Kaivalya Upanishad

Kaivalya Upanishad is one of the 108 Upanishads, the ancient Indian scriptures. It belongs to the Atharva Veda. Kaivalya Upanishad is Lord Brahma's revelation to Asvalayana, a famous sage. The Upanishad is chiefly meant for elderly people who have renounced worldly life and are in the final ashrama (stage) of their lives. Like the Svetavatara Upanishad, this Upanishad also describes Lord Shiva as the Supreme Ruler and the very Brahman. The word 'Kaivalya' suggests the state of 'kevalam' or aloneness, which is a condition of liberation attained through renunciation and the realization that one is brahman. The method or technique to attain the end is also described in the Upanishad. The eighth verse describes the unity of godhead and the 11th elaborates on the importance of the syllable AUM in the transformation of the lower self. The three states of consciousness are explained and compared logically to the three worlds of the macrocosm, namely the earth (wakeful state), the heaven (the dream state) and the world of Brahman (the deep sleep state). A detailed study of the Kaivalya Upanishad will assist those who want to develop a divine orientation in their lives. The text details mantras to keep the mind fixed on the divine aspects of life.