Brihadaranyaka Upanishada
FIRST
ADHYAYA.
FIRST
BRAHMANA.
1.
Verily the dawn is the head of the horse which is fit for sacrifice, the sun its
eye, the wind its breath, the mouth the Vaisvanara fire, the year the body of
the sacrificial horse. Heaven is the back, the sky the belly, the earth the
chest, the quarters the two sides, the intermediate quarters the ribs, the
members the seasons, the joints the months and half-months, the feet days and
nights, the bones the stars, the flesh the clouds. The half-digested food is the
sand, the rivers the bowels, the liver and the lungs the mountains, the hairs
the herbs and trees. As the sun rises, it is the forepart, as it sets, the
hindpart of the horse. When the horse shakes itself, then it lightens; when it
kicks, it thunders; when it makes water, it rains; voice is its voice.
2.
Verily Day arose after the horse as the (golden) vessel, called Mahiman
(greatness), which (at the sacrifice) is placed before the horse. Its place is
in the Eastern sea. The Night arose after the horse, as the (silver) vessel,
called Mahiman, which (at the sacrifice) is placed behind the horse. Its place
is in the Western sea. Verily, these two vessels (or greatnesses) arose to be on
each side of the horse.
As a
racer he carried the Devas, as a stallion the Gandharvas, as a runner the Asuras,
as a horse men. The sea is its kin, the sea is its birthplace.
SECOND
BRAHMANA.
1. In
the beginning there was nothing (to be perceived) here whatsoever. By Death
indeed all this was concealed,-by hunger; for death is hunger. Death (the first
being) thought, 'Let me have a body.' Then he moved about, worshipping. From him
thus worshipping water was produced. And he said: 'Verily, there appeared to me,
while I worshipped (arkate), water (ka).' This is why water is called ar-ka.
Surely there is water (or pleasure) for him who thus knows the reason why water
is called arka.
2.
Verily water is arka. And what was there as the froth of the water, that was
hardened, and became the earth. On that earth he (Death) rested, and from him,
thus resting and heated, Agni (Virag) proceeded, full of light.
3. That
being divided itself threefold, Aditya (the sun) as the third, and vayu (the
air) as the third. That spirit (prana) became threefold. The head was the
Eastern quarter, and the arms this and that quarter (i. e. the N. E. and S. E.,
on the left and right sides). Then the tail was the Western quarter, and the two
legs this and that quarter (i.e. the N. W. and S. W.) The sides were the
Southern and Northern quarters, the back heaven, the belly the sky, the dust the
earth. Thus he (Mrityu, as arka) stands firm in the water, and he who knows this
stands firm wherever he goes.
4. He
desired, 'Let a second body be born of me,' and he (Death or Hunger) embraced
Speech in his mind. Then the seed became the year. Before that time there was no
year. Speech bore him so long as a year, and after that time sent him forth.
Then when he was born, he (Death) opened his mouth, as if to swallow him. He
cried Bhan! and that became speech.
5. He
thought, 'If I kill him, 1 shall have but little food.' He therefore brought
forth by that speech and by that body (the year) all whatsoever exists, the Rik,
the Yagus, the saman, the metres, the sacrifices, men, and animals.
And
whatever he (Death) brought forth, that he resolved to eat (ad). Verily because
he eats everything, therefore is Aditi (Death) called Aditi. He who thus knows
why Aditi is called Aditi, becomes an eater of everything, and everything
becomes his food.
6. He
desired to sacrifice again with a greater sacrifice. He toiled and performed
penance. And while he toiled and performed penance, glorious power went out of
him. Verily glorious power means the senses (prana). Then when the senses had
gone out, the body took to swelling (sva-yitum), and mind was in the body.
7. He
desired that this body should be fit for sacrifice (medhya), and that he should
be embodied by it. Then he became a horse (asva), because it swelled (asvat),
and was fit for sacrifice (medhya); and this is why the horse-sacrifice is
called Asva-medha.
Verily
he who knows him thus, knows the Asva-medha. Then, letting the horse free, he
thought, and at the end of a year he offered it up for himself, while he gave up
the (other) animals to the deities. Therefore the sacrificers offered up the
purified horse belonging to Pragapati, (as dedicated) to all the deities.
Verily
the shining sun is the Asvamedha-sacrifice, and his body is the year; Agni is
the sacrificial fire (arka), and these worlds are his bodies. These two are the
sacrificial fire and the Asvamedha-sacrifice, and they are again one deity, viz.
Death. He (who knows this) overcomes another death, death does not reach him,
death is his Self, he becomes one of those deities.
THIRD
BRAHMANA.
I. There
were two kinds of descendants of Pragapati, the Devas and the Asuras. Now the
Devas were indeed the younger, the Asuras the elder ones. The Devas, who were
struggling in these worlds, said: 'Well, let us overcome the Asuras at the
sacrifices (the Gyotishtoma) by means of the udgitha.'
2. They
said to speech (Vak): 'Do thou sing out for us (the udgitha).' 'Yes,' said
speech, and sang (the udgitha). Whatever delight there is in speech, that she
obtained for the Devas by singing (the three pavamanas); but that she pronounced
well (in the other nine pavamanas), that was for herself. The Asuras knew:
'Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore rushed at
the singer and pierced her with evil. That evil which consists in saying what is
bad, that is that evil.
3. Then
they (the Devas) said to breath (scent): 'Do thou sing out for us.' 'Yes,' said
breath, and sang. Whatever delight there is in breath (smell), that he obtained
for the Devas by singing; but that he smelled well, that was for himself. The
Asuras knew: 'Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore
rushed at the singer, and pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in
smelling what is bad, that is that evil.
4. Then
they said to the eye: 'Do thou sing out for us.' 'Yes,' said the eye, and sang.
Whatever delight there is in the eye, that he obtained for the Devas by singing;
but that he saw well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew: 'Verily, through
this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore rushed at the singer, and
pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in seeing what is bad, that is
that evil.
5. Then
they said to the ear: 'Do thou sing out for us.' 'Yes,' said the ear, and sang.
Whatever delight there is in the ear, that he obtained for the Devas by singing;
but that he heard well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew: 'Verily, through
this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore rushed at the singer, and
pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in hearing what is bad, that is
that evil.
6. Then
they said to the mind: 'Do thou sing out for us.' 'Yes,' said the mind, and
sang. Whatever delight there is in the mind, that he obtained for the Devas by
singing; but that he thought well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew:
'Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore rushed at
the singer, and pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in thinking what
is bad, that is that evil.
Thus
they overwhelmed these deities with evils, thus they pierced them with evil.
7. Then
they said to the breath in the mouth I: 'Do thou sing for us.' 'Yes,' said the
breath, and sang. The Asuras knew: 'Verily, through this singer they will
overcome us.' They therefore rushed at him and pierced him with evil. Now as a
ball of earth will be scattered when hitting a stone, thus they perished,
scattered in all directions. Hence the Devas rose, the Asuras fell. He who knows
this, rises by his self, and the enemy who hates him falls.
8. Then
they (the Devas) said: 'Where was he then who thus stuck to us?' It was (the
breath) within the mouth (asye 'ntar) , and therefore called Ayasya; he was the
sap (rasa) of the limbs (anga), and therefore called Angirasa.
9. That
deity was called Dyr, because Death was far (duran) from it. From him who knows
this, Death is far off.
10. That
deity, after having taken away the evil of those deities, viz. death, sent it to
where the end of the quarters of the earth is. There he deposited their sins.
Therefore let no one go to a man, let no one go to the end (of the quarters of
the earth), that he may not meet there with evil, with death.
11. That
deity, after having taken away the evil of those deities, viz. death, carried
them beyond death.
12. He
carried speech across first. When speech had become freed from death, it became
(what it had been before) Agni (fire). That Agni, after having stepped beyond
death, shines.
13. Then
he carried breath (scent) across. When breath had become freed from death, it
became vayu (air). That vayu, after having stepped beyond death, blows.
14. Then
he carried the eye across. When the eye had become freed from death, it became
Aditya (the sun). That Aditya, after having stepped beyond death, burns.
15. Then
he carried the ear across. When the ear had become freed from death, it became
the quarters (space). These are our quarters (space), which have stepped beyond
death.
16. Then
he carried the mind across. When the mind had become freed from death, it became
the moon (Kandramas). That moon, after having stepped beyond death, shines. Thus
does that deity carry him, who knows this, across death.
17. Then
breath (vital), by singing, obtained for himself eatable food. For whatever food
is eaten, is eaten by breath alone, and in it breath rests.
The
Devas said: 'Verily, thus far, whatever food there is, thou hast by singing
acquired it for thyself. Now therefore give us a share in that food.' He said:
'You there, enter into me.' They said Yes, and entered all into him. Therefore
whatever food is eaten by breath, by it the other senses are satisfied.
18. If a
man knows this, then his own relations come to him in the same manner; he
becomes their supporter, their chief leader, their strong ruler. And if ever any
one tries to oppose one who is possessed of such knowledge among his own
relatives, then he will not be able to support his own belongings. But he who
follows the man who is possessed of such knowledge, and who with his permission
wishes to support those whom he has to support, he indeed will be able to
support his own belongings.
19. He
was called Ayasya Angirasa, for he is the sap (rasa) of the limbs (anga).
Verily, breath is the sap of the limbs. Yes, breath is the sap of the limbs.
Therefore from whatever limb breath goes away, that limb withers, for breath
verily is the sap of the limbs.
20. He
(breath) is also Brihaspati, for speech is Brihati (Rig-veda), and he is her
lord; therefore he is Brihaspati.
21. He
(breath) is also Brahmaxaspati, for speech is Brahman (Yagur-veda), and he is
her lord; therefore he is Brahmanaspati.
He
(breath) is also saman (the Udgitha), for speech is Saman (sama-veda), and that
is both speech (sa) and breath (ama)'. This is why saman is called saman.
2 2. Or
because he is equal (sama) to a grub, equal
to a
gnat, equal to an elephant, equal to these three worlds, nay, equal to this
universe, therefore he is Saman. He who thus knows this saman, obtains union and
oneness with saman.
23. He
(breath) is Udgitha 2 . Breath verily is U t, for by breath this universe is
upheld (uttabdha) ; and speech is Githa, song. And because he is ut and githa,
therefore he (breath) is Udgitha.
24. And
thus Brahmadatta, Kaikitaneya (the grandson of Kikitana), while taking Soma (ragan),
said: 'May this Soma strike my head off, if Ayasya Ang,irasa sang another
Udgitha than this. He sang it indeed as speech and breath.'
25. He
who knows what is the property of this saman, obtains property. Now verily its
property is tone only. Therefore let a priest, who is going to perform the
sacrificial work of a Sama-singer, desire that his voice may have a good tone,
and let him perform the sacrifice with a voice that is in good tone. Therefore
people (who want a priest) for a sacrifice, look out for one who possesses a
good voice, as for one who possesses property. He who thus knows what is the
property of that saman, obtains property.
26. He
who knows what is the gold of that Saman, obtains gold. Now verily its gold is
tone only. He who thus knows what is the gold of that saman, obtains gold.
27. He
who knows what is the support of that saman, he is supported. Now verily its
support is speech only. For, as supported in speech, that breath is sung as that
saman. Some say the support is in food.
Next
follows the Abhyaroha (the ascension) of the Pavamana verses. Verily the
Prastotri begins to sing the saman, and when he begins, then let him (the
sacrificer) recite these (three Yagus-verses):
'Lead me
from the unreal to the real! Lead me from darkness to light! Lead me from death
to immortality!'
Now when
he says,' Lead me from the unreal to the real,' the unreal is verily death, the
real immortality. He therefore says, 'Lead me from death to immortality, make me
immortal.'
When he
says,'Lead me from darkness to light,' darkness is verily death, light
immortality. He therefore says, 'Lead me from death to immortality, make me
immortal.'
When he
says,'Lead me from death to immortality,' there is nothing there, as it were,
hidden (obscure, requiring explanation).
28. Next
come the other Stotras with which the priest may obtain food for himself by
singing them. Therefore let the sacrificer, while these Stotras are being sung,
ask for a boon, whatever desire he may desire. An Udgatri priest who knows this
obtains by his singing whatever desire he may desire either for himself or for
the sacrificer. This (knowledge) indeed is called the conqueror of the worlds.
He who thus knows this Saman, for him there is no fear of his not being admitted
to the worlds.
FOURTH
BRAHMANA.
1. In
the beginning this was Self alone, in the shape of a person (purusha). He
looking round saw nothing but his Self. He first said, 'This is I;' therefore he
became I by name. Therefore even now, if a man is asked, he first says, 'This is
I,' and then pronounces the other name which he may have. And because before (purva)
all this, he (the Self) burnt down (ush) all evils, therefore he was a person (pur-usha).
Verily he who knows this, burns down every one who tries to be before him.
2. He
feared, and therefore any one who is lonely fears. He thought, 'As there is
nothing but myself, why should I fear?' Thence his fear passed away. For what
should he have feared? Verily fear arises from a second only.
3. But
he felt no delight. Therefore a man who is lonely feels no delight. He wished
for a second. He was so large as man and wife together. He then made this his
Self to fall in two (pat), and thence arose husband (pati) and wife (patni).
Therefore Yagnavalkya said: 'We two are thus (each of us) like half a shell. '
Therefore the void which was there, is filled by the wife. He embraced her, and
men were born.
4. She
thought,How can he embrace me, after having produced me from himself? I shall
hide myself.'
She then
became a cow, the other became a bull and embraced her, and hence cows were
born. The one became a mare, the other a stallion; the one a male ass, the other
a female ass. He embraced her, and hence one-hoofed animals were born. The one
became a she-goat, the other a he-goat; the one became a ewe, the other a ram.
He embraced her, and hence goats and sheep were born. And thus he created
everything that exists in pairs, down to the ants.
5. He
knew, 'I indeed am this creation, for I created all this.' Hence he became the
creation, and he who knows this lives in this his creation.
6. Next
he thus produced fire by rubbing. From the mouth, as from the fire-hole, and
from the hands he created fire. Therefore both the mouth and the hands are
inside without hair, for the fire-hole is inside without hair.
And when
they say, 'Sacrifice to this or sacrifice to that god,' each god is but his
manifestation, for he is all gods.
Now,
whatever there is moist, that he created from seed; this is Soma. So far verily
is this universe either food or eater. Soma indeed is food, Agni eater. This is
the highest creation of Brahman, when he created the gods from his better part,
and when he, who was (then) mortal, created the immortals. Therefore it was the
highest creation. And he who knows this, lives in this his highest creation.
7. Now
all this was then undeveloped. It became developed by form and name, so that one
could say, 'He, called so and so, is such a one. ' Therefore at present also all
this is developed by name and form, so that one can say,'He, called so and so,
is such a one.'
He
(Brahman or the Self) entered thither, to the very tips of the finger-nails, as
a razor might be fitted in a razor-case, or as fire in a fire-place.
He
cannot be seen, for, in part only, when breathing, he is breath by name; when
speaking, speech by name; when seeing, eye by name; when hearing, ear by name;
when thinking, mind by name. All these are but the names of his acts. And he who
worships (regards) him as the one or the other, does not know him, for he is
apart from this (when qualified) by the one or the other (predicate). Let men
worship him as Self, for in the Self all these are one. This Self is the
footstep of everything, for through it one knows everything. And as one can find
again by footsteps what was lost, thus he who knows this finds glory and praise.
8. This,
which is nearer to us than anything, this Self, is dearer than a son, dearer
than wealth, dearer than all else.
And if
one were to say to one who declares another than the Self dear, that he will
lose what is dear to him, very likely it would be so. Let him worship the Self
alone as dear. He who worships the Self alone as dear, the object of his love
will never perish.
9. Here
they say: 'If men think that by knowledge of Brahman they will become
everything, what then did that Brahman know, from whence all this sprang ?'
10.
Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, that Brahman knew (its) Self only,
saying, 'I am Brahman.' From it all this sprang. Thus, whatever Deva was
awakened (so as to know Brahman), he indeed became that (Brahman); and the same
with Rishis and men. The Rishivamadeva saw and understood it, singing,'I was
Manu (moon), I was the sun.' Therefore now also he who thus knows that he is
Brahman, becomes all this, and even the Devas cannot prevent it, for he himself
is their Self.
Now if a
man worships another deity, thinking the deity is one and he another, he does
not know. He is like a beast for the Devas. For verily, as many beasts nourish a
man, thus does every man nourish the Devas. If only one beast is taken away, it
is not pleasant; how much more when many are taken! Therefore it is not pleasant
to the Devas that men should know this.
11.
Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, one only. That being one, was not
strong enough. It created still further the most excellent Kshatra (power), viz.
those Kshatras (powers) among the Devas, Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parganya,
Yama, Mrityu, Isana. Therefore there is nothing beyond the Kshatra, and
therefore at the Ragasutya sacrifice the Brahmana sits down below the Kshatriya.
He confers that glory on the Kshatra alone. But Brahman is (nevertheless) the
birth-place of the Kshatra. Therefore though a king is exalted, he sits down at
the end (of the sacrifice) below the Brahman, as his birth-place. He who injures
him, injures his own birth-place. He becomes worse, because he has injured one
better than himself.
12. He
was not strong enough. He created the
Vis
(people), the classes of Devas which in their different orders are
called Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, Visve Devas, Maruts.
13. He
was not strong enough. He created the Sudra colour (caste), as Pushan (as
nourisher). This earth verily is Pushan (the nourisher); for the earth nourishes
all this whatsoever.
14. He
was not strong enough. He created still further the most excellent Law (dharma).
Law is the Kshatra (power) of the Kshatra, therefore there is nothing higher
than the Law. Thenceforth even a weak man rules a stronger with the help of the
Law, as with the help of a king. Thus the Law is what is called the true. And if
a man declares what is true, they say he declares the Law; and if he declares
the Law, they say he declares what is true. Thus both are the same.
15.
There are then this Brahman, Kshatra, Vis, and Sudra. Among the Devas that
Brahman existed as Agni (fire) only, among men as Brahmana, as Kshatriya through
the (divine) Kshatriya, as Vaisya through the (divine) Vaisya, as Sudra through
the (divine) Sudra. Therefore people wish for their future state among the Devas
through Agni (the sacrificial fire) only; and among men through the Brahmana,
for in these two forms did Brahman exist.
Now if a
man departs this life without having seen his true future life (in the Self),
then that Self, not being known, does not receive and bless him, as if the Veda
had not been read, or as if a good work had not been done. Nay, even if one who
does not know that (Self), should perform here on earth some great holy work, it
will perish for him in the end. Let a man worship the Self only as his true
state. If a man worships the Self only as his true state, his work does not
perish, for whatever he desires that he gets from that Self.
16. Now
verily this Self (of the ignorant man) is the world of all creatures. In so far
as man sacrifices and pours out libations, he is the world of the Devas; in so
far as he repeats the hymns, &c., he is the world of the Rishis ; in so far as
he offers cakes to the Fathers and tries to obtain offspring, he is the world of
the Fathers; in so far as he gives shelter and food to men, he is the world of
men; in so far as he finds fodder and water for the animals, he is the world of
the animals ; in so far as quadrupeds, birds, and even ants live in his houses,
he is their world. And as every one wishes his own world not to be injured, thus
all beings wish that he who knows this should not be injured. Verily this is
known and has been well reasoned.
