Om. That is full; this is full. This fullness has been projected  from that fullness. When this fullness merges in that fullness,  all that remains is fullness.  

Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!      

Part One 

Chapter I—Meditation on the Horse—sacrifice 

1.    Om, verily, the head of the sacrificial horse is the dawn, its eye  the sun, its vital breath the wind, its open mouth the Vaisvanara  fire and the trunk of the sacrificial horse is the year. The back is  heaven, the belly the intermediate region, the hoof the earth, the  sides the four quarters, the ribs the intermediate quarters, the  limbs the seasons, the joints the months and half—months, the  feet the days and nights, the bones the stars, the flesh the  clouds. Its half—digested food is the sand, the blood—vessels  the rivers, the liver and lungs the mountains, the hair the herbs  and trees. The fore part of the horse is the rising sun and the  hinder part the setting sun. Its yawn is lightning, its shaking of  the body is thunder, its water is rain and its neighing is indeed  voice. 

2.    The day, verily, is the golden cup called mahiman, in front of  the horse, which arose pointing it out. Its source is the eastern  sea. The night, verily, is the silver cup called mahiman, behind  the horse, which arose pointing it out. Its source is the western  sea. These two vessels appeared at either end of the horse. As a  racer the horse carried the gods; as a stallion, the gandharvas;  as a runner, the demons; as a horse, men. The sea is its stable  and the sea, its source. 

Chapter II—The Process of Creation 

1.    In the beginning there was nothing whatsoever in the universe.  By Death, indeed, all this was covered—by hunger, for hunger  is, verily, death. "Let Me have a mind," was His desire and He  created the mind. Then He moved about, worshipping Himself.  From Him, thus worshipping, water was produced. "Verily,"  Death though, "while I was worshipping, water was produced";  that is why the Arka (fire used in the Horse—sacrifice) is so  called. Surely, happiness comes to him who knows how the fire  came to be called arka.  

2.    Water, verily, is arka. What was then like froth on the water  became solidified; that was earth. After the earth was created,  Hiranyagarbha was tired. From Him, thus fatigued and heated,  came forth His essence as brightness. That was Fire. 

3.    He divided Himself into three: the sun one—third and the air  one—third. Thus Prana is divided into three. His head is the  east and His arms are that (the north—east) and that (the  south—east). His hinder

Part is the west and His two hip—  bones are that (the north—west) and that (the south—west). His  sides are the south and the north, His back is heaven, His belly  is the intermediate region and His chest is the earth. Thus He  stands firm on water. He who knows this stands firm wherever  he goes. 

4.    He desired: "Let a second self be born of Me," and He (Death  or Hunger) brought about the union of speech with the mind.  What was the seed there became the year. Prior to that there  had been no year. He (Death) bore him (the year) for as long as  a year and after that time projected him. Then, when he was  born, Death opened His mouth to devour him. He (the child)  cried: "Bhan!" and that, indeed, became speech. 

5.    He thought: "If I kill him, I shall have but very little food,'' and  through the union of that speech and that mind He brought  forth all this, whatever there is: the Rig—Veda, the Yajur—  Veda, the Sama—Veda, the metres, the sacrifices, men and  animals. Whatever He brought forth He resolved to eat. Verily,  because He eats everything, therefore is Aditi (Death) called  Aditi. He who knows why Aditi came to have this name of  Aditi becomes the eater of everything and everything becomes  his food. 

6.    He desired: "Let me sacrifice again with the great sacrifice." He  was tired and he practiced austerities. From Him thus fatigued  and heated, His fame and vigour departed. The pranas (organs)  are verily fame and vigour. When the pranas went out His body  began to swell, but the mind was set on the body.  

