In the second chapter of the Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad, the fifth braahmana is famously known as the science of honey, madhu vidyaa. The conversation between Yaajnyavalkya and Maitreyi occurs in the brahmana prior to this one. There, it was pointed out that the means to immortality is the knowledge of the self, since the knowledge of the self gives knowledge of everything. The self is the most dear. Therefore, the self alone should be heard, contemplated, meditated upon. Hearing should be performed under the guidance of teacher and scripture, and contemplation should be performed logically. Meditation is the flow of the mind towards the object of hearing and contemplation. For example, "the self indeed is all" is the affirmation statement, it is the area of hearing. The intent here is that the creation, sustenance and destruction of everything happens from the self alone. Now, this same meaning is again explored. The science of honey is predominantly theoretical (Aagama pradhaana).
Honey is the essence of several flowers. Honey can be called the foremost effect, and flowers and bees can be called the foremost causes. In this science of honey, this foremost cause-effect notion is called by the name of honey.
The Upanishad says that this earth is the honey of several beings, it is an effect since it is the effect of several entities and objects. Similarly, all beings and entities are the honey or the effect of this earth. In this manner, there is a mutual foremost cause-effect relationship between this earth and its beings. But, there is a substratum in which both of them exist, that alone is the self which is immortal, brahman and the all. (Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad 2.5.1)
There is one body of the earth, and one body is its honey - the body of beings and entities. In both these bodies, the arrogating awareness appears as two - the deity of earth and the soul of the being. But if we investigate thoughtfully then even these have the relationship of foremost cause and effect. Also, from the viewpoint of the aware nature, both are awareness only, of the form of light, therefore they are immortal. In this manner, earth, all entities, earthly person and microcosmic soul - all four and mutual honey and all four have a cause, a foremost maker which is the pure awareness. That alone is the self. Since it trancends day and time, it alone is the brahman. All four are not different from it, therefore it alone is the all. This alone is the self whose affirmation was made earlier in the text. Through its knowledge, everything is known.
In this manner, water, fire, wind, the god of sun, direction, moon, electricity, rain, sky, injunction, truth, mankind etc. all other species are honey. Also these, all beings, their deities and self, all are the honey of one self. That self alone is brahman.
The conclusion is this. On one hand, there is the microcosmic body and on the other, the earth etc. macrocosmic body. These are the microcosmic and macrocosmic "adhibhoota". They have a mutual foremost cause-effect relationship. Therefore, they are the honey of each other. The "adhidaiva" and "adhyaatma" of these microcosmic and macrocosmic bodies are also the mutual honey of each other. But the one and only foremost cause of all these three, that self alone is brahman. That alone is the truth, everything else is a desgination.
The shruti says : First, that Ishvara become a bird, which means a subtle body, and entered the city, which means the bodies, in the form of a person. It is just like the sun enters water in the form of a reflection. Since he resided in the body, his name become "purusha" or person, the soul. There is nothing where the the person cannot enter into, Therefore, the entire name-form creation is not different from brahman.
That one brahman alone is outside as body and senses, and inside, established as the self. Every form is its image alone. But each form is different than the other, how did that one form become many and why so? Why because if it did not manifest itself as many names and forms, then even the non-adjuncted nature of that which is beyond cause-effect would not be known. And all this happened due to maaya (Brihadaaarnayaka Upanishad 2.5.19). Maaya, which means magic, illusion, seeing what is not, and not seeing what is. Due to the ignorance of that nature of brahman alone, this entire creation world is seen like a snake on a rope. In reality, all this is magic, nothing has happened, it is just as it was.
This is that brahman which is beyond cause, effect, endless and beyond space. This self alone is the experiencer of everyone witness brahman. This is the teaching of all the Upanishads.
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