Upanishads in brief -2

Upanishads in brief

Prashna Upanishad verse by verse
Translated by Professor D. S. Sarma
(Up.1.2)
1.
Sukesa (son of Bharadvaja), Satyakama (son of Sibi), Gargya (grandson of Surya), Kausalya (son of Asvala), Bhargava (of Vidarbha), and Kabandhi (son of Katya) – all these, intent on Brahman (the Supreme Reality), devoted to Brahman, and seeking the highest Brahman, approached the revered Pippalada with sacrificial fuel in their hands, thinking that he would explain all that to them.
2.
The Rishi (Seer of Truth) said to them: ‘Live with me another year with austerity, chastity and faith. Then ask questions as you please. If we know, we will tell you all.
3.
After that time, Kabandhi, son of Katya, approached him and asked: ‘Venerable Sir, whence are all these creatures born?’
4.
To him he said: ‘The Lord of Creation, wishing to have offspring, brooded in thought. Having brooded in thought, he created a pair – matter and life – thinking that they would produce creatures for Him.’
5.
Then Bhargava of Vidarbha questioned him: ‘Sir, how many powers support a creature? How many illumine it, and which of them, again, is the most important?’
6.
To him he said: “Space is such a power – and air, fire, water, earth – also speech, mind, eye and ear. These having illumined it, declare, ‘We sustain and support this body.’”
7.
“But Life, the most important of them all, said to them, ‘Do not cherish this delusion. I alone, dividing myself into five, sustain and support this body.’ They did not believe him.”
8.
“Then through pride he seemed as if to rise up from it. When he rose up, all of them rose up, and when he settled down, all of them settled down with him.
As all the bees rise up when the king bee rises, and as they settle down when he settles down, even so did these – speech, mind, sight and hearing. They were satisfied and sang the praises of Life” –
9.
“ ‘As fire he burns. He is the sun, he is the rain god Indra. He is the wind, the earth and matter. He is a god. He is being and non-being and what is immortal.
10.
“ ‘As spokes in the hub of a wheel everything is established in Life – the Rik, the Yajus and the Saman verses, and also sacrifices, valour and wisdom.
11.
“ ‘As the Lord of creatures, thou movest in the womb and thou thyself art born again. To thee, O Life, that dwellest with the vital breaths, these creatures bring their offerings.
12.
“ ‘Thou art the chief bearer of oblations to the gods. Thou art the first offering to the Pitris. Thou art the virtuous conduct of the sages, the descendants of Atharvan and Angiras.
13.
“ ‘Thou art Indra, O Prana (Life), thou art Rudra by thy valour, thou art the protector; thou movest in the sky. Thou art the sun, the lord of lights.
14.
“ ‘When thou comest down as rain, then these creatures breathe and live in a state of bliss, as there will be food to their heart’s content.
15.
“ ‘Thou art ever pure, O Life, the one seer, the eater, the real lord of the universe. We are the givers of food. O All-pervading, thou art our father.
16.
“ ‘That form of thine, which abides in speech, in hearing and in sight and which exists continuously in the mind – make it propitious. Do not depart.
17.
“ ‘All this is under the sway of life, as also that which is established in heaven above. Protect us as a mother does her son. Grant us prosperity and wisdom.’”
II (Up. 3)
1.
Then Kausalya, son of Asvala, asked him: ‘Venerable Sir, whence is this life born? How does it come into the body? And how does it distribute itself and establish itself? In what way does it depart? How does it relate itself to what is external to the body and how (does it relate itself) to what is internal and spiritual?’
2.
To him he then said: “You are asking questions that are highly transcendental. But, as I think you are most devoted to Brahman, I will tell you.
3.
“This life is born of the Self. As in the case of a man there is the shadow, so is this life connected with that Self. It comes into the body by the activity of the mind.
4.
“As a sovereign commands his officers, saying: ‘You superintend such and such villages’- even so does this life order the other vital breaths to their respective places.
5.
“The Apana breath is stationed in the organs of excretion and reproduction; the life-breath itself is in the eye and the ear and also in the mouth and the nose; the Samana breath in the middle distributes equally the food supplied. From this arise those seven fires.
6.
“In the heart is the Self. Here are these one hundred and one blood vessels. To each one of these belong a hundred smaller vessels. And to each of these again belong seventy-two thousand branching vessels. Within these moves the Vyana breath.
7.
“Now, rising upwards through one of them, the Udana breath leads one to the good world as a result of good deeds, and to the evil world as a result of evil deeds, and to the world of men as a result of both.
8.
“The sun rises and it is the external life-breath, for it helps the life-breath in the eye; the divinity which is in the earth supports a person’s Apana breath. And the space between the two – that is the Samana breath; and the air is the Vyana breath.
9.
“Fire is indeed the Udana breath. Hence he whose vital heat is quenched goes to rebirth, his senses being merged in his mind.
10.
“Whatever is a man’s last thoughts – with these he comes to life again. And life joined to vital heart together with the self, leads to whatever world he has fashioned in his thoughts.
11.
“The wise man who thus knows all about Life – his progeny will have no break and himself will become immortal. On this there is the following verse:-
12.
“The origin of Life, its coming, its staying, its five-fold extension and its relation to the Self – knowing these one obtains immortality”
III (Up.4)
1.
Then Gargya, grandson of Surya, asked him: ‘Venerable Sir, what are the powers that go to sleep in a man when he goes to sleep and what are they that are awake when he is awake? Who is that divinity that witnesses the dreams, and whose is that happiness? And in whom, again, are all these established?’
