Chapter 3

The Lord is the goal of those who seek liberation . The Lord has been described as a repository of an infinite amount of endless virtues, repelling every kind of misfortune. Attaining the Lord is all about supreme devotion, variously called by terms such as worship and meditation.

The Lord has been described as ‘The Self that relieves every Self of its misfortune’ in छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 8-7-1 .

In fact, working without being driven, achieving supreme skill in our work, realizing the Self, its relation to the Lord, devotion to the Lord and attaining the Lord are equivalent – they are presented as a sequence.

The nature of the Self is beyond the states of being awake, asleep or in deep sleep. It was stated that the Self does not have a form that we can perceive. छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 8-12-2 states that it shines brightly in its own form. It is said in the कठोपनिशत् [kaThopanizat] as well: In the quest to realize the Self, a person will worship the Lord, get to know Him and will break free of happiness and sorrow.

The content of the previous chapter is also stated in the कठोपनिशत् [kaThopanizat] : The Self is not born and doesn’t die. It is subtle even in comparison to the most fundamental particle. The wise person knows it to be great and limitless, so he doesn’t worry.

The कठोपनिशत् [kaThopanizat] also says- this Self is not attained by speaking about it, by thinking about it or even by hearing its characteristics repeatedly. The Self is attained by the person who has been chosen by the Lord. It reveals itself to this person. The Lord chooses those who choose the Lord. This is devotion.

कठोपनिशत् [kaThopanizat] , 1-3-9 says- The person who has knowledge as the guiding force and keeps his mind under control will attain great heights and reach the Lord’s abode.

In the next four chapters, the Lord talks about realizing the Self and the methods to achieve that realization.