Introduction
Para Vidya means the Knowledge of Brahman. Chapter one of Tejobindu Upanishad describes this Knowledge.
Tejo Bindu Upanishad is the 37th of 108 Upanishads and forms part of Krishna Yajur Veda. This Upanishad is the biggest among Yoga Upanishads.
Lord Siva expounds this Upanishad. It contains six Chapters.
Pre-requisites for the attainment of Brahman
It states the methods that one should assume for the attainment of Brahman. The seeker should be temperate in food, and leveled in anger.
Besides, he should have given up all attachments to the objects of desire, subjugated the senses, have overcome the pairs of opposites like heat and cold, pain and pleasure, etc.
Also, the Yogi should have restricted his egoism and worldly desire for satisfaction.
Further, he should meditate on Hamsa (I am He) or Paramatman who is the witness of and is beyond the three normal states like Jagrat (waking), Svapna (dreaming), and Susupti (dreamless sleep).
Para Vidya
The Upanishad now speaks about Para Vidya, the knowledge of Brahman or God. It explicates what is Brahman or Paramatman.
- That which has three faces (1. Visva or Jagrat or Waking, 2. Taijasa or Svapna or Dream, and 3. Prajna or Susupti or dreamless sleep),
- That which has three qualities (1. Viraj: the source of creation, 2. Hiranyagarbha: celestial egg which gave birth to everything, and 3. Antaryamin: that dwells in everything),
- The one has no form,
- That which has no bondage of time and space,
- The one lies beyond the range of speech and mind but within the reach of Atman,
- That which exists on its own accord and is capable of being grasped as such,
- The one that has no organs making it to a form and yet is beyond the witness of Atman,
- That which has various kinds of Ananda or happiness that which could not be reflected upon,
- That which is liberated, imperishable, and worthy to be meditated upon,
- The one that is beyond explanation yet permanent, constant, and unshakable,
- That is Brahman or God.
- That is Brahman which pertains to Atman. The one that is Brahman which pertains to Paramatman which is capable of being conceived and which is the essence of consciousness.
- The one that is Brahman which is the supreme ether.
- That is Brahman which is voidless, devoid of any other existence, and stretches beyond the void.
- The one that is Brahman which is meditated upon in the heart.
- That is Brahman who is neither the meditator, nor the meditation, nor the object of meditation, yet is meditated upon.
- It is Brahman that is void and anything beyond the void.
- The one that is Brahman which is inconceivable, unknowable, and what is beyond the truth or what is not beyond, only the sages know.
- It is Brahman which is beyond the states of greed, delusion, pride, fear, desire, anger, sin, heat and cold, hunger and thirst, determination, hesitation, caste pride, bondage, pain, pleasure, repute, and disrepute.
This is Para Vidya.
Reference: sanskritdocuments.org