17. In
the beginning this was Self alone, one only. He desired, 'Let there be a wife
for me that I may have offspring, and let there be wealth for me that I may
offer sacrifices.' Verily this is the whole desire, and, even if wishing for
more, he would not find it. Therefore now also a lonely person desires, 'Let
there be a wife for me that I may have offspring, and let there be wealth for me
that I may offer sacrifices.' And so long as he does not obtain either of these
things, he thinks he is incomplete. Now his completeness (is made up as
follows): mind is his self (husband); speech the wife; breath the child; the eye
all worldly wealth, for he finds it with the eye, the ear his divine wealth, for
he hears it with the ear. The body (atman) is his work, for with the body he
works. This is the fivefold sacrifice, for fivefold is the animal, fivefold man,
fivefold all this whatsoever. He who knows this, obtains all this.
FIFTH
BRAHMANA.
1. 'When
the father (of creation) had produced by knowledge and penance (work) the seven
kinds of food, one of his (foods) was common to all beings, two he assigned to
the Devas, (1)
'Three
he made for himself, one he gave to the animals. In it all rests, whatsoever
breathes and breathes not. (2)
'Why
then do these not perish, though they are always eaten ? He who knows this
imperishable one, he eats food with his face. (3)
'He goes
even to the Devas, he lives on strength.' (4)
2. When
it is said, that 'the father produced by knowledge and penance the seven kinds
of food,' it is clear that (it was he who) did so. When it is said, that 'one of
his (foods) was common,' then that is that common food of his which is eaten. He
who worships (eats) that (common food), is not removed from evil, for verily
that food is mixed (property)'. When it is said, that 'two he assigned to the
Devas,' that is the huta, which is sacrificed in fire, and the prahuta, which is
given away at a sacrifice. But they also say, the new-moon and full-moon
sacrifices are here intended, and therefore one should not offer them as an
ishti or with a wish.
When it
is said, that 'one he gave to animals,' that is milk. For in the beginning (in
their infancy) both men and animals live on milk. And therefore they either make
a new-born child lick ghrita (butter), or they make it take the breast. And they
call a new-born creature 'atrinada,' i. e. not eating herbs. When it is said,
that 'in it all rests, whatsoever breathes and breathes not,' we see that all
this, whatsoever breathes and breathes not, rests and depends on milk.
And when
it is said (in another Brahmana), that a man who sacrifices with milk a whole
year, overcomes death again, let him not think so. No, on the very day on which
he sacrifices, on that day he overcomes death again; for he who knows this,
offers to the gods the entire food (viz. milk).
When it
is said, 'Why do these not perish, though they are always eaten,' we answer,
Verily, the Person is the imperishable, and he produces that food again and
again.
When it
is said, 'He who knows this imperishable one,' then, verily, the Person is the
imperishable one, for he produces this food by repeated thought, and whatever he
does not work by his works, that perishes.
When it
is said, that 'he eats food with his face,' then face means the mouth, he eats
it with his mouth.
When it
is said, that 'he goes even to the Devas, he lives on strength,'that is meant as
praise.
3. When
it is said, that 'he made three for himself,' that means that he made mind ,
speech, and breath for himself. As people say, 'My mind was elsewhere, I did not
see; my mind was elsewhere, I did not hear,' it is clear that a man sees with
his mind and hears with his mind. Desire, representation, doubt, faith, want of
faith, memory, forgetfulness, shame, reflexion, fear, all this is mind.
Therefore even if a man is touched on the back, he knows it through the mind.
Whatever
sound there is, that is speech. Speech indeed is intended for an end or object,
it is nothing by itself.
The
up-breathing, the down-breathing, the back-breathing, the out-breathing, the
on-breathing, all that is breathing is breath (prana) only. Verily that Self
consists of it; that Self consists of speech, mind, and breath.
4. These
are the three worlds: earth is speech, sky mind, heaven breath.
5. These
are the three Vedas: the Rig-veda is speech, the Yagur-veda mind, the Sama-veda
breath.
6. These
are the Devas, Fathers, and men: the Devas are speech, the Fathers mind, men
breath.
7. These
are father, mother, and child: the father is mind, the mother speech, the child
breath.
8. These
are what is known, what is to be known, and what is unknown.
What is
known, has the form of speech, for speech is known. Speech, having become this,
protects man.
9. What
is to be known, has the form of mind, for mind is what is to be known. Mind,
having become this, protects man.
10. What
is unknown, has the form of breath, for breath is unknown. Breath, having become
this, protects man.
11. Of
that speech (which is the food of Pragapati) earth is the body, light the form,
viz. this fire. And so far as speech extends, so far extends the earth, so far
extends fire.
12.
Next, of this mind heaven is the body, light the form, viz. this sun. And so far
as this mind extends, so far extends heaven, so far extends the sun. If they
(fire and sun) embrace each other, then wind is born, and that is Indra, and he
is without a rival. Verily a second is a rival, and he who knows this, has no
rival.
13.
Next, of this breath water is the body, light the form, viz. this moon. And so
far as this breath extends, so far extends water, so far extends the moon.
These
are all alike, all endless. And he who worships them as finite, obtains a finite
world, but he who worships them as infinite, obtains an infinite world.
14. That
Pragapati is the year, and he consists of sixteen digits. The nights indeed are
his fifteen digits, the fixed point his sixteenth digit. He is increased and
decreased by the nights. Having on the new-moon night entered with the sixteenth
part into everything that has life, he is thence born again in the morning.
Therefore let no one cut off the life of any living thing on that night, not
even of a lizard, in honour (pugartham) of that deity.
15. Now
verily that Pragapati, consisting of sixteen digits, who is the year, is the
same as a man who knows this. His wealth constitutes the fifteen digits, his
Self the sixteenth digit. He is increased and decreased by that wealth. His Self
is the nave, his wealth the felly. Therefore even if he loses everything, if he
lives but with his Self, people say, he lost the felly (which can be restored
again).
16. Next
there are verily three worlds, the world of men, the world of the Fathers, the
world of the Devas. The world of men can be gained by a son only, not by any
other work. By sacrifice the world of the Fathers, by knowledge the world of the
Devas is gained. The world of the Devas is the best of worlds, therefore they
praise knowledge.
17. Next
follows the handing over. When a man thinks he is going to depart, he says to
his son: 'Thou art Brahman (the Veda, so far as acquired by the father); thou
art the sacrifice (so far as performed by the father); thou art the world.' The
son answers: 'I am Brahman, I am the sacrifice, I am the world.' Whatever has
been learnt (by the father) that, taken as one, is Brahman. Whatever sacrifices
there are, they, taken as one, are the sacrifice. Whatever worlds there are,
they, taken as one, are the world. Verily here ends this (what has to be done by
a father, viz. study, sacrifice, &c.) 'He (the son), being all this, preserved
me from this world,' thus he thinks. Therefore they call a son who is instructed
(to do all this), a world-son (lokya), and therefore they instruct him.
When a
father who knows this, departs this world, then he enters into his son together
with his own spirits (with speech, mind, and breath). If there is anything done
amiss by the father, of all that the son delivers him, and therefore he is
called Putra, son. By help of his son the father stands firm in this world. Then
these divine immortal spirits (speech, mind, and breath) enter into him.
18. From
the earth and from fire, divine speech enters into him. And verily that is
divine speech whereby, whatever he says, comes to be.
19. From
heaven and the sun, divine mind enters into him. And verily that is divine mind
whereby he becomes joyful, and grieves no more.
20. From
water and the moon, divine breath (spirit) enters into him. And verily that is
divine breath which, whether moving or not moving, does not tire, and therefore
does not perish. He who knows this, becomes the Self of all beings. As that
deity (Hiranyagarbha) is, so does he become. And as all beings honour that deity
(with sacrifice, &c.), so do all beings honour him who knows this.
Whatever
grief these creatures suffer, that is all one' (and therefore disappears). Only
what is good approaches him; verily, evil does not approach the Devas.
21. Next
follows the consideration of the observances (acts). Pragapati created the
actions (active senses). When they had been created, they strove among
themselves. Voice held, I shall speak; the eye held, I shall see; the ear held,
I shall hear; and thus the other actions too, each according to its own act.
Death, having become weariness, took them and seized them. Having seized them,
death held them back (from their work). Therefore speech grows weary, the eye
grows weary, the ear grows weary. But death did not seize the central breath.
Then the others tried to know him, and said: 'Verily, he is the best of us, he
who, whether moving or not, does not tire and does not perish. Well, let all of
us assume his form.' Thereupon they all assumed his form, and therefore they are
called after him 'breaths' (spirits).
In
whatever family there is a man who knows this, they call that family after his
name. And he who strives with one who knows this, withers away and finally dies.
So far with regard to the body.
22. Now
with regard to the deities.
Agni
(fire) held, I shall burn; Aditya (the sun) held, I shall warm; Kandramas (the
moon) held, I shall shine; and thus also the other deities, each according to
the deity. And as it was with the central breath among the breaths, so it was
with Vayu, the wind among those deities. The other deities fade, not Vayu. Vayu
is the deity that never sets.
23. And
here there is this Sloka:
' He
from whom the sun rises, and into whom it sets' (he verily rises from the
breath, and sets in the breath)
'Him the
Devas made the law, he only is to-day, and he to-morrow also' (whatever these
Devas determined then, that they perform to-day also').
Therefore let a man perform one observance only, let him breathe up and let him
breathe down, that the evil death may not reach him. And when he performs it,
let him try to finish it. Then he obtains through it union and oneness with that
deity (with prana).
SIXTH
BRAHMANA.
I.
Verily this is a triad, name, form, and work. Of these names, that which is
called Speech is the Uktha, (hymn, supposed to mean also origin), for from it
all names arise. It is their saman (song, supposed to mean also sameness), for
it is the same as all names. It is their Brahman (prayer, supposed to mean also
support), for it supports all names.
2. Next,
of the forms, that which is called Eye is the Uktha (hymn), for from it all
forms arise. It is their Saman (song), for it is the same as all forms. It is
their Brahman (prayer), for it supports all forms.
3. Next,
of the works, that which is called Body is the Uktha (hymn), for from it all
works arise. It is theirsaman (song), for it is the same as all works. It is
their Brahman (prayer), for it supports all works.
That
being a triad is one, viz. this Self; and the Self, being one, is that triad.
This is the immortal, covered by the true. Verily breath is the immortal, name
and form are the true, and by them the immortal is covered.
SECOND
ADHYAYA.
FIRST
BRAHMANA.
I. There
I was formerly the proud Gargya Balaki, a man of great reading. He said to
Agatasatru of Kasi, 'Shall I tell you Brahman?' Agatasatru said: 'We give a
thousand (cows) for that speech (of yours), for verily all people run away,
saying, Ganaka (the king of Mithila) is our father (patron).'
2.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the sun, that I adore as Brahman.'
Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily
as the supreme, the head of all beings, the king. Whoso adores him thus, becomes
supreme, the head of all beings, a king.'
3.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the moon (and in the mind), that I adore as
Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore
him verily as the great, clad in white raiment, as Soma, the king.' Whoso adores
him thus, Soma is poured out and poured forth for him day by day, and his food
does not fail.
4.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the lightning (and in the heart), that I
adore as Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this.
I adore him verily as the luminous.' Whoso adores him thus, becomes luminous,
and his offspring becomes luminous.
5.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the ether (and in the ether of the heart),
that I adore as Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on
this. I adore him as what is full, and quiescent.' Whoso adores him thus,
becomes filled with offspring and cattle, and his offspring does not cease from
this world.
6.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the wind (and in the breath), that I adore
as Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I
adore him as Indra Vaikuntha, as the unconquerable army (of the Maruts).' Whoso
adores him thus, becomes victorious, unconquerable, conquering his enemies.
7.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the fire (and in the heart), that I adore as
Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore
him as powerful.' Whoso adores him thus, becomes powerful, and his offspring
becomes powerful.
8.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the water (in seed, and in the heart), that
I adore as Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on
this. I adore him as likeness.' Whoso adores him thus, to him comes what is
likely (or proper), not what is improper; what is born from him, is like unto
him 1.
9.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the mirror, that I adore as Brahman.'
Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily
as the brilliant.' Whoso adores him thus, he becomes brilliant, his offspring
becomes brilliant, and with whomsoever he comes together, he outshines them.
10.
Gargya said: 'The sound that follows a man while he moves, that I adore as
Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore
him verily as life.' Whoso adores him thus, he reaches his full age in this
world, breath does not leave him before the time.
11.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in space, that I adore as Brahman.' Agatasatru
said to him : ' No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily as the
second who never leaves us.' Whoso adores him thus, becomes possessed of a
second, his party is not cut off from him.
12.
Gargya said: 'The person that consists of the shadow, that I adore as Brahman.'
Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily
as death.' Whoso adores him thus, he reaches his whole age in this world, death
does not approach him before the time.
13.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the body, that I adore as Brahman.'
Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily
as embodied.' Whoso adores him thus, becomes embodied, and his offspring becomes
embodied.
Then
Gargya became silent.
14.
Agatasatru said: 'Thus far only?' 'Thus far only,' he replied. Agatasatru said:
'This does not suffice to know it (the true Brahman).' Gargya replied : 'Then
let me come to you, as a pupil.'
15.
Agatasatru said: ' Verily, it is unnatural that a Brahmana should come to a
Kshatriya, hoping that he should tell him the Brahman. However, I shall make you
know him clearly,' thus saying he took him by the hand and rose.
And the
two together came to a person who was asleep. He called him by these names,
'Thou, great one, clad in white raiment, Soma, King.' He did not rise. Then
rubbing him with his hand, he woke him, and he arose.
16.
Agatasatru said: 'When this man was thus asleep, where was then the person (purusha),
the intelligent ? and from whence did he thus come back?' Gargya did not know
this ?
17.
Agatasatru said: 'When this man was thus asleep, then the intelligent person (purusha),
having through the intelligence of the senses (pranas) absorbed within himself
all intelligence, lies in the ether, which is in the heart. When he takes in
these different kinds of intelligence, then it is said that the man sleeps (svapiti).
Then the breath is kept in, speech is kept in, the ear is kept in, the eye is
kept in, the mind is kept in.
18 But
when he moves about in sleep (and dream), then these are his worlds. He is, as
it were, a great king; he is, as it were, a great Brahmana; he rises, as it
were, and he falls. And as a great king might keep in his own subjects, and move
about, according to his pleasure, within his own domain, thus does that person
(who is endowed with intelligence) keep in the various senses (pranas) and move
about, according to his pleasure, within his own body (while dreaming).
19.
Next, when he is in profound sleep, and knows nothing, there are the seventy-two
thousand arteries called Hita, which from the heart spread through the body.
Through them he moves forth and rests in the surrounding body. And as a young
man, or a great king, or a great Brahmana, having reached the summit of
happiness, might rest, so does he then rest.
2o. As
the spider comes out with its thread, or as small sparks come forth from fire,
thus do all senses, all worlds, all Devas, all beings come forth from that Self.
The Upanishad (the true name and doctrine) of that Self is 'the True of the
True.' Verily the senses are the true, and he is the true of the true.
SECOND
BRAHMANA.
1.
Verily he who knows the babe with his place, his chamber, his post, and his
rope, he keeps off the seven relatives who hate him. Verily by the young is
meant the inner life, by his place this (body), by his chamber this (head), by
his post the vital breath, by his rope the food.
2. Then
the seven imperishable ones approach him. There are the red lines in the eye,
and by them Rudra clings to him. There is the water in the eye, and by it
Parganya clings to him. There is the pupil, and by it Aditya (sun) clings to
him. There is the dark iris, and by it Agni clings to him. There is the white
eye-ball, and by it Indra, clings to him. With the lower eye-lash the earth,
with the upper eye-lash the heaven clings to him. He who knows this, his food
does never perish.
3. On
this there is this Sloka:
'There
is a cup having its mouth below and its bottom above. Manifold glory has been
placed into it. On its lip sit the seven Rishis, the tongue as the eighth
communicates with Brahman.' What is called the cup having its mouth below and
its bottom above is this head, for its mouth (the mouth) is below, its bottom
(the skull) is above. When it is said that manifold glory has been placed into
it, the senses verily are manifold glory, and he therefore means the senses.
When he says that the seven Rishis sit on its lip, the Rishis are verily the
(active) senses, and he means the senses. And when he says that the tongue as
the eighth communicates with Brahman, it is because the tongue, as the eighth,
does communicate with Brahman.
4. These
two (the two ears) are the Rishis Gautama and Bharadvaga; the right Gautama, the
left Bharadvaga. These two (the eyes) are the Rishis Vvisvamitra and Gamadagni;
the right Visvamitra, the left Gamadagni. These two (the nostrils) are the
Rishis Vasishtha and Kasyapa; the right Vasishtha, the left Kasyapa. The tongue
is Atri, for with the tongue food is eaten, and Atri is meant for Atti, eating.
He who knows this, becomes an eater of everything, and everything becomes his
food.
THIRD
BRAHMANA.
1. There
are two forms of Brahman, the material and the immaterial, the mortal and the
immortal, the solid and the fluid, sat (being) and tya (that), (i.e. sat-tya,
true).
2.
Everything except air and sky is material, is mortal, is solid, is definite. The
essence of that which is material, which is mortal, which is solid, which is
definite is the sun that shines, for he is the essence of sat (the definite).
3. But
air and sky are immaterial, are immortal, are fluid, are indefinite. The essence
of that which is immaterial, which is immortal, which is fluid, which is
indefinite is the person in the disk of the sun, for he is the essence of tyad
(the indefinite). So far with regard to the Devas.
4. Now
with regard to the body. Everything except the breath and the ether within the
body is material, is mortal, is solid, is definite. The essence of that which is
material, which is mortal, which is solid, which is definite is the Eye, for it
is the essence of sat (the definite).
5. But
breath and the ether within the body are immaterial, are immortal, are fluid,
are indefinite. The essence of that which is immaterial, which is immortal,
which is fluid, which is indefinite is the person in the right eye, for he is
the essence of tyad (the indefinite).
6. And
what is the appearance of that person ? Like a saffron-coloured raiment, like
white wool, like cochineal, like the flame of fire, like the white lotus, like
sudden lightning. He who knows this, his glory is like unto sudden lightning.
Next
follows the teaching (of Brahman) by No, no! for there is nothing else higher
than this (if one says): 'It is not so.' Then comes the name 'the True of the
True,' the senses being the True, and he (the Brahman) the True of them.
FOURTH
BRAHMANA.
1. Now
when Yagnavalkya was going to enter upon another state, he said: 'Maitreyi,
verily I am going away from this my house (into the forest). Forsooth, let me
make a settlement between thee and that Katyayani (my other wife).'
2.
Maitreyi said: 'My Lord, if this whole earth, full of wealth, belonged to me,
tell me, should I be immortal by it?'
