The principle teaching of this Upanishad is certainly supportive of Shankara's view of Advaita Vedanta. Yet this articulate philosophy regarding the inmost essence of the self can at best produce an intellectual fascination unless a genuine experience of it is embodied in the heart. For that very purpose the practice of yoga is here introduced to refine the body, mind and senses and provide a direct experience in awakening the heart and refining the mind. 

In the opening verses we hear about sage Yaj¶avalkya journey to the Åditya Loka (world of the sun), where he requests to be instructed regarding the truth of åtma. Since this knowledge is not possible to gain with mere words, Lord Nåråyaña (the lord of the sun) conveys to him the eightfold path of yoga, together with j¶åna (knowledge). Here the Yamas (5) and Niyams (8) are quite different to the traditional observances. Asanas can be any of your choice. Pranayama, is of the traditional 1-4-2 ratio and pratyahara, the restraining of the mind from the object of sense. Dhyana is contemplating the oneness of consciousness in all objects and Dharana is centering caitanya in consciousness itself. Samadhi is complete internal absorption where one looses ones separate idea of self.

Passion, anger, exhaustion (lit. breathing out), fear and sleep may stain the body. These may be balanced or subdued with detachment, forgiveness, moderate food, carefulness, and a spiritual sight of tattvas (inmost principle of things). The suffering of the world nobody can escape, but it can be minimized and checked with the proper practice of yoga that transcend nature and the functioning of the guñas.

The subtle teaching here introduced is called Tåraka. Tåraka means to cross over, but it also means a star, or the light in the forehead. The later is the central teaching of this Upanishad; to awaken the luminosity in the forehead and allow that to guide ones further journey through yoga. We are introduced to seven different stages of internal vision outlined in the table below.  

 

	Point of vision	Appearance
1	Internal vision	One sees a blue light between the eyebrows and in the heart.
2	External vision	Gradual appearance of blue, black, red and yellow spots at a distance of 2-12 digits in front of the nose. Becomes a yogi!
3	Looks at external space	When one sees streaks of light at the corner of the eyes, the vision becomes steady.
4	Spiritual light above the head, 12 digits in length.	Experiences the taste of nectar.
5	1st stage of gazing into Space	Some distant stars, but mostly darkness.
6	2nd stage of gazing into Space	A bright luminous fire.
7	3rd stage of gazing into Space	Experiences the light of a million suns.

 

From the point of view of ‘enlightenment’ this is an interesting perspective where there is a gradual awakening to the greater stages of luminosity from within as one enter into these and becomes one with them.  

The practice of yoga is here divided into two stages, tåraka and amanaska. The earlier is divided into mürti and amürti (form and no form). The first stage of this (mürti) remains until one has conquered the sense organs and the second stage (amürti) is where a spiritual light appears in between the eyebrows. In the later state of amanaska (beyond mind) a great light appears above the root of the palate. From seeing it one gets numerous siddhis (perfections). There are various interpretations in the classical yoga texts on where the essence of åtman is situated. Here it is said to be in the midst of Sahasråra[1] and a person who comes to experience this transcends the world of prak®ti (nature) through the realization that the Paramåtma (God Supreme) is the “I” alone that exists.

In the second chapter, Yaj¶avalkya confirms that the he has heard many descriptions of this inmost point of concentration (antarlakßya), yet never really personally experienced it or understood it. Nåråyaña’s reply is that it is the inmost source of all the elements, the essence of light, hidden and un-manifest and can only be understood through the cultivation of right j≤åna (knowledge). It is beyond nåda, bindu, kåla and agni and whatever we may physically perceive in the universe. It is rather an internal awakening that comes gradually as one makes oneself receptive to it. It is the inmost form of Prañava (OM) and may gradually be attained as one learns to unite pråña and apana and restrain the breath for longer periods of time while in Kumbhaka.

Subsequent to this the traditional 16-stage püja (worship) is being introduced with the symbolic meaning for each of the 16 steps. Here no external mürti (form) is being worshipped, but rather the essence of the self (åtmå) and this is articulated to be the practice for Råja Yogins. The practice is to eradicate tamasic qualities and cultivate more sattvic components within the mind so it may raise itself up to a greater perceptivity of what is sacred. It is argued that this whole external universe is just a delusion within the mind and once the inmost essence of consciousness (caitanya) is being understood, one becomes liberated and ones external outlook on the universe will completely change. A real Yogi is one that has realized this inmost essence of Brahman and acts in accordance with that only. In this state all sense of duality has been transcended and the mind and the senses literally ‘dries up’ and all that remains is an expression of that inmost principle.

In the final chapter we are reminded on how a mind influenced by worldly objects will easily be subject to bondage. Because the world becomes the object of the mind (citta) rather then the inmost numinous that illuminates it from within. When a mind has been cultivated through appropriate yogic practices it will eventually be fit for laya, the state of absorption where a principle of divinity is the inmost support.

The final conclusion of the text is that within the inmost essence of the heart, an internal spiritual sound exists, which manifest as the illuminating light of the mind. As one learns to take help/meditate on these subtle layers of light situated from within, one may eventually be absorbed in the highest state of Vißñu and experience the highest state of purity, bliss and exaltation. That is here the state of Samådhi, the state beyond all duality. A person who attains this will be free from all confusion and suffering and naturally have the utmost benevolent influence on his family and the world around him.

As an addendum it is worth mentioning that the Yoga Tåråvalli[2] (supposedly written by ¸a¶karåcårya) a text glorifying the state of Kevala kumbhaka actually means ‘a cluster of stars’. The purpose of this text is also to find a greater absorption in the luminosity of Brahman and a major part of the process is to refine ones receptivity to the illuminating principles within us.

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[1] Crown cakra/ thousand petal-lotus.

[2] The text where the opening verse is ‘Vande gurüñåm caranåravinde’ (The first verse of the Asthanga Yoga tradition as taught by ¸rî K. Pattabhi Jois).