2.
To him he then said: “Just as, O Gargya, all the rays of the setting sun become one in an orb of light and spread themselves out when he rises, again and again, even so do all become one in that supreme divinity – the mind. Therefore in that state the man does not see, does not smell, does not taste, does not touch, does not speak, does not take, does not rejoice, does not emit and does not move about. They say, he sleeps.
3.
“The fires of life alone remain awake in this city.
4.
“There in sleep, the divine mind has experience of its power. It sees again whatever object has been seen, it hears again whatever has been heard, it experiences again and again whatever has been experienced before in different places and directions. Also what has been seen and not been seen, what has been heard and not been heard, what has been experienced and not been experienced, and what is existent and what is non-existent – it sees all; being all. It sees all.
5.
“But when it is overpowered with light, the mind sees no dreams; then there is happiness for it in the body.
6.
“Just as birds resort to a tree for rest, even so, my friend, all things here go into the Supreme Self – earth and the elements of earth, water and the elements of water, fire and the elements of fire, air and the elements of air, space and the elements of space; sight and what can be seen, hearing and what can be heard, smell and what can be smelt, taste and what can be tasted, the skin and what can be touched, speech and what can be spoken, hands and what can be handled, the organ of generation and what can be enjoyed, the organ of excretion and what can be excreted, feet and what can be trodden, the mind and what can be perceived, the intellect and what can be conceived, self-consciousness and what can be conscious of, thought and what can be thought, light and what can be illumined, and life and what can be supported by it.
7.
“Verily this seer, toucher, hearer, smeller, taster, perceiver, knower, doer, thinker, this person- he becomes establishes in the Supreme imperishable Self.
8.
“Verily, O friend, he who recognises the shadow-less. bodiless, colourless, pure, imperishable Self attains that Supreme imperishable Itself. He, knowing all, becomes the All. On this, there is this verse:
9.
“He who recognises the imperishable Self, in whom the conscious self, with all its powers, its vital breaths and the elements are established – he, O my friend, knowing all, has become the All.”
IV (Up.5)
1.
Then Satyakama, son of Sibi, asked him: ‘Venerable Sir, if among men any one meditates on AUM to the end of his life, what world does he win thereby?’
2.
To him he said: “Verily, O Satyakama, this syllable AUM is both the higher and the lower Brahman. Therefore, he who knows it can reach by its support either the one or the other.
3.
“If he meditates on one element of it, he is enlightened even by that and comes back quickly to earth.
The Rik verses lead him to the world of men. There, endowed with austerity, chastity and faith he experiences greatness.
4.
“If he meditates on two elements, then he becomes one with the mind and is led by Yajus formulas to the intermediate space, to the lunar world; having experienced greatness there he returns here again.
5.
“But if with the three elements of the syllable AUM he meditates on the highest Person, he becomes one with the light, the sun. And being freed from his sins, as a snake is freed from its skin, he is led by Saman chants to the world of Brahman. He sees the Person who dwells in the body, higher than the highest assemblage of life. On this subject there are these two verses:
6.
“These three elements, each by itself, are within the sphere of mortality. But if they are united and not separated from each other and are enjoyed in actions well performed, internal, external or intermediate – the knower is not shaken.
7.
“With the Rik verses one gains this world, with the Yajus formulas the inter-space, and with Saman chants that which the sages know. With AUM as the sole support the wise man attains to that which is tranquil, undecaying, deathless, fearless and supreme.
V (Up.6)
1.
Then Sukesa, son of Bharadvaja, asked him: “Venerable Sir, Hiranyanabha, a prince of Kosala, came to me and asked this question: ‘Bharadvaja, do you know the person with sixteen parts?’ I replied to the prince: ‘I do not know him. If I knew him why would I not tell you? He who speaks an untruth will indeed wither away to his roots. It is not proper for me, therefore, to speak an untruth.’ Thereupon he silently mounted his chariot and went away. Now I will ask you. Where is that person?”
2.
To him he said: “Even here, within the body, O friend, is that person in whom arise these sixteen parts.
3.
“He (the person) thought within himself, ‘On whose departure shall I be departing, and on whose resting firm shall I be resting?
4.
“He created life, and from life, faith, space, air, light, water, earth, senses, mind and food; and from food vitality, austerity, hymns, works, worlds, and in the worlds, individuals.
5.
“Just as these running streams flowing towards the sea disappear on reaching the sea and are simply called the sea, their name and form being broken up, even so these sixteen parts of this seer, tending towards the person, disappear on reaching him, and are simply called the person, their name and form being broken up. This one is without parts and is immortal. On this there is the following verse:
6.
“He in whom the parts are well established as spokes in the centre of the wheel – know him as the person to be known so that death may not afflict you.”
7.
To them he said: “Only thus far do I know that Supreme Brahman. There is nothing higher than that.”
8.
Then they praised him; “Thou art indeed our father, taking us across to the other shore of our ignorance”
Salutation to the supreme sages
Salutation to the supreme sages