'No,'
replied Yagnavalkya; 'like the life of rich people will be thy life. But there
is no hope of immortality by wealth.'
3. And
Maitreyi said: 'What should I do with that by which I do not become immortal?
What my Lord knoweth (of immortality), tell that to me.'
4.
Yagnavalkya replied: 'Thou who art truly dear to me, thou speakest dear words.
Come, sit down, I will explain it to thee, and mark well what I say.'
5. And
he said: 'Verily, a husband is not dear, that you may love the husband; but that
you may love the Self, therefore a husband is dear.
'Verily,
a wife is not dear, that you may love the wife; but that you may love the Self,
therefore a wife is dear.
'Verily,
sons are not dear, that you may love the sons; but that you may love the Self,
therefore sons are dear.
'Verily,
wealth is not dear, that you may love wealth; but that you may love the Self,
therefore wealth is dear.
'Verily,
the Brahman-class is not dear, that you may love the Brahman-class; but that you
may love the Self, therefore the Brahman-class is dear.
'Verily,
the Kshatra-class is not dear, that you may love the Kshatra-class; but that you
may love the Self, therefore the Kshatra-class is dear.
'Verily,
the worlds are not dear, that you may love the worlds; but that you may love the
Self, therefore the worlds are dear.
'Verily,
the Devas are not dear, that you may love the Devas; but that you may love the
Self, therefore the Devas are dear'.
'Verily,
creatures are not dear, that you may love the creatures; but that you may kve
the Self, therefore are creatures dear.
'Verily,
everything is not dear that you may love everything; but that you may love the
Self, therefore everything is dear.
'Verily,
the Self is to be seen, to be heard, to be perceived, to be marked, O Maitreyi!
When we see, hear, perceive, and know the Self, then all this is known.
6.
'Whosoever looks for the Brahman-class elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned
by the Brahman-class. Whosoever looks for the Kshatra-class elsewhere than in
the Self, was abandoned by the Kshatra-class. Whosoever looks for the worlds
elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the worlds. Whosoever looks for the
Devas elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the Devas. Whosoever looks
for creatures elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the creatures.
Whosoever looks for anything elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by
everything. This Brahman-class, this Kshatra-class, these worlds, these Devas,
these creatures, this everything, all is that Self.
7. 'Now
as the sounds of a drum, when beaten, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the drum is seized or the beater of
the drum;
8. 'And
as the sounds of a conch-shell, when blown, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the shell is seized or the blower of
the shell;
9. 'And
as the sounds of a lute, when played, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the lute is seized or the player of
the lute;
10. 'As
clouds of smoke proceed by themselves out of a lighted fire kindled with damp
fuel, thus, verily, O Maitreyi, has been breathed forth from this great Being
what we have as Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sama-veda, Atharvangirasas, Itihasa
(legends), Purana (cosmogonies), Vidya (knowledge), the Upanishads, Slokas
(verses), Sutras (prose rules), Anuvyakhyanas (glosses), Vyakhyanas
(commentaries)'. From him alone all these were breathed forth.
11. 'As
all waters find their centre in the sea, all touches in the skin, all tastes in
the tongue, all smells in the nose, all colours in the eye, all sounds in the
ear, all percepts in the mind, all knowledge in the heart, all actions in the
hands, all movements in the feet, and all the Vedas in speech,-
12. 'As
a lump of salt, when thrown into water, becomes dissolved into water, and could
not be taken out again, but wherever we taste (the water) it is salt,-thus
verily, O Maitreyi, does this great Being, endless, unlimited, consisting of
nothing but knowledge', rise from out these elements, and vanish again in them.
When he has departed, there is no more knowledge (name), I say,O Maitreyi.' Thus
spoke Yagnavalkya.
13. Then
Maitreyi said: 'Here thou hast bewildered me, Sir, when thou sayest that having
departed, there is no more knowledge.'
ButYagnavalkya replied: 'O Maitreyi, I say nothing that is bewildering. This is
enough, O beloved, for wisdom.
'For
when there is as it were duality, then one sees the other, one smells the other,
one hears the other, one salutes the other, one perceives the other, one knows
the other; but when the Self only is all this, how should he smell another, how
should he see another, how should he hear another, how should he salute another,
how should he perceive another, how should he know another? How should he know
Him by whom he knows all this?
How, O
beloved, should he know (himself), the Knower?'
FIFTH
BRAHMANA.
I. This
earth is the honey (madhu, the effect) of all beings, and all beings are the
honey (madhu, the effect) of this earth. Likewise this bright, immortal person
in this earth, and that bright immortal person incorporated in the body (both
are madhu). He indeed is the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman,
that All.
2. This
water is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this water.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this water, and that bright, immortal
person, existing as seed in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same as
that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
3. This
fire is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this fire.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this fire, and that bright, immortal
person, existing as speech in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same
as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
4. This
air is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this air.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this air, and that bright, immortal
person existing as breath in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same as
that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
5. This
sun is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this sun.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this sun, and that bright, immortal
person existing as the eye in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same
as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
6. This
space (disah, the quarters) is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the
honey of this space. Likewise this bright, immortal person in this space, and
that bright, immortal person existing as the ear in the body (both are madhu).
He indeed is the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
7. This
moon is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this moon.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this moon, and that bright, immortal
person existing as mind in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same as
that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
8. This
lightning is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
lightning. Likewise this bright, immortal person in this lightning, and that
bright, immortal person existing as light in the body (both are madhu). He
indeed is the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
9. This
thunder is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
thunder. Likewise this bright, immortal person in this thunder, and that bright,
immortal person existing as sound and voice in the body (both are madhu). He
indeed is the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
10. This
ether is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this ether.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this ether, and that bright, immortal
person existing as heart-ether in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the
same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
11. This
law (dharmah) is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
law. Likewise this bright, immortal person in this law, and that bright,
immortal person existing as law in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the
same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
12. This
true (satyam) is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
true. Likewise this bright, immortal person in what is true, and that bright,
immortal person existing as the true in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is
the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
13. This
mankind is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
mankind. Likewise this bright, immortal person in mankind, and that bright,
immortal person existing as man in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the
same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
14. This
Self is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this Self.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this Self, and that bright, immortal
person, the Self (both are madhu). He indeed is the same as that Self, that
Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
15. And
verily this Self is the lord of all beings, the king of all beings. And as all
spokes are contained in the axle and in the felly of a wheel, all beings, and
all those selfs (of the earth, water, &c.) are contained in that Self.
16.
Verily Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed this honey (the madhu-vidya) to the two
Asvins, and a Rishi, seeing this, said (Rv. I, 116, 12):
'O ye
two heroes (Asvins), I make manifest that fearful deed of yours (which you
performed) for the sake of gain', like as thunder makes manifest the rain. The
honey (madhu-vidya) which Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed to you through the head
of a horse,' . . .
17.
Verily Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed this honey to the two Asvins, and a Rishi,
seeing this, said (Rv. I, 117, 22):
'O
Asvins, you fixed a horse's head on Atharvana Dadhyak, and he, wishing to be
true (to his promise), proclaimed to you the honey, both that of Tvashiri and
that which is to be your secret, O ye strong ones.
18.
Verily Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed this honey to the two Asvins, and a Rishi,
seeing this, said:
'He (the
Lord) made bodies with two feet, he made bodies with four feet. Having first
become a bird, he entered the bodies as purusha (as the person).' This very
purusha is in all bodies the purisaya, i.e. he who lies in the body (and is
therefore called purusha). There is nothing that is not covered by him, nothing
that is not filled by him.
19.
Verily Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed this honey to the two Asvins, and a Rishi,
seeing this, said (Rv. VI, 47, 18):
'He (the
Lord) became like unto every form, and this is meant to reveal the (true) form
of him (the Atman). Indra (the Lord) appears multiform through the mayas
(appearances), for his horses (senses) are yoked, hundreds and ten.'
This
(Atman) is the horses, this (Atman) is the ten, and the thousands, many and
endless. This is the Brahman, without cause and without effect, without anything
inside or outside; this Self is Brahman, omnipresent and omniscient. This is the
teaching (of the Upanishads).
SIXTH
BRAHMANA.
1. Now
follows the stem:
1
Pautimashya from Gaupavana,
2.
Gaupavana from Pautimashya,
3
Pautimashya from Gaupavana,
4.
Gaupavana from Kausika,
5.
Kausika from Kaundinya,
6.
Kaundinya from Sandilya,
7.
Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama,
8.
Gautama,
2. from
Agnivesya,
9.
Agnivesya from Sandilya and Anabhimlata,
10.
Sandilya and Anabhimlata from Anabhimlata,
11.
Anabhimlata from Anabhimlata,
12.
Anabhimliata from Gautama,
13.
Gautama from Saitava and Prakinayogya,
14.
Saitava and Prakinayogya from Parasarya,
15.
Parasarya from Bharadvaga,
16.
Bharadvaga from Bharadvaga and Gautama,
17.
Gautama from Bharadvaga,
18.
Bharadvaga from Parasarya,
19.
Parasarya from Vaigavapayana,
20.
Vaigavapayana from Kausikayani,
21.
Kausikayani
3. from
Ghritakausika,
22.
Ghritakausika from Parasaryayana,
23.
Parasaryayana from Parasarya,
24.
Parasarya from Gatukarnya,
25.
Gatukarnya from Asurayana and Yaska
26.
Asurayana and Yaska from Traivani,
27.
Traivani from Aupagandhani,
28.
Aupagandhani from Asuri,
29.
Asuri from Bharadvaga,
30.
Bharadvaga from Atreya,
31.
Atreya from Manti,
32.
Manti from Gautama,
33..
Gautama from Gautama,
34.
Gautama from Vatsya,
35.
Vatsya from Sandilya,
36.
Sandilya from Kaisorya Kapya,
37.
Kaisorya Kapya from Kumaraharita,
38.
Kumaraharita from Galava,
39.
Galava from Vidarbhi-kaundinya,
40.
Vidarbi- kaundinya from Vatsanapat Babhrava,
41.
Vatsanapat Babhrava from Pathi Saubhara,
42.
Pathi Saubhara from Ayasya Angirasa,
43.
Ayasya Angirasa from Abhuti Tvashtra,
44.
Abhuti Tvashtra from Visvarupa Tvashtra,
45.
Visvarupa Tvashtra from Asvinau,
46.
Asvinau from Dadhyak Atharvana,
47.
Dadhyak Atharvana from Atharvan Daiva,
48.
Atharvan Daiva from Mrityu Pradhvamsana,
49.
Mrityu Pradhvamsana from Pradhvamsana,
50.
Pradhvamsana from Ekarshi,
51.
Ekarshi from Viprakitti
52.
Viprakitti from Vyashti,
53.
Vyashti from Sanaru,
54.
Sanaru from Sanatana,
55.
Sanatana from Sanaga,
56.
Sanaga from Parameshthin
57.
Parameshthin from Brahman,
58.
Brahman is Svayambhu, self-existent.
Adoration to Brahman.
BRIHADARANYAKA-UPANISHAD Part 1
FIRST
ADHYAYA.
FIRST
BRAHMANA.
1.
Verily the dawn is the head of the horse which is fit for sacrifice, the sun its
eye, the wind its breath, the mouth the Vaisvanara fire, the year the body of
the sacrificial horse. Heaven is the back, the sky the belly, the earth the
chest, the quarters the two sides, the intermediate quarters the ribs, the
members the seasons, the joints the months and half-months, the feet days and
nights, the bones the stars, the flesh the clouds. The half-digested food is the
sand, the rivers the bowels, the liver and the lungs the mountains, the hairs
the herbs and trees. As the sun rises, it is the forepart, as it sets, the
hindpart of the horse. When the horse shakes itself, then it lightens; when it
kicks, it thunders; when it makes water, it rains; voice is its voice.
2.
Verily Day arose after the horse as the (golden) vessel, called Mahiman
(greatness), which (at the sacrifice) is placed before the horse. Its place is
in the Eastern sea. The Night arose after the horse, as the (silver) vessel,
called Mahiman, which (at the sacrifice) is placed behind the horse. Its place
is in the Western sea. Verily, these two vessels (or greatnesses) arose to be on
each side of the horse.
As a
racer he carried the Devas, as a stallion the Gandharvas, as a runner the Asuras,
as a horse men. The sea is its kin, the sea is its birthplace.
SECOND
BRAHMANA.
1. In
the beginning there was nothing (to be perceived) here whatsoever. By Death
indeed all this was concealed,-by hunger; for death is hunger. Death (the first
being) thought, 'Let me have a body.' Then he moved about, worshipping. From him
thus worshipping water was produced. And he said: 'Verily, there appeared to me,
while I worshipped (arkate), water (ka).' This is why water is called ar-ka.
Surely there is water (or pleasure) for him who thus knows the reason why water
is called arka.
2.
Verily water is arka. And what was there as the froth of the water, that was
hardened, and became the earth. On that earth he (Death) rested, and from him,
thus resting and heated, Agni (Virag) proceeded, full of light.
3. That
being divided itself threefold, Aditya (the sun) as the third, and vayu (the
air) as the third. That spirit (prana) became threefold. The head was the
Eastern quarter, and the arms this and that quarter (i. e. the N. E. and S. E.,
on the left and right sides). Then the tail was the Western quarter, and the two
legs this and that quarter (i.e. the N. W. and S. W.) The sides were the
Southern and Northern quarters, the back heaven, the belly the sky, the dust the
earth. Thus he (Mrityu, as arka) stands firm in the water, and he who knows this
stands firm wherever he goes.
4. He
desired, 'Let a second body be born of me,' and he (Death or Hunger) embraced
Speech in his mind. Then the seed became the year. Before that time there was no
year. Speech bore him so long as a year, and after that time sent him forth.
Then when he was born, he (Death) opened his mouth, as if to swallow him. He
cried Bhan! and that became speech.
5. He
thought, 'If I kill him, 1 shall have but little food.' He therefore brought
forth by that speech and by that body (the year) all whatsoever exists, the Rik,
the Yagus, the saman, the metres, the sacrifices, men, and animals.
And
whatever he (Death) brought forth, that he resolved to eat (ad). Verily because
he eats everything, therefore is Aditi (Death) called Aditi. He who thus knows
why Aditi is called Aditi, becomes an eater of everything, and everything
becomes his food.
6. He
desired to sacrifice again with a greater sacrifice. He toiled and performed
penance. And while he toiled and performed penance, glorious power went out of
him. Verily glorious power means the senses (prana). Then when the senses had
gone out, the body took to swelling (sva-yitum), and mind was in the body.
7. He
desired that this body should be fit for sacrifice (medhya), and that he should
be embodied by it. Then he became a horse (asva), because it swelled (asvat),
and was fit for sacrifice (medhya); and this is why the horse-sacrifice is
called Asva-medha.
Verily
he who knows him thus, knows the Asva-medha. Then, letting the horse free, he
thought, and at the end of a year he offered it up for himself, while he gave up
the (other) animals to the deities. Therefore the sacrificers offered up the
purified horse belonging to Pragapati, (as dedicated) to all the deities.
Verily
the shining sun is the Asvamedha-sacrifice, and his body is the year; Agni is
the sacrificial fire (arka), and these worlds are his bodies. These two are the
sacrificial fire and the Asvamedha-sacrifice, and they are again one deity, viz.
Death. He (who knows this) overcomes another death, death does not reach him,
death is his Self, he becomes one of those deities.
THIRD
BRAHMANA.
I. There
were two kinds of descendants of Pragapati, the Devas and the Asuras. Now the
Devas were indeed the younger, the Asuras the elder ones. The Devas, who were
struggling in these worlds, said: 'Well, let us overcome the Asuras at the
sacrifices (the Gyotishtoma) by means of the udgitha.'
2. They
said to speech (Vak): 'Do thou sing out for us (the udgitha).' 'Yes,' said
speech, and sang (the udgitha). Whatever delight there is in speech, that she
obtained for the Devas by singing (the three pavamanas); but that she pronounced
well (in the other nine pavamanas), that was for herself. The Asuras knew:
'Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore rushed at
the singer and pierced her with evil. That evil which consists in saying what is
bad, that is that evil.
3. Then
they (the Devas) said to breath (scent): 'Do thou sing out for us.' 'Yes,' said
breath, and sang. Whatever delight there is in breath (smell), that he obtained
for the Devas by singing; but that he smelled well, that was for himself. The
Asuras knew: 'Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore
rushed at the singer, and pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in
smelling what is bad, that is that evil.
4. Then
they said to the eye: 'Do thou sing out for us.' 'Yes,' said the eye, and sang.
Whatever delight there is in the eye, that he obtained for the Devas by singing;
but that he saw well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew: 'Verily, through
this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore rushed at the singer, and
pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in seeing what is bad, that is
that evil.
5. Then
they said to the ear: 'Do thou sing out for us.' 'Yes,' said the ear, and sang.
Whatever delight there is in the ear, that he obtained for the Devas by singing;
but that he heard well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew: 'Verily, through
this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore rushed at the singer, and
pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in hearing what is bad, that is
that evil.
6. Then
they said to the mind: 'Do thou sing out for us.' 'Yes,' said the mind, and
sang. Whatever delight there is in the mind, that he obtained for the Devas by
singing; but that he thought well, that was for himself. The Asuras knew:
'Verily, through this singer they will overcome us.' They therefore rushed at
the singer, and pierced him with evil. That evil which consists in thinking what
is bad, that is that evil.
Thus
they overwhelmed these deities with evils, thus they pierced them with evil.
7. Then
they said to the breath in the mouth I: 'Do thou sing for us.' 'Yes,' said the
breath, and sang. The Asuras knew: 'Verily, through this singer they will
overcome us.' They therefore rushed at him and pierced him with evil. Now as a
ball of earth will be scattered when hitting a stone, thus they perished,
scattered in all directions. Hence the Devas rose, the Asuras fell. He who knows
this, rises by his self, and the enemy who hates him falls.
8. Then
they (the Devas) said: 'Where was he then who thus stuck to us?' It was (the
breath) within the mouth (asye 'ntar) , and therefore called Ayasya; he was the
sap (rasa) of the limbs (anga), and therefore called Angirasa.
9. That
deity was called Dyr, because Death was far (duran) from it. From him who knows
this, Death is far off.
10. That
deity, after having taken away the evil of those deities, viz. death, sent it to
where the end of the quarters of the earth is. There he deposited their sins.
Therefore let no one go to a man, let no one go to the end (of the quarters of
the earth), that he may not meet there with evil, with death.
11. That
deity, after having taken away the evil of those deities, viz. death, carried
them beyond death.
12. He
carried speech across first. When speech had become freed from death, it became
(what it had been before) Agni (fire). That Agni, after having stepped beyond
death, shines.
13. Then
he carried breath (scent) across. When breath had become freed from death, it
became vayu (air). That vayu, after having stepped beyond death, blows.
14. Then
he carried the eye across. When the eye had become freed from death, it became
Aditya (the sun). That Aditya, after having stepped beyond death, burns.
15. Then
he carried the ear across. When the ear had become freed from death, it became
the quarters (space). These are our quarters (space), which have stepped beyond
death.
