Niralamba Upanishad — Q&A
A Glossary of Vedantic Concepts
1. Q: What is the Niralamba Upanishad and its core purpose?
A: The Niralamba Upanishad is a minor Vedantic text of the Shukla Yajurveda containing 41 questions and answers that define key philosophical and spiritual concepts. Its name means “supportless” — pointing to the Self that exists without dependence on body, mind, or world. The purpose of this Upanishad is to clarify the nature of Brahman, the soul (jiva), bondage and liberation (moksha), and related terms so that seekers can distinguish what is real from what is unreal. Click Here To Access more other text.
2. Q: What is Brahman according to this Upanishad?
A: Brahman is described as the supreme, eternal, pure consciousness (Chaitanyam) that underlies everything. It is without attributes, eternal, beginningless and endless. Brahman appears as the universe and all beings but is itself free from change and duality. It is pure, peaceful, and beyond description — the sole reality behind names, forms, and phenomena.
3. Q: Who is Ishvara in this text?
A: Ishvara is Brahman with the power (Shakti) of prakriti (matter/universe). When Brahman manifests through this Shakti to create, sustain, and rule the world and beings, Brahman appears as Ishvara — the Lord and controller of the intellect, senses, and created order. Click Here To Access.
4. Q: Who is the jiva?
A: The jiva is the individual soul. It is Ishvara Himself perceived under false superimposition — the mistaken sense of “I am this body-mind.” Through different bodies and karmas, the one Self appears as many jivas, but in reality all are Brahman experiencing the world due to ignorance.
5. Q: What is prakriti (matter)?
A: Prakriti is the latent power (Shakti) of Brahman that produces the manifest universe. It is not separate from Brahman but a Shakti through which the diversity of the world arises, including elements, minds, and bodies, while Brahman remains unchanged and supportless.
6. Q: Who is Paramatma?
A: Paramatma is the supreme Self — Brahman as the innermost reality in all beings. It transcends body and mind and is superior to all forms. Paramatma is not different from the pure consciousness that we are; it is the Self beyond all limiting adjuncts. Click Here To Access.
7. Q: Does the Upanishad discuss gods and beings?
A: Yes. It explains that all beings — such as Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra, Yama, the Sun and Moon, devas, asuras, men, women, and animals — are all manifestations of the same Brahman and have no separate independent existence. This emphasizes non-duality at the deepest level.
8. Q: What is karma?
A: Karma is action performed by the organs of sense and action, attributed to the ego-centered sense of doership. It includes rites, vows, austerities, and rites done with desire for results. These actions bind the jiva to the cycle of rebirth and worldly experience.
9. Q: What is akarma?
A: Akarma is action performed without desire for the fruits of that action. These are acts done without egoistic attachment or craving for results. Such actions are not binding and do not produce further bondage when performed with understanding. Click Here To Access.
10. Q: What is jnana (knowledge)?
A: Jnana here is direct realization that everything experienced is Brahman — one life principle of consciousness penetrating all forms. It is not intellectual learning but the deep insight that the eternal Self alone exists and that all distinctions are superimposed due to ignorance.
11. Q: What is ajñana (ignorance)?
A: Ajñana is the illusory attribution of multiplicity to the one Brahman, like mistaking a rope for a snake. It leads to perceiving many selves and worlds as distinct, obscuring the true non-dual reality.
12. Q: How does the Upanishad define happiness (sukha)?
A: Sukha is the state of being that arises from realization of saccidananda — existence, consciousness, and bliss — the innate nature of Brahman. It is not derived from external objects but from the inner experience of one’s true Self. Click Here To Access.
13. Q: What do svarga and naraka mean?
A: Svarga (heaven) is association with truth and with those whose lives align with Brahman, while naraka (hell) is association with the worldly, transient, unreal aspects of existence, driven by ignorance and desire. These terms symbolize inner states more than physical realms.
14. Q: What is bondage (bandha)?
A: Bondage is the thoughts and mental identifications arising from ignorance — such as “I am the body,” “I am the doer,” or “I am limited by my possessions.” These attachments keep the jiva entangled in repeated birth and suffering.
15. Q: What is moksha (liberation)?
A: Moksha is freedom from all thoughts of worldly identity and limitations. It is attained through discrimination between the eternal (unchanging Brahman) and the non-eternal (changing world), leading to dissolution of ignorance and absorption in pure consciousness. Click Here To Access.
16. Q: Who is fit to be worshipped (upāsya)?
A: The Upanishad states that the Guru (spiritual teacher) is worthy of worship because the Guru guides the disciple toward realization of Brahman — the consciousness present in all beings.
17. Q: Who is a disciple (śiṣya)?
A: A śiṣya is one who has begun to let go of false identification and whose mind is increasingly centered on Brahman, the inner Self. Through instruction, discrimination, and meditation, the disciple moves toward direct self-realization.
18. Q: What is a vidvān (the learned)?
A: A vidvān is someone who has cognized the true reality of Brahman — the consciousness underlying all beings. Their understanding is not theoretical curiosity but direct insight into the Self. Click Here To Access.
19. Q: Who is a mudhā (ignorant)?
A: A mudhā is one who has an egoistic sense of self — identifying with body, caste, role, or possessions — and remains unaware of the underlying unity of consciousness. Their life is driven by false assumptions about self and world.
20. Q: What is the sannyāsi (renouncer)?
A: A sannyāsi is one who has abandoned all identities tied to caste, duty, and personal roles, resting instead in Brahman. They practice deep meditation, realize the truth of “Tat Tvam Asi” (That Thou Art), and abide in pure consciousness without any sense of duality or limitation.
Summary in Simple Life Terms
The Niralamba Upanishad teaches that the Self (Brahman) alone is real and all multiplicity is a result of ignorance. By understanding key terms — from karma and jnana to bondage and liberation — the seeker learns to dissolve false identities and realize the supportless, attributeless consciousness that is one’s true nature. Liberation comes from discrimination, detachment, and inner realization rather than external rituals alone.
