12. Resume

Every Vedas occupies a major role in Indian philosophy for it leads to a huge transformation of the Indian mind. The meaning of the word ‘Veda’ stands for ‘knowledge’ and it signifies the knowledge of the universe, the Atman, reality, consciousness etc. The Vedas are divided into two portions, the Karmakāṇḍa and the jñānakāṇḍa. The Karmakāṇḍa comprises of the famous hymns and the rituals of the Brāhmaṇas. The Upaniṣad belong to the jñānakāṇḍa. It is the last portion of the Vedas and the sacred foundation of the Vedantic philosophy. The name indicates as to sit near for attaining proper knowledge from a proper teacher. The Upaniṣad are philosophical, psychological, theological and mystical as well. They discuss more subjects under the concept of the Brahman, the Ultimate Reality and Atman, the individual self. The all Vedantic philosophy includes the four mahāvākyas among the Upaniṣad. They are ‘ayamātma brahma’, ‘ahaṃ brahmāsmi ’,‘tatvmasi’and ‘praj ñānaṃ brahma’. These are executed by the Supreme Reality, the Brahman. But the same subject is dealt with in each Upaniṣad in such a manner that the feeling of ‘sameness’ never arises. There is a freshness and newness in each Upaniṣad because of which one never feels that it is the same subject of the Brahman and the Atman that is being discussed. In the Upaniṣads one sees the truth of the statement that it is not the conclusion that matters—what matters is the process by which the conclusion is arrived at.

The Upaniṣads mainly aim at the explanation of the eternal concept of Atman. It teaches or proclaims the wish for the welfare of the entire humanity. Our sages well explain the way of mental functions in order to acquire eternity. The philosophy of the Upaniṣads conceive the idea that the mind is mainly treated as the sense organ. It plays a major role to attain Self-realization. It describes mind as the co-ordinating organ that synthesize the function of senses.

The nature of mind is discussed in various Upaniṣads Several clarification of mind can be seen postulated in them. The Īśāvāsya-upaniṣad says mind, vac or word act together with the Atman or Īśvara.

Īśvara exists in all and all are embedded in Īśvara. The unique character of Brahman in that is reaches any distant object more speedily than the mind. The nature of Brahman is compared to mind. The Ke up. with starts the issue on the incentives that the inconstant mind and the senses get. Atman is constant and it realizes itself after having given up its attachment to the body and the sense. Muktikopaniṣad says:-yasya nirvāsanaṃ manaḥ (2.21) and manobuddhisamanvitāṃ (2.71).The Kaṭha-upaniṣad clearly tells that the mind is compared to the reins of a chariot. It reveals the importance of mental control. The Praśna-upaniṣad deals with mind that is treated as antaḥkaraṇa. the relevant question is raised in this Upaniṣads are, which sense organs make the person sleep, and keep him awake and which deity sees the dream? This Upaniṣads clearly clarifies that all the indriyas or sense organs become one with the mind and the organs donot function when the person is sleeping. The mind directs the sense organs to function methodically. The M. Upaniṣad states that mind and buddhi are the faculties of the inner organ. It is the organ of thinking. This Upaniṣad indicates that the mind emerges from the food and the food emerges from the Brahman. Sorrow, attachment, fear, etc remain as the characteristics of mind.

The Māṇḍūkya-upaniṣad tells us the state of consciousness in the way of four aspects, but the kārikā of this Upaniṣads, namely the Māṇḍūkyakārikā, advocates the position of mind in different states. An apt example which is stated in it is that mind becomes motionless like a lamp in a windless place and does not appear before any outside objects. The Taittirīya-upaniṣad asserts the famous doctrine of five sheaths that reveal to us the Brahman. The Aitareya-upaniṣad explaines that mind in its act of creation is a part of Atman or the duty of Atman. The Chāndogya-upaniṣad tells that mind is not a physical organ. It is material in character and derives its power from self. The subtlest part of food is turned into the energy of mind. It is the lord of the body. The mind works as an informative agent and it is an instrument. The Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad introduces the mind in the context of beginning of the universe. It describes the different functions of mind like desire, resolution, doubt, faith, patience, impatience modesty etc which are all the forms of sense organs.

In the ancient texts, the mind was conceived as going out of the body and could be treated as the soul. These recognitions and acknowledgments can be delivered to the Upaniṣads in numerous idols...