16. Then
he carried the mind across. When the mind had become freed from death, it became
the moon (Kandramas). That moon, after having stepped beyond death, shines. Thus
does that deity carry him, who knows this, across death.
17. Then
breath (vital), by singing, obtained for himself eatable food. For whatever food
is eaten, is eaten by breath alone, and in it breath rests.
The
Devas said: 'Verily, thus far, whatever food there is, thou hast by singing
acquired it for thyself. Now therefore give us a share in that food.' He said:
'You there, enter into me.' They said Yes, and entered all into him. Therefore
whatever food is eaten by breath, by it the other senses are satisfied.
18. If a
man knows this, then his own relations come to him in the same manner; he
becomes their supporter, their chief leader, their strong ruler. And if ever any
one tries to oppose one who is possessed of such knowledge among his own
relatives, then he will not be able to support his own belongings. But he who
follows the man who is possessed of such knowledge, and who with his permission
wishes to support those whom he has to support, he indeed will be able to
support his own belongings.
19. He
was called Ayasya Angirasa, for he is the sap (rasa) of the limbs (anga).
Verily, breath is the sap of the limbs. Yes, breath is the sap of the limbs.
Therefore from whatever limb breath goes away, that limb withers, for breath
verily is the sap of the limbs.
20. He
(breath) is also Brihaspati, for speech is Brihati (Rig-veda), and he is her
lord; therefore he is Brihaspati.
21. He
(breath) is also Brahmaxaspati, for speech is Brahman (Yagur-veda), and he is
her lord; therefore he is Brahmanaspati.
He
(breath) is also saman (the Udgitha), for speech is Saman (sama-veda), and that
is both speech (sa) and breath (ama)'. This is why saman is called saman.
2 2. Or
because he is equal (sama) to a grub, equal
to a
gnat, equal to an elephant, equal to these three worlds, nay, equal to this
universe, therefore he is Saman. He who thus knows this saman, obtains union and
oneness with saman.
23. He
(breath) is Udgitha 2 . Breath verily is U t, for by breath this universe is
upheld (uttabdha) ; and speech is Githa, song. And because he is ut and githa,
therefore he (breath) is Udgitha.
24. And
thus Brahmadatta, Kaikitaneya (the grandson of Kikitana), while taking Soma (ragan),
said: 'May this Soma strike my head off, if Ayasya Ang,irasa sang another
Udgitha than this. He sang it indeed as speech and breath.'
25. He
who knows what is the property of this saman, obtains property. Now verily its
property is tone only. Therefore let a priest, who is going to perform the
sacrificial work of a Sama-singer, desire that his voice may have a good tone,
and let him perform the sacrifice with a voice that is in good tone. Therefore
people (who want a priest) for a sacrifice, look out for one who possesses a
good voice, as for one who possesses property. He who thus knows what is the
property of that saman, obtains property.
26. He
who knows what is the gold of that Saman, obtains gold. Now verily its gold is
tone only. He who thus knows what is the gold of that saman, obtains gold.
27. He
who knows what is the support of that saman, he is supported. Now verily its
support is speech only. For, as supported in speech, that breath is sung as that
saman. Some say the support is in food.
Next
follows the Abhyaroha (the ascension) of the Pavamana verses. Verily the
Prastotri begins to sing the saman, and when he begins, then let him (the
sacrificer) recite these (three Yagus-verses):
'Lead me
from the unreal to the real! Lead me from darkness to light! Lead me from death
to immortality!'
Now when
he says,' Lead me from the unreal to the real,' the unreal is verily death, the
real immortality. He therefore says, 'Lead me from death to immortality, make me
immortal.'
When he
says,'Lead me from darkness to light,' darkness is verily death, light
immortality. He therefore says, 'Lead me from death to immortality, make me
immortal.'
When he
says,'Lead me from death to immortality,' there is nothing there, as it were,
hidden (obscure, requiring explanation).
28. Next
come the other Stotras with which the priest may obtain food for himself by
singing them. Therefore let the sacrificer, while these Stotras are being sung,
ask for a boon, whatever desire he may desire. An Udgatri priest who knows this
obtains by his singing whatever desire he may desire either for himself or for
the sacrificer. This (knowledge) indeed is called the conqueror of the worlds.
He who thus knows this Saman, for him there is no fear of his not being admitted
to the worlds.
FOURTH
BRAHMANA.
1. In
the beginning this was Self alone, in the shape of a person (purusha). He
looking round saw nothing but his Self. He first said, 'This is I;' therefore he
became I by name. Therefore even now, if a man is asked, he first says, 'This is
I,' and then pronounces the other name which he may have. And because before (purva)
all this, he (the Self) burnt down (ush) all evils, therefore he was a person (pur-usha).
Verily he who knows this, burns down every one who tries to be before him.
2. He
feared, and therefore any one who is lonely fears. He thought, 'As there is
nothing but myself, why should I fear?' Thence his fear passed away. For what
should he have feared? Verily fear arises from a second only.
3. But
he felt no delight. Therefore a man who is lonely feels no delight. He wished
for a second. He was so large as man and wife together. He then made this his
Self to fall in two (pat), and thence arose husband (pati) and wife (patni).
Therefore Yagnavalkya said: 'We two are thus (each of us) like half a shell. '
Therefore the void which was there, is filled by the wife. He embraced her, and
men were born.
4. She
thought,How can he embrace me, after having produced me from himself? I shall
hide myself.'
She then
became a cow, the other became a bull and embraced her, and hence cows were
born. The one became a mare, the other a stallion; the one a male ass, the other
a female ass. He embraced her, and hence one-hoofed animals were born. The one
became a she-goat, the other a he-goat; the one became a ewe, the other a ram.
He embraced her, and hence goats and sheep were born. And thus he created
everything that exists in pairs, down to the ants.
5. He
knew, 'I indeed am this creation, for I created all this.' Hence he became the
creation, and he who knows this lives in this his creation.
6. Next
he thus produced fire by rubbing. From the mouth, as from the fire-hole, and
from the hands he created fire. Therefore both the mouth and the hands are
inside without hair, for the fire-hole is inside without hair.
And when
they say, 'Sacrifice to this or sacrifice to that god,' each god is but his
manifestation, for he is all gods.
Now,
whatever there is moist, that he created from seed; this is Soma. So far verily
is this universe either food or eater. Soma indeed is food, Agni eater. This is
the highest creation of Brahman, when he created the gods from his better part,
and when he, who was (then) mortal, created the immortals. Therefore it was the
highest creation. And he who knows this, lives in this his highest creation.
7. Now
all this was then undeveloped. It became developed by form and name, so that one
could say, 'He, called so and so, is such a one. ' Therefore at present also all
this is developed by name and form, so that one can say,'He, called so and so,
is such a one.'
He
(Brahman or the Self) entered thither, to the very tips of the finger-nails, as
a razor might be fitted in a razor-case, or as fire in a fire-place.
He
cannot be seen, for, in part only, when breathing, he is breath by name; when
speaking, speech by name; when seeing, eye by name; when hearing, ear by name;
when thinking, mind by name. All these are but the names of his acts. And he who
worships (regards) him as the one or the other, does not know him, for he is
apart from this (when qualified) by the one or the other (predicate). Let men
worship him as Self, for in the Self all these are one. This Self is the
footstep of everything, for through it one knows everything. And as one can find
again by footsteps what was lost, thus he who knows this finds glory and praise.
8. This,
which is nearer to us than anything, this Self, is dearer than a son, dearer
than wealth, dearer than all else.
And if
one were to say to one who declares another than the Self dear, that he will
lose what is dear to him, very likely it would be so. Let him worship the Self
alone as dear. He who worships the Self alone as dear, the object of his love
will never perish.
9. Here
they say: 'If men think that by knowledge of Brahman they will become
everything, what then did that Brahman know, from whence all this sprang ?'
10.
Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, that Brahman knew (its) Self only,
saying, 'I am Brahman.' From it all this sprang. Thus, whatever Deva was
awakened (so as to know Brahman), he indeed became that (Brahman); and the same
with Rishis and men. The Rishivamadeva saw and understood it, singing,'I was
Manu (moon), I was the sun.' Therefore now also he who thus knows that he is
Brahman, becomes all this, and even the Devas cannot prevent it, for he himself
is their Self.
Now if a
man worships another deity, thinking the deity is one and he another, he does
not know. He is like a beast for the Devas. For verily, as many beasts nourish a
man, thus does every man nourish the Devas. If only one beast is taken away, it
is not pleasant; how much more when many are taken! Therefore it is not pleasant
to the Devas that men should know this.
11.
Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, one only. That being one, was not
strong enough. It created still further the most excellent Kshatra (power), viz.
those Kshatras (powers) among the Devas, Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parganya,
Yama, Mrityu, Isana. Therefore there is nothing beyond the Kshatra, and
therefore at the Ragasutya sacrifice the Brahmana sits down below the Kshatriya.
He confers that glory on the Kshatra alone. But Brahman is (nevertheless) the
birth-place of the Kshatra. Therefore though a king is exalted, he sits down at
the end (of the sacrifice) below the Brahman, as his birth-place. He who injures
him, injures his own birth-place. He becomes worse, because he has injured one
better than himself.
12. He
was not strong enough. He created the Vis (people), the classes of Devas which
in their different orders are called Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, Visve Devas, Maruts.
13. He
was not strong enough. He created the Sudra colour (caste), as Pushan (as
nourisher). This earth verily is Pushan (the nourisher); for the earth nourishes
all this whatsoever.
14. He
was not strong enough. He created still further the most excellent Law (dharma).
Law is the Kshatra (power) of the Kshatra, therefore there is nothing higher
than the Law. Thenceforth even a weak man rules a stronger with the help of the
Law, as with the help of a king. Thus the Law is what is called the true. And if
a man declares what is true, they say he declares the Law; and if he declares
the Law, they say he declares what is true. Thus both are the same.
15.
There are then this Brahman, Kshatra, Vis, and Sudra. Among the Devas that
Brahman existed as Agni (fire) only, among men as Brahmana, as Kshatriya through
the (divine) Kshatriya, as Vaisya through the (divine) Vaisya, as Sudra through
the (divine) Sudra. Therefore people wish for their future state among the Devas
through Agni (the sacrificial fire) only; and among men through the Brahmana,
for in these two forms did Brahman exist.
Now if a
man departs this life without having seen his true future life (in the Self),
then that Self, not being known, does not receive and bless him, as if the Veda
had not been read, or as if a good work had not been done. Nay, even if one who
does not know that (Self), should perform here on earth some great holy work, it
will perish for him in the end. Let a man worship the Self only as his true
state. If a man worships the Self only as his true state, his work does not
perish, for whatever he desires that he gets from that Self.
16. Now
verily this Self (of the ignorant man) is the world of all creatures. In so far
as man sacrifices and pours out libations, he is the world of the Devas; in so
far as he repeats the hymns, &c., he is the world of the Rishis ; in so far as
he offers cakes to the Fathers and tries to obtain offspring, he is the world of
the Fathers; in so far as he gives shelter and food to men, he is the world of
men; in so far as he finds fodder and water for the animals, he is the world of
the animals ; in so far as quadrupeds, birds, and even ants live in his houses,
he is their world. And as every one wishes his own world not to be injured, thus
all beings wish that he who knows this should not be injured. Verily this is
known and has been well reasoned.
17. In
the beginning this was Self alone, one only. He desired, 'Let there be a wife
for me that I may have offspring, and let there be wealth for me that I may
offer sacrifices.' Verily this is the whole desire, and, even if wishing for
more, he would not find it. Therefore now also a lonely person desires, 'Let
there be a wife for me that I may have offspring, and let there be wealth for me
that I may offer sacrifices.' And so long as he does not obtain either of these
things, he thinks he is incomplete. Now his completeness (is made up as
follows): mind is his self (husband); speech the wife; breath the child; the eye
all worldly wealth, for he finds it with the eye, the ear his divine wealth, for
he hears it with the ear. The body (atman) is his work, for with the body he
works. This is the fivefold sacrifice, for fivefold is the animal, fivefold man,
fivefold all this whatsoever. He who knows this, obtains all this.
FIFTH
BRAHMANA.
1. 'When
the father (of creation) had produced by knowledge and penance (work) the seven
kinds of food, one of his (foods) was common to all beings, two he assigned to
the Devas, (1)
'Three
he made for himself, one he gave to the animals. In it all rests, whatsoever
breathes and breathes not. (2)
'Why
then do these not perish, though they are always eaten ? He who knows this
imperishable one, he eats food with his face. (3)
'He goes
even to the Devas, he lives on strength.' (4)
2. When
it is said, that 'the father produced by knowledge and penance the seven kinds
of food,' it is clear that (it was he who) did so. When it is said, that 'one of
his (foods) was common,' then that is that common food of his which is eaten. He
who worships (eats) that (common food), is not removed from evil, for verily
that food is mixed (property)'. When it is said, that 'two he assigned to the
Devas,' that is the huta, which is sacrificed in fire, and the prahuta, which is
given away at a sacrifice. But they also say, the new-moon and full-moon
sacrifices are here intended, and therefore one should not offer them as an
ishti or with a wish.
When it
is said, that 'one he gave to animals,' that is milk. For in the beginning (in
their infancy) both men and animals live on milk. And therefore they either make
a new-born child lick ghrita (butter), or they make it take the breast. And they
call a new-born creature 'atrinada,' i. e. not eating herbs. When it is said,
that 'in it all rests, whatsoever breathes and breathes not,' we see that all
this, whatsoever breathes and breathes not, rests and depends on milk.
And when
it is said (in another Brahmana), that a man who sacrifices with milk a whole
year, overcomes death again, let him not think so. No, on the very day on which
he sacrifices, on that day he overcomes death again; for he who knows this,
offers to the gods the entire food (viz. milk).
When it
is said, 'Why do these not perish, though they are always eaten,' we answer,
Verily, the Person is the imperishable, and he produces that food again and
again.
When it
is said, 'He who knows this imperishable one,' then, verily, the Person is the
imperishable one, for he produces this food by repeated thought, and whatever he
does not work by his works, that perishes.
When it
is said, that 'he eats food with his face,' then face means the mouth, he eats
it with his mouth.
When it
is said, that 'he goes even to the Devas, he lives on strength,'that is meant as
praise.
3. When
it is said, that 'he made three for himself,' that means that he made mind ,
speech, and breath for himself. As people say, 'My mind was elsewhere, I did not
see; my mind was elsewhere, I did not hear,' it is clear that a man sees with
his mind and hears with his mind. Desire, representation, doubt, faith, want of
faith, memory, forgetfulness, shame, reflexion, fear, all this is mind.
Therefore even if a man is touched on the back, he knows it through the mind.
Whatever
sound there is, that is speech. Speech indeed is intended for an end or object,
it is nothing by itself.
The
up-breathing, the down-breathing, the back-breathing, the out-breathing, the
on-breathing, all that is breathing is breath (prana) only. Verily that Self
consists of it; that Self consists of speech, mind, and breath.
4. These
are the three worlds: earth is speech, sky mind, heaven breath.
5. These
are the three Vedas: the Rig-veda is speech, the Yagur-veda mind, the Sama-veda
breath.
6. These
are the Devas, Fathers, and men: the Devas are speech, the Fathers mind, men
breath.
7. These
are father, mother, and child: the father is mind, the mother speech, the child
breath.
8. These
are what is known, what is to be known, and what is unknown.
What is
known, has the form of speech, for speech is known. Speech, having become this,
protects man.
9. What
is to be known, has the form of mind, for mind is what is to be known. Mind,
having become this, protects man.
10. What
is unknown, has the form of breath, for breath is unknown. Breath, having become
this, protects man.
11. Of
that speech (which is the food of Pragapati) earth is the body, light the form,
viz. this fire. And so far as speech extends, so far extends the earth, so far
extends fire.
12.
Next, of this mind heaven is the body, light the form, viz. this sun. And so far
as this mind extends, so far extends heaven, so far extends the sun. If they
(fire and sun) embrace each other, then wind is born, and that is Indra, and he
is without a rival. Verily a second is a rival, and he who knows this, has no
rival.
13.
Next, of this breath water is the body, light the form, viz. this moon. And so
far as this breath extends, so far extends water, so far extends the moon.
These
are all alike, all endless. And he who worships them as finite, obtains a finite
world, but he who worships them as infinite, obtains an infinite world.
14. That
Pragapati is the year, and he consists of sixteen digits. The nights indeed are
his fifteen digits, the fixed point his sixteenth digit. He is increased and
decreased by the nights. Having on the new-moon night entered with the sixteenth
part into everything that has life, he is thence born again in the morning.
Therefore let no one cut off the life of any living thing on that night, not
even of a lizard, in honour (pugartham) of that deity.
15. Now
verily that Pragapati, consisting of sixteen digits, who is the year, is the
same as a man who knows this. His wealth constitutes the fifteen digits, his
Self the sixteenth digit. He is increased and decreased by that wealth. His Self
is the nave, his wealth the felly. Therefore even if he loses everything, if he
lives but with his Self, people say, he lost the felly (which can be restored
again).
16. Next
there are verily three worlds, the world of men, the world of the Fathers, the
world of the Devas. The world of men can be gained by a son only, not by any
other work. By sacrifice the world of the Fathers, by knowledge the world of the
Devas is gained. The world of the Devas is the best of worlds, therefore they
praise knowledge.
17. Next
follows the handing over. When a man thinks he is going to depart, he says to
his son: 'Thou art Brahman (the Veda, so far as acquired by the father); thou
art the sacrifice (so far as performed by the father); thou art the world.' The
son answers: 'I am Brahman, I am the sacrifice, I am the world.' Whatever has
been learnt (by the father) that, taken as one, is Brahman. Whatever sacrifices
there are, they, taken as one, are the sacrifice. Whatever worlds there are,
they, taken as one, are the world. Verily here ends this (what has to be done by
a father, viz. study, sacrifice, &c.) 'He (the son), being all this, preserved
me from this world,' thus he thinks. Therefore they call a son who is instructed
(to do all this), a world-son (lokya), and therefore they instruct him.
When a
father who knows this, departs this world, then he enters into his son together
with his own spirits (with speech, mind, and breath). If there is anything done
amiss by the father, of all that the son delivers him, and therefore he is
called Putra, son. By help of his son the father stands firm in this world. Then
these divine immortal spirits (speech, mind, and breath) enter into him.
18. From
the earth and from fire, divine speech enters into him. And verily that is
divine speech whereby, whatever he says, comes to be.
19. From
heaven and the sun, divine mind enters into him. And verily that is divine mind
whereby he becomes joyful, and grieves no more.
20. From
water and the moon, divine breath (spirit) enters into him. And verily that is
divine breath which, whether moving or not moving, does not tire, and therefore
does not perish. He who knows this, becomes the Self of all beings. As that
deity (Hiranyagarbha) is, so does he become. And as all beings honour that deity
(with sacrifice, &c.), so do all beings honour him who knows this.
Whatever
grief these creatures suffer, that is all one' (and therefore disappears). Only
what is good approaches him; verily, evil does not approach the Devas.
