TATVAMASI

The difference between tvam and tat seems to be a matter of common knowledge for all individuals.

tat tvam asi -That art thou: To grasp the true meaning of tat tvam asi, we should begin with the context of this statement in Chandogya Upanishad.

The Chandogya is one of the twelve major Upanishads (Aitareya and the Kauhsitaki from RRig Veda; Chandogya and Kena from Samaveda; Taittiriya, Katha, Shvetashvatara, Brihadaranyaka and Isha from Yajur Veda; Prashna, Mundaka and Mandukya from Atharvaveda).

Svetaketu was the grandson of Aruna, and the son of Uddalaka. It seems that the boy Svetaketu did not focus his mind on the study of Vedas. His father sent him to the Gurukula (an ashrama, situated in the forest, whose purpose was to teach the Vedas to children at a young age). His family had a long tradition of studying the Vedas and Shastras to get acquainted with the knowledge of the Scriptures). The Gurukula study is similar to the modern boarding-school arrangement, but the ancient one provided home- cooked meals with love and affection. Normally the student spent 12 to 14 years study Vedas with guidance from the Guru. During the Vedic times the entire study, including boarding and lodging, was free and the student pledged to become a teacher like his/her Guru. This is how the knowledge of the Vedas was passed on from one generation to the next.

Svetaketu went to the forest-retreat at the age of twelve, and studied the Vedas, scriptures, science, grammar, etc. at the feet of the Guru for twelve years, and then returned home. He was very proud of his knowledge and scholarship and thought that he had finished studying everything. On seeing this attitude of his son, his father called him and thoughtfully asked a question: "O my son! Have you studied that thing knowing which everything becomes known?" Svetaketu was shocked and he couldn't grasp this question clearly. He was eager to know `that by knowing by which everything else becomes known.' He also realized that he still had not learnt the most essential things of the universe and, with humility, he requested his father: "Father! May I request you please to teach me that most essential thing by which everything else becomes known?"

On hearing this reply from his son, the father (Uddalaka) slowly explained to him using simple examples: "Son! Have you not seen the clay in front of the potter's house? It becomes a pot in the hands of the potter. If the clay is known, then all things made of clay are known! Similarly if you know gold, things made of gold like ornaments are known. If you know iron, all things made of iron are known. In the same way, if you know "Brahman" then all the things (the entire universe) that cannot exist without Him are also known." He continued his teaching and concluded with the statement, tat tvam asi. In very simple terms, tat represents brahman and tvam identifies the divine soul (Atman) that resides ‘within’ the jIva. asi is an affirmation equating Brahman and Atman. In very subtle terms, Uddalaka tells us that by knowing the SELF (Self-realization) we will be able to recognize the entire Universe because of the fact that the Universe cannot exist without the presence of Brahman. It is just like saying there will not be a pot without clay and there will be no more golden ring without the gold!