7.    He desired: "Let this body of Mine be fit for a sacrifice and let  Me be embodied through this." Thinking thus, He entered the  body. Because the body swelled (asvat), therefore it came to be  called horse (asva). And because it became fit for sacrifice  (medhya), therefore the Horse—sacrifice came to be known as  Asvamedha. He who knows this verily knows the Horse—  sacrifice.  Prajapati, desiring again to sacrifice with the great sacrifice,  imagined Himself as the horse and letting the horse remain  free, He reflected on it. At the end of a year he sacrificed it to  Himself and dispatched the other animals to the gods.  Therefore priests even now sacrifice to Prajapati the sanctified  horse dedicated to all the gods.  Verily, the sun who shines yonder is the Horse—sacrifice. His  body is the year. This earthly fire is the arka (sacrificial fire),  whose limbs are these worlds. So these two, fire and the sun,  are the arka and the Asvamedha (Horse—sacrifice). These two,  again, become the same god, Death. He who knows this  conquers further death; death cannot overcome him; death  becomes his self; and he becomes one with these deities. 

Chapter III—The Prana: Its Glories and Redeeming Power 

1.    There were two classes of Prajapati’s sons: the gods (devas)  and the demons (asuras). Naturally, the gods were few and the  demons many. They struggled with one another for mastery of  these worlds. Being overwhelmed by the demons, the gods  said: "Well, let Us overcome the demons at the sacrifice  (jyotishtoma) by means of the Udgitha." 

2.    They said to the organ of speech: "Chant the Udgitha for us."  "So be it," said speech and chanted for them. Whatever  enjoyment common to all comes from the organ of speech, it  secured for the gods by chanting, while the enjoyment derived  from the fine utterance of the words it utilized for itself. Now,  the demons knew that through this chanter the gods would  overcome them. They charged at it (speech) and pierced it with  evil. That evil is what is found today when one speaks  improperly; that is that evil. 

3.    Then they said to the organ of smell: "Chant the Udgitha for  us." "So be it," said the organ and chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment common to all comes from the nose, it secured for  the gods by chanting, while the enjoyment derived from fine  smelling it utilized for itself. Now, the demons knew that  through this chanter the gods would overcome them. They  charged at it and pierced it with evil. That evil is what is found  today when one smells improper things; that is that evil. 

4.    Then they said to the organ of Seeing: "Chant the Udgitha for  us." "So be it," said the organ and chanted for them. Whatever  enjoyment common to all comes from the eye, it secured for the  gods by chanting, while the enjoyment derived from fine seeing  it utilized for itself. Now, the demons knew that through this  chanter the gods would overcome them. They charged at it and  pierced it with evil. That evil is what is found today when one  sees improper things; that is that evil. 

5.    Then they said to the organ of hearing: "Chant the Udgitha for  us." "So be it," said the organ and chanted for them. Whatever  enjoyment common to all comes from the ear, it secured for the  gods by chanting, while the enjoyment derived from fine  hearing it utilized for itself. Now, the demons knew that  through this chanter the gods would overcome them. They  charged at it and pierced it with evil. That evil is what is found  today when one hears improper things; that is that evil. 

6.    Then they said to the mind: "Chant the Udgitha for us." "So be  it," said the mind and chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment  common to all comes from the mind, it secured for the gods by  chanting, while the enjoyment derived from fine thinking it  utilized for itself. Now, the demons knew that through this  chanter the gods would overcome them. They charged at it and  pierced it with evil. That evil is what is found today when one  thinks improperly; that is that evil.  Likewise they also touched these other deities with evil—smote  them with evil. 

7.    Then they said to the vital breath in the mouth: "Chant the  Udgitha for us." "So be it," said the vital breath and chanted for  them. The demons knew that through this chanter the gods  would overcome them. They charged at it, intending to pierce it  with evil. But as a clod of earth, hitting a stone, is scattered,  even so they were scattered in all directions, crushed and completely destroyed. Thereupon the gods became established  in their true selves and the demons perished. He who knows  this becomes his true self and his spiteful kinsman perishes. 

8.    Then the organs said: "Where is that which joined us to our true  selves?" After deliberation they discovered that it was here,  within the mouth (asye). Hence the vital breath (prana) is called  ayasya and also, because it is the essence (rasa) of the limbs  (anga) of the body, angirasa. 

