Part Two
Chapter I—Relative Aspects of Brahman
1. Om. There lived of yore a man of the Garga family called proud
Balaki, who was an eloquent speaker. He said to Ajatasatru, the king of
Kasi: "I will tell you about Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "For this
proposal I give you a thousand cows. People indeed rush, saying:
'Janaka, Janaka.' I too have some of his virtues."
2. Gargya said: "That being (purusha) who is in the sun, I meditate
upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk to me
about him. I meditate upon him as all— surpassing, as the head of all
beings and as resplendent." Whosoever thus meditates upon him becomes
all—surpassing, the head of all beings and resplendent.
3. Gargya said: "That being (purusha) who is in the moon, I meditate
upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk to me
about him. I meditate upon him as the great, white—robed, radiant
Soma." Whosoever thus meditates upon him has, every day, abundant soma
pressed for him in his principal and auxiliary sacrifices and his food
never runs short.
4. Gargya said: "That being (purusha) who is in the lightning, I
meditate upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk
to me about him. I meditate upon him as luminous." Whosoever thus
meditates upon him becomes luminous and his progeny too become
luminous.
5. Gargya said: "This being (purusha) who is in the akasa, I
meditate upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk
about him. I meditate upon him as full and unmoving." Whosoever thus
meditates upon him is filled with progeny and cattle and his progeny is
never extinct from this world.
6. Gargya said: "This being (purusha) who is in the air, I meditate
upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk about
him. I meditate upon him as the Lord (Indra), as irresistible and as
the unvanquished army." Whosoever thus meditates upon him becomes ever
victorious, invincible and a conqueror of enemies.
7. Gargya said: "This being (purusha) who is in fire, I meditate
upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk about
him. I meditate upon him as forbearing." Whosoever thus meditates upon
him becomes forbearing and his progeny becomes forbearing.
8. Gargya said: "This being (purusha) who is in water, I meditate
upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk about
him. I meditate upon him as agreeable." Whosoever thus meditates upon
him—to him comes what is agreeable, not what is disagreeable and to him
are born children who are agreeable.
9. Gargya said: "This being (purusha) who is in the mirror, I
meditate upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk
about him. I meditate upon him as shining." Whosoever thus meditates
upon him becomes shining and his progeny too becomes shining and he
outshines all those with whom he comes in contact.
10. Gargya said: "The sound that arises behind a man while he walks,
I meditate upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not
talk about him. I meditate upon him as life." Whosoever thus meditates
upon him reaches his full age on this earth and life does not depart
from him before the completion of that time.
11. Gargya said: "This being (purusha) who is in the quarters, I
meditate upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk
about him. I meditate upon him as second and as inseparable." Whosoever
thus mediates upon him gets companions and his followers never part
with him.
12. Gargya said: "This being (purusha) who consists of shadow, I
meditate upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk
about him. I meditate upon him as death." Whosoever thus meditates upon
him reaches his full age on this earth and death does not overtake him
before the completion of that time.
13. Gargya said: "This being (purusha) who is in the self, I
meditate upon as Brahman." Ajatasatru said: "No, no! Please do not talk
about him. I meditate upon him as self—possessed." Whosoever thus
meditates upon him becomes self—possessed and his progeny too becomes
self—possessed. Gargya remained silent.
14. Ajatasatru said: "Is this all?" "That is all." "By knowing that
much one cannot know Brahman." "Let me approach you as a student," said
Gargya.
15. Ajatasatru said: "It is contrary to usual practice that a
brahmin should approach a kshatriya, thinking: 'He will teach me about
Brahman.' Nevertheless, I will instruct you." So saying, he took Gargya
by the hand and rose. They came to a sleeping man. Ajatasatru addressed
him by these names: Great, White— robed, Radiant, Soma. The man did not
get up. The king pushed him again and again with his hand till he
awoke. Then he got up.
16. Ajatasatru said: "When this being full of consciousness
(identified with the intellect) was thus asleep, where was it then and
whence did it thus come back?" Gargya did not know the answer.
17. Ajatasatru said: "When this being full of consciousness (vijnana
maya) is thus asleep, it absorbs, at that time, the functions of the
organs through its own consciousness and rests in the Supreme Self
(akasa) that is in the heart. When this being absorbs them, it is
called svapiti. Then the organ of smell is absorbed, the organ of
speech is absorbed, the eye is absorbed, the ear is absorbed and the
mind is absorbed."