Katha Upanishad verse by verse
Translation by Professor  D .S. Sarma
(Up.I.1)

1. Desiring the fruits of a sacrifice, Vajasravasa, it is said, gave away all his wealth. He had a son, Nachiketas by name.

 

2. As the gifts were being distributed, faith entered into Nachiketas, though he was a boy, and he thought……..

 

3. These cows that have drunk their last water, eaten their last grass, yielded their last milk and worn out their organs – miserable, surely, are the worlds to which he will go who gives away such things.

 

4. He said to his father, “To whom, O Sire, will you give me?” – a second time, a third time; and he replied, “To Death will I give you.”

 

5. (Nachiketas) –“Of many I go as first, and of many I go as the midmost. What duty towards Yama will he accomplish today through me?”

 

6. “Look back to how it was with those who went before, look forward to how it will be with those who come hereafter. A mortal ripens like corn, like corn he springs up again.”

 

7. (A voice in Yama’s abode) –“Like fire does a Brahmin guest enter into houses, and they make him this peace offering; bring water, O son of Vivaswat.”

 

8. “Hope and expectation, good company and pleasant discourse, the fruits of sacrifices and good deeds, sons and cattle – all are taken away from that person of little understanding in whose house a Brahmin remains without food.”

 

9. (Yama) – “O Brahmin, since you, a venerable guest, have stayed in my house for three nights without food I make obeisance to you, and may it be with me! Therefore, choose now three boons in return.

 

10. (Nachiketas) – “That Gautama (my father) may be pacified, that he may be kind and free from anger towards me and that he may recognize me and greet me when I shall have been set free by you. O Death – this is the first of the boons I choose.”

 

11. (Yama) – “Through my favour Auddalaki Aruni (your father) will recognize you and be again towards you as he was before. And, seeing you released from the jaws of death, he shall be free from anger, and sleep peacefully through the night.”

 

12. (Nachiketas) – “In the world of heaven there is no fear whatever, you are not there and no one is afraid of old age. Overcoming both hunger and thirst, and leaving sorrow behind, one rejoices in the world of heaven.”

 

13. (Nachiketas) – “You know, O Death, that fire-sacrifice which leads one to heaven. Explain it to me- for I am full of faith – how the dwellers in heaven gain their immortality. This I choose as my second boon.”

 

14. (Yama) – “O Nachiketas, I know well that fire which leads one to heaven. I will declare it to you. Learn it of me and know that it is the means of gaining the endless world, that it is its foundation and that it abides in the cave of the heart.”

 

15. He then described to him that fire, which is the first of the worlds, and also what kind of bricks are to be used, how many of them and in what manner. And he (Nachiketas) repeated all, as it had been told. Then, being pleased with, Death spoke again.

 

16. That great one, being delighted, said to him:- “I will give you here today another boon – by your name will this fire be known hereafter. Take also this necklace of many colours.”

 

17. (Yama) – “This is your fire-sacrifice, O Nachiketas. Which leads one to heaven and which you have chosen for your second boon. People will call this by name only. Choose now, O Nachiketas, your third boon.”

 

18. (Nachiketas) – “When a man passes away there is this doubt, some hold that he exists and some that he does not. This I should like to know, instructed by you. This is the third of the boons.”

 

19. (Yama) – “Even the gods of old had doubts on this. It is not easy to understand. So subtle is the truth about it. Choose another boon, O Nachiketas. Do not press me. Release me from this.”

 

20. (Nachiketas) – “Indeed even the gods had doubts on this, and, O Death, you say it is not easy to understand. But no other teacher of it like you can be got, and no other boon is equal to this.”

 

21. (Yama) – “Choose sons and grandsons, who shall live a hundred years, herds of cattle, elephants, gold and horses; choose the whole expanse of the earth and live for as many years as you like.”
22. (Y) “If you can think of any boon equal to this, choose that, as also wealth and long life. Be a king on this wide earth, O Nachiketas. I will make you the enjoyer of all your desires.” 
23. (Y) “Whatever desires are difficult to attain in this world of man, ask freely for all of them. Here are these fair maidens with their chariots, and musical instruments. Such are not to be obtained by men. Be served by these whom I give to you. But, O Nachiketas, do not question me about death.”

 

24. (N) –“Transient are all these, O Death, and they wear out the vigour of all the senses. Moreover all life is short. Keep your horses to yourself, keep your dance and your song.”

 

25. (N) “No man can be satisfied with wealth. Can we enjoy wealth when we see you! We shall live as long as you are in power! That alone is the boon to be chosen by me.”

 

26. (N) “What mortal decaying here below and coming to know of the undecaying nature of the immortals would ever delight in too long a life, thinking of the pleasures which arise from beauty and love?”

 

27. (N) “O Death, tell us about which people have doubts, what there is in that great hereafter. Nachiketas does not choose another boon but that which penetrates this mystery”

II (UP.1.2)

1. (Yama) – “The good is one thing, the pleasant is another. These two, having different purposes, bind a man. Of these two, it is well for him who takes hold of the good; he who chooses the pleasant misses his end.”

 

2. (Y) “The good and the pleasant approach a man; the wise man considers and distinguishes the two. Wisely does he prefer the good to the pleasant, but a fool chooses the pleasant for its worldly good.”

 

3. (Y) “You O Nachiketas, have, after examining, rejected the pleasant that are delightful or seem to be so. You have not taken the road that leads to wealth in which many men perish.”

 

4. (Y) “Wide apart and leading to different ends are these which are known as ignorance and knowledge. I believe Nachiketas to be one who desires knowledge, for even many pleasures have not tempted you.”

 

5. (Y) “Fools steeped in ignorance, wise in their own conceit and regarding themselves as learned, go about staggering like blind men led by the blind.”

 

6. (Y) “The way to the other world does not shine for the ignorant man who blunders, ever deluded by the glamour of wealth. ‘This is the world and there is no other,’ he thinks and thus he falls again and again under my sway.”

 

7. (Y) “He who cannot be heard of by many and whom many, even hearing, do not know – wonderful is the man who can expound Him, and adept is the man who can find Him. And wonderful indeed is the man who can know Him, even when taught by an expert.”

 

8. (Y) “When taught by an inferior man, it (the Self) is not easily known, even though often meditated upon. Unless it is taught by a competent (proficient) man, there is no way to it, for it is inconceivable, being subtler than the subtle.”

 

9. (Y) “Not by argument is this knowledge obtained. But, O dearest, when taught by another, it is easy to understand. You have obtained it now, holding fast to truth. May we always have an enquirer like you, O Nachiketas!”

III (Up.I 2.3.

1. (Nachiketas) –“Tell me that which you see beyond right and wrong, beyond effect and cause and beyond past and future.”

 

2. (Yama) – “That word which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities proclaim, and which men desire when they lead the life of religious students – that word, I tell you briefly. It is AUM.”

 

3. (Y) “This syllable is indeed Brahman (Supreme Reality); this syllable indeed is the highest; he who knows this syllable – whatever he desires will be his.”

 

4. (Y) “This is the best support, this is the highest support; he who knows this support becomes great in the world of Brahma.”

