A Constructive Survey of Upanishadic Philosophy c6.s2.1

c6.s2.1

9. We now pass on to consider the aspects of Abnormal Psychology as developed in the Upanishads. The question as to what becomes of a man's soul after the death of the body recurs time after time in the Upanishads. Not content with a discussion of man's life here below, the seers of the Upanishads make the eschatological question assume quite an extraordinary importance. The question is very often asked—what must be considered the root of human life? "The tree, if hewn down, springs anew from the previous root; what must be the root of a man's life in order that it may spring up again, even though hewn down by (the great cutter) Death" (S. 9. a). It is supposed, moreover, that eschatological knowledge is the highest kind of knowledge. Let nobody call himself wise unless he knows what becomes of a man after death. It was thus that the Sage Jaivali accosted Śvetaketu, the son of Aruṇi, and proved to him that even though he reckoned himself wise, he was after all merely an ignoramus :— “ Boy, has your father instructed you ? ” “ Yes, Sir.” “ Do you know where all the creatures go to from hence ? ” “ No, Sir.” “ Do you know how they return again ? ” “ No, Sir.” “ Do you know where the path of the gods and the path of the fathers diverge ? ” “ No, Sir.” “ Do you know why that (the other) world never becomes too full ? ” “ No, Sir.” “ Then, why did you say that you had been instructed? How can a man, who does not know these (simple) things, say that he has been instructed ? ” (S. 9. b).