Mystical peace mantra of Upanishads

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Questioner: Sir, Namaste! Clearly, the opening of the Upaniṣad itself is mysterious. Kindly say something.

Acharya Prashant: You can call it mystery or you can call it an exalted, bold, uninhibited expression of your deepest desire.

Who is the one going to this verse? To whom are these verses addressed?

This question is very important otherwise, the verses would never disclose their meaning.

The word Upaniṣad itself means ‘the event that happens in nearness, proximity.’ That which happens when there is intimacy is called a ‘Upaniṣad’.

Who is the one seeking intimacy and with whom?

‘It is the mind.’ You could call it the ‘man’, the ‘woman’, the ‘person’ but to be more precise it is the mind that is seeking knowledge, relief, peace, light. It is the mind that stands to receive all these verses; this knowledge. So, these verses are addressed to the mind. The mind is seeking the nearness of Freedom or Clarity or Truth.

The phenomenon, the happening in which the mind is coming close to the Truth is called a ‘Upaniṣad’.

So, in the world of the mind, there always is discontent, dissatisfaction — A…