Brhadaranyaka Upanishad is an essential part of Upanishad. It is associated with the Shukla Yajur Veda and is the secondary extraction of the Brahamana text. The fourth chapter of part two of Brhadaranyaka Upanishad deals with the conversation between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi. Yajnavalkya decides to renounce life. Hence he thought of making a final settlement between his two wives Maitreyi and Katyayani. Yajnavalkya explained to Maitreyi that by gaining wealth her life would be just like that of rich people but she would not be able to achieve immortality. Maitreyi then wished to know the means to achieve immortality. Yajnavalkya explained to her that a husband is not loved for the sake of being the husband but for the sake of the Self that in its true nature is a part of the Supreme Self. Similarly a wife is to be adored for similar reasons. In the same way the sons, wealth, Brahmin, Kshatriya, the worlds, the gods, the beings, all others are not loved for the sake of being so but for the sake of the Supreme Self. Yajnavalkya explained to her that it is the Self that needs to be realised, should be heard of, should be understood, should be reflected on and meditated upon. It is only through the realisation of the Self by hearing, reflecting and meditation that all is known.
Yajnavalkya further explained to Maitreyi that the Brahmin does not accept the person who considers himself to be different from the Self. Similarly the kshatriya also refuses to accept the person who is different from the Self. The world also rejects the one who knows them as different from the Self. Likewise the gods, the beings, and rest all reject the people who consider themselves to be different from the Self. Thus, the Brahmin, the Kshatriya, these worlds, these gods, these beings and these are that Self.
Yajnavalkya further tells Maitreyi that when different types of notes of a drum are beaten it is unable to perceive the sounds proceeding from it just like a person who cannot perceive himself. The sounds can be perceived only when the general note or sounds of the drum produced are grasped. Similarly, when a shell is blown, it is unable to perceive the sounds proceeding from it but on the perception of the shell the sound of a shell blown is perceived. It is the same in the case of veena.
Smoke sparks are emitted from the fire kindled with wet fuel. In the same way the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, the Atharvangirasa, history (itihasa), mythology (purana), the arts (vidya), the Upanishads, verses (slokas), aphorisms (sutras), elucidations (anuvyakhyanas) and explanations (vyakhyanas) are all a part of breath of this infinite reality. All these have been extracted from the Supreme Self.
Yajnavalkya while explaining Maitreyi tells her that like the goal of all the waters is to reach the ocean and merge with it, in the same way the goal of all kinds of touch is the skin, the one goal of all smells is the nostrils, the only purpose of all savours is the tongue, the one goal of all sounds is the ear, the aim of all deliberations is the mind, the goal of all actions is the hand, the organ of generation is the aim of all kinds of enjoyment, the excretory organ is the one goal of all excretions, the only purpose of walking is the feet and the organ of speech is the one goal of all the Vedas.
Yajnavalkya then said that when a lump of salt is dropped into the water it immediately gets dissolved and then it cannot be separated. From whatever place a person might take water, it would have the taste of salt. In the same way this great, endless, infinite reality is pure intelligence alone. The Self just comes out as a separate entity from these elements. Along with their destruction this separate existence also gets destroyed. After it becomes one with the Self it does not have consciousness. Thus, knowledge is the ultimate reality.
