Nectar Drops for Spiritual Life: The Amritabindu Upanishad Explained

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Spiritual life is very simple; it is living in Truth. What is Truth? God is in all. God is everywhere. God is everything. God is in everything. God is the breath of life. It is the duty of a seeker to constantly live with God.

The Vedantic understanding of the essential substance of anything is Truth (reality). As an illustration let us think about gold ornaments. Gold ornaments have many names and forms, and gold is always present in every ornament. Before the ornament was made the gold existed. Whether the form of the ornament was made or not, the gold was there. There is gold in the ornament, and when the ornament is broken, the gold still exists. From the ornament's point of view, gold was, gold is, and gold will be. In this example, gold is the reality. Gold exists without the ornament, but the ornament cannot exist without gold. Knowing gold lets us understand all gold ornaments. As gold is to ornaments, God is to all creation.

In worldly experience the maker of any object is different from the material used. The goldsmith is different from gold and the ornament. However, in God's creation this is not possible. Brahman is the only reality. When Brahman thought of creation, creation manifested from Brahman. It (Brahman) is the maker, and It (Brahman) is the matter. In the universe, matter and the Maker (Brahman) are one. Having created everything from Itself, It (Brahman) permeated and enveloped everything. Brahman is formless, but in creation Brahman is manifest as form. Form and formless everything is Brahman. Brahman is omnipresent; Brahman is everything.

Brahman (saccidananda) has three aspects: sat (existence, reality), cit (knowledge, consciousness), and ananda (bliss, perfect happiness). In the process of creation Brahman manifested five elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Over the course of time four categories of creation have existed: udbhija (plants and vegetation), svedaja (born in humidity and moisture), andaja (born from eggs such as birds and reptiles), and jarayuja (born from a uterus).

Everything that exists in creation in name or form is the sat (existence) aspect of Brahman, but they appear inert; however, cit (consciousness) and ananda (bliss) are sleeping in created things and beings. In creation all living beings are made of the five elements; thus, Brahman is present as sat (existence) and cit (consciousness). However, the level of consciousness is different in the plant kingdom, in animals, and even in human beings, but ananda (bliss) is dormant in all of them. Human beings manifest different states of consciousness depending on their evolution. They have a glimpse of ananda (bliss) in the form of temporary happiness and joy.

The manifest aspect of Brahman is the finite form, and the permeated presence of Brahman is the formless Divinity. Thus, in creation form and formless are together, and the play of existence, consciousness, and bliss permeates the drama of life. Ultimately, nothing but Brahman exists in the entire creation and beyond.

To perceive the presence of Brahman in everything and everything in Brahman is the goal; however, a distinction is made between the body and the soul to help us cultivate detachment from the body. Along the journey of life humans become attached to the body. They develop body consciousness to the extent that they believe the body is the soul (dehatmabodha). This breeds misery and sorrow. The Holy Bible describes how Adam and Eve became body conscious and felt that they were naked after eating from the forbidden tree. Body consciousness causes a sense of doership, ego, and bondage to desires and actions. This is the dawn of misery.

The rishis have explained the path of discrimination (viveka) and detachment (vairagya) for correct understanding and the ability to live in Truth. Using the art of discrimination, humans can realize the distinction between the body and the soul and not be attached to the body and the world. Ultimately, they can find a connection with Brahman, The body is the inert aspect and the soul is the conscious aspect of Divinity. The body, made of five elements, undergoes constant modification from conception in the mother's womb, to birth, and to the ultimate end of the body in death. The body is the temple of the Divine in which Brahman resides as the embodied soul.

All bodies appear to be different, but the soul residing in all bodies is one and the same. Bodies can be compared, but not the soul. The body and its characteristics lead to distinction, differences, and diversity, but the soul is always the same. The body is mortal, and the soul is immortal. The body belongs to the world. After death the inert body lies waiting for decomposition. The soul, on the other hand, belongs to Brahman. The soul is reality.

How can we find knowledge, understanding, and ultimately the experience of realization?

The path of experiencing the soul (divinity) as the inherent human nature is achieved by gradually detaching from body consciousness. Ultimately, we are drawn more and more to Brahman along the path of sadhana (practicing spiritual discipline). Over time different paths and many different religions developed. One can find numerous branches in the same religion. Nothing is wrong with these practices when there is right understanding of the goal and the reality of life. If there is right understanding, then comparisons, competitions, and complexities among different religions or paths will not exist.

Human beings have the ability to create and recreate or even destroy. They have gifted instruments such as the sense organs and the mind, intellect, ego, and memory to transform their own lives. They can help evolve their families, societies, nations, humanity, and even the entire creation. However, this requires a clear goal and the ability to see harmony and unity everywhere.