18. When the self remains in the dream state, these are its
achievements (results of past action): It then becomes a great king, as
it were; or a noble brahmin, as it were; or attains, as it were, high
or low states. Even as a great king, taking with him his retinue of
citizens, moves about, according to his pleasure, within his own
domain, so does the self, taking with it the organs, move about
according to its pleasure, in the body.
19. Next, when the self goes into deep sleep—when it does not know
anything—it returns along the seventy—two thousand nerves called hita,
which extend from the heart throughout the whole body and remains in
the body. As a baby or an emperor or a noble brahmin lives, having
reached the summit of happiness, so does the self rest.
20. As the spider moves along the thread it produces, or as from a
fire tiny sparks fly in all directions, even so from this Atman come
forth all organs, all worlds, all gods, all beings. Its secret name
(Upanishad) is "the Truth of truth." The vital breaths are the truth
and their truth is Atman.
Chapter II—Description of the Prana
1. He who knows the calf together with its abode, its special
resort, its post and its rope, kills his seven hostile kinsmen. The
vital breath in the body is indeed the calf; this body is its abode,
the head its special resort, strength its post and food its rope.
2. These seven gods that prevent decay worship it (the calf):
through these pink lines in the eye, Rudra attends on it; through the
water in the eye, Parjanya attends on it; through the pupil of the eye,
the sun attends on it; through the black of the eye, fire attends on
it; through the white portion, Indra; through the lower eyelid, the
earth; and through the upper eyelid, heaven attends on it. He who knows
this—his food does not diminish.
3. Regarding this there is the following mantra: "There is a bowl
which has its mouth below and which bulges at the top. Manifold
knowledge has been put into it; seven sages sit on its rim and the
organ of speech, which has communication with the Vedas, is the
eighth." What is called the "bowl which has its mouth below and which
bulges at the top" is this head of ours, for it is a bowl which has its
mouth below and which bulges at the top. When it is said: "Manifold
knowledge has been put into it," this refers to the organs; these
indeed represent manifold knowledge. When it is said: "Seven sages sit
on its rim," this refers to the organs; they indeed are the sages. "The
organ of speech, which has communication with the Vedas, is the
eighth" because the organ of speech is the eighth and communicates with
the Vedas.
4. These two ears are Gotama and Bharadvaja: this one (the right) is
Gotama and this one (the left), Bharadvaja. These two eyes are
Visvamitra and Jamadagni: this one (the right) is Visvamitra and this
one (the left), Jamadagni. These two nostrils are Vasishtha and
Kasyapa: this one (the right) is Vasishtha and this one (the left),
Kasyapa. The tongue is Atri, for through the tongue food is eaten. Atri
is the same as atti (eating). He who knows this becomes the eater of
everything and everything becomes his food.
Chapter III—The Two Forms of Brahman
1. Verily, there are two forms of Brahman: gross and subtle, mortal
and immortal, limited and unlimited, definite and indefinite.
2. The gross form is that which is other than air and akasa. It is
mortal, limited and definite. The essence of that which is gross, which
is mortal, which is limited and which is definite is the sun that
shines, for it (the sun) is the essence of the three elements.
3.
Now the subtle: It is air and akasa. It is immortal, it is unlimited
and it is indefinite. The essence of that which is subtle, which is
immortal, which is unlimited and which is indefinite is the Person (Purusha)
in the solar orb, for that Person is the essence of the two elements.
This is with reference to the gods.
4. Now with reference to the body: The gross form is that which is
other than the air and the akasa that is in the body. It is mortal, it
is limited and it is definite. The essence of that which is gross,
which is mortal, which is limited and which is definite is the eye; for
it (the eye) is the essence of the three elements.
5. Now the subtle: It is the air and the akasa that is in the body.
It is immortal, it is unlimited and it is indefinite. The essence of
that which is subtle, which is immortal, which is unlimited and which
is indefinite is the person (purusha) that is in the right eye, for
that person is the essence of the two elements.
6. The form of that person is like a cloth dyed with turmeric, or
like grey sheep's wool, or like the scarlet insect called Indragopa, or
like a tongue of fire, or like a white lotus, or like a flash of
lightning. He who knows this—his splendour is like a flash of
lightning. Now, therefore, the description of Brahman: "Not this, not
this" (Neti, Neti); for there is no other and more appropriate
description than this "Not this." Now the designation of Brahman: "The
Truth of truth." The vital breath is truth and It (Brahman) is the
Truth of that.