21. Next
follows the consideration of the observances (acts). Pragapati created the
actions (active senses). When they had been created, they strove among
themselves. Voice held, I shall speak; the eye held, I shall see; the ear held,
I shall hear; and thus the other actions too, each according to its own act.
Death, having become weariness, took them and seized them. Having seized them,
death held them back (from their work). Therefore speech grows weary, the eye
grows weary, the ear grows weary. But death did not seize the central breath.
Then the others tried to know him, and said: 'Verily, he is the best of us, he
who, whether moving or not, does not tire and does not perish. Well, let all of
us assume his form.' Thereupon they all assumed his form, and therefore they are
called after him 'breaths' (spirits).
In
whatever family there is a man who knows this, they call that family after his
name. And he who strives with one who knows this, withers away and finally dies.
So far with regard to the body.
22. Now
with regard to the deities.
Agni
(fire) held, I shall burn; Aditya (the sun) held, I shall warm; Kandramas (the
moon) held, I shall shine; and thus also the other deities, each according to
the deity. And as it was with the central breath among the breaths, so it was
with Vayu, the wind among those deities. The other deities fade, not Vayu. Vayu
is the deity that never sets.
23. And
here there is this Sloka:
' He
from whom the sun rises, and into whom it sets' (he verily rises from the
breath, and sets in the breath)
'Him the
Devas made the law, he only is to-day, and he to-morrow also' (whatever these
Devas determined then, that they perform to-day also').
Therefore let a man perform one observance only, let him breathe up and let him
breathe down, that the evil death may not reach him. And when he performs it,
let him try to finish it. Then he obtains through it union and oneness with that
deity (with prana).
SIXTH
BRAHMANA.
I.
Verily this is a triad, name, form, and work. Of these names, that which is
called Speech is the Uktha, (hymn, supposed to mean also origin), for from it
all names arise. It is their saman (song, supposed to mean also sameness), for
it is the same as all names. It is their Brahman (prayer, supposed to mean also
support), for it supports all names.
2. Next,
of the forms, that which is called Eye is the Uktha (hymn), for from it all
forms arise. It is their Saman (song), for it is the same as all forms. It is
their Brahman (prayer), for it supports all forms.
3. Next,
of the works, that which is called Body is the Uktha (hymn), for from it all
works arise. It is theirsaman (song), for it is the same as all works. It is
their Brahman (prayer), for it supports all works.
That
being a triad is one, viz. this Self; and the Self, being one, is that triad.
This is the immortal, covered by the true. Verily breath is the immortal, name
and form are the true, and by them the immortal is covered.
SECOND
ADHYAYA.
FIRST
BRAHMANA.
I. There
I was formerly the proud Gargya Balaki, a man of great reading. He said to
Agatasatru of Kasi, 'Shall I tell you Brahman?' Agatasatru said: 'We give a
thousand (cows) for that speech (of yours), for verily all people run away,
saying, Ganaka (the king of Mithila) is our father (patron).'
2.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the sun, that I adore as Brahman.'
Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily
as the supreme, the head of all beings, the king. Whoso adores him thus, becomes
supreme, the head of all beings, a king.'
3.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the moon (and in the mind), that I adore as
Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore
him verily as the great, clad in white raiment, as Soma, the king.' Whoso adores
him thus, Soma is poured out and poured forth for him day by day, and his food
does not fail.
4.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the lightning (and in the heart), that I
adore as Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this.
I adore him verily as the luminous.' Whoso adores him thus, becomes luminous,
and his offspring becomes luminous.
5.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the ether (and in the ether of the heart),
that I adore as Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on
this. I adore him as what is full, and quiescent.' Whoso adores him thus,
becomes filled with offspring and cattle, and his offspring does not cease from
this world.
6.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the wind (and in the breath), that I adore
as Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I
adore him as Indra Vaikuntha, as the unconquerable army (of the Maruts).' Whoso
adores him thus, becomes victorious, unconquerable, conquering his enemies.
7.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the fire (and in the heart), that I adore as
Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore
him as powerful.' Whoso adores him thus, becomes powerful, and his offspring
becomes powerful.
8.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the water (in seed, and in the heart), that
I adore as Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on
this. I adore him as likeness.' Whoso adores him thus, to him comes what is
likely (or proper), not what is improper; what is born from him, is like unto
him 1.
9.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the mirror, that I adore as Brahman.'
Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily
as the brilliant.' Whoso adores him thus, he becomes brilliant, his offspring
becomes brilliant, and with whomsoever he comes together, he outshines them.
10.
Gargya said: 'The sound that follows a man while he moves, that I adore as
Brahman.' Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore
him verily as life.' Whoso adores him thus, he reaches his full age in this
world, breath does not leave him before the time.
11.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in space, that I adore as Brahman.' Agatasatru
said to him : ' No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily as the
second who never leaves us.' Whoso adores him thus, becomes possessed of a
second, his party is not cut off from him.
12.
Gargya said: 'The person that consists of the shadow, that I adore as Brahman.'
Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily
as death.' Whoso adores him thus, he reaches his whole age in this world, death
does not approach him before the time.
13.
Gargya said: 'The person that is in the body, that I adore as Brahman.'
Agatasatru said to him: 'No, no! Do not speak to me on this. I adore him verily
as embodied.' Whoso adores him thus, becomes embodied, and his offspring becomes
embodied.
Then
Gargya became silent.
14.
Agatasatru said: 'Thus far only?' 'Thus far only,' he replied. Agatasatru said:
'This does not suffice to know it (the true Brahman).' Gargya replied : 'Then
let me come to you, as a pupil.'
15.
Agatasatru said: ' Verily, it is unnatural that a Brahmana should come to a
Kshatriya, hoping that he should tell him the Brahman. However, I shall make you
know him clearly,' thus saying he took him by the hand and rose.
And the
two together came to a person who was asleep. He called him by these names,
'Thou, great one, clad in white raiment, Soma, King.' He did not rise. Then
rubbing him with his hand, he woke him, and he arose.
16.
Agatasatru said: 'When this man was thus asleep, where was then the person (purusha),
the intelligent ? and from whence did he thus come back?' Gargya did not know
this ?
17.
Agatasatru said: 'When this man was thus asleep, then the intelligent person (purusha),
having through the intelligence of the senses (pranas) absorbed within himself
all intelligence, lies in the ether, which is in the heart. When he takes in
these different kinds of intelligence, then it is said that the man sleeps (svapiti).
Then the breath is kept in, speech is kept in, the ear is kept in, the eye is
kept in, the mind is kept in.
18 But
when he moves about in sleep (and dream), then these are his worlds. He is, as
it were, a great king; he is, as it were, a great Brahmana; he rises, as it
were, and he falls. And as a great king might keep in his own subjects, and move
about, according to his pleasure, within his own domain, thus does that person
(who is endowed with intelligence) keep in the various senses (pranas) and move
about, according to his pleasure, within his own body (while dreaming).
19.
Next, when he is in profound sleep, and knows nothing, there are the seventy-two
thousand arteries called Hita, which from the heart spread through the body.
Through them he moves forth and rests in the surrounding body. And as a young
man, or a great king, or a great Brahmana, having reached the summit of
happiness, might rest, so does he then rest.
2o. As
the spider comes out with its thread, or as small sparks come forth from fire,
thus do all senses, all worlds, all Devas, all beings come forth from that Self.
The Upanishad (the true name and doctrine) of that Self is 'the True of the
True.' Verily the senses are the true, and he is the true of the true.
SECOND
BRAHMANA.
1.
Verily he who knows the babe with his place, his chamber, his post, and his
rope, he keeps off the seven relatives who hate him. Verily by the young is
meant the inner life, by his place this (body), by his chamber this (head), by
his post the vital breath, by his rope the food.
2. Then
the seven imperishable ones approach him. There are the red lines in the eye,
and by them Rudra clings to him. There is the water in the eye, and by it
Parganya clings to him. There is the pupil, and by it Aditya (sun) clings to
him. There is the dark iris, and by it Agni clings to him. There is the white
eye-ball, and by it Indra, clings to him. With the lower eye-lash the earth,
with the upper eye-lash the heaven clings to him. He who knows this, his food
does never perish.
3. On
this there is this Sloka:
'There
is a cup having its mouth below and its bottom above. Manifold glory has been
placed into it. On its lip sit the seven Rishis, the tongue as the eighth
communicates with Brahman.' What is called the cup having its mouth below and
its bottom above is this head, for its mouth (the mouth) is below, its bottom
(the skull) is above. When it is said that manifold glory has been placed into
it, the senses verily are manifold glory, and he therefore means the senses.
When he says that the seven Rishis sit on its lip, the Rishis are verily the
(active) senses, and he means the senses. And when he says that the tongue as
the eighth communicates with Brahman, it is because the tongue, as the eighth,
does communicate with Brahman.
4. These
two (the two ears) are the Rishis Gautama and Bharadvaga; the right Gautama, the
left Bharadvaga. These two (the eyes) are the Rishis Vvisvamitra and Gamadagni;
the right Visvamitra, the left Gamadagni. These two (the nostrils) are the
Rishis Vasishtha and Kasyapa; the right Vasishtha, the left Kasyapa. The tongue
is Atri, for with the tongue food is eaten, and Atri is meant for Atti, eating.
He who knows this, becomes an eater of everything, and everything becomes his
food.
THIRD
BRAHMANA.
1. There
are two forms of Brahman, the material and the immaterial, the mortal and the
immortal, the solid and the fluid, sat (being) and tya (that), (i.e. sat-tya,
true).
2.
Everything except air and sky is material, is mortal, is solid, is definite. The
essence of that which is material, which is mortal, which is solid, which is
definite is the sun that shines, for he is the essence of sat (the definite).
3. But
air and sky are immaterial, are immortal, are fluid, are indefinite. The essence
of that which is immaterial, which is immortal, which is fluid, which is
indefinite is the person in the disk of the sun, for he is the essence of tyad
(the indefinite). So far with regard to the Devas.
4. Now
with regard to the body. Everything except the breath and the ether within the
body is material, is mortal, is solid, is definite. The essence of that which is
material, which is mortal, which is solid, which is definite is the Eye, for it
is the essence of sat (the definite).
5. But
breath and the ether within the body are immaterial, are immortal, are fluid,
are indefinite. The essence of that which is immaterial, which is immortal,
which is fluid, which is indefinite is the person in the right eye, for he is
the essence of tyad (the indefinite).
6. And
what is the appearance of that person ? Like a saffron-coloured raiment, like
white wool, like cochineal, like the flame of fire, like the white lotus, like
sudden lightning. He who knows this, his glory is like unto sudden lightning.
Next
follows the teaching (of Brahman) by No, no! for there is nothing else higher
than this (if one says): 'It is not so.' Then comes the name 'the True of the
True,' the senses being the True, and he (the Brahman) the True of them.
FOURTH
BRAHMANA.
1. Now
when Yagnavalkya was going to enter upon another state, he said: 'Maitreyi,
verily I am going away from this my house (into the forest). Forsooth, let me
make a settlement between thee and that Katyayani (my other wife).'
2.
Maitreyi said: 'My Lord, if this whole earth, full of wealth, belonged to me,
tell me, should I be immortal by it?'
'No,'
replied Yagnavalkya; 'like the life of rich people will be thy life. But there
is no hope of immortality by wealth.'
3. And
Maitreyi said: 'What should I do with that by which I do not become immortal?
What my Lord knoweth (of immortality), tell that to me.'
4.
Yagnavalkya replied: 'Thou who art truly dear to me, thou speakest dear words.
Come, sit down, I will explain it to thee, and mark well what I say.'
5. And
he said: 'Verily, a husband is not dear, that you may love the husband; but that
you may love the Self, therefore a husband is dear.
'Verily,
a wife is not dear, that you may love the wife; but that you may love the Self,
therefore a wife is dear.
'Verily,
sons are not dear, that you may love the sons; but that you may love the Self,
therefore sons are dear.
'Verily,
wealth is not dear, that you may love wealth; but that you may love the Self,
therefore wealth is dear.
'Verily,
the Brahman-class is not dear, that you may love the Brahman-class; but that you
may love the Self, therefore the Brahman-class is dear.
'Verily,
the Kshatra-class is not dear, that you may love the Kshatra-class; but that you
may love the Self, therefore the Kshatra-class is dear.
'Verily,
the worlds are not dear, that you may love the worlds; but that you may love the
Self, therefore the worlds are dear.
'Verily,
the Devas are not dear, that you may love the Devas; but that you may love the
Self, therefore the Devas are dear'.
'Verily,
creatures are not dear, that you may love the creatures; but that you may kve
the Self, therefore are creatures dear.
'Verily,
everything is not dear that you may love everything; but that you may love the
Self, therefore everything is dear.
'Verily,
the Self is to be seen, to be heard, to be perceived, to be marked, O Maitreyi!
When we see, hear, perceive, and know the Self, then all this is known.
6.
'Whosoever looks for the Brahman-class elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned
by the Brahman-class. Whosoever looks for the Kshatra-class elsewhere than in
the Self, was abandoned by the Kshatra-class. Whosoever looks for the worlds
elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the worlds. Whosoever looks for the
Devas elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the Devas. Whosoever looks
for creatures elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the creatures.
Whosoever looks for anything elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by
everything. This Brahman-class, this Kshatra-class, these worlds, these Devas,
these creatures, this everything, all is that Self.
7. 'Now
as the sounds of a drum, when beaten, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the drum is seized or the beater of
the drum;
8. 'And
as the sounds of a conch-shell, when blown, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the shell is seized or the blower of
the shell;
9. 'And
as the sounds of a lute, when played, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the lute is seized or the player of
the lute;
10. 'As
clouds of smoke proceed by themselves out of a lighted fire kindled with damp
fuel, thus, verily, O Maitreyi, has been breathed forth from this great Being
what we have as Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sama-veda, Atharvangirasas, Itihasa
(legends), Purana (cosmogonies), Vidya (knowledge), the Upanishads, Slokas
(verses), Sutras (prose rules), Anuvyakhyanas (glosses), Vyakhyanas
(commentaries)'. From him alone all these were breathed forth.
11. 'As
all waters find their centre in the sea, all touches in the skin, all tastes in
the tongue, all smells in the nose, all colours in the eye, all sounds in the
ear, all percepts in the mind, all knowledge in the heart, all actions in the
hands, all movements in the feet, and all the Vedas in speech,-
12. 'As
a lump of salt, when thrown into water, becomes dissolved into water, and could
not be taken out again, but wherever we taste (the water) it is salt,-thus
verily, O Maitreyi, does this great Being, endless, unlimited, consisting of
nothing but knowledge', rise from out these elements, and vanish again in them.
When he has departed, there is no more knowledge (name), I say,O Maitreyi.' Thus
spoke Yagnavalkya.
13. Then
Maitreyi said: 'Here thou hast bewildered me, Sir, when thou sayest that having
departed, there is no more knowledge.'
ButYagnavalkya replied: 'O Maitreyi, I say nothing that is bewildering. This is
enough, O beloved, for wisdom.
'For
when there is as it were duality, then one sees the other, one smells the other,
one hears the other, one salutes the other, one perceives the other, one knows
the other; but when the Self only is all this, how should he smell another, how
should he see another, how should he hear another, how should he salute another,
how should he perceive another, how should he know another? How should he know
Him by whom he knows all this?
How, O
beloved, should he know (himself), the Knower?'
FIFTH
BRAHMANA.
I. This
earth is the honey (madhu, the effect) of all beings, and all beings are the
honey (madhu, the effect) of this earth. Likewise this bright, immortal person
in this earth, and that bright immortal person incorporated in the body (both
are madhu). He indeed is the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman,
that All.
2. This
water is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this water.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this water, and that bright, immortal
person, existing as seed in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same as
that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
3. This
fire is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this fire.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this fire, and that bright, immortal
person, existing as speech in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same
as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
4. This
air is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this air.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this air, and that bright, immortal
person existing as breath in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same as
that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
5. This
sun is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this sun.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this sun, and that bright, immortal
person existing as the eye in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same
as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
6. This
space (disah, the quarters) is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the
honey of this space. Likewise this bright, immortal person in this space, and
that bright, immortal person existing as the ear in the body (both are madhu).
He indeed is the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
7. This
moon is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this moon.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this moon, and that bright, immortal
person existing as mind in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the same as
that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
8. This
lightning is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
lightning. Likewise this bright, immortal person in this lightning, and that
bright, immortal person existing as light in the body (both are madhu). He
indeed is the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
9. This
thunder is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
thunder. Likewise this bright, immortal person in this thunder, and that bright,
immortal person existing as sound and voice in the body (both are madhu). He
indeed is the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
10. This
ether is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this ether.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this ether, and that bright, immortal
person existing as heart-ether in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the
same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
11. This
law (dharmah) is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
law. Likewise this bright, immortal person in this law, and that bright,
immortal person existing as law in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the
same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
12. This
true (satyam) is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
true. Likewise this bright, immortal person in what is true, and that bright,
immortal person existing as the true in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is
the same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
13. This
mankind is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this
mankind. Likewise this bright, immortal person in mankind, and that bright,
immortal person existing as man in the body (both are madhu). He indeed is the
same as that Self, that Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
14. This
Self is the honey of all beings, and all beings are the honey of this Self.
Likewise this bright, immortal person in this Self, and that bright, immortal
person, the Self (both are madhu). He indeed is the same as that Self, that
Immortal, that Brahman, that All.
15. And
verily this Self is the lord of all beings, the king of all beings. And as all
spokes are contained in the axle and in the felly of a wheel, all beings, and
all those selfs (of the earth, water, &c.) are contained in that Self.
16.
Verily Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed this honey (the madhu-vidya) to the two
Asvins, and a Rishi, seeing this, said (Rv. I, 116, 12):
'O ye
two heroes (Asvins), I make manifest that fearful deed of yours (which you
performed) for the sake of gain', like as thunder makes manifest the rain. The
honey (madhu-vidya) which Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed to you through the head
of a horse,' . . .
17.
Verily Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed this honey to the two Asvins, and a Rishi,
seeing this, said (Rv. I, 117, 22):
'O
Asvins, you fixed a horse's head on Atharvana Dadhyak, and he, wishing to be
true (to his promise), proclaimed to you the honey, both that of Tvashiri and
that which is to be your secret, O ye strong ones.
18.
Verily Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed this honey to the two Asvins, and a Rishi,
seeing this, said:
'He (the
Lord) made bodies with two feet, he made bodies with four feet. Having first
become a bird, he entered the bodies as purusha (as the person).' This very
purusha is in all bodies the purisaya, i.e. he who lies in the body (and is
therefore called purusha). There is nothing that is not covered by him, nothing
that is not filled by him.
19.
Verily Dadhyak Atharvana proclaimed this honey to the two Asvins, and a Rishi,
seeing this, said (Rv. VI, 47, 18):
'He (the
Lord) became like unto every form, and this is meant to reveal the (true) form
of him (the Atman). Indra (the Lord) appears multiform through the mayas
(appearances), for his horses (senses) are yoked, hundreds and ten.'
This
(Atman) is the horses, this (Atman) is the ten, and the thousands, many and
endless. This is the Brahman, without cause and without effect, without anything
inside or outside; this Self is Brahman, omnipresent and omniscient. This is the
teaching (of the Upanishads).
