FOUNDATIONS OF UNITY IN VEDIC LITERATURE (AUM)

Introduction
The Most Holy Principle, the Ultimate/Intermediate/Intimate Reality, the Phenomenal/ Noumenal/
Transcendental, the Source/ Substratum/ Substance of Everything in existence: whether manifest or
unmanifest, whether perceptible or imperceptible, and whether objective or subjective, is AUM. AUM
is Holy because IT is always WHOLE (Purnam) even when IT appears as Individuated (Vyaktam) or
Void (Shunyam).
Vedic Sources
1. THE MĀNDŪKYA UPANISHAD of Atharva Veda, which consists of the essence of the
entire Advaita Vedanta, is a great starting point for appreciating AUM and realizing the
philosophy of UNITY or ADVAITA. Philosophy is about Philos (love, faith, trust
relationship) and Sophia (Truth, Wisdom, Realisation). The Muktika Upanishad stipulates that
the “Mandukya alone is sufficient for an aspirant to reach spiritual enlightenment or liberation”
(mandukyam ekam kevalam mumumukshunam vimuktaye).
aum ity etad akṣaram idam sarvam, tasyopavyākhyānam
bhūtam bhavad bhaviṣyad iti sarvam auṁkāra eva
yac cānyat trikālātītaṁ tad apy auṁkāra eva.
(According to the findings of Mandukya, AUM is the One Imperishable Holy Principle, which
is the whole of the universe. This can be further clarified as follows.
What had previously come into being (past: space-time-contents), what is currently in existence
(present: space-time-contents), and what will eventually come into being (future: space-time-
contents) – verily, all of this is AUM. Moreover, whatever (Transcendental: spaceless-timeless-
contentless) lies beyond the three states of the universal space of time (including the three states
of individual consciousness: waking, dream and sleep) – that too, verily, is AUM.

2. NĀSADĪYA SŪKTA of the Rigveda elaborates on AUM as WHAT IS PRIOR to the

nāsa̍d āsī`n no sadā̍sīt ta`dānī`ṁ

Prior to all this and to cosmic origination, there was nothing like existence or inexistence. There was
neither movement of any content nor the all-encompassing space (Thus, no space, no time, no content).
So, what was veiling everything and in whose keeping (containment) was everything sheltered? What
was that unfathomed depth in which everything was latently engulfed?
na mṛtyur ā̍sīd a`mṛta`ṁ na tarhi`
na rātryā`'ahna̍' āsīt prake`taḥ |
ānī̍d avā`taṁ sva`dhayā` tad eka`ṁ
 tasmā̍ddhā`nyan na pa`raḥ kiñca`nāsa̍ || 2 ||

There were nothing like the perishable or the imperishable. Nowhere the darkness of night or the light
of day were to be found. (There was no duality!) Unsupported, Breathless was That Self-sustaining
Transcendental One (EKAM). That (TAT) Ultimate One (AUM) had nothing else separate and
distinct from Itself to experience or enjoy.

3. HIRAYAGARBHA SŪKTA is a hymn from the Rig Veda, praising AUM as the Universal Source
of all creations, which is beyond human conceptualization and idolatry. It sheds light on the worship
of That Supreme Source, which is both immanent and Transcendent. Only THAT is worthy of
worship! Hiranya means gold or precious matter, which can be moulded into numerous ornaments,
without losing its “goldness”. Similarly, AUM moulds Itself into everything in existence without ever
losing Its Wholeness.
hiraṇyagarbhaḥ samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātaḥ patirekāsīta |
sa dādhāra pṛthvīṃ dhyāmutemāṃ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
In the beginning or at the dawn of existence, AUM became manifest as That Shining Source
(conceptualized as a cosmic egg or embryo), the Mother of All Potentialities, pregnant of Its cosmic
creation (later called Mula Prakriti). The Self-born Singularity is the sole Sovereign Power ruling over
all its manifested entities (Its emanations); It upholds both the earth and the heavens and even what
lies beyond. Which Deity except That shall we (as AUM/Nature individuated) worship with true faith
and surrender in our hearts?

4. PURUṢA SŪKTA is a popular hymn of the Rig Veda. Purusha is another definition of AUM.
Purusha is a combination of two words. PUR means the perfect, original or ever-whole (purnam) light
of existence. When the Light or Intelligence is expressed at the dawn (USHA) of the cosmos, It
projects the whole universal field of existence (nature/cosmos) and eventually our individuated field
of experience (pura or kshetra) with consciousness of inner and outer objects and events, which include
the organism and ego-thought. Thus, AUM or Purusha is the Light of Intelligence as well as the Whole
of Nature at manifest and unmanifest levels.
puruṣa evedagṃ sarvaṃ yad bhūtaṃ yac-ca bhavyam |
utāmṛtatvasyeśāno yad-annenātirohati ||2||
All this unified field of cosmic existence and individual experience is verily AUM, the One
Purusha. All (that exists now), that existed in the past and that will come into existence in the future
(is also Purusha). Moreover, It is the Ruler of all cosmic entities that appear as enduring and
imperishable. It is (also) That which sustains Itself through food (as all individuated biological entities
of Nature).
etāvān asya mahimā-ato jyāyāgṃśca pūruṣaḥ |
pādo’asya viśvā bhūtāni tripādasyāmṛtaṃ divi |- |3||
All that exists and all that is experienced indeed indicates the greatness of AUM: Purusha or the
Cosmic Singularity. However, Purusha is much more than this cyclical phenomenal existence,
appearing at dawn, evolving and eventually disappearing. All the entities of existence (Nature) or of
the whole universe (Prakriti) represent only the cyclical quarter/fraction of AUM. Its three-quarter,
which is imperishable, is Fathomless Divine Energy.
(Bhagavad Gita stipulates (10-42): vishtabhyaham idam kritsnam ekamsena sthito jagat-- with a
single fragment of Myself as Purusha, I (AUM) pervade and support this entire universe.)

Analysis
The Philosophy of UNITY has been very clearly articulated in the Vedic literature in terms of the
Unified Field of AUM, TAT, EKAM, HIRANYAGARBHA and PURUSHA. AUM is always,
everywhere and everything: the origin, the immanent, the cosmos, nature, individuals. AUM is even
prior to the cosmic origin. Aum is also Transcendental.
Good News: We and AUM are never two (advaita), never separable, as gold and golden ornaments,
as waves and the ocean. The ocean is merely playing a part as waves. Nature is merely pretending to
be individuals and behaving as individuals. Each one of us is not merely an isolated individual in an
alienated world. This is perverted perception. Each one is Nature individuated. Each one of us is
AUM individuated (Atman). Let us enjoy this sense of UNITY in our daily life until our final de-
individuation into Nature and AUM. Let us enjoy our natural spiritual connection with wholeness
(Yoga) and wholeheartedly assert: Nature I AM! AUM I AM! WHOLENESS (Brahman) I AM!

Conclusion
The 4 Maha Vakyas (great spiritual assertions) therefore clearly indicate the Vedic Realisation of the
Philosophy of Unity or Non-duality:
1. PRAJNAANAM BRAHMA: Pure Consciousness is Brahman (Aitareya Upanishad of the Rig
Veda)
2. AHAM BRAHMAASMI: I Am Wholeness or Brahman (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of the Yajur
Veda)
3. TAT TVAM ASI: That Thou Art or That and You are One (Chandogya Upanishad of the Sama
Veda)
4. AYAM AATMA BRAHMA: This Self is Brahman or This Pure Consciousness (appearing or
pretending to be individuated) is the Wholeness (Mandukya Upanishad of the Atharva Veda)

Koosraj