This immortal brahman alone is in front, brahman alone is behind, brahman is on the left, brahman alone is spread out above and below. This entire creation is the foremost brahman alone (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.11).
Like someone due to delusion considers a rope as a snake, and if some knower tells that person - that which you see in front of you as a snake is a rope alone. Similarly, in that vein, this shruti teaches. By taking the refuge in the vision of those who have an ignorant view, the shruti points out that the visible world in all the directions - front, back, north, south, left, right etc. is brahman. Otherwise, when the directions themselves are imagined in space, then in the mass of knowledge brahman, where is their existence and division? The shruti aims to say - due to ignorance, whatever is appearing to you as the non brahman, in reality, is brahman alone.
The amazing this is that the entire world is drowning and rising in immortality but people do not recognize immortality, nor do they partake of this nectar! In fact, it is the opposite, they are drowning and rising in the mirage-like ocean of this world!
Ok, now let us imagine that the waves of brahman are hitting us from all directions. No, the shruti does not create a means for this kind of imagination. If we imagine the rope (rope) on the snake, we will still not have the realization of the real rope, even if the snake becomes inert. The rope is a proven entity, it is in front of us, but the snake-vision on it has to be removed. How did this snake-vision happen? Due to ignorance. Only the removal of ignorance is required. Right after the removal of ignorance, at that very instant, the rope will be seen as a rope, the snake and other such errors will be destroyed.
Similarly, brahman is a proven entity. That ignorance which is causing it to be seen and known as differentiated, that ignorance alone has to be removed. After the removal of this ignorance, there is brahman in all directions.
Immortal means that which does not die, in other words, the non-negated entity, or that in which there is no world which has the quality of death, or the pure knowledge that is free even of the notion of substratum, or that means which does not die. Death not affecting the perishable- this is impossible, and that which is immortal only has a delusion of mortality. Therefore, that element which is non different than the inner awareness is being affected by the delusion of death, inertness and sorrow. That self element which is indicated by this removal of delusion is brahman alone.
In the Upanishads, this notion has been denoted in four ways. It means that brahman, self, Ishvara and "I" - all these are four names of one immortal element, the supreme element is one alone and that alone is the visible world also. By the realization of this non-dual element, all differences will be annihilated since there were never there to begin with!
The Chhandogya Upanishad belongs to the Saama Veda, Brihadaaranyaka to the Yajur Veda, Aitereya to the Rig Veda and Mundaka to the Atharva Veda. Therefore, the meaning of all four Vedas is the knowledge of the identity between the self and the brahman, this is the conclusion.
Each Upanishad's meaning is the same as above. For example:
1. Ishaavaasya 7 : where is the sorrow, delusion for one who sees the single element?
2. Kena 2.4 : In each cognition, that one immortal element only is seen.
3. Katha 1.3.11 : There is nothing beyond the Purusha. That alone is the limit. That alone is the supreme state.
4. Katha 2.1.11 : There is not even a touch of diversity here. Whoever sees diversity here, attains to birth and death repeatedly.
5. Katha 2.2.9-10 : He alone is the inner self of all beings. He alone has taken many forms.
6. Maandookya 2 : All this is brahman. The self is brahman.
7. Shvetaashvatara 3.15 : All this is the Purusha alone.
In this manner, statements like these are numerous in the "Vaakya Geeta" etc. and other smriti texts and in Puraanas like Bhaagavat.
Shree Shankaraachaarya Bhagavaan says - When we realize the oneness of the self and brahman following the afore-mentioned process of the shrutis, then where is the space for any misfortune? Otherwise, there will be the case of damage to the true meaning and the imagination of the incorrect meaning. The Vedas do not want to prove the doership of the self, since that is visible. It is the opposite. In the Upanishads, there is a negation of doership and result in the self. If you know yourself to be brahman, then desiring what and for fulfilling what end should be exert this body? This is what the Brihadaaranyaka says. In its natural state, the self is without means and without result. Means and result are not its nature.
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