 

5. (Y) “The knowing Self is never born, nor does it die. It sprang from nothing, and nothing sprang from it. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting and primeval. It is not slain when the body is slain.”

 

6. (Y) “If the slayer thinks that he slays or if the slain thinks that he is slain, both of them do not understand. He neither slays nor is he slain.”

 

7. (Y) “Smaller than the small and greater than the great, the Self is hidden in the heart of every creature. A man who is free from desires beholds the glory of that Self through the tranquillity of his mind and senses and becomes freed from sorrow.”

 

8. (Y) “Though sitting still He travels far, though lying down He goes everywhere. Who but myself can know that luminous Atman who rejoices and rejoices not?”

 

9. (Y) “The wise man who knows the Self as bodiless within the bodies, as the unchanging among changing things, as great and all-pervading, will never grieve.”

 

10. (Y) “This Self cannot be gained by the Veda, nor by intellectual power, nor by much learning. He is to be gained only by the one whom He chooses. To such a one the Self reveals His own nature.”

 

11. (Y) “The man who has not turned away from his evil ways, who is not tranquil, who has no concentration of mind and whose mind is not at rest – he can never reach this Self through mere knowledge.”

 

12. (Y) “Who knows where He is – He to whom both Brahmins and Kshatriyas are as food, and death itself is as a condiment?”

 

13. (Y) “Know that the Self is like the lord of the chariot, and the body is His chariot. Know that the intellect is the charioteer and the mind the reins.”

 

14. (Y) “The senses, they say, are the horses, the objects of the senses their roads. When the Self is in union with the body, the senses and the mind, the wise call Him the enjoyer.”

 

15. (Y) “He who has no understanding and whose mind is ever unrestrained – his senses are out of control as vicious horses for a charioteer.”

 

16. (Y) “But he who has understanding and whose mind is always restrained – his senses are under control as good horses for a charioteer.”

 

17. (Y) “He who has no understanding, who has no control over his mind and who is ever impure – he does not reach that place, but comes back to the round of births.”

 

18. (Y) “He, however, who has understanding, who has control over his mind and who is ever pure – he reaches that place from which he is not born again.”

 

19. (Y) “The man whose charioteer is his understanding, who holds the reins of his mind – he reaches the end of his journey, the supreme abode of Vishnu.”

 

20. (Y) “Beyond the senses there are the essences, beyond the essences there is the mind, beyond the mind there is the understanding and beyond the understanding there is the great soul.”

 

21. (Y) “Beyond the great soul there is the unmanifest, and beyond the unmanifest there is the Spirit. Beyond the Spirit there is nothing – that is the end, that is the highest reach.”

 

22. (Y) “That Self, hidden in all beings, does not shine forth, but it is seen by subtle seers through their sharp and subtle intellect.”

 

23. (Y) “A wise man should draw his speech into his mind, his mind into his understanding, his understanding into the great soul and the great soul into the silent Self.”

 

24. (Y) “Arise, awake, obtain the best teachers and learn of them. Sharp as the edge of a razor, hard to cross and difficult, is that path – so the sages say.”

 

25. (Y) “That which is without sound, without touch, without form, without decay, and likewise without taste, without change, without smell, without beginning, without end, beyond the great, and ever abiding – by realizing It one is freed from the jaws of death.”

 

26. This ancient story of Nachiketas told by Death – by repeating it or listening to it a wise man grows great in the world of Brahma

 

27. Whoever with zeal causes to be recited, before an assembly of Brahmins or at the time of Sraddha ceremonies, this supreme secret – it will secure for him immortality- yea, it will secure immortality.

IV (Up.II.1.)

1. The Self-existent pierced the senses outward and so one looks outward and not within oneself. Some wise man, however, seeking immortality, and turning his eyes inward, sees the inner Self.

 

2. The ignorant pursue outward pleasures; they walk into the widespread net of death. The wise, however, recognizing eternal life, do not seek the constant among inconstant things.

 

3. That by which one perceives forms, taste, smell, sounds and touches of love- by that alone one has knowledge. What is there that remains unknown to it? This, verily, is that.

 

4. That by which one perceives things both in dreams and in the waking state- having known that as the great omnipresent Self, this wise man does not grieve.

 

5. He who knows this living spirit, which is close at hand and which experiences the objects, as the lord of the past and the future- he fears no more. This, verily, is that.

 

6. Whence the sun rises and whither it goes to set – in whom all the devas are contained, and whom none can pass beyond - This, verily, is that.

 

7. Whatever is here the same is there; whatever is there the same is here. He goes from death to death who sees only multiplicity here.

 

8. By mind alone is this to be realized. There is no multiplicity here whatsoever. He goes from death to death who sees only multiplicity here.

 

9. The Purusha, of the size of a thumb, dwells in the body. After knowing Him as the Lord of the past and the future one fears no more. This, verily, is that.

 

10. That Purusha of the size of a thumb is like a flame without smoke. He is the Lord of the past and the future. He is the same today and tomorrow. This, verily, is that.

 

11. As rain water falling on a mountain peak runs down among the hills in all directions, even so he who sees the attributes as different from Brahman verily runs after them in all directions.

 

12. As pure water poured into pure water becomes one with it, so also, O Gautama, does the Self of the sage (seer or Rishi) who knows.

V (Up.II.2.)

1. There is the city of eleven gates (the body) belonging to Him who is unborn and of unchanging (undistorted) consciousness. By meditating on Him one grieves no more, and being liberated one becomes free indeed. This, verily, is that.

 

2. He is the sun dwelling in the bright heavens, the air in the firmament, the fire dwelling on earth, and the guest in the house. He dwells in men; He dwells in the gods; He dwells in the sacrifice (truth); He dwells in space. He is all that is born in water, all that is born on earth, all that is born of sacrifice and all that is born on the mountains. He is the true and the great.