SIXTH
BRAHMANA.
1. Now
follows the stem:
1
Pautimashya from Gaupavana,
2.
Gaupavana from Pautimashya,
3
Pautimashya from Gaupavana,
4.
Gaupavana from Kausika,
5.
Kausika from Kaundinya,
6.
Kaundinya from Sandilya,
7.
Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama,
8.
Gautama,
2. from
Agnivesya,
9.
Agnivesya from Sandilya and Anabhimlata,
10.
Sandilya and Anabhimlata from Anabhimlata,
11.
Anabhimlata from Anabhimlata,
12.
Anabhimliata from Gautama,
13.
Gautama from Saitava and Prakinayogya,
14.
Saitava and Prakinayogya from Parasarya,
15.
Parasarya from Bharadvaga,
16.
Bharadvaga from Bharadvaga and Gautama,
17.
Gautama from Bharadvaga,
18.
Bharadvaga from Parasarya,
19.
Parasarya from Vaigavapayana,
20.
Vaigavapayana from Kausikayani,
21.
Kausikayani
3. from
Ghritakausika,
22.
Ghritakausika from Parasaryayana,
23.
Parasaryayana from Parasarya,
24.
Parasarya from Gatukarnya,
25.
Gatukarnya from Asurayana and Yaska
26.
Asurayana and Yaska from Traivani,
27.
Traivani from Aupagandhani,
28.
Aupagandhani from Asuri,
29.
Asuri from Bharadvaga,
30.
Bharadvaga from Atreya,
31.
Atreya from Manti,
32.
Manti from Gautama,
33..
Gautama from Gautama,
34.
Gautama from Vatsya,
35.
Vatsya from Sandilya,
36.
Sandilya from Kaisorya Kapya,
37.
Kaisorya Kapya from Kumaraharita,
38.
Kumaraharita from Galava,
39.
Galava from Vidarbhi-kaundinya,
40.
Vidarbi- kaundinya from Vatsanapat Babhrava,
41.
Vatsanapat Babhrava from Pathi Saubhara,
42.
Pathi Saubhara from Ayasya Angirasa,
43.
Ayasya Angirasa from Abhuti Tvashtra,
44.
Abhuti Tvashtra from Visvarupa Tvashtra,
45.
Visvarupa Tvashtra from Asvinau,
46.
Asvinau from Dadhyak Atharvana,
47.
Dadhyak Atharvana from Atharvan Daiva,
48.
Atharvan Daiva from Mrityu Pradhvamsana,
49.
Mrityu Pradhvamsana from Pradhvamsana,
50.
Pradhvamsana from Ekarshi,
51.
Ekarshi from Viprakitti
52.
Viprakitti from Vyashti,
53.
Vyashti from Sanaru,
54.
Sanaru from Sanatana,
55.
Sanatana from Sanaga,
56.
Sanaga from Parameshthin
57.
Parameshthin from Brahman,
58.
Brahman is Svayambhu, self-existent.
Adoration to Brahman.
BRIHADARANYAKA-UPANISHAD Part 3
FOURTH
BRAHMANA.
1.
Yagnavalkya continued: 'Now when that Self, having sunk into weakness, sinks, as
it were, into unconsciousness, then gather those senses (pranas) around him, and
he, taking with him those elements of light, descends into the heart. When that
person in the eye turns away, then he ceases to know any forms.
2. ‘"He
has become one," they say, " he does not see." "He has become one," they say,
"he does not smell." "He has become one," they say, "he does not taste." "He has
become one," they say, "he does not speak." "He has become one," they say, "he
does not hear." "He has become one," they say, "he does not think." "He has
become one," they say," he does not touch." "He has become one," they say, "he
does not know." The point of his heart becomes lighted up, and by that light the
Self departs, either through the eye, or through the skull, or through other
places of the body. And when he thus departs, life (the chief prana) departs
after him, and when life thus departs, all the other vital spirits (pranas)
depart after it. He is conscious, and being conscious he follows and departs.
'Then
both his knowledge and his work take hold of him, and his acquaintance with
former things.'
3. ‘And
as a caterpillar, after having reached the end of a blade of grass, and after
having made another approach (to another blade), draws itself together towards
it, thus does this Self, after having thrown off this body and dispelled all
ignorance, and after making another approach (to another body), draw himself
together towards it.
4. 'And
as a goldsmith, taking a piece of gold, turns it into another, newer and more
beautiful shape, so does this Self, after having thrown off this body and
dispelled all ignorance, make unto himself another, newer and more beautiful
shape, whether it be like the Fathers, or like the Gandharvas, or like the Devas,
or like Pragapati, or like Brahman, or like other beings.
5. 'That
Self is indeed Brahman, consisting of knowledge, mind, life, sight, hearing,
earth, water, wind, ether, light and no light, desire and no desire, anger and
no anger, right or wrong, and all things. Now as a man is like this or like
that, according as he acts and according as he behaves, so will he be :a man of
good acts will become good, a man of bad acts, bad. He becomes pure by pure
deeds, bad by bad deeds.
'And
here they say that a person consists of desires. And as is his desire, so is his
will; and as is his will, so is his deed; and whatever deed he does, that he
will reap.
6. 'And
here there is this verse: "To whatever object a man's own mind is attacbed, to
that he goes strenuously together with his deed; and having obtained the end
(the last results) of whatever deed he does here on earth, he returns again from
that world (which is the temporary reward of his deed) to this world of action."
'So much
for the man who desires. But as to the man who does not desire, who, not
desiring, freed from desires, is satisfied in his desires, or desires the Self
only, his vital spirits do not depart elsewhere,- being Brahman, he goes to
Brahman.
7. 'On
this there is this verse: " When all desires which once entered his heart are
undone, then does the mortal become immortal, then he obtains Brahman.
'And as
the slough of a snake lies on an ant-hill, dead and cast away, thus lies this
body; but that disembodied immortal spirit (prana' life) is Brahman only, is
only light.'
Ganaka
Vaideha said: 'Sir, I give you a thousand.'
8. 'On
this there are these verses:
'The
small, old path stretching far away' has been found by me. On it sages who know
Brahman move on to the Svarga-loka (heaven), and thence higher on, as entirely
free.
9. 'On
that path they say that there is white, or blue, or yellow, or green, or red;
that path was found by Brahman, and on it goes whoever knows Brahman, and who
has done good, and obtained splendour.
10. 'All
who worship what is not knowledge (avidya) enter into blind darkness: those who
delight in knowledge, enter, as it were, into greater darkness.
11.
'There are indeed those unblessed worlds, covered with blind darkness. Men who
are ignorant and not enlightened go after death to those worlds.
12. 'If
a man understands the Self, saying, "I am He," what could he wish or desire that
he should pine after the body'.
13.
'Whoever has found and understood the Self that has entered into this
patched-together hidingplace, he indeed is the creator, for he is the maker of
everything, his is the world, and he is the world itself.
14.
'While we are here, we may know this; if not, I am ignorant, and there is great
destruction. Those who know it, become immortal, but others suffer pain indeed.
15. 'If
a man clearly beholds this Self as God, and as the lord of all that is and will
be, then he is no more afraid.
16. 'He
behind whom the year revolves with the days, him the gods worship as the light
of lights, as immortal time.
17. 'He
in whom the five beings and the ether rest, him alone I believe to be the
Self,-I who know, believe him to be Brahman; I who am immortal, believe him to
be immortal.
18.
'They who know the life of life, the eye of the eye, the car of the ear, the
mind of the mind, they have comprehended the ancient, primeval Brahman.
19. 'By
the mind alone it is to be perceived, there is in it no diversity. He who
perceives therein any diversity, goes from death to death.
20.
'This eternal being that can never be proved, is to be perceived in one way
only; it is spotless, beyond the ether, the unborn Self, great and eternal.
21. 'Let
a wise Brahmana, after he has discovered him, practise wisdom. Let him not seek
after many words, for that is mere weariness of the tongue.
22. 'And
he is that great unborn Self, who consists of knowledge, is surrounded by the
Pranas, the ether within the heart. In it there reposes the ruler of all, the
lord of all, the king of all. He does not become greater by good works, nor
smaller by evil works. He is the lord of all, the king of all things, the
protector of all things. He is a bank and a boundary, so that these worlds may
not be confounded. Brahmanas seek to know him by the study of the Veda, by
sacrifice, by gifts, by penance, by fasting, and he who knows him, becomes a
Mun1.Wishing for that world (for Brahman) only, mendicants leave their homes.
'Knowing
this, the people of old did not wish for offspring. What shall we do with
offspring, they said, we who have this Self and this world (of Brahman)? And
they, having risen above the desire for sons, wealth, and new worlds, wander
about as mendicants. For desire for sons is desire for wealth, and desire for
wealth is desire for worlds. Both these are indeed desires only. He, the Self,
is to be described by No, no! He is incomprehensible, for he cannot be
comprehended; he is imperishable, for he cannot perish; he is unattached, for he
does not attach himself; unfettered, he does not suffer, he does not fail. Him
(who knows), these two do not overcome, whether he says that for some reason he
has done evil, or for some reason he has done good-he overcomes both, and
neither what he has done, nor what he has omitted to do, burns (affects) him.
23.
'This has been told by a verse (Rik): "This eternal greatness of the Brahmana
does -not grow larger by work, nor does it grow smaller. Let man try to find
(know) its trace, for having found (known) it, he is not sullied by any evil
deed."
'He
therefore that knows it, after having become quiet, subdued, satisfied, patient,
and collected, sees self in Self, sees all as Self. Evil does not overcome him,
he overcomes all evil. Evil does not burn him, he burns all evil. Free from
evil, free from spots, free from doubt, he becomes a (true) Brahmana; this is
the Brahma-world, O King,'-thus spoke Yagnavalkya.
Ganaka
Vaideha said: 'Sir, I give you the Videhas, and also myself, to be together your
slaves.'
24. This
indeed is the great, the unborn Self, the strong, the giver of wealth. He who
knows this obtains wealth.
25. This
great, unborn Self, undecaying, undying, immortal, fearless, is indeed Brahman.
Fearless is Brahman, and he who knows this becomes verily the fearless Brahman.
FIFTH
BRAHMANA.
1.
Yagnavalkya had two wives, Maitreyi and Katyayan1.Of these Maitreyi was
conversant with Brahman, but Katyayani possessed such knowledge only as women
possess. And Yagnavalkya, when he wished to get ready for another state of life
(when he wished to give up the state of a householder, and retire into the
forest),
2. Said,
'Maitreyi, verily I am going away from this my house (into the forest).
Forsooth, let me make a settlement between thee and that Katyayani.'
3.
Maitreyi said: 'My Lord, if this whole earth, full of wealth, belonged to me,
tell me, should I be immortal by it, or no?'
'No,'
replied Yagnavalkya, 'like the life of rich people will be thy life. But there
is no hope of immortality by wealth.'
4. And
Maitreyi said: 'What should I do with that by which I do not become immortal?
What my Lord knoweth (of immortality), tell that clearly to me.'
5.
Yagnavalkya replied: 'Thou who art truly dear to me, thou hast increased what is
dear (to me in thee). Therefore, if you like, Lady, I will explain it to thee,
and mark well what I say.'
6. And
he said: 'Verily, a husband is not dear, that you may love the husband; but that
you may love the Self, therefore a husband is dear.
'Verily,
a wife is not dear, that you may love the wife; but that you may love the Self,
therefore a wife is dear.
'Verily,
sons are not dear, that you may love the sons; but that you may love the Self,
therefore sons are dear.
'Verily,
wealth is not dear, that you may love wealth; but that you may love the Self,
therefore wealth is dear.
'Verily,
cattle are not dear, that you may love cattle; but that you may love the Self,
therefore cattle are dear.
'Verily,
the Brahman-class is not dear, that you may love the Brahman-class; but that you
may love the Self, therefore the Brahman-class is dear.
'Verily,
the Kshatra-class is not dear, that you may love the Kshatra-class; but that you
may love the Self, therefore the Kshatra-class is dear.
'Verily,
the worlds are not dear, that you may love the worlds; but that you may love the
Self, therefore the worlds are dear.
'Verily,
the Devas are not dear, that you may love the Devas; but that you may love the
Self, therefore the Devas are dear.
'Verily,
the Vedas are not dear, that you may love the Vedas; but that you may love the
Self, therefore the Vedas are dear.
'Verily,
creatures are not dear, that you may love the creatures; but that you may love
the Self, therefore are creatures dear.
'Verily,
everything is not dear, that you may love everything; but that you may love the
Self, therefore everything is dear.
'
Verily, the Self is to be seen, to be heard, to be perceived, to be marked, O
Maitreyi! When the Self has been seen, heard, perceived, and known, then all
this is known.'
7.
'Whosoever looks for the Brahman-class elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned
by the Brahman-class. Whosoever looks for the Kshatraclass elsewhere than in the
Self, was abandoned by the Kshatra-class. Whosoever looks for the worlds
elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the worlds. Whosoever looks for the
Devas elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the Devas. Whosoever looks
for the Vedas elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the Vedas. Whosoever
looks for the creatures elsewhere than in the Self, was abandoned by the
creatures. Whosoever looks for anything elsewhere than in the Self, was
abandoned by anything.
'This
Brahman-class, this Kshatra-class, these worlds, these Devas, these Vedas, all
these beings, this everything, all is that Self.
8. 'Now
as the sounds of a drum, when beaten, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the drum is seized, or the beater of
the drum;
9. 'And
as the sounds of a conch-shell, when blown, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the shell is seized, or the blower of
the shell;
10. 'And
as the sounds of a lute, when played, cannot be seized externally (by
themselves), but the sound is seized, when the lute is seized, or the player of
the lute;
11. 'As
clouds of smoke proceed by themselves out of lighted fire kindled with damp
fuel, thus verily, O Maitreyi, has been breathed forth from this great Being
what we have as Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sama-veda, Atharvangirasas, Itihasa,
Purana, Vidya, the Upanishads, Slokas, Sutras, Anuvyakhyanas, Vyakhyanas, what
is sacrificed, what is poured out, food, drink, this world and the other world,
and all creatures. From him alone all these were breathed forth.
12. 'As
all waters find their centre in the sea, all touches in the skin, all tastes in
the tongue, all smells in the nose, all colours in the eye, all sounds in the
ear, all percepts in the mind, all knowledge in the heart, all actions in the
hands, all movements in the feet, and all the Vedas in speech,-
13. 'As
a mass of salt has neither inside nor outside, but is altogether a mass of
taste, thus indeed has that Self neither inside nor outside, but is altogether a
mass of knowledge; and having risen from out these elements, vanishes again in
them. When lie has departed, there is no more knowledge (name), I say, O
Maitreyi,’ -thus spoke Yagnavalkya.
14. Then
Maitreyi said: 'Here, Sir, thou hast landed me in utter bewilderment. Indeed, I
do not understand him.'
But he
replied: 'O Maitreyi, I say nothing that is bewildering. Verily, beloved, that
Self is imperishable, and of an indestructible nature.
15. 'For
when there is as it were duality, then one sees the other, one smells the other,
one tastes the other, one salutes the other, one hears the other, one perceives
the other, one touches the other, one knows the other; but when the Self only is
all this, how should he see another, how should he smell another, how should he
taste another, how should he salute another, how should he hear another, how
should he touch another, how should he know another? How should he know Him by
whom he knows all this? That Self is to be described by No, no! He is
incomprehensible, for he cannot be comprehended; he is imperishable, for he
cannot perish; he is unattached, for he does not attach himself; unfettered, he
does not suffer, he does not fail. How, O beloved, should he know the Knower?
Thus, O Maitreyi, thou hast been instructed. Thus far goes immortality.' Having
said so, Yagnavalkya went away (into the forest).
SIXTH
BRAHMANA.
1. Now
follows the stem:
1. (We)
from Pautimashya,
2.
Pautimashya from Gaupavana,
3.
Gaupavana from Pautimashya,
4.
Pautimashya from Gaupavana,
5.
Gaupavana from Kausika,
6.
Kausika from Kaundinya,
7.
Kaundinya from Sandilya,
8.
Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama,
9.
Gautama
2. from
Agnivesya,
10.
Agnivesya from Gargya,
11.
Gargya from Gargya,
12.
Gargya from Gautama,
13.
Gautama from Saitava,
14.
Saitava from Parasaryayana,
15.
Parasaryayana from Gargyayana,
16.
Gargyayana from Uddalakayana,
17.
Uddalakayana from Gabalayana,
18.
Gabalayana from Madhyandinayana,
19.
Madhyandinayana from Saukarayana,
20.
Saukarayana from Kashayana,
21.
Kashayana from Sayakayana,
22.
Sayakayana from Kausikayani,
23.
Kausikayani
3. from
Ghritakausika,
24.
Ghritakausika from Parasaryayana,
25.
Parasaryayana from Parasarya,
26.
Parasarya from Gatukarnya,
27.
Gatukarnya from Asurayana and Yaska,
28.
Asurayaita from Travani,
29.
Travani from Aupagandhani,
30.
Aupagandhani from Asuri,
31.
Asuri from Bharadvaga,
32.
Bharadvaga from Atreya,
33.
Atreya from Manti,
34.
Manti from Gautama,
35.
Gautama from Gautama,
36.
Gautama from Vatsya,
37.
Vatsya from Sandilya,
38.
Sandilya from Kaisorya Kapya,
39.
Kaisorya Kapya from Kumaraharita
40.
Kumaraharita from Galava,
41.
Galava from Vidarbhi-kaundinya,
42.
Vidarbhi - kaundinya from Vatsanapat Babhrava,
43.
Vatsanapat Babhrava from Pathi Saubhara,
44.
Pathi Saubhara from Ayasya Angirasa,
45.
Ayasya Angirasa from Abhuti Tvashtra,
46.
Abhuti Tvashtra from Visvarupa Tvashtra,
47.
Visvarupa Tvashtra from Asvinau,
48.
Asvinau from Dadhyak Atharvana,
49.
Dadhyak Atharvana from Atharvan Daiva,
50.
Atharvan Daiva from Mrityu Pradhvamsana,
51.
Mrityu Pradhvamsana from Pradhvamsana,
52.
Pradhvamsana from Ekarshi,
53.
Ekarshi from Viprakitti,
54.
Viprakitti from Vyashti,
55.
Vyashti from Sanaru,
56.
Sanaru from Sanatana,
57.
Sanatana from Sanaga,
58.
Sanaga from Parameshthin,
59.
Parameshthin from Brahman,
60.
Brahman is Svayambhu, self-existent.
Adoration to Brahman.
FIFTH
ADHYAYA.
FIRST
BRAHMANA.
1. That
(the invisible Brahman) is full, this (the visible Brahman) is full. This full
(visible Brahman) proceeds from that full (invisible Brahman). On grasping the
fulness of this full (visible Brahman) there is left that full (invisible
Brahman).
Om (is)
ether, (is) Brahman. 'There is the old ether (the invisible), and the (visible)
ether of the atmosphere,' thus said Kauravyayaniputra. This (the Om) is the Veda
(the means of knowledge), thus the Brahmanas know. One knows through it all that
has to be known.