9.    That deity is called "dur," because death is far (dur) from it.  From him who knows this, death is far away. 

10.    That deity took away death, the evil of these gods and carried it  to where the end of the quarters is. There it deposited their evil.  Therefore let no one go to a person of that region, or to the  country beyond the border, lest he should meet there with evil,  with death. 

11.    That deity, after taking away the death—the evil—of the gods,  carried them beyond death. 

12.    First of all, it carried the organ of speech, which is the foremost  organ. When the organ of speech was freed from death it  became fire. That fire, having transcended death, shines beyond  its reach.  

13—15.    Then it carried the organ of smell. When it was freed from  death it became air (Vayu). That air, having transcended death,  blows beyond its reach.  Then it carried the organ of sight. When it was freed from death  it became the sun (Surya). That sun, having transcended death,  shines beyond its reach.  Then it carried the organ of hearing. When it was freed from  death, it became the quarters (Disah). Those quarters, having  transcended death, remain beyond its reach. 

16.    Then it carried the mind. When the mind was freed from death  it became the moon (Chandra). That moon, having transcended  death, shines beyond its reach. Thus, verily, that deity carries  beyond death him who knows this. 

17.    Next it (the vital breath) obtained eatable food for itself by  chanting. For whatever food is eaten, is eaten by the vital  breath alone and it (the vital breath) rests on that (the food). 

18.    The gods said to the vital breath: "Verily, just this much is all  the food there is and you have secured it for yourself by  chanting. Now give us, please, a share of this food."  "Then sit around facing me."  "So be it."  They sat down around the vital breath. That is why whatever  food one eats through the vital breath satisfies the organs.  So do his relatives sit around facing him who knows this; he  becomes the supporter of his kinsmen, the greatest among them  and their leader, a good eater of food and their lord.  Whoever, among his kinsmen, the greatest among them and  their leader, a good eater of food and their lord.  Whoever, among his kinsmen, desires to be a rival of the man  who has this knowledge is not able to support his dependents.  But, on the other hand, he who follows him (the knower of the  vital breath) and who, following him, desires to support his  dependents is certainly able to do so. 

19.    It is called ayasa angirasa, for it is the essence (rasa) of the  limbs (anga). Yes, the prana is the essence of the limbs. From  whichever limb the vital breath departs, that limb withers right  there; therefore it is verily the essence of the limbs. 

20.    It is also Brihaspati (lord of the Rig—Veda). Speech is Brihati  (Rig) and the vital breath is its lord (pati). Therefore it is called  Brihaspati. 

21.    It is also the Brahmanaspati (lord of the Yajur—Veda). Speech  is Brahman (Yajur) and the vital breath is its lord (pati).  Therefore it is called Brahmanaspati. 

22.    Prana is Saman, too. Speech is, verily, sa and this (prana) is  ama. Saman (the chant of the Sama—Veda) is known by that  name because it is sa (speech) and ama (prana). Or because it  (prana) is equal (sama) to a white ant, equal to a mosquito,  equal to an elephant, equal to these three worlds, nay, equal to  this universe; therefore it (prana) is indeed the Sama—Veda.  He who knows this vital breath to be such attains union with it  or lives in the same world with it. 

23.    And it is also the Udgitha. The vital breath is verily ut, for by  the vital breath all this universe is upheld (uttabdha); and  speech is githa (song). And because it is ut and githa, therefore  it is Udgitha. 

24.    Regarding this there is also the following anecdote:  Brahmadatta, the great—grandson of Chikitana, while drinking  king [soma], said: "Let this soma strike off my head if I say that  the ayasya angirasa chanted the Udgitha through any other  means than this vital breath and speech." Surely he chanted  through speech and the vital breath. 

25.    He who knows the wealth of this saman (Vital breath) obtains  wealth. Tone, indeed, is its wealth. Therefore let one who is  going to perform the sacrificial work as a priest desire that his  voice may have a good tone and let him perform the sacrifice  through that voice with a good tone. Therefore people desire to  see at a sacrifice a priest with a good voice, like one who has  wealth. He who thus knows what is the wealth of the saman  obtains wealth. 

26.    He who knows the suvarna (gold) of the saman (vital breath)  obtains gold. Tone is verily its gold. He who thus knows what  is the gold of the saman obtains gold. 