 

3. He it is that leads the life breaths upwards and casts the lower breath downwards. All senses minister to Him, the Adorable, who is seated in the centre.

 

4. When the embodied self that dwells within the body slips out and is released from the body, what is left over here? (What then remains?) This, verily, is that.

 

5. It is not by any upward breath or downward breath that a mortal lives; but it is by some other, on which these two depend, that men live.

 

6. Well, I will explain to you now, O Gautama, the mystery of Brahman (Supreme Reality), the eternal, and also what happens to the soul after meeting death.

 

7. Some souls enter into a womb for embodiment, others go into stationary things (trees, plants etc), according to their deeds and according to their thoughts (knowledge).

 

8. That spirit, which is awake in those that sleep, shaping desire after desire (shaping one lovely form after another) – that is indeed the Pure, that is Brahman, that indeed is called the Immortal. In it are contained all the worlds, and no one ever goes beyond it. This, verily, is that.

 
VI (Up.II.2)

1. As fire, which is one, entering the world assumes different forms corresponding to different objects, so does the one Self with all beings assume different forms corresponding to different beings and also exists outside them all.

 

2. As air, which is one, entering the world, assumes different forms corresponding to different objects, so does the one Self within all beings assume different forms corresponding to different beings and also exists outside them all.

 

3. As the sun, the eye of the whole world, is not defiled by the external impurities seen by our eyes, so is the one Self within all beings not defiled by the misery of the world, being Himself without.

 

4. The one Ruler, the Self within all beings who makes His one form manifold – the wise who perceive Him within themselves, to them belong eternal happiness, not to others.

 

5. The Eternal among the transient, the Consciousness of conscious beings, the One who fulfils the desires of many – the wise who perceive Him within themselves, to them belongs eternal peace, not to others.

 

6. “That is it”- it is only thus that they recognize the indescribable highest happiness. How then can I know of it, whether it shines of itself or shines in reflection?

 

7. The sun does not shine there, nor the moon and the stars, nor these lightenings. How then could this fire? When He shines, everything shines after Him; by His light all this is lighted.

 
VII (Up.II.3)

1. With its roots above and its branches below stands this ancient world tree. That (the root) is indeed the Pure, that is Brahman, that indeed is called the Immortal. All the worlds are contained in it, and no one ever goes beyond it. This, verily, is that.

 

2. The whole world, whatever there is, springs from and moves in Life (Brahman) which is a great terror, an upraised thunderbolt. Those who know it become immortal.

 

3. Through fear of Him fire burns, through fear of Him the sun blazes, through fear of Him Indra, Vayu and also Yama, as the fifth, speed on their way.

 

4. If a man is not able to know Him before his body falls away, he becomes liable to be embodied again in the created worlds.

 

5. His form is not to be seen, no one beholds Him with the eye. He is to be apprehended by the heart, by thought, by mind. Those who know Him thus become immortal.

 

6. When the five instruments of knowledge stand still, together with the mind, and the intellect itself does not stir – that, they say, is the highest state.

 

7. This they consider to be Yoga, this steady control of the senses. Then does one become watchful, for Yoga comes and goes.

 
VII (Up. II. 3)

1. Not by speech, not by mind, not by sight can He be reached. How can He be apprehended unless one says to oneself that He is?

 

2. It is by saying “He is” that He is to be apprehended together with His twofold nature. His real nature reveals itself to those who apprehend that He is.

 

3. When all the desires that dwell in the heart are cast away – then does a mortal become immortal and attain to Brahman even here.

 

4. When all the ties of the heart are cut asunder here- then does a mortal become immortal. Thus far is the teaching.

 

5. The Purusha of the size of a thumb, the inner Self, abides always in the hearts of men. One should draw Him out from the body with firmness as one draws the pith from a reed. One should know Him as the pure, the immortal.

 

6. Having gained this knowledge imparted by Death and the whole rule of Yoga, Nachiketas attained Brahman and became free from passion and death. And so may any other who knows this teaching regarding the Self.

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Index Alphabetical [Index to Pages]

Upanishads verse by verse -an anthology
A selection of sacred passages
Abridged
Chandogya Upanishadf verse by verse
Translated by Professor D. S. Sarma
I.i.1

1. One should meditate on the syllable AUM, called the Udgitha, for the Udgitha (a portion of the Sama Veda) is sung beginning with Aum. Of this syllable the explanation is:

 

2. The essence of things here is the earth; the essence of the earth is water; the essence of water is plants; the essence of plants is man; the essence of man is speech; the essence of speech is the Rig Veda; the essence of the Rig Veda is the Sama Veda; and the essence of the Sama Veda is the Udgitha.

 

3. It is the best of all essences – the highest, the supreme, the eighth – namely the Udgitha.

 

4. By this does the threefold knowledge proceed; saying Aum one recites, saying Aum one orders, and saying Aum one sings aloud – all in honour of all that syllable with its greatness and its essence.

 

5. He who understands it and he who does not – both perform the same sacrifice. But knowledge and ignorance are different. What one performs with knowledge, faith and meditation becomes more powerful. This indeed is the full explanation of this syllable.

II.i.2

1. When the gods and the demons, both descendants of Prajapati, contended with one another the gods took hold of the Udgitha thinking, “With this we shall overcome them.”

 

2. Then they meditated on the Udgitha as the breath in the nose, but the demons pierced it with evil. Therefore one smells with it both the sweet smelling and the foul smelling, for it was pierced with evil.

 

3. Then they meditated on the Udgitha as speech; but the demons pierced it with evil. Therefore one speaks with it both truth and falsehood. For it was pierced with evil.

 

4. Then they meditated on the Udgitha as the eye, but the demons pierced it with evil. Therefore, one sees with it both what is sightly and what is unsightly, for it was pierced with evil.

 

5. Then they meditated on the Udgitha as the ear, but the demons pierced it with evil. Therefore one hears with it both what should be heard and what should not be heard, for it was pierced with evil.