Human beings must develop right understanding to lead meaningful, purposeful lives. They must discriminate (viveka) between right and wrong, between the real and the unreal, and between good and bad. They must also be detached (vairagya).

Life should be lived for fulfillment and perfection. The scriptures, the enlightened seers, and the rishis, since time immemorial, have reminded us about the goal and the path. This knowledge in both theory and practice is treasured in the pages of the Vedas.

The Vedas are the most ancient scriptures of human civilization. They are a treasure of wisdom for humanity. They are regarded as revealed knowledge without mention of the authors' names. The Vedas are divided into two parts: karma kanda (actions) and jñana kanda (knowledge). The Upanishads are known as Vedanta, "the end of the Vedas," appearing in the concluding section of the Vedas.

The word "Upanishad" is derived from the root verb sad (sit down), with the prefixes or prepositions upa (near) and ni (down). Thus, "Upanishad" could be translated as "sitting down near."

What Does It Mean?

A group of seekers sitting near a teacher to learn the secret sublime doctrine of spiritual life is the content of the Upanishads. The Upanishads are described as brahmavidya (knowledge of Brahman, the supreme knowledge). The word Upanishad is defined as upaniṣadyate prāpyate brahmavidyā anaya iti: "Through the Upanishads one attains the supreme knowledge (brahma vidya). Thus, they are called the Upanishads."

In the Upanishads the word vidya (knowledge) is used in Sanskrit feminine gender because she gives birth to a new life for a seeker.

The Upanishads open the door to right understanding; this door leads sincere seekers to realization. The Upanishads are the treasure trove of Self-knowledge.

Upanishad has several meanings. "To sit down near" could mean near the guru-preceptor, but it could also mean "near God" or "to live in the presence of God." The verb sad has many meanings such as "to destroy," "to go." "to move," and "to reach."

The Upanishads teach us to eliminate vices and impurities to reach the Truth (Brahman), One must be near Truth or follow the path of Truth to become one with Truth.

How can we be close to Truth? Are we ready to be in Truth?

The first step is to understand, and the second step is to practice. Theoretical understanding and dynamic practice are necessary. The masters teach that the scriptures explain the idea, the guru-preceptors teach the process, and the seeker must sincerely undertake sadhana to reach the goal.

The Present Text

The Muktika Upanishad mentions 108 Upanishads, and more have been discovered. Among these eleven are the principal Upanishads, and the others are minor. Although the word "minor" is used, it does not indicate less significance in the teachings and message.

All the Upanishads provide a very clear understanding of the reality of life and its goal. Some of them discuss methods of practice. The Amritabindu Upanishad is one of these.

Several Upanishads use the word bindu in the title. Among the five Bindu Upanishads the Nada-bindu, Brahma-bindu, Dhyana-bindu, Teja-bindu, and Amrita-bindu the present text, the Amritabindu Upanishad, is very important. This Upanishad is found in the Atharva Veda.

What is the meaning of the two words in the name of this Upanishad?

Amrita is defined as nāsti mṛtam maraņam yasmāt, meaning "that which drives away death" or "there is no death." Nectar is a mythological drink (ambrosia). It also means "immortality." Bindu could be "point," "atom," "drop," "mark," "spot," or "minute portion." Thus, it is the Upanishad of nectar drops.

Shri Gurudev said, "Bindu is the atom within all, the atom power of God. If one discovers this atom point through meditation, one will find immortality. This is the amrita bindu (the nectar drop)." This Upanishad contains only twenty-two mantras. Most of them are very simple and practical. They can lead a seeker to the highest goal of realization. This Upanishad helps us find the atom point of immortality within. But the obstacle is the mind. The mind does not allow us to find that state easily. This Upanishad describes the mind; its nature; and the art of cleansing and regulating it, which is the key to spiritual life. It also explains the real nature of the Self and the essential unity in Divinity. Through right understanding, contemplation, prayer, and meditation, one must purify the mind to reach that state.

We often pursue the goal of Self-realization without understanding what is needed to attain it. The scriptures tell us that we must purify the mind to succeed on the spiritual path. But what does that mean, and how do we accomplish it?

Although the Amritabindu Upanishad is a minor Upanishad, its message is vital: Success on the spiritual path only comes through continuous perseverance and practice. One must make a sincere effort to rise above the play of the mind. The Amritabindu Upanishad is a masterpiece of spiritual wisdom, and the insightful commentary of Paramahansa Prajnanananda complements it beautifully. Paramahamsaji has an extraordinary ability to interpret the Truth expounded in scriptures in a way that is relevant to modern times. Seekers on the path will find this book invaluable. It addresses many common and sometimes complex problems and misconceptions that we face on the journey to Self-realization.