SECOND
BRAHMANA.
1. The
threefold descendants of Pragapati, gods, men, and Asuras (evil spirits), dwelt
as Brahmakarins (students) with their father Pragapat1.Having finished their
studentship the gods said: 'Tell us (something), Sir.' He told them the syllable
Da. Then he said: 'Did you understand?' They said: 'We did understand. You told
us "Damyata," Be subdued.' 'Yes,' he said, 'you have understood.'
2. Then
the men said to him: 'Tell us something, Sir.' He told them the same syllable Da.
Then he said: 'Did you understand?' They said: 'We did understand. You told us,
" Datta," Give.' 'Yes,' he said, 'you have understood.'
3. Then
the Asuras said to him: 'Tell us something, Sir.' He told them the same syllable
Da. Then he said: 'Did you understand?' They said: 'We did understand. You told
us," Dayadharn," Be merciful.' 'Yes,' he said, 'you have understood.'
The
divine voice of thunder repeats the same, Da Da Da, that is, Be subdued, Give,
Be merciful. Therefore let that triad be taught, Subduing, Giving, and Mercy.
THIRD
BRAHMANA.
1.
Pragapatii is the heart, is this Brahman, is all this. The heart, hridaya,
consists of three syllables. One syllable is hri, and to him who knows this, his
own people and others bring offerings. One syllable is da, and to him who knows
this, his own people and others bring gifts. One syllable is yam' and he who
knows this, goes to heaven (svarga) as his world.
FOURTH
BRAHMANA.
1. This
(heart) indeed is even that, it was indeed the true (Brahman). And whosoever
knows this great glorious first-born as the true Brahman, he conquers these
worlds, and conquered likewise may that (enemy) be'I yes, whosoever knows this
great glorious first-born as the true Brahman; for Brahman is the true.
FIFTH
BRAHMANA.
1. In
the beginning this (world) was water. Water produced the true, and the true is
Brahman. Brahman produced Praghpati, Pragapati the Devas (gods). The Devas adore
the true (satyam) alone. This satyam consists of three syllables. One syllable
is sa, another t(i), the third yam. The first and last syllables are true, in
the middle there is the untrue. This untrue is on both sides enclosed by the
true, and thus the true preponderates. The untrue does not hurt him who knows
this.
2. Now
what is the true, that is the Aditya (the sun), the person that dwells in yonder
orb, and the person in the right eye. These two rest on each other, the former
resting with his rays in the latter, the latter with his pranas (senses) in the
former. When the latter is on the point of departing this life, he sees that orb
as white only, and those rays (of the sun) do not return to him.
3. Now
of the person in that (solar) orb Bhuh is the head, for the head is one, and
that syllable is one; Bhuvah the two arms, for the arms are two, and these
syllables are two; Svar the foot, for the feet are two, and these syllables are
two. Its secret name is Ahar (day), and he who knows this, destroys (hanti) evil
and leaves (gahati) it.
4. Of
the person in the right eye Bhuh is the head, for the head is one, and that
syllable is one; Bhuvah the two arms, for the arms are two, and these syllables
are two; Svar the foot, for the feet are two, and these syllables are two. Its
secret name is Aham (ego), and he who knows this, destroys (hanti) evil and
leaves (gahati) it.
SIXTH
BRAHMANA.
1. That
person, under the form of mind (manas), being light indeed, is within the heart,
small like a grain of rice or barley. He is the ruler of all, the lord of all-he
rules all this, whatsoever exists.
SEVENTH
BRAHMANA.
1. They
say that lightning is Brahman, because lightning (vidyut) is called so from
cutting off (vidanat). Whosoever knows this, that lightning is Brahman, him
(that Brahman) cuts off from evil, for lightning indeed is Brahman.
EIGHTH
BRAHMANA.
1. Let
him meditate on speech as a cow. Her four udders are the words Svaha, Vashat,
Hanta, and Svadha. The gods live on two of her udders, the svaha and the Vashat,
men on the Hanta, the fathers on the Svadha. The bull of that cow is breath (prana),
the calf the rnind.
NINTH
BRAHMANA.
1.Agni
Vaisvanara is the fire within man by which the food that is eaten is cooked,
i.e. digested. Its noise is that which one hears, if one covers one's ears. When
he is on the point of departing this life, he does not hear that noise.
TENTH
BRAHMANA.
1.When
the person goes away from this world, he comes to the wind. Then the wind makes
room for him, like the hole of a carriage wheel, and through it he mounts
higher. He comes to the sun. Then the sun makes room for him, like the hole of a
Lambara, and through it he mounts higher. He comes to the moon. Then the moon
makes room for him, like the hole of a drum, and through it he mounts higher,
and arrives at the world where there is no sorrow, no snow. There he dwells
eternal years.
ELEVENTH
BRAHMANA.
1. This
is indeed the highest penance, if a man, laid up with sickness, suffers pain. He
who knows this, conquers the highest world.
This is
indeed the highest penance, if they carry a dead person into the forest. He who
knows this, conquers the highest world.
This is
indeed the highest penance, if they place a dead person on the fire. He who
knows this, conquers the highest world.
TWELFTH
BRAHMANA.
1. Some
say that food is Brahman, but this is not so, for food decays without life (prana).
Others say that life (prana) is Brahman, but this is not so, for life dries up
without food. Then these two deities (food and life), when they have become one,
reach that highest state (i.e. are Brahman). Thereupon Pratrida said to his
father: 'Shall I be able to do any good to one who knows this, or shall I be
able to do him any harm?' The father said to him, beckoning with his hand: 'Not
so, O Pratrida; for who could reach the highest state, if he has only got to the
oneness of these two?' He then said to him: 'Vi; verily, food is Vi, for all
these beings rest (vishtani) on food.' He then said: 'Ram; verily, life is Ram,
for all these beings delight (ramante) in life. All beings rest on him, all
beings delight in him who knows this.'
THIRTEENTH BRAHMANA.
1. Next
follows the Uktha. Verily, breath (prana) is Uktha, for breath raises up (utthapayati)
all this. From him who knows this, there is raised a wise son, knowing the Uktha;
he obtains union and oneness with the Uktha.
2. Next
follows the Yagus. Verily, breath is Yagus, for all these beings are joined in
breath 2. For him who knows this, all beings are joined to procure his
excellence; he obtains union and oneness with the Yagus.
3. Next
follows the Saman. Verily, breath is the saman, for all these beings meet in
breath. For him who knows this, all beings meet to procure his excellence; he
obtains union and oneness with the saman.
4. Next
follows the Kshatra. Verily, breath is the Kshatra, for breath is Kshatra, i.e.
breath protects (trayate) him from being hurt (kshaititoh). He who knows this,
obtains Kshatra (power), which requires no protection; he obtains union and
oneness with Kshatra.
FOURTEENTH BRAHMANA.
1. The
words Bhumi (earth), Antariksha (sky), and Dyu (heaven) form eight syllables.
One foot of the Gayatri consists of eight syllables. This (one foot) of it is
that (i.e. the three worlds). And he who thus knows that foot of it, conquers as
far as the three worlds extend.
2. The
Rikas, the Yagumshi, and the Samani form eight syllables. One foot (the second)
of the Gayatri consists of eight syllables. This (one foot) of it is that (i.e.
the three Vedas, the Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, andsama-veda). And he who thus knows
that foot of it, conquers as far as that threefold knowledge extends.
3. The
Prana (the up-breathing), the Apana (the down-breathing), and the Vyana (the
back-breathing) form eight syllables. One foot (the third) of the Gayatri
consists of eight syllables. This (one foot) of it is that (i.e. the three vital
breaths). And he who thus knows that foot of it, conquers as far as there is
anything that breathes. And of that (Gayatri, or speech) this indeed is the
fourth (turiya), the bright (darsata) foot, shining high above the skies. What
is here called turiya (the fourth) is meant for katurtha (the fourth); what is
called darsatam padam (the bright foot) is meant for him who is as it were seen
(the person in the sun); and what is called paroragas (he who shines high above
the skies) is meant for him who shines higher and higher above every sky. And he
who thus knows that foot of the Gayatri, shines thus himself also with happiness
and glory.
4. That
Gayatri (as described before with its three feet) rests on that fourth foot, the
bright one, high above the sky. And that again rests on the True (satyam), and
the True is the eye, for the eye is (known to be) true. And therefore even now,
if two persons come disputing, the one saying, I saw, the other, I heard, then
we should trust the one who says, I saw. And the True again rests on force (balam),
and force is life (prana), and that (the True) rests on life. Therefore they
say, force is stronger than the True. Thus does that Gayatri rest with respect
to the self (as life). That Gayatri protects (tatre) the vital breaths (gayas);
the gayas are the pranas (vital breaths), and it protects them. And because it
protects (tatre) the vital breaths (gayas), therefore it is called Gayatri. And
that Savitri verse which the teacher teaches, that is it (the life, the prana,
and indirectly the Gayatri); and whomsoever he teaches, he protects his vital
breaths.
5. Some
teach that Savitri as an Anushtubh verse, saying that speech is Anushtubh, and
that we teach that speech. Let no one do this, but let him teach the Gayatri as
Savitri. And even if one who knows this receives what seems to be much as his
reward (as a teacher), yet this is not equal to one foot of the Gayatri.
6. If a
man (a teacher) were to receive as his fee these three worlds full of all
things, he would obtain that first foot of the Gayatri. And if a man were to
receive as his fee everything as far as this threefold knowledg,e extends, he
would obtain that second foot Of the Gayatri. And if a man were to receive as
his fee everything whatsoever breathes, he would obtain that third foot of the
Gayatri. But that fourth bright foot, shining high above the skies’, cannot be
obtained by anybody- whence then could one receive such a fee?
7. The
adoration of that (Gayatri):
'O
Gayatri, thou hast one foot, two feet, three feet, four feet. Thou art footless,
for thou art not known. Worship to thy fourth bright foot above the skies.' If
one (who knows this) hates some one and says, 'May he not obtain this,' or 'May
this wish not be accomplished to him,'then that wish is not accomplished to him
against whom he thus prays, or if he says, 'May I obtain this.'
8. And
thus Ganaka Vaideha spoke on this point to Budila Asvatarasvi: 'How is it that
thou who spokest thus as knowing the Gayatri, hast become an elephant and
carriest me?' He answered: 'Your Majesty, I did not know its mouth. Agni, fire,
is indeed its mouth; and if people pile even what seems much (wood) on the fire,
it consumes it all. And thus a man who knows this, even if he commits what seems
much evil, consumes it all and becomes pure, clean, and free from decay and
death.'
FIFTEENTH BRAHMANA.
1. The
face of the True (the Brahman) is covered with a golden disk. Open that, O
Pushan, that we may see the nature of the True.
2. O
Pushan, only seer, Yama (judge), Surya (sun), son of Pragapati, spread thy rays
and gather them! The light which is thy fairest form, I see it. I am what he is
(viz. the person in the sun).
3.
Breath to air and to the immortal! Then this my body ends in ashes. Om! Mind,
remember! Remember thy deeds! Mind, remember! Remember thy deeds!
4. Agni,
lead us on to wealth (beatitude) by a good path, thou, O God, who knowest all
things! Keep far from us crooked evil, and we shall offer thee the fullest
praise! (Rv. I, 189, i.)
SIXTH
ADHYAYA.
FIRST
BRAHMANA.
1. Harih,
Om. He who knows the first and the best, becomes himself the first and the best
among his people. Breath is indeed the first and the best. He who knows this,
becomes the first and the best among his people, and among whomsoever he wishes
to be so.
2. He
who knows the richest , becomes himself the richest among his people. Speech is
the richest. He who knows this, becomes the richest among his people, and among
whomsoever he wishes to be so.
3. He
who knows the firm rest, becomes himself firm on even and uneven ground. The eye
indeed is the firm rest, for by means of the eye a man stands firm on even and
uneven ground. He who knows this, stands firm on even and uneven ground.
4. He
who knows success, whatever desire he desires, it succeeds to him. The ear
indeed is success. For in the car are all these Vedas successful. He who knows
this, whatever desire he desires, it succeeds to him.
5. He
who knows the home, becomes a home of his own people, a home of all men. The
mind indeed is the home. He who knows this, becomes a home of his own people and
a home of all men.
6. He
who knows generation, becomes rich in offspring and cattle. Seed indeed is
generation. He who knows this, becomes rich in offspring and cattle.
7. These
Pranas (senses), when quarrelling together as to who was the best, went to
Brahman and said: 'Who is the richest of us?' He replied: 'He by whose departure
this body seems worst, he is the richest.'
8. The
tongue (speech) departed, and having been absent for a year, it came back and
said: 'How have you been able to live without. me?' They replied: 'Like unto
people, not speaking with the tongue, but breathing with breath, seeing with the
eye, hearing with the ear, knowing with the mind, generating with seed. Thus we
have lived.' Then speech entered in.
9. The
eye (sight) departed, and having been absent for a year, it came back and said:
'How have you been able to live without-me?' They replied: 'Like blind people,
not seeing with the eye, but breathing with the breath, speaking with the
tongue, hearing with the ear, knowing with the mind, generating with seed. Thus
we have lived.' Then the eye entered in.
10. The
ear (hearing) departed, and having been absent for a year, it came back and
said: 'How have you been able to live without me?' They replied : 'Like deaf
people, not hearing with the ear, but breathing with the breath, speaking with
the tongue, seeing with the eye, knowing with the mind, generating with seed.
Thus we have lived.' Then the ear entered in.
11.The
mind departed, and having been absent for a year, it came back and said: 'How
have you been able to live without me?' They replied: 'Like fools, not knowing
with their mind, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the eye, hearing
with the ear, generating with seed. Thus we have lived.' Then the mind entered
in.
12. The
seed departed, and having been absent for a year, it came back and said: 'How
have you been able to live without me?' They replied: 'Like impotent people, not
generating with seed, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the eye,
hearing with the ear, knowing with the mind. Thus we have lived.' Then the seed
entered in.
13. The
(vital) breath, when on the point of departing, tore up these senses, as a
great, excellent horse of the Sindhu country might tare up the pegs to which he
is tethered. They said to him: 'Sir, do not depart. We shall not be able to live
without thee.' He said: 'Then make me an offering.' They said: 'Let it be so.'
14. Then
the tongue said: ' If I am the richest, then thou art the richest by it.' The
eye said : 'If I am the firm rest, then thou art possessed of firm rest by it.'
The ear said: 'If I am success, then thou art possessed of success by it.' The
mind said: 'If I am the home, thou art the home by it.' The seed said: 'If I am
generation, thou art possessed of generation by it.' He said: 'What shall be
food, what shall be dress for me?'
They
replied: 'Whatever there is, even unto dogs, worms, insects, and birds, that is
thy food, and water thy dress. He who thus knows the food of Ana (the breath),
by him nothing is eaten that is not (proper) food, nothing is received that is
not (proper) food. Srotriyas (Vedic theologians) who know this, rinse the mouth
with water when they are going to eat, and rinse the mouth with water after they
have eaten, thinking that thereby they make the breath dressed (with water).'
SECOND
BRAHMANA.
1.Svetaketu Aruneya went to the settlement of the Pankalas. He came near to
Pravahana Gaivali, who was walking about (surrounded by his men). As soon as he
(the king) saw him, he said: 'My boy!' Svetaketu replied: 'Sir!'
Then the
king said: 'Have you been taught by your father!' 'Yes,' he replied.
2. The
king said: 'Do you know how men, when they depart from here, separate from each
other?’
'No,' he
replied.
'Do you
know how they come back to this world?' 'No,'he replied.
'Do you
know how that world does never become full with the many who again and again
depart thither?' No,' he replied.
'Do you
know at the offering of which libation the waters become endowed with a human
voice and rise and speak?’ 'No,' he replied.
'Do you
know the access to the path leading to the Devas and to the path leading to the
Fathers, i.e. by what deeds men gain access to the path leading to the Devas or
to that leading to the Fathers? For we have heard even the saying of a Rishi: "I
heard of two paths for men, one leading to the Fathers, the other leading to the
Devas. On those paths all that lives moves on, whatever there is between father
(sky) and mother (earth)."'
Svetaketu said: 'I do not know even one of all these questions.'
3. Then
the king invited him to stay and accept his hospitality. But the boy, not caring
for hospitality, ran away, went back to his father, and said : 'Thus then you
called me formerly well-instructed!' The father said:. 'What then, you sage?'
The son replied: 'That fellow of a Raganya asked me five questions, and I did
not know one of them.'
'What
were they?'said the father.
'These
were they,' the son replied, mentioning the different heads.
4. The
father said: 'You know me, child, that whatever I know, I told you. But come, we
shall go thither, and dwell there as students.'
'You may
go, Sir,' the son replied.
Then
Gautama went where (the place of) Pravahana Gaivali was, and the king offered
him a seat, ordered water for him, and gave him the proper offerings. Then he
said to him: 'Sir, we offer a boon to Gautama.'
5.
Gautama said: 'That boon is promised to me; tell me the same speech which you
made in the presence of my boy.'
6. He
said: 'That belongs to divine boons, name one of the human boons.'
7. He
said: 'You know well that I have plenty of gold, plenty of cows, horses, slaves,
attendants, and apparel; do not heap on me I what I have already in plenty, in
abundance, and superabundance.'
The king
said: 'Gautama, do you wish (for instruction from me) in the proper way?’
Gautama
replied: 'I come to you as a pupil.'
In word
only have former sages (though Brahmans) come as pupils (to people of lower
rank), but Gautama actually dwelt as a pupil (of Pravahana, who was a Raganya)
in order to obtain the fame of having respectfully served his master.
8. The
king said: 'Do not be offended with us, neither you nor your forefathers,
because this knowledge has before now never dwelt with any Brahmana. But I shall
tell it to you, for who could refuse you when you speak thus?
9. 'The
altar (fire), O Gautama, is that world (heaven); the fuel is the sun itself, the
smoke his rays, the light the day, the coals the quarters, the sparks the
intermediate quarters. On that altar the Devas offer the sraddha libation
(consisting of water) . From that oblation rises Soma, the king (the moon).
10. 'The
altar, O Gautama, is Parganya (the god of rain); the fuel is the year itself,
the smoke the clouds, the light the lightning, the coals the thunderbolt, the
sparks the thunderings. On that altar the Devas offer Soma, the king (the moon).
From that oblation rises rain.
11. 'The
altar, O Gautama, is this world; the fuel is the earth itself, the smoke the
fire, the light the night, the coals the moon, the sparks the stars. On that
altar the Devas offer rain. From that oblation rises food.
12. 'The
altar, O Gautama, is man; the fuel the opened mouth, the smoke the breath, the
light the tongue, the coals the eye, the sparks the ear. On that altar the Devas
offer food. From that oblation rises seed.
13. 'The
altar, O Gautama' is woman'. On that altar the Devas offer seed. From that
oblation rises man. He lives so long as he lives, and then when he dies,
14.