 

6. Then they meditated on the Udgitha as the mind, but the demons pierced it with evil. Therefore one imagines with it both what should be imagined and what should not be imagined, for it was pierced with evil.

 

7. They then meditated on the Udgitha as the chief vital breath itself. When the demons came against it they were destroyed as one would be in dashing against a solid rock.

 

8. Just as a ball of earth striking against a solid rock is destroyed, so will one be destroyed who wishes evil to him who knows this or one who injures him, for he is a solid rock.

 

9. With this vital breath one does not discern either the sweet smelling or the foul smelling, for it is free from evil. With this, whatever one eats or drinks, one supports the other vital breaths. And, not having this in the end, one finally departs and leaves the mouth open.

III.i.8

1. There were once three men well versed in the Udgitha – Silaka Salavatya, Chaikitayana Dalbhya and Pravahana Jaivali. They said, “We are indeed well-versed in the Udgitha. Well, let us have a discussion on it.”

 

2. “So be it,” said they and sat down. Then Pravahana Jaivali said: “You two, sirs, speak first, for I wish to hear what two Brahmins have to say.”

 

3. Then Silaka Salavatya said to Chaikitayana Dalbhya: “Let me ask you.”

“Ask”, he replied.

 

4. “What is the origin (abode) of the Saman (Udgitha)?”

“Tone”, he replied.

“What is the origin of tone?”

“Breath”, he replied.

“What is the origin of breath?”

“Food”, he replied.

“What is the origin of food?”

“Water”, he replied.

 

5. “What is the origin of water?”

“Yonder world”, he replied.

“What is the origin of the yonder world?”

He replied: “One should not go beyond the world of heaven. We establish the Saman in the world of heaven, for the Saman is extolled in heaven.”

 

6. Then Silaka Salavatya said to Chaikitayana Dalbhya: “Your Saman. O Dalbhya, is not firmly established. If now anyone were to say, ‘Your head shall fall off’, surely your head would fall off.”

 

7. “Well, then, let me know it from you, Sir”, said Dalbhya.

“Know it”, replied Silaka Salavatya. ”What is the origin of the yonder world?”

“This world”, he replied.

“And what is the origin of this world?”

He replied: “One should not go beyond this world as its support. We establish the Saman in this world as its support, for the Saman is praised as the support.”

 

8. Then said Pravahana Jaivali to him: “Indeed, O Salavatya, your Saman has an end. If someone were now to say, ‘Your head shall fall off’, surely your head would fall off.”

“Well, then, let me know this from you, Sir.”

“Know it”, he replied.

 

9. “What is the origin of this world?”

“Space”, he replied. “For all these creatures take their rise from space, and they return to space. Space is indeed greater than these. Space is the ultimate abode.”

 

10. This indeed is the Udgitha – the highest and the best. It is without an end. He who, knowing this, meditates on the Udgitha, the highest and the best, becomes the highest and the best and obtains the highest and the best of worlds.

 
IV. i. 10- 11

1. When the land of the Kurus was afflicted by a hailstorm, Ushasti Chakrayana lived as a beggar with his virgin wife at Ibhyagrama.

 

2. Seeing the chief of the village eating beans he begged of him. The chief said: “I have no other than these which are set before me.”

 

3. “Give me some of them”, said he. He gave them to him and said: “Here is water to drink along.” But he replied: “That would be drinking something that was left over and therefore unclean.”

 

4. “Were not these beans also left over and therefore unclean?” “No”, he replied, “for I should not have lived if I had not eaten them, but the drinking of water would be my pleasure.”

 

5. When he had eaten, he gave what still remained to his wife. But she had eaten well before. So she took them and kept them safe.

 

6. Next morning he arose and said: “Alas, if only we could get some food we might make some money, for the king over there is performing a sacrifice, he might choose me for all the priestly offices there.”

 

7. His wife said to him: “Look, my lord, here are those beans.” Having eaten them he went over to the sacrifice that was being performed.

 

8. There he sat down near the Udgatri priests who were about to sing the Stotra in the palace assigned for the purpose. He said to the Prastori priest:-

 

9. “O Prastori, if you are going to sing the Prastava without knowing the deity which belongs to it, your head will fall off.”

 

10. Similarly, he said to the Udgatri priest: “O Udgatri, if you are going to sing the Udgitha without knowing the deity which belongs to it, your head will fall off.”

 

11. Similarly he said to the Pratihartri priest: “O Pratihartri, if you are going to sing the Pratihara without knowing the deity which belongs to it, your head will fall off.” Then they stopped and sat in silence.

 

12. Thereupon the sacrificer said to him: “I should like to know who you are, Sir.” He replied: “I am Ushasti Chakrayana.”

 

13. Then he said: “I looked for you, Sir, for all these priestly offices. But not finding you, I have chosen others. Now, Sir, please take up all these offices for me.”

 

14. “So be it”, he said, “and let them with my permission sing the hymns. But you should give me as much money as you would give them.” The sacrificer consented.

 

15. Then the Prastotri priest approached him and said: “Sir, you said to me, ‘O Prastotri, if you are going to sing the Prastava without knowing the deity which belongs to it, your head will fall off.’ Which is that deity?”

 

16. “Life”, said he, “for all beings enter into life and rise out of life. This is the deity belonging to the Prastava. If without knowing that deity you had sung the Prastava, your head would have fallen off, after you had been warned by me.”

 

17. Then the Udgatri priest approached him and said: “Sir, you said to me: ‘O Udgatri, if you are going to sing the Udgitha without knowing the deity which belongs to it, your head will fall off.’ Which is that deity?”

 

18. “The sun”, said he, “for all beings sing of the sun when he is up. This is the deity belonging to the Udgitha. If without knowing that deity you had sung the Udgitha, your head would have fallen off, after you had been warned by me.”