27.    He who knows the support of the saman (vital breath) gets a  support. Speech Verily is its support. For, supported in speech,  the vital breath is transformed into a chant. Some say the  support is in food (the body). 

28.    Next follows the edifying repetition (abhyaroha) only of the  hymns called pavamanas. The priest called prastotri indeed  chants the saman. While he chants it, let the sacrificer recite  these [Yajur verses]:  "Lead me from the unreal to the real. From darkness lead me to  light. From death lead me to immortality."  When the mantra (verse) says: "Lead me from the unreal to the  real," "the unreal" means death and the "real," immortality; so it  says, "From death lead me to immortality," that is to say,  "Make me immortal."  When it says: "From darkness lead me to light," "darkness"  means death and "light," immortality; so it says: "From death  lead me to immortality," that is to say, "Make me immortal."  In the verse: "From death lead me to immortality," there is  nothing that is hidden.  Then come the remaining hymns, with which, by singing them,  [the chanter] should obtain food for himself. Therefore while  they are being chanted let the sacrificer ask for a boon—  anything that he desires. Whatever objects this chanter,  endowed with such knowledge, desires for himself or for the  sacrificer, he obtains by his chanting. This [meditation] by  itself wins the world (Hiranyagarbha). He who thus knows the  saman (the prana, or vital breath)—for him there is no fear of  not being admitted into that world. 

Chapter IV—The Creation and Its Cause 

1.    In the beginning, this universe was the self (Viraj) alone, in the  shape of a person. He reflected and saw nothing else but His  self. He first said: "I am He." Therefore He came to be known  by the name I (Aham). Hence, even now, when a person is  addressed, he first says: "It is I," and then says whatever other  name he may have. And because He, before (purva) the whole  group of aspirants, burnt (aushat) all evils, therefore He is  called Purusha. He who knows this verily burns up him who  wishes to be Viraj in advance of him.  

2.    He was afraid. Therefore people still are afraid when alone. He  thought: "Since there is nothing else but Myself, what am I  afraid of?" Thereupon His fears were gone; for what was there  to fear? Assuredly, it is from a second entity that fear arises. 

3.    He was not at all happy. Therefore a person even today is not  happy when alone. He desired a mate. He became the size of a  man and wife in close embrace. He divided this body into two.  From that division arose husband (pati) and wife (patni).  Therefore, as Yajnavalkya said, the body before one accepts a  wife is one half of oneself, like the half of a split pea. Therefore  this space is indeed filled by the wife. He was united with her.  From that union human beings were born. 

4.    She reflected: "How can he unite with me after having  produced me from himself? Well, let me hide myself." She  became a cow, the other (Manu) became a bull and was united  with her; from that union cows were born. The one became a  mare, the other became a stallion; the one became a she—ass,  the other became a he—ass and was united with her; from that  union one—hoofed animals were born. The one became a  she—goat, the other became a he—goat; the one became a hew,  the other became a ram and was united with her; from that  union goats and sheep were born. Thus, indeed, he produced  everything that exists in pairs, down to the ants. 

5.    He (Viraj) realized: "Indeed, I am the creation, for I produced  all this." Therefore He became the creation. He who knows this  becomes a creator in this creation of Viraj. 

6.    Then He (Viraj) rubbed back and forth thus and produced fire  from its source: the mouth and the hands. Therefore both the  hands and mouth are hairless inside.  When they (the priests) speak of particular gods, saying:  "Sacrifice to him," "Sacrifice to that one," they are mistaken;  for these are all His manifestations: He Himself is all the gods.  Now, whatever is liquid, He produced from semen; and that is  soma. This universe is indeed this much: food and the eater of  food. Soma is food; and fire, the eater of food. This is the  highest creation of Viraj, that He projected the gods, who are even superior to Him. This is the highest creation because He,  although mortal Himself, manifested the immortal. And he who  knows this verily becomes a creator in this highest creation of  Viraj. 

