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PART FOUR
33
[Notes—l.
Description of Brahman etc.—The
passage
is very obscure due to its brevity, and can therefore be
construed in many ways. We have construed it somewhat
differently from Sankara. We take
it
as a summary of the
teaching of the whole Upanisad, answering with proper
illustration the questions put at the beginning : " Who
impels the mind to alight on its object ?" etc. Here it is
answered that from the study of the cosmic forces one finds
that Brahman is at the back of every form of power, move-
and life in this universe. Lightning is one of the most
striking phenomena of external Nature. But Brahman, says
the Upanisad, is what illumines even this lightning. Wink-
ing is one of the most minute and insignificant functions
taking place in the Nature within man. This too is due to
Brahman.
Thus
the study of cosmic forces or physical
Nature reveals Himin every thing, great and small.
Construing the passage as S'ankara does, the passage
may be translated as follows : ' This is the instruction on
Brahman by means of illustration—that he flashed like
lightning, that He appeared and vanished as the eye winks.
This is the illustration of Brahman taken from the activity
of deities.' Brahman's revelation before the devas was as
sudden as lightning and winking.
Another possible interpretation of the passage is this :
As far as Nature is concerned, the revelation of Brahman
is like a flash of lightning or winking of the eye.' The idea
emphasized here is ithat man can get only a glimpse of
Brahman from the contemplation of external Nature.]