 

19. Then the Pratihartri priest approached him and said: “Sir, you said to me. ‘O Pratihartri, if you are going to sing the Pratihara without knowing the deity, which belongs to it, your head will fall off.’ Which is that deity?”

 

20. “Food”, he said, “for all beings here live only when they partake of food. This is the deity belonging to the Pratihara. If without knowing that deity you had sung the Pratihara, your head would have fallen off, after you had been warned by me.”

V. iii. 12

1. Verily, Gayatri is all this – whatever has been and whatever is here. Speech verily is Gayatri, for speech sings of and protects all that has come to be.

 

2. Verily, what this Gayatri is, that, verily, is what this earth is. For all that exists rests on the earth and does not go beyond it.

 

3. Verily, what this earth is, that, verily, is what the body is in man here. For in it are the vital breaths established and do not go beyond.

 

4. Verily, what the body in man is, that, verily, is what the heart is within man. For in it are the vital breaths established and do not go beyond it.

 

5. This Gayatri has four feet and is six fold. This is also declared by a Rik verse:-

 

6. “Such is its power. But greater than that is the Purusha Himself. For all mortal beings are only a fourth part of Him. For the other three parts are immortal and in heaven.”

 

7. Verily, what is called Brahman, that is what the space outside a person is, verily, that is what the space outside a person is.

 

8. And that is again what the space inside a person is, verily, what the space inside a person is.

 

9. And what the space inside a person is, that verily, is what the space here within the heart is. And that is the Perfect and Unchanging. He who knows this obtains perfect and unchanging happiness.

Vi. iii. 13

1. Now that light that shines above this heaven, higher than all, higher than everything, in the highest world, beyond which there are no other worlds, verily, that is the same as this light which is here within man.

 

2. There is this visible proof of it as one perceives by touch the warmth in the body. There is this audible proof of it, as one hears, on closing one’s ears, something like a rumbling sound of a blazing fire. One should meditate on this as that (Brahman) which is seen and heard. He who meditates thus becomes worthy of being seen and heard – yes, he who meditates thus.

 
Vii. iii. 14

1. Verily, all this is Brahman. Let a man meditate on it in tranquillity as that from which he came forth, to which he shall return and in which he breathes. Now, verily, a man is what he meditates. According as he meditates in this world he becomes on departing hence. So let him meditate thus:-

 

2. He who consists of mind, whose body is life, whose form is light, whose will is truth, whose soul is space, who contains all works, all desires, all odours, all tastes, and who pervades the whole world – silent and unmoved-

 

3. He is my self within the heart, smaller than a grain of rice or of barley or a mustard seed or a grain of millet or even the kernel of a grain of millet – He is my self within the heart, greater than the earth, greater than the sky, greater than heaven, greater than all these worlds.

 

4. He contains all works, all desires, all odours and all tastes – He pervades the whole world, silent and unmoved. He is my self within the heart. And this is Brahman. And with Him shall I be united on departing from here. He who has this faith will have no more doubts. Thus said Sandilya, yea, Sandillya.

 
VIII, iii. 16-17

1. Man is himself a sacrifice. His first twenty-four years form the morning libation, for the Gayatri metre has twenty-four syllables, and the morning libation is offered with a Gayatri hymn.

 

2. His next forty-four years form the midday libation, for the Trishtubh metre has forty-four syllables and the midday libation is offered with a Trishtubh hymn.

 

3. Then his forty-eight years form the third libation, for the Jagati metre has forty-eight syllables, and the third libation is offered with a Jagati hymn.

 

4. As he hungers and thirsts, and abstains from pleasures – these constitute the preliminary rites of initiation.

 

5. And as he eats and drinks and enjoys pleasures – he may be said to join in the Upasada ceremonies.

 

6. And as he laughs and eats and indulges in sexual pleasures, he may be said to join in the chants and recitations.

 

7. And his austerities, alms giving, uprightness, non-violence and truthfulness – these constitute the gifts to the priests.

 

8. His death is the final ablution.

 

9. When Ghora Angirasa explained this to Krishna, son of Devaki, he also said to him, as he became free from desires: “In the final hour one should take refuge in theses three thoughts, ‘Thou art the Imperishable; Thou art the Unchangeable; Thou art the Essence of life.’”

 
IX. iv. 4
 

1. Once upon a time, Satyakama, son of Jabala, addressed his mother and said: “Mother, I desire to become a student of religion. Of what family am I?”

 

2. She said to him: “I do not know, my child, of what family you are. In my youth, when I went about a great deal as a servant I got you. So I do not know of what family you are. I am Jabala by name, and you are Satyakama by name. So you may say you are Satyakama Jabala.

 

3. Then he went to Gautama Haridrumata and said to him: “Sir, I wish to become a student of religion under you. May I come to you, Sir?”

 

4. He said to him; “Of what family are you, my dear?” He replied; “I do not know this, Sir, of what family I am, I asked my mother and she said to me, ‘In my youth when I went about a great deal as a servant I got you. So I do not know of what family you are. I am Jabala by name, and you are Satyakama by name. So I am Satyakama Jabala, Sir.”

 

 

5. He then said to him: “None but a true Brahmin would thus speak out. Go and fetch fuel, my dear. I will initiate you. You have not swerved from the truth.”

Having initiated him he chose four hundred lean weak cows and said: “Tend these, my dear.”

He drove them out and said to himself: “I shall not return unless I bring back a thousand.”

 
X. iv. 4-9

1. He (Satyakama) lived away (in the forest) for a number of years.

When the cows had become a thousand, the bull of the heard said to him: “Satyakama.” “Sir,” he replied. “We have become a thousand, my friend, take us back to the teacher’s house (Gurukula). I will now declare to you a fourth part of Brahman (the Supreme Reality).”

“Declare it, Sir.”