Chapter IV—Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi (I)
1. "Maitreyi, my dear," said Yajnavalkya, "I am going to renounce
this life. Let me make a final settlement between you and Katyayani
(his other wife)."
2. Thereupon Maitreyi said: "Venerable Sir, if indeed the whole
earth, full of wealth, belonged to me, would I be immortal through
that?" "No," replied Yajnavalkya, "your life would be just like that of
people who have plenty. Of Immortality, however, there is no hope
through wealth."
3. Then Maitreyi said: "What should I do with that which would not
make me immortal? Tell me, venerable Sir, of that alone which you know
to be the only means of attaining Immortality."
4. Yajnavalkya replied: "My dear, you have been my beloved even
before and now you say what is after my heart. Come, sit down; I will
explain it to you. As I explain it, meditate on what I say."
5. Then Yajnavalkya said: "Verily, not for the sake of the husband,
my dear, is the husband loved, but he is loved for the sake of the self
which, in its true nature, is one with the Supreme Self. "Verily, not
for the sake of the wife, my dear, is the wife loved, but she is loved
for the sake of the self. "Verily, not for the sake of the sons, my
dear, are the sons loved, hut they are loved for the sake of the self.
"Verily, not for the sake of wealth, my dear, is wealth loved, but it
is loved for the sake of the self. "Verily, not for the sake of the
brahmin, my dear, is the brahmin loved, but he is loved for the sake of
the self. "Verily, not for the sake of the kshatriya, my dear, is the
kshatriya loved, but he is loved for the sake of the self. "Verily, not
for the sake of the worlds, my dear, are the worlds loved, but they are
loved for the sake of the self. "Verily, not for the sake of the gods,
my dear, are the gods loved, but they are loved for the sake of the
self. "Verily, not for the sake of the beings, my dear, are the beings
loved, but they are loved for the sake of the self. "Verily, not for
the sake of the All, my dear, is the All loved, but it is loved for the
sake of the self. "Verily, my dear Maitreyi, it is the Self that should
be realized—should be heard of, reflected on and meditated upon. By
the realization of the Self, my dear—through hearing, reflection and
meditation—all this is known.
6. "The brahmin rejects one who knows him as different from the
Self. The kshatriya rejects one who knows him as different from the
Self. The worlds reject one who knows them as different from the Self.
The gods reject one who knows them as different from the Self. The
beings reject one who knows them as different from the Self. The All
rejects one who knows it as different from the Self. This brahmin, this
kshatriya, these worlds, these gods, these beings and this All—are that
Self.
7—9.
"As the various particular kinds of notes of a drum, when it is
beaten, cannot be grasped by themselves, but are grasped only when the
general note of the drum or the general sound produced by different
kinds of strokes is grasped; "And as the various particular notes of a
conch, when it is blown, cannot be grasped by themselves, but are
grasped only when the general note of the conch or the general sound
produced by different kinds of blowing is grasped; "And as the various
particular notes of a vina, when it is played, cannot be grasped by
themselves, but are grasped Only when the general note of the vina or
the general sound produced by different kinds of playing is grasped;
Similarly, no particular objects are perceived in the waking and dream
states apart from Pure Intelligence.
10. "As from a fire kindled with wet fuel various kinds of smoke
issue forth, even so, my dear, the Rig—Veda, the Yajur—Veda, the
Sama—Veda, the Atharvangirasa, history (itihasa), mythology (purana),
the arts (vidya), the Upanishads, verses (slokas), aphorisms (sutras),
elucidations (anuvyakhyanas) and explanations (vyakhyanas) are like the
breath of this infinite Reality. From this Supreme Self are all these,
indeed, breathed forth.
11. "As the ocean is the one goal of all waters (i.e. the place
where they merge), so the skin is the one goal of all kinds of touch,
the nostrils are the one goal of all smells, the tongue is the one goal
of all savours, the ear is the one goal of all sounds, the mind is the
one goal of all deliberations, the intellect is the one goal of all
forms of knowledge, the hands are the one goal of all actions, the
organ of generation is the one goal of all kinds of enjoyment, the
excretory organ is the one goal of all excretions, the feet are the one
goal of all kinds of walking, the organ of speech is the one goal of
all the Vedas.
12.
"As a lump of salt dropped into water becomes dissolved in water and
cannot be taken out again, but wherever we taste the water it tastes
salt, even so, my dear, this great, endless, infinite Reality is Pure
Intelligence alone. This self comes out as a separate entity from these
elements and with their destruction this separate existence also is
destroyed. After attaining oneness it has no more consciousness. This
is what I say, my dear." So said Yajnavalkya.