7.    Now, all this universe was then undifferentiated. It became  differentiated by name and form: it was known by such and  such a name and such and such a form. Thus to this day this  universe is differentiated by name and form; so it is said. "He  has such a name and such a form."  This Self has entered into these bodies up to the very tips of the  nails, as a razor lies hidden in its case, or as fire, which sustains  the world, lies hidden in its source. People do not see the Self,  for when viewed in parts It is incomplete: when breathing, It is  called the vital breath (prana); when speaking, the organ of  speech; when seeing, the eye; when hearing, the ear; when  thinking, the mind. These are merely Its names according to Its  functions. He who meditates on one or another of Its aspects  does not know, for It is then incomplete: the Self is separated  from Its totality by being associated with a single characteristic.  The Self alone is to be meditated upon, for in It all these  become unified. Of all these, this Self alone should be known,  for one knows all these through It, just as one may find an  animal which is lost through its footprints. He who thus knows  the Self obtains fame and association with dear ones. 

8.    This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than  everything else, because It is innermost. If one holding the Self  dear were to say to a person who speaks of anything other than  the Self as dear, that he, the latter, will lose what he holds  dear—and the former is certainly competent to do so—it will  indeed come true.  One should meditate upon the Self alone as dear. He who  meditates upon the Self alone as dear—what he holds dear will  not perish. 

9.    They say: "Since men think that by the Knowledge of Brahman  they become all, what, pray, was it that Brahman knew by  which It became all?" 

10.    This self was indeed Brahman in the beginning. It knew itself  only as "I am Brahman." Therefore it became all. And whoever  among the gods had this enlightenment, also became That  Brahman. It is the same with the seers (rishis), the same with  men. The seer Vamadeva, having realized this self as That,  came to know: "I was Manu and the sun." And to this day,  whoever in a like manner knows the self as "I am Brahman,"  becomes all this universe. Even the gods cannot prevent his  becoming this, for he has become their Self.  Now, if a man worships another deity, thinking: "He is one and  I am another," he does not know. He is like an animal to the  gods. As many animals serve a man, so does each man serve  the gods. Even if one animal is taken away, it causes anguish to  the owner; how much more so when many are taken away!  Therefore it is not pleasing to the gods that men should know  this. 

11.    In the beginning this (the kshatriya and other castes) was  indeed Brahman, one only without a second. He, being one, did  not flourish. He projected, further, an excellent form,  kshatriyahood—those kshatriyas (rulers) among the gods:  Indra, Varuna, Soma (Moon), Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Mrityu  (Death) and Isana. Therefore there is none higher than the  kshatriyas. Thus at the Rajasuya sacrifice, the brahmin sits  below and worships the kshatriya. He confers that glory on  kshatriyahood alone. But brahminhood is nevertheless the  source of kshatriyahood. Therefore even though the king is  exalted in the sacrifice, at the end of it he resorts to  brahminhood as his source. He who slights a brahmin strikes at  his own source. He becomes more evil, as one who slights his  superior. 

12.    Yet He (Viraj) did not flourish. He projected the Vaisya  caste—those classes of gods who are designated in groups: the  Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, Visve—devas and Maruts. 

13.    Still He did not flourish. He projected the sudra caste—Pushan.  This earth is Verily Pushan (the nourisher); for it nourishes all  that exists. 

14.    Yet He did not flourish. He projected, further, that excellent  form, justice (dharrna). This justice is the controller of the  kshatriya. Therefore there is nothing higher than justice. So  even a weak man hopes to defeat a stronger man through   justice, as one does with the help of a king. Verily, that which  is justice is truth. Therefore if a man speaks the truth, they say  he speaks what is just and if he speaks what is just, they say he  speaks the truth; for justice alone is both these. 

15.    So these four castes were projected: the brahmin: the kshatriya,  the vaisya and the sudra. Among the gods Prajapati became a  brahmin as fire and among men He became the brahmin. He  became a kshatriya among men through the divine kshatriyas, a  vaisya through the divine vaisyas and a sudra through the  divine sudras. Therefore people desire to attain the results of  their rites among the gods through fire and among men as a  brahmin. For Prajapati directly projected Himself as these two  forms.  Now, if a man departs from this world without realizing his  own World (the Self), It, being unknown, does not protect  him—as the Vedas, unrecited, or as a deed unaccomplished, do  not protect him. Nay, even if one who does not know It (the  Self) should perform here on earth a great many meritorious  acts, those acts will in the end surely perish for him. One  should meditate only upon the World called the Self. He who  meditates upon the World called the Self—his work does not  perish; for from this very Self he projects whatever he desires. 