 

2. He then said to him: “The east is one sixteenth, the west is one sixteenth, the south is one sixteenth and the north is one sixteenth. This is quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts, and it is called the Resplendent.

“He who knows this and meditates on this quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts and called the Resplendent becomes endowed with splendour in this world. He who knows this and meditates on this quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts and called the Resplendent will also conquer the resplendent worlds.

“Now, fire will declare to you another quarter of Brahman.”

 

3. On the morrow he drove the cows on. And when they came towards the evening, he lighted a fire, penned the cows, laid on fuel and sat down behind the fire, facing east.

 

4. Then the fire said to him: “Satyakama.”

“Sir,” he replied.

“I will now declare to you one fourth of Brahman.”

“Declare it, Sir.”

He then said to him: “The earth is one sixteenth, the atmosphere is one sixteenth, the sky is one sixteenth and the ocean is one sixteenth. This is a quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts. It is called the Endless.

“He who knows this and meditates on this quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts and called the Endless becomes endless in this world. He who knows this and meditates on this quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts and called the Endless will also conquer endless worlds.

“Now, a swan will declare to you another quarter of Brahman.”

 

5. On the morrow he drove the cows on. And when they came towards the evening, he lighted a fire, penned the cows, laid on fuel and sat down behind the fire, facing east.

 

6. Then the swan flew down to him and said: “Satyakama.”

“Sir,” he replied.

“I will now declare to you one fourth of Brahman.”

“Declare it, Sir.”

He then said to him: “Fire is one sixteenth. The sun is one sixteenth. The moon is one sixteenth and lightning is one sixteenth. This is a quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts. It is called the Luminous.

“He who knows and meditates on this quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts and called Luminous becomes luminous in this world. He who knows and meditates on this quarter of Brahman, consisting of four parts and called the Luminous will also conquer the worlds, which are luminous.

“Now, a diver-bird will declare to you another quarter of Brahman.”

 

7. On the morrow he drove the cows on. And when they came towards the evening, he lighted a fire, penned the cows, laid on fuel and sat down behind the fire, facing east.

 

8. Then a diver-bird flew down to him and said: “Satyakama.”

“Sir,” he replied.

“I will now declare to you one fourth of Brahman.”

“Declare it, Sir.”

He then said to him: “Breath is one sixteenth, the eye is one sixteenth, the ear is one sixteenth and the mind is one sixteenth. This is a quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts. It is called the Abiding.

“He who knows and meditates on this quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts and called the Abiding comes to possess an abode in this world. He who knows and meditates on this quarter of Brahman consisting of four parts and called the Abiding will also conquer the worlds possessing an abode.”

 

9. Then he reached the teacher’s house (Gurukula). The teacher said: “Satyakama.”

“Sir,” he replied.

 

10. “Verily, my boy, you are shining like one who knows Brahman. Who has taught you?”

He replied: “Others than men. But, Sir, I wish that you teach me. For I have heard from persons like you that only knowledge that is learnt from a teacher leads to real good.”

 

11. Then he taught him the same knowledge. Nothing was left out, yea, nothing was left out.

 
XI. iv. 10-15

1. Upakosala, son of Kamala, dwelt as a religious student in the house of Satyakama Jabala. He tended his fires for twelve years. But the teacher, though he had allowed other pupils to return home after finishing their studies, did not allow Upakosala to depart.

 

2. His wife said to him: “This student has performed his penance and has carefully tended your fires. Teach him and let not the fires blame you.” But he went away on a journey without teaching him.

 

3. The student, on account of his sorrow, resolved not to eat. Then the teacher’s wife said: “O student, please eat. Why do you not eat?” He replied: “There are many desires in this person here which proceed in different directions. I am full of sorrows. I will not eat.”

 

4. Then the fires said among themselves: “This student has performed his penance and has carefully tended us. Well, let us teach him.” They said to him: “Life is Brahman; joy is Brahman; space is Brahman.”

 

5. Then he said: “I understand that life is Brahman. But joy and space I do not understand.”

They said: “What joy is, the same is space. And what space is, the same is joy.”

They explained to him life and space.

 

6. Then the Garhapatya fire taught him: “Earth, Fire, Food and the Sun – these are my forms. But the person that is seen in the Sun- I am he, I am he indeed.

“He who, knowing this, meditates on him destroys his sins, becomes the possessor of this world, reaches full age and lives in glory. His descendants do not perish. We serve him both in this world and in the other – whosoever knowing this meditates on him.”

 

7. Then the Anvaharya fire taught him: “Water, the Quarters, the Stars and the Moon – these are my forms. But the person that is seen in the Moon- I am he, I am he indeed.

“He who, knowing this, meditates on him destroys his sins, becomes the possessor of this world, reaches full age and lives in glory. His descendants do not perish. We serve him both in this world and in the other – whosoever knowing this meditates on him.”

 

8. Then the Ahvaniya fire taught him: “Life, Space, Sky and Lightning- these are my forms. But the person that is seen in the Lightning, I am he, I am he indeed.

“He who, knowing this, meditates on him destroys his sins, becomes the possessor of this world, reaches full age and lives in glory. His descendants do not perish. We serve him both in this world and in the other – whosoever knowing this meditates on him.”

 

9. Then they all said: “Upakosala, this is the knowledge regarding ourselves, friend, and also the knowledge regarding the Self. But the teacher will tell you the way.”

 

10. The teacher came back and said to him: “Upakosala.”

“Sir,” he answered.

“My boy, your face is shining like that of one who knows Brahman. Who has taught you?”

“Who should teach me, Sir?” he replied.

He conceals the fact, as it were. And, pointing to the fire, he said: “These are of this form now, but they were different then.”

The teacher then said: “What have they taught you, my boy?”

“This,” he replied.

“They have spoken to you about the worlds, my boy, but I will tell you this. And as water does not cling to a lotus leaf, so no evil deed clings to one who