13. Then Maitreyi said: "Just here you have bewildered me, venerable
Sir, by saying that after attaining oneness the self has no more
consciousness." Yajnavalkya replied: "Certainly I am not saying
anything bewildering, my dear. This Reality is enough for knowledge, O
Maitreyi."
14. "For when there is duality, as it were, then one smells another,
one sees another, one hears another, one speaks to another, one thinks
of another, one knows another. But when everything has become the Self,
then what should one smell and through what, what should one see and
through what, what should one hear and through what, what should one
speak and through what, what should one think and through what, what
should one know and through what? Through what should One know That
owing to which all this is known—through what, my dear, should one know
the Knower?"
Chapter V—The Interdependence of Created
Objects
1. This Earth is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are
the honey (effect) of this earth. Likewise, the bright, immortal being
who is in this earth and the bright, immortal, corporeal being who is
in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge
of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is
Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
2. This water is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are
the honey (effect) of this water. Likewise, the bright, immortal being
who is in this water and the bright, immortal being existing as the
semen in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The
Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying
unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming
all.
3. This fire is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are
the honey (effect) of this fire. Likewise, the bright, immortal being
who is in this fire and the bright, immortal being identified with the
organ of speech in the body are both honey. These four are but this
Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this
underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of
becoming all.
4. This air is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are
the honey (effect) of this air. Likewise, the bright, immortal being
who is in this air and the bright, immortal being identified with the
vital breath in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self.
The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying
unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming
all.
5. This sun is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are
the honey (effect) of this sun. Likewise, the bright, immortal being
who is in this sun and the bright, immortal being identified with the
eye in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The
Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying
unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming
all.
6. These quarters are the honey (effect) of all beings and all
beings are the honey (effect) of these quarters. Likewise, the bright,
immortal being who is in these quarters and the bright, immortal being
identified with the ear in the body and with the time of hearing are
both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is
the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this
Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
7. This moon is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings are
the honey (effect) of this moon. Likewise, the bright, immortal being
who is in this moon and the bright, immortal being identified with the
mind in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The
Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying
unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming
all.
8. This lightning is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings
are the honey (effect) of this lightning. Likewise, the bright,
immortal being who is in this lightning and the bright, immortal being
identified with the light in the body are both honey. These four are
but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality;
this underlying Unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the
means of becoming all.
9. This thunder—cloud is the honey (effect) of all beings and all
beings are the honey (effect) of this thunder—cloud. Likewise, the
bright, immortal being who is in this thunder—cloud and the bright,
immortal being identified with sound and with the voice in the body are
both honey. These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is
the means to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this
Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming all.
10. This akasa is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings
are the honey (effect) of this akasa. Likewise, the bright, immortal
being who is in this akasa and the bright, immortal being identified
with the akasa in the heart in the body are both honey. These four are
but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality;
this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the
means of becoming all.
11. This dharma (righteousness) is the honey (effect) of all beings
and all beings are the honey (effect) of this dharma. Likewise, the
bright, immortal being who is in this dharma and the bright, immortal
being identified with the dharma in the body are both honey. These four
are but this self. This knowledge of this self is the means to
Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this knowledge of
Brahman is the means of becoming all.
12. This truth is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings
are the honey (effect) of this truth. Likewise, the bright, immortal
being who is in this truth and the bright, immortal being identified
with truth in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self.
The Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying
unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming
all.
13. This mankind is the honey (effect) of all beings and all beings
are the honey (effect) of this mankind. Likewise, the bright, immortal
being who is in mankind and the bright, immortal being identified with
mankind in the body are both honey. These four are but this Self. The
Knowledge of this Self is the means to Immortality; this underlying
unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of Brahman is the means of becoming
all.
14. This cosmic body (atman) is the honey (effect) of all beings and
all beings are the honey (effect) of this cosmic body. Likewise, the
bright, immortal being who is in the cosmic body and the bright,
immortal being identified with the individual self are both honey.
These four are but this Self. The Knowledge of this Self is the means
to Immortality; this underlying unity is Brahman; this Knowledge of
Brahman is the means of becoming all.
15. And verily this Self is the Ruler of all beings, the King of all
beings. Just as all the spokes are fixed in the nave and the felloe of
a chariot wheel, so are all beings, all gods, all worlds, all organs
and all these individual creatures fixed in this Self.
