashes, water is ashes, earth is ashes, universe is ashes, the body and mind are ashes, and thus the Pashupata covers himself with ashes as a form of prayer. Rudra is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. One who seeks him gets immense bliss. Rudra is everywhere, he is all matter, he is in fire, he is in water, he has become plants and trees, he has become all living beings, states chapter 6 of the Upanishad. Nothing exists apart from Rudra. He is eternal, from which time is born. Nothing is earlier, and nothing later, he pervades all the world.


Reception

The Atharvashiras Upanishad was one of the minor Upanishads that Georg Hegel, the German philosopher of the late Enlightenment, referred to as he presented
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 ...
in Indian philosophy in his scholarship. He wrote, The Atharvasiras Upanishad has been an important text in the Pashupata Shaivism tradition and the Nath Yogi movement founded by Gorakhnath. It contains the vow of those who enter monastic life in these traditions.George Weston Briggs (2009), Gorakhnāth and the Kānphaṭa Yogīs, Motilal Banarsidass, , pages 218-219


Commentary

Sharma, Vishwambhar 'Vishu' has written commentary on this Upanishad; Atharvaśira Upaniṣat: With Sanskrit Text.


See also

*
Kaivalya Upanishad The ''Kaivalya Upanishad'' ( sa, कैवल्य उपनिषत्) is an ancient Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. It is classified as a Shaiva Upanishad, and survives into modern times in two versions, one atta ...


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * {{Mukhya Upanishads Upanishads Sanskrit texts