ESA VASYAM

Jai Jai Sree Radhe, Jai Jai Sree Radhe, Jai Jai Sree Radhe.

"Om Purnam Adah Purnam Idam,Purnat Purnam Udachyate
Purnasya Purnam Adaya,Purnam Eva Avashishyate"

Once Kanchi Sankaracharya(Periyaval)was asked, "was he the Jagatguru,Guru for the entire Jagat".With his own Divine Politeness the saint replied that he was not the Guru for the entire Jagat,but the whole Jagat was Guru for him and hence he was called Jagatguru.Another Mahatma went further saying that the whole Jagat is not only Guru to him but is God to him.In fact, for us, every thing in this world is GOD that is why we worship this Earth as Bhoomi Devi,Sun,Moon and Stars in the Sky as Devatas,Water in Ganga , Yamuna and other Punya Rivers as Maha Thirthams,Tulasi as Goddess,Hanuman as God,Snakes as Naga Devatas and we invoke Gods in stone statues or Panch Loha Vigrahams.

Our religion is the Sanadana Dharmam,whose begining is not known to Human kind,we only know that it existed from the times of Vedas.Our religion's Pramanam is Vedam and Upanishads ,Upanishads are called the Vedanthams,not the end of the Vedams but positionally coming at the later parts of the Vedam.To some estimates there are thousands of Upanishads,but the Puranikas could retrieve just 100 of the Upanishads, out of this ,Mahatmas consider some 10,like Esa,Keno,Mundaka etc.as very important upanishads.Esa upanishad is so called as the first Mantram of this upanishad starts with the word "Esa".This is perhaps the shortest of the upanishads, after the Mandukya Upanishad, with just 19 stanzas,but knowing Esa upanishad is equivalent to knowing the whole of Vedams and Upanishads together.Let us try to understand the first Mantram here.

"Esa Vasyam Idam Sarvam,Yat Kincha Jagatyam Jagat,
Tena Tyaktena Bhunchithaha Ma Gridhah Kasya Svid Dhanam"

In this material world, all the things look real and alike for the human beings. But Adi Shankaracharya had written that "Brahmam Satyam and Jagat Mitya"
only the Lord is Satyam and all other things are His Maya. Here in this Upanishad,

which is a part of the Shukla Yajur Veda,and which is the Spiritual Wisdom of this Universe,it is stated that all that is animate and inanimate in this Jagat,live and inert objects of this world,is controlled and owned by God.God has created the entire Jagat,the elements and compounds of this Prapancham,by His own materials,as the spider builds its web,and hence He pervades through the entire Universe.In the Bhagawat Geetha,Lord Krishna has clearly stated that He is the Creator of this world and the one who understands this reality is the Bhuddhi Jeevi. Hence He resides in every creations--Idam Sarvam Esa Vasyam.He also controls the whole Jagat,including the Devatas. In the Bhagawatham He says......

"Mad Bhayath Vathi Vathoyam,Surya sthapathi Mad Bhayath,
Varshathi Indro,Dahathi Agnir,Mrityu Charathi Mad Bhayath"

So it is needless to write that the human beings are also controlled by Him.That is not to say that we can not enjoy things here.In fact the Isopanishad says you do enjoy the things given to you by Him which is available and needed for your life and given to you by this Jagat.--Yat Kincha Jagatyam Jagat-Tena Tyakthena Bhunchita.The question arises in our mind as to what is given to us and what is not..Sukham/Dukham.This is decided by our own Karmas in the previous Janma or to some lesser extent in this life itself.We are to be born as Wealthy or Poor,will be decided by our Sat Karmas and Asat Karmas in our earlier lives. As Lord Krishna said in the Bhagawatham...

"Karmana Jayathe Janthu:,Karmanaiva Vileeyathe,
Sukham,Dukham,Bhayam,Kshemam Karmanaiva Abhipadyathe"

So in this life let us enjoy only what is barely needed for us,let us not greed for others wealth. Let others live with what are given to them.Let us not snatch others property or belongings.We should accept only that is necessary for us and which are set aside for, by our quota and should not accept other things which are set aside for others by Him.--"Ma Gridhah Kasya Svid Dhanam"

This world is God in every parts of it,let us worship it,
God has given us enough,Let us enjoy it,
Let us not covet for others wealth,
Let us be happy and be content with what is available to us
Let us leave other things to Lord Sree Krishna.

The First Mantra of Esopanishad is like a big ocean,can be interpreted in millions of ways, it is like a Ganga which is vast,but just as taking bath in a corner of Ganga will purify us,any small attempt to understand this Mantra should give immence satisfaction to our mind.Towards this goal,if this post has thrown any light ,even in an infinitesimal measure, the purpose is served.

OM SHANTI, OM SHANTI, OM SHANTI