16.    Now, this self (the ignorant person) is an object of enjoyment  (lokah) to all beings. In so far as he offers oblations in the fire  and performs sacrifices, he becomes an object of enjoyment to  the gods. In so far as he studies the Vedas, he becomes an  object of enjoyment to the rishis. In so far as he makes  offerings to the Manes and desires children, he becomes an  object of enjoyment to the Manes. In so far as he gives shelter  and food to men, he becomes an object of enjoyment to men. In  so far as he gives fodder and water to the animals, he becomes  an object of enjoyment to the animals. In so far as beasts and  birds and even ants find a living in his home, he becomes an  object of enjoyment to these. Just as one wishes no injury to  one's body, so do all beings wish no injury to him who has this  knowledge. All this, indeed, has been known and well  investigated. 

17.    In the beginning this aggregate of desirable objects was but the  self, one only. He cherished the desire: "Let me have a wife, so  that I may be born as the child; and let me have wealth, so that I  may perform rites." This much, indeed, is the range of desire;  even if one wishes, one cannot get more than this. Therefore, to  this day, a man who is single desires: "Let me have a wife, so  that I may be born as the child; and let me have wealth, so that I  may perform rites." So long as he does not obtain each one of  these, he thinks he is incomplete.  Now, his completeness can also come in this way: The mind is  his self, speech his wife, the vital breath his child, the eye his  human wealth, for he finds it with the eye; the ear his divine  wealth, for he hears it with the ear; the body his instrument of  rites, for he performs rites through the body. So this sacrifice  has five factors—the animals have five factors, men have five  factors and all this that exists has five factors. He who knows  this obtains all this. 

Chapter V—Manifestations of Prajapati 

1.    The following are the mantras:  "I shall now disclose that the father produced seven kinds of  food through meditation and rites. One is common to all eaters.  Two he assigned to the gods. Three he designed for himself.  And one he gave to the animals. On it (food) rests everything—  whatsoever breathes and whatsoever breathes not. Why are not  these foods exhausted although they are always being eaten?  He who knows the cause of this inexhaustibility of the food  eats food with pre—eminence (pratika). He obtains identity  with the gods and lives on nectar." 

2.    When it is said: "That the father produced seven kinds of food  through meditation and rites," the statement means that the  father indeed produced them through meditation and rites.  When it is said: "One is common to all eaters," it means that the  food which is eaten is that which is common to all. He who  appropriates this food is never free from evil, for this is, verily,  the general food. When it is said: "Two he assigned to the  gods," the statement means oblations made in the fire and  presents offered otherwise to the gods. Therefore people make  oblations in the fire and offer presents otherwise to the gods.  Some, however, say that the two foods refer to the new—moon  and full—moon sacrifices. Therefore one should not engage in  sacrifices for material ends. When it is said: "One he gave to  the animals," the statement refers to milk; for at first men and  animals live on milk alone. That is why they first make a  new—born babe lick melted butter or they put it to the breast.  And they speak of the new—born calf as not yet eating grass.  When it is said: "On it rests everything—whatsoever breathes  and whatsoever breathes not," it means that everything rests on milk, all that breathes and breathes not. It is further said in  another Brahmana that by making offerings of milk in the fire  for a year one overcomes further death; but one should not  think thus. For he who knows this overcomes further death the  very day he makes the offering, because he offers all eatable  food to the gods. When it is asked: "Why are not these foods  exhausted although they are always being eaten?" the answer is  that the eater is indeed the cause of this inexhaustibility, for he  produces this food again and again. When it is said: "He who  knows the cause of this inexhaustibility," the statement means  that the eater is indeed the cause of this inexhaustibility, for he  produces this food through meditation and rites. If he did not do  this the food would be exhausted. When it is said: "He eats  food with pratika," the word pratika means pre—eminence;  hence the meaning is that he eats food pre—eminently. The  statement: "He obtains identity with the gods and lives on  nectar," is a eulogy. 

