14. The Upaniṣadic View on Self and Personality

The Upaniṣads generally state that the heart-cave or heart-ether is the seat of the self. It is noted in the Chāndogya-upaniṣad Body or Brahamn is a small lotus-like small space and within it a small internal space called antarākāśa. That self is more minute than barley, seed and rice and greater than the earth, sky and the heaven. And also self is exists in the heart, in the body,^[1] that is, the ability of the body to do everything depends upon mind^[2].

The Kaṭha-upaniṣad declares that the self is joined with sense organs and mind is joined with the experience. The self, as a person is seated in a chariot and the body is the chariot. The intellect and the mind are the driver and the bridle, respectively, and the sense organs are the horses.^[3]

The self is superior to intellect in this Up. and body is the agent and it is subordinate to the self. Self is the active agent and it is the knower, the enjoyer. A self-controlled person can win his feelings by knowing the self through spirituality.

The Taittirīya-upaniṣad declares the self as resides in the space within the heart:

sa ya eṣo antahṛdayākāśa tasminnayaṃ puruṣo manomayaḥ amṛto hiraṇyamayaḥ || ^[4]

The same point is stated in the Chāndogya-upaniṣad The Kauṣītakī-brāhmaṇa-upaniṣad says that the self pervades the whole body, even as a razor is placed in a razor-case, or as fire is placed in an oven. Likewise the sense organs depend upon the self.^[5]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid-8.1.2 (“eṣāmantahṛdaye” 3.14.3)

[2]:

Chāndogyopaniṣad Śānkarabhāṣya-6.7.1

[3]:

Kaṭha-upaniṣad-1.3

[4]:

Taittirīya-upaniṣad-1.6.1

[5]:

Kauṣītakī-brāhmaṇa-upaniṣad-4.20