'They take him to the fire (the funeral pile), and then the altar-fire is indeed
fire, the fuel fuel, the smoke smoke, the light light, the coals coals, the
sparks sparks. In that very altar-fire the Devas offer man, and from that
oblation man rises, brilliant in colour.
15.
'Those who thus know this (even Grihasthas), and those who in the forest worship
faith and the True (Brahman Hiranyagarbha), go to light (arkis), from light to
day, from day to the increasing half, from the increasing half to the six months
when the sun goes to the north, from those six months to the world of the Devas
(Devaloka), from the world of the Devas to the sun, from the sun to the place of
lightning. When they have thus reached the place of lightning a spirit comes
near them, and leads them to the worlds of the (conditioned) Brahman. In these
worlds of Brahman they dwell exalted for ages. There is no returning for them.
16. 'But
they who conquer the worlds (future states) by means of sacrifice, charity, and
austerity, go to smoke, from smoke to night, from night to the decreasing half
of the moon, from the decreasing half of the moon to the six months when the sun
goes to the south, from these months to the world of the fathers, from the world
of the fathers to the moon. Having reached the moon, they become food, and then
the Devas feed on them there, as sacrificers feed on Soma, as it increases and
decrea. But when this (the result of their good works on earth) ceases, they
return again to that ether, from ether to the air, from the air to rain, from
rain to the earth. And when they have reached the earth, they become food, they
are offered again in the altar-fire, which is man (see 11), and thence are born
in the fire of woman. Thus they rise up towards the worlds, and go the same
round as before.
'Those,
however, who know neither of these two paths, become worms, birds, and creeping
things.'
THIRD
BRAHMANA.
1.If a
man wishes to reach greatness (wealth for performing sacrifices), he performs
the upasad rule during twelve days (i.e. he lives on small quantities of milk),
beginning on an auspicious day of the light half of the moon during the northern
progress of the sun, collecting at the same time in a cup or a dish made of
Udumbara wood all sorts of herbs, including fruits. He sweeps the floor (near
the house-altar, avasathya), sprinkles it, lays the fire, spreads grass round it
according to rule, prepares the clarified butter (agya), and on a day, presided
over by a male star (nakshatra), after having properly mixed the Mantha (the
herbs, fruits, milk, honey, &c.), he sacrifices (he pours agya into the fire),
saying'-: 'O Gatavedas, whatever adverse gods there are in thee, who defeat the
desires of men, to them I offer this portion; may they, being pleased, please me
with all desires.' Svaha!
'That
cross deity who lies down, thinking that all things are kept asunder by her, I
worship thee as propitious with this stream of ghee.' Svaha!
2. He
then says, Svaha to the First, Svaha to the Best, pours ghee into the fire, and
throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to Breath, Svaha to her who is the richest, pours ghee into the
fire, and throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to Speech, Svaha to the Support, pours ghee into the fire, and
throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha the Eye, Svaha to Success, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what
remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to the Ear, Svaha, to the Home, pours ghee into the fire, and throws
what remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to the Mind, Svaha to offspring, pours ghee into the fire, and
throws what remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha toSeed, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the
Mantha (mortar).
3. He
then says,Svaha to Agni (fire), pours ghee into the fire, and throws what
remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to Soma, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into the
Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Bhuh (earth), Svaha, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains
into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Bhuvah (sky), Svaha, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains
into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svah (heaven), Svaha, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains
into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, Svaha, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what
remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to Brahman (the priesthood), pours ghee into the fire, and throws
what remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to Kshatra (the knighthood), pours ghee into the fire, and throws
what remains into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to the Past, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into
the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to the Future, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains
into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to the Universe, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains
into the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says,Svaha to all things, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into
the Mantha (mortar).
He then
says, Svaha to Pragapati, pours ghee into the fire, and throws what remains into
the Mantha (mortar).
4. Then
he touches it (the Mantha, which is dedicated to Prana, breath), saying: 'Thou
art fleet (as breath). Thou art burning (as fire). Thou art.full (as Brahman).
Thou art firm (as the sky). Thou art the abode of all (as the earth). Thou hast
been saluted with Hin (at the beginning of the sacrifice by the prastotri). Thou
art saluted with Hin (in the middle of the sacrifice by the prastotri). Thou
hast been sung (by the udgatri at the beginning of the sacrifice). Thou art sung
(by the udgatri in the middle of the sacrifice). Thou hast been celebrated (by
the adhvaryu at the beginning of the sacrifice). Thou art celebrated again (by
the agnidhra in the middle of the sacrifice). Thou art bright in the wet
(cloud). Thou art great. Thou art powerful. Thou art food (as Soma). Thou art
light (as Agni, fire, the eater). Thou art the end. Thou art the absorption (of
all things).'
5. Then
he holds it (the Mantha) forth, saying: 'Thou knowest all, we know thy
greatness. He is indeed a king, a ruler, the highest lord. May that king, that
ruler make me the highest lord.'
6. Then
he eats it, saying: 'Tat savitur varenyam (We meditate on that adorable light) -
The winds drop honey for the righteous, the rivers drop honey, may our plants be
sweet as honey! Bhuh (earth) Svaha!
'Bhargo
devasya dhimahi (of the divine Savitri) - May the night be honey in the morning,
may the air above the earth, may heaven, our father, be honey! Bhuvah (sky)
Svaha!
'Dhiyo
yo nah prokodayat (who should rouse our thoughts) - May the tree be full of
honey, may the sun be full of honey, may our cows be sweet like honey! Svah
(heaven) Svaha!'
He
repeats the whole Savitri verse, and all the verses about the honey, thinking,
May I be all this! Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, Svaha! Having thus swallowed all, he
washes his hands, and sits down behind the altar, turning his head to the East.
In the morning he worships Aditya (the sun), with the hymn, 'Thou art the best
lotus of the four quarters, may I become the best lotus among men.' Then
returning as he came, he sits down behind the altar and recites the genealogical
list.
7.
Uddalaka Aruni told this (Mantha-doctrine) to his pupil Vagasaneya Yagnavalkya,
and said: 'If a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and
leaves spring forth.'
8.
Vagasaneya Yagnavalkya told the same to his pupil Madhuka Paingya, and said: 'If
a man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring
forth.'
9.
Madhuka Paingya told the same to his pupil Kula Bhagavitti, and said: 'If a man
were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.'
10. Kula
Bhagavitti told the same to his pupil Ganaki Ayasthuna, and said: 'If a man were
to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.'
11.
Ganaki Ayasthuna told the same to his pupil Satyakama Gabala, and said: 'If a
man were to pour it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring
forth.'
12.
Satyakama Gabala told the same to his pupils, and said: ' If a man were to pour
it on a dry stick, branches would grow, and leaves spring forth.'
Let no
one tell this to any one, except to a son or to a pupil.
13. Four
things are made of the wood of the Udumbara tree, the sacrificial ladle (sruva),
the cup (kamasa), the fuel, and the two churning sticks.
There
are ten kinds of village (cultivated) seeds, viz. rice and barley (brihiyavas),
sesamum and kidney-beans (tilamashas), millet and panic seed (anupriyangavas),
wheat (godhumas), lentils (masuras), pulse (khalvas), and vetches (khalakulas).
After having ground these he sprinkles them with curds (dadhi), honey, and ghee,
and then offers (the proper portions) of clarified butter (agya).
FOURTH
BRAHMANA.
1.The
earth is the essence of all these things, water is the essence of the earth
plants of water, flowers of plants, fruits of flowers, man of fruits, seed of
man.
2. And
Pragapati thought, let me make an abode for him, and he created a woman (Satarupa).
Tam
srishivadha upasta, tasmat striyam adha upasita. Sa etam prankam gravanam atmana
eva samudaparayat, tenainam abhyasrigat.
3. Tasya
vedir upastho, lomani barhis, karmadhishavane, samiddho madhyatas, tau mushkau.
Sa yavan ha vai vagapeyena yagamanasya loko bhavati tavan asya loko bhavati ya
evam vidvan adhopahasam karaty a sa strinam sukritam vrinkte 'tha ya idam
avidvan adhopahasam karaty asya striyah sukritam vringate.
4. Etad
dha sma vai tadvidvan Uddalaka Arunir ahaitad dha sma vai tadvidvan Nako
Maudgalya ahaitad dha sma vai tadvidvan Kumaraharita aha, bahavo marya
brahmanayana nirindriya visukrito’smal lokat prayanti ya idam avidvamso 'dhopahasam
karantiti. Bahu va idam suptasya va gagrato va retah skandati,
5. Tad
abhimrised anu va mantrayeta yan me 'dya retak prithivim askantsid yad oshadhir
apy asarad yad apah, idam aham tad reta adade punar mam aitv indriyam punas
tegah punar bhagah, punar agnayo dhishnya yathasthanam kalpantam, ity
anamikangushthabhyam adayantaretia stanau va bhruvau va nimringyat.
6. If a
man see himself in the water, he should recite the following verse: 'May there
be in me splendour, strength, glory, wealth, virtue.'
She is
the best of women whose garments are pure. Therefore let him approach a woman
whose garments are pure, and whose fame is pure, and address her.
7. If
she do not give in, let him, as he likes, bribe her (with presents). And if she
then do not give in, let him, as he likes, beat her with a stick or with his
hand, and overcome her, saying: 'With manly strength and glory I take away thy
glory,'-and thus she becomes unglorious.
8. If
she give in, he says: 'With manly strength and glory I give thee glory,' - and
thus they both become glorious.
9. Sa
yam ikkhet kamayeta meti tasyam artham nishtaya mukhena mukham sandhayopastham
asya abhimrisya gaped angadangat sambhavasi hridayad adhi gayase, sa tvam
angakashayo 'si digdhaviddham iva madayemam amum mayiti.
10. Atha
yam ikkhen na garbham dadhiteti tasyam artham nishiaya mukhena mukham
sandhayabhipranyapanyad indriyena te retasa reta adada ity areta o eva bhavati.
11. Atha
yam ikkhed garbham dadhiteti tasyam artham nishtaya mukhena mukham
sandhayapanyabhipranyad indriyena te retasa reta adadhamiti garbhiny eva bhavati.
12. Now
again, if a man's wife has a lover and the husband hates him, let him (according
to rule) place fire by an unbaked jar, spread a layer of arrows in inverse
order, anoint these three arrow-heads with butter in inverse order, and
sacrifice, saying: 'Thou hast sacrificed in my fire, I take away thy up and down
breathing, I here.'
'Thou
hast sacrificed in my fire, I take away thy sons and cattle, I here.'
'Thou
hast sacrificed in my fire, I take away thy sacred and thy good works, I here.'
'Thou
hast sacrificed in my fire, I take away thy hope and expectation, I here.'
He whom
a Brahmana who knows this curses, departs from this world without strength and
without good works. Therefore let no one wish even for sport with the wife of a
Srotriya who knows this, for he who knows this, is a dangerous enemy.
13. When
the monthly illness seizes his wife, she should for three days not drink from a
metal vessel, and wear a fresh dress. Let no Vrishala or Vrishali (a Sudra man
or woman) touch her. At the end of the three days, when she has bathed, the
husband should make her pound rice.
14. And
if a man wishes that a white son should be born to him, and that he should know
one Veda, and live to his full age, then, after having prepared boiled rice with
milk and butter, they should both eat, being fit to have offspring.
15. And
if a man wishes that a reddish son with tawny eyes should be born to him, and
that he should know two Vedas, and live to his full age, then, after having
prepared boiled rice with coagulated milk and butter, they should both eat,
being fit to have offspring.
16. And
if a man wishes that a dark son should be born to him with red eyes, and that he
should know three Vedas, and live to his full age, then, after having prepared
boiled rice with water and butter, they should both eat, being fit to have
offspring.
17. And
if a man wishes that a learned daughter should be born to him, and that she
should live to her full age, then, after having prepared boiled rice with
sesamum and butter, they should both eat, being fit to have offspring.
18. And
if a man wishes that a learned son should be born to him, famous, a public man,
a popular speaker, that he should know all the Vedas, and that he should live to
his full age, then, after having prepared boiled rice with meat and butter, they
should both eat, being fit to have offspring. The meat should be of a young or
of an old bull.
19. And
then toward morning, after having, according to the rule of the Sthalipaka
(pot-boiling), performed the preparation of the Agya (clarified butter'), he
sacrifices from the Sthalipaka bit by bit, saying: 'This is for Agni, Svaha!
This is for Anumati, Svaha! This is for the divine Savitri, the true creator,
Svaha!' Having sacrificed, he takes out the rest of the rice and eats it, and
after having eaten, he gives it to his wife. Then he washes his hands, fills a
water-jar, and sprinkles her thrice with it, saying: ' Rise hence, O Visvavasu,
seek another blooming girl, a wife with her husband.'
20. Then
he embraces her, and says: 'I am Ama (breath), thou art Sa (speech ). Thou art
Sa (speech), I am Ama (breath). I am the saman, thou art the Rik. 1 am the sky,
thou art the earth. Come, let us strive together, that a male child may be
begotten.'
21.
Athasya uru vihapayati, vigihitham dyavaprithivi iti tasyam artham nishtaya
mukhena mukham sandhaya trir enam anulomam anumarshti, Vishnur yonim kalpayatu,
Tvashta rupani pimsatu, asinkatu Pragapatir Dhata garbham dadhatu te. Garbham
dhehi Sinivali, garbham dhehi prithushtuke, garbham te Asvinau devav adhattam
pushkarasragau.
22.
Hiranmayi arani yabhyam nirmanthatam asvinau, tam te garbham havamahe dasame
masi suitave. Yathagnigarbha prithivi, yatha dyaur indrena garbhini, vayur disam
yatha garbha evam garbham dadhami te ‘sav iti.
23.
Soshyantim adbhir abhyukshati. Yatha vayuh pushkarinim samingayati sarvatah, eva
te garbha egatu sahavaitu garayuna. Indrasyayam vragah kritah sargalah
saparisrayah, tam indra nirgahi garbhena savaram saheti.
24. When
the child is born, he prepares the fire, places the child on his lap, and having
poured prishadagya, i.e. dadhi (thick milk) mixed with ghrita (clarified butter)
into a metal jug, he sacrifices bit by bit of that prishadagya, saying: 'May I,
as I increase in this my house, nourish a thousand! May fortune never fail in
his race, with offspring and cattle, Svaha!'
'I offer
to thee. in my mind the vital breaths which are in me, Svaha!,
'Whatever in my work I have done too much, or whatever I have here done too
little, may the wise Agni Svishtakrit make this right and proper for us, Svaha!'
25. Then
putting his mouth near the child's right ear, he says thrice, Speech, speech!
After that he pours together thick milk, honey, and clarified butter, and feeds
the child with (a ladle of) pure gold, saying: 'I give thee Bhuh, I give thee
Bhuvah, I give thee Svah. Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, I give thee all.'
26. Then
he gives him his name, saying: 'Thou art Veda;' but this is his secret name.
27. Then
he hands the boy to his mother and gives him her breast, saying: ‘O Sarasvad,
that breast of thine which is inexhaustible, delightful, abundant, wealthy,
generous, by which thou cherishest all blessings, make that to flow here.'
28. Then
he addresses the mother of the boy:
'Thou
art Ila Maitravaruni: thou strong woman hast born a strong boy. Be thou blessed
with strong children thou who hast blessed me with a strong child.'
And they
say of such a boy: 'Ah, thou art better than thy father; ah, thou art better
than thy grandfather. Truly he has reached the highest point in happiness,
praise, and Vedic glory who is born as the son of a Brahmana that knows this.'
FIFTH
BRAHMANA.
1. Now
follows the stem:
1.
Pautimashiputra from Katyayaniputra,
2.
Katyayaniputra from Gotamiputra,
3.
Gotamiputra from Bharadvagiputra,
4.
Bharadvagiputra from Parasariputra,
5.
Parasariputra from Aupasvatiputra,
6.
Aupasvatiputra from Parasariputra,
7.
Parasariputra from Katyayaniputra,
8.
Katyayaniputra from Kausikiputra,
9.
Kausikiputra from Alambiputra and Vaiyaghrapadiputra,
10.
Alambiputra and Vaiyaghrapadiputra from Kanviputra,
11.
Kanviputra from Kapiputra,
12.
Kapiputra
2. from
Atreyiputra,
13.
Atreyiputra from Gautamiputra,
14.
Gautamiputra from Bharadvagiputra,
15.
Bharadvagiputra from Parasariputra,
16.
Parasariputra from Vatsiputra,
17.
Vatsiputra from Parasariputra,
18.
Parasariputra from Varkaruitiputra'
19.
Varkaruniputra from Varkaruniputra,
20.
Varkaruitiputra from Artabhagiputra,
21.
Artabhagiputra from Saungiputra,
22.
Saungiputra from Sankritiputra,
23.
Sankritiputra from Alambayaniputra,
24.
Alambayaniputra from Alambiputra,
25.
Alambiputra from Gayantiputra,
26.
Gayantiputra from Mandukayaniputra,
27.
Mandukayaniputra from Mandtikiputra,
28.
Mandtikiputra from Sandiliputra,
29.
Sandiliputra from Rathitariputra,
30.
Rathitariputra from Bhaiukiputra,
31.
Bhalukiputra from Kraunkikiputrau,
32.
Kraunkikiputrau from Vaittabhatiputra
33.
Vaittabhatiputra from Karsakeyiputra,
34.
Karsakeyiputra from Prakinayogiputra,
35.
Prakinayogiputra from Sankiviputra,
36.
Sangiviputra from Prasnitputra Asurivasin,
37.
Prasniputra Asurivasin from Asurayana,
38.
Asurayana from Asuri,
39.
Asuri
3. from
Yagnavalkya,
40.
Yagnavalkya from Uddalaka,
41.
Uddalaka from Aruna,
42.
Aruna from Upavesi,
43.
Upavesi from Kusri,
44.
Kusri from Vagasravas,
45.
Vagasravas from Gihvavat Vadhyoga,
46.
Gihvavat Vadhyoga from Asita Varshagana,
47.
Asita Varshagana from Harita Kasyapa,
48.
Harita Kasyapa from Silpa Kasyapa,
49.
Silpa Kasyapa from Kasyapa Naidhruvi,
50.
Kasyapa Naidhruvi from Vak,
51. Vak
from Ambhini,
52.
Ambhini from Aditya, the Sun.
As
coming from Aditya, the Sun, these pure Yagus verses have been proclaimed by
Yagnavalkya Vagasaneya.
4. The
same as far as Sangiviputra (No. 36), then
36.
Sangiviputra from Mandukayani,
37.
Mandukayani from Mandavya,
38.
Mandavya from Kautsa,
39.
Kautsa from Mahitthi,
40.
Mahitthi from Vamakakshayana,
41.
Vamakakshayana from Sandilya,
42.
Sandilya from Vatsya,
43.
Vatsya from Kusri,
44.
Kusri from Yagntavakas Ragastambayana,
45.
Yagntavakas Ragastambayana from Tura Kavasheya,
46. Tura
Kavasheya from Pragapati,
47.
Pragapati from Brahman,
48.
Brahman is Svayambhu, self-existent.
Adoration to Brahman!