3.    "Three he designed for himself"—that is to say, the mind, the  organ of speech and the vital breath; these he designed for  himself. They say: "My mind was elsewhere, I did not see it;  my mind was elsewhere, I did not hear it." It is clear that a man  sees with his mind and hears with his mind. Desire,  determination, doubt, faith, lack of faith, steadfastness, lack of  steadfastness, shame, intelligence and fear—all this is truly the  mind. Even if one is touched from behind, one knows it  through the mind; therefore the mind exists.  Whatever sound there is, it is just the organ of speech; for it  serves to determine a thing, but it cannot itself be revealed.  The prana, apana, vyana, udana, samana and ana—all these are  but the vital breath (prana). This body (atma) consists of  these—the organ of speech, the mind and the vital breath. 

4.    These verily are the three worlds: the organ of speech is this  world (the earth), the mind is the intermediary world (the sky)  and the vital breath is that world (heaven). 

5.    These verily are the three Vedas: the organ of speech is the  Rig—Veda, the mind is the Yajur—Veda and the vital breath is  the Sama—Veda.  

6.    These verily are the gods, the Manes and men: the organ of  speech is the gods, the mind is the Manes and the vital breath is  men. 

7.    These verily are father, mother and child: the mind is the father,  the organ of speech is the mother and the vital force is the  child.  

8—10.    These verily are what is known, what is to be known and what  is unknown. Whatever is known is a form of the organ of  speech, for it is the knower. The organ of speech protects him  who knows its different manifestations by becoming that which  is known).  Whatever is to be known is a form of the mind, for the mind is  what is to be known. The mind protects him who knows this by  becoming that which is to be known.  Whatever is unknown is a form of the vital breath, for the vital  breath is what is unknown. The vital breath protects him who  knows this by becoming that which is unknown. 

11.    The earth is the body of that organ of speech and this fire is its  luminous organ. And as far as the organ of speech extends, so  far extends the earth and so far extends fire. 

12.    Now, heaven is the body of this mind and that sun yonder is its  luminous organ. And as far as the mind extends, so far extends  the earth and so far extends fire. The two (fire and the sun)  were united and from that was born the vital breath. It (the vital  breath) is the supreme Lord (Indra). It is without a rival. A  second being is, indeed, a rival. He who knows this has no  rival. 

13.    Next, water is the body of this vital breath and that moon  yonder is its luminous organ. And as far as the vital breath  extends, so far extends water and so far extends the moon.  These are all equal, all infinite. He who meditates upon them as  finite wins a finite world, but he who meditates upon them as  infinite wins an infinite world.  

14.    That Prajapan, represented by the year, consists of sixteen parts. The nights and days are fifteen of his parts and the  constant point is the sixteenth. He as the moon is increased and  decreased by the nights and days. Through the sixteenth
part he  permeates all living beings as the new—moon night and rises  the following morning. Therefore, in honour of this deity, on  this night let no one cut off the breath of any breathing being,  not even of a lizard. 

15.    Verily, the person who knows this is himself that Prajapati who  is endowed with sixteen parts and who is represented by the  year. Wealth constitutes fifteen of his parts and the body is his  sixteenth part. He is increased and decreased by that wealth.  This body is the nave and wealth is the felloe. Therefore even if  a man loses everything, but lives in his body, people say that he  has lost only his felloe which can be restored again. 

16.    Now, these are, verily, the three worlds: the world of men, the  world of the Manes and the world of the gods. The world of  men can be gained through a son only and by no other rite; the  world of the Manes through rites; and the world of the gods  through meditation. The world of the gods is the best of the  worlds. Therefore they praise meditation. 

