Meaning of "Uddalaka"
Word
Uddalaka
Sanskrit
उद्दालक
IAST
uddālaka
In General
Uddalaka Aruni is a prominent Upanishad rishi. He also composed mantras for Atherva Veda.
Uddalaka muni was also known for the Ashram he ran where famous philosophers like Astavakra, Nachiketu and Shwetaketu were brought up.
He was a disciple of Rishi Dhaumya and grant son of Bajshrava.
In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad we find him as a student of Yajnavalkya. Nachiketu and Shwetaketu are his sons. He also had a daughter named Sujata. Sujata was married to his disciple Kahoda and had the son Astavakra.
His real name was Aruni. There is story about him on how he was called as Uddalaka by his Guru, Ayoda-Dhaumya. Once while returning to ashram after collecting fire heavy rain happened. Aruni noticed a breach in the protection wall adjacent to watercourse which is flooding water to the filed belong to his teachers. The water is sure to spoil the crop and Aruni saw that he could not plug the breach in the wall by ordinary means. So he went down into the breach and lay down himself there. The water was thus confined and crop protected. After sometimes Sage Dhaumya went to field along with other two other disciples in search of Aruni who don’t returned to ashram. They found Aruni in very pathetic condition in the watercourse. The Sage pleased by the commitment of the student named him as Uddalaka meaning, the one who was raised up.
Veda
Uddalaka is not found in Rig Veda but had composed 2 suktas in Athervaveda (3.29) and (6.15)
The dialog of Uddalaka with Raja Jaivali is given in Brihadarnyaka Upanishad. In Chandogya his dialoge with Swataketu was given. Kathopanishad is about the yagna he was conducting and his son Nachiketu going to Yama.Uddalaka is prominent Upanishad rishi appear in Chandogya Upanishad. and Brhadaranyaka Upanishad.
