Isha - 9-andhantamaḥ praviśanti

Commentary by Sri Adi Sankaracharya – Translated in English

The first purport of the Vedas, the acquisition of knowledge of the Brahman by renunciation of all desires has been explained in the first mantra Isavasyam, etc. The second alternative, i.e., the spending of life in continually performing Karma has been explained, for the benefit of the ignorant who are not capable of Gnananishtha, in the second mantra beginning with ‘Kurvanneveha Karmani.’ The bifurcation, i.e., Knowledge and Karma here pointed out by these texts has also been clearly indicated in the Brihadaranya Upanishad, by the text “he wished, let me have a wife, etc.” And from the texts ‘Karma for the ignorant and men having desires’ and ‘the mind is his Atman and speech, bis wife, etc.,’ it is clear that ignorance and desires are the characteristics of one engaged in the performance of Karma. Thus, the result of Karma is the creation of the seven kinds of food and of an indentification of self with them considered, as the Atman. It has also been shown that concentration in the self, i.e., the Atman (as opposed to the performance of Karma) by the renunciation of the three-fold desire of wife, etc., is the only necessary condition for those who know the Atman. Indirectly by condemning the ignorant, the true nature of the Atman has-been disclosed to those sanyasins bent on the acquisition of knowledge by the text beginning with ‘Asurya – nama’ and ending with ‘saparyayat’ etc., so as to show that they alone and not those who have desires are qualified to acquire knowledge. To the same effect says the Svetasvatara Upanishad. “In the midst of a crowd of seers, he taught the greatest and the holiest truth to those who belonged to the highest order of life.” This text “Andhantamah,” etc., is addressed to those who desire to live here continually performing Karma. How is it inferred that this text is addressed to such only and not to all alike?, Because, he who has no desires has got over the false distinction between means and ends, according to the mantra “Yasmin sarvani bhutani, etc”; for, it is easy to perceive that none who is not a fool will like to associate the knowledge of unity of the Atman with Karma, or with any other piece of knowledge. But here, in view to combining two elements, the ignorant are ridiculed. That which can possibly combine with another, either from logic or from the Sastras, is here pointed out. It is the knowledge of the deities that is here represented as fit to combine with Karma, not the knowledge of the Paramatman; for a distinct result is predicated of the knowledge of the deities by the text by such knowledge, the Devaloka is attained.’ Either of such knowledge and Karma separately pursued is here denounced, not really to condemn but in view to the desirability of their combination; for distinct fruits are said to result from either individually, by the texts “by such knowledge, they climb up to it.” “by such knowledge is Devaloka attained,” “there they do not go who go south” and “by Karma is the abode of the manes attained. It is also well-known that nothing ordained by th e Sastras can ever become unworthy of performance.

Here. They enter into blind darkness. Who? They who follow Avidya. Avidya is something other than Vidya or knowledge, lienee Karma; for Karma is opposed to knowledge. The drift is that those who are continually performing Agnihotra etc., alone, fall into darkness. And they fall even into greater darkness. Who? Those who having given up Karma are always bent upon acquiring the knowledge of the deities. Reason is given for combining Knowledge and Karma each of which separately bears different fruits. If one of the two alone bore fruit and the other not, then by a well-recognised law that which bore no fruit by itself would become a mere appendage to the other.

Commentary by Swami Sivananda

Avidya means here Karmas or Vedic rites such as Agnihotra, etc., that are performed with xpectation of fruits. Performers of such Karmas enter into blind darkness. The abode of the means or Pitriloka is obtained by those who do such kinds of Karmas. When the fruits of their Karmas are exhausted they are hurled down back to Mrityuloka. Vidya means here inferior knowledge, i.e., the knowledge of the deities. By such knowledge Devaloka is attained. When the fruits of worship of Vidya are exhausted they also come back to this Samsara. Those who have abandoned Karmas and who are seeking after the nowledge of deities alone fall into still greater darkness. Karma and Vidya bear different fruits when each is done separately. A combination of Karma and Vidya is recommended in this verse. In Kurma Purana it is said: ‘Undoubtedly the worshippers of deities other than Vishnu go to blind darkness, but undoubtedly to greater darkness they go who do not censure and condemn such persons and fail to try to correct their istakes. Therefore those who know Lord Narayana in His true form, as free from all evils and who also condemn the worshippers of false deities are truly the good people. Such persons by condemning the falsehood, whose nature is grief and ignorance, cross over grief and ignorance, and by knowing the truth whose nature is joy and Knowledge attain such Joy and knowledge.’

Links
Commentary on the Isavasya Upanishad by Swami Krishnananda – Divine Life Society
Upanishad Series – Isavasya Upanishad Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda
Commentary on the Isavasya Upanishad by Paramarthananda