17.    Now therefore follows the entrusting: When a man thinks he is  about to die, he says to his son: "You are Brahman, you are the  sacrifice and you are the world." The son replies: "I am  Brahman, I am the sacrifice, I am the world."  The Sruti explains the thoughts of the father:  "Whatever has been studied by me (the father) is all unified in  the word Brahman. Whatever sacrifices have been made by me  (the father) are all unified in the word sacrifice. And whatever  worlds were to be; won by me (the father) are all unified in the  word world. All this it indeed this much. He (the son), being all  this, will protect me from the ties of this world." Therefore they  speak of a son who is well instructed as being conducive to the  winning of the world; and therefore a father instructs him.  When a father who knows this departs from this world, he—  along with his own organ of speech, mind and vital breath—  penetrates his son. If, through a lapse, any duty has been left  undone by him, the son exonerates him from all that; therefore  he is called a son. The father remains in this world through the  son. The divine and immortal organ of speech, mind and vital  breath enter into him (the father). 

18.    The divine organ of speech from the earth and fire enters into  him. That is the divine organ of speech through which whatever  he says is fulfilled. 

19.    The divine mind from heaven and the sun permeates him. That  is the divine mind through which he becomes joyful only and  grieves no more. 

20.    The divine vital breath from water and the moon permeates  him. And, verily, that is the divine vital breath which, whether  moving or not moving, neither feels pain nor is injured. He who  knows this becomes the self of all beings. As is this deity  (Hiranyagarbha), so is he. And as all beings honour this deity,  so do they honour him. Howsoever creatures may grieve, that  grief of theirs remains with them but only merit goes to him.  No demerit ever goes to the gods. 

21.    Next follows the consideration of the vow (meditative  worship):  Prajapati projected the organs. They, when they were projected,  quarrelled with one another. The organ of speech resolved: "I  will go on speaking"; the eye: "I will go on seeing"; the ear: "I  will go on hearing." So did the other organs, according to their  functions. Death, having taken the form of weariness, laid hold  of them—it overtook them and having overtaken them,  restrained them. Therefore does the organ of speech become  tired and so do the eye and the ear. But death did not overtake  the vital breath (prana) in the body. The other organs resolved  to know it and said: "This is verily the greatest among us;  whether moving or not moving, it neither feels pain nor is  injured. Well then, let us assume its form." They all assumed its  form. Therefore they are called pranas after it.  In whatever family there is a man who knows this—that family  they call by his name. And whoever competes with one who  knows this, shrivels and after shrivelling, in the end dies. This  is with regard to the body.  

22.    Now with regard to the gods. Fire resolved: "I will go on  burning"; the sun: "I will go on giving heat"; the moon: "I will  go on shining." And so did the other gods, according to their  functions. As is the vital breath in the body among the organs,  so is air (vayu) among the gods. The other gods fade, but not  air. Air is the deity that never sets. 

23.    Now there is this verse (sloka):  The gods observed the vow of that from which the sun rises and  in which it sets. This vow is followed today and this will be  followed tomorrow. The sun rises verily from the prana (the  vital breath in its cosmic form) and also sets in it. The gods  even today observe the same vow which they observed then.  Therefore a man should observe a single vow—he should  perform the functions of the prana and apana (respiration and  excretion), lest the evil of death should overtake him. And if he  performs them, let him try to complete them. Through this he  obtains identity with that deity, or lives in the same world with  it. 

Chapter VI—The Three Aspects of the Universe 

1.    Verily, this universe is a triad of name, form and work. Of  those names which are in daily use, speech (sound in general) is  the source (uktha), for from it all names arise. It is their  common feature (saman), for it is common to all names. It is  their Brahman (self), for it supports all names. 

2.    Next, of forms, the eye is the source (uktha), for from it all  forms arise. It is their Common feature (saman), for it is  common to all forms. It is their Brahman (self), for it supports  all forms. 

3.    Next, of work, the body is the source (uktha), for from it all  works arise. It is their common feature (saman), for it is  common to all works. It is their Brahman (self), for it supports  all works.  These three together are one—this body; and the body,  although one, is these three. This immortal entity is covered by  truth: the vital breath is the immortal entity and name and form  are truth and by them the immortal entity is covered. 
 

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six