16. This, verily, is the honey (madhu—doctrine) which Dadhyach,
versed in the Atharva—Veda, taught the Asvins. The Mantra (the rishi)
perceived this and said: "O Asvins in human form, I will disclose that
terrible deed of yours, called damsa, which you performed out of greed,
as the thunder—cloud discloses the approaching rain. I will disclose
the honey (madhu—doctrine), which Dadhyach, versed in the Atharva—Veda,
taught you through the head of a horse."
17. This, verily, is the honey (madhu—doctrine) which Dadhyach,
versed in the Atharva—Veda, taught the Asvins. The Mantra (the rishi)
perceived this and said: "O Asvins, you fixed a horse's head on
Dadhyach, versed in the Atharva—Veda, who, O terrible ones, wishing to
be true to his promise, taught you the ritualistic meditation on the
honey (madhu—doctrine) connected with the sun and also the secret
(spiritual) meditation on it."
18. This, verily, is the honey (madhu—doctrine) which Dadhyach,
versed in the Atharva—Veda, taught the Asvins. The Mantra (rishi)
perceived this and said: "He (the Lord) made bodies with two feet; He
made bodies with four feet. Having first become a bird (the subtle
body), He, the Supreme Person, entered the bodies. On account of His
dwelling in all bodies (pur), He is called the Person (Purusha). There
is nothing that is not covered by Him, nothing that is not pervaded by
Him."
19. This, verily, is the honey (madhu—doctrine) which Dadhyach,
versed in the Atharva—Veda, taught the Asvins. The Mantra (the rishi)
perceived this and said: "He (the Lord) transformed Himself in
accordance with each form and each form of His was for the sake of
making Him known. The Lord (Indra), through His mayas, appears
manifold; for to Him are yoked ten horses, nay, hundreds. "This Atman
is the organs; It is ten and thousands—many and infinite. This Brahman
is without antecedent or consequent, without interior or exterior. This
self, the all—perceiving, is Brahman. This is the teaching of the
Upanishads."
Chapter VI—The Line of Teachers
1. Now the line of teachers through whom the honey, or the
madhu—doctrine, has been transmitted: Pautimashya received it from
Gaupavana. Gaupavana from another Pautimashya. This Pautimashya from
another Gaupavana. This Gaupavana from Kausika. Kausika from
Kaundinya. Kaundinya from Sandilya. Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama.
Gautama
2. From Agnivesya. Agnivesya from Sandilya and Anabhimlata.
Anabhimlata from another Anabhimlata. This Anabhimlata from still
another Anabhimlata. This Anabhimlata from Gautama. Gautama from
Saitava and Prachinayogya. Saitava and Prachinayogya from Parasarya.
Parasarya from Bharadvaja. Bharadvaja from another Bharadvaja and
Gautama. Gautama from still another Bharadvaja. This Bharadvaja from
Parasarya. Parasarya from Baijavapayana. Baijavapayana from
Kausikayani. Kausikayani
3. From Ghritakausika. Ghritakausika from Parasaryayana.
Parasaryayana from Parasarya. Parasarya from Jatukarnya. Jatukarnya
from Asurayana and Yaska. Asurayana from Traivani. Traivani from
Aupajandhani. Aupajandhani from Asuri. Asuri from Bharadvaja.
Bharadvaja from Atreya. Atreya from Manti. Minti from Gautama. Gautama
from another Gautama. This Gautama from Vatsya. Vatsya from Andilya.
Andilya from Kaisorya Kapya. Kaisorya Kapya from Kumaraharita.
Kumaraharita from Galava. Galava from Vidarbhikaundinya.
Vidarbhikaundinya from Vatsanapat Babhrava. Vatsanapat Babhrava from
Pathin Saubhara. Pathin Saubhara from Ayasya Angirasa. Ayasya Angirasa
from Abhuti Tvashtra. Abhuti Tvashtra from Visvarupa Tvashtra.
Visvarupa Tvashtra from the Asyins. The Asvins from Dadhyach
Atharvana. Dadhyach Atharvana from Atharvana Daiva. Atharvana Daiva
from Mrityu Pradhvamsana. Mrityu Pradhvamsana from Pradhvamsana.
Pradhvamsana from Ekarshi. Ekarshi from Viprachitti. Viprachitti from
Vyashti. Vyashti from Sanaru. Sanaru from Sanatana. Sanatana from
Sanaga. Sanaga from Parameshthin (Viraj). Parameshthin from Brahma
(Hiranyagarbha). Brahman is self—born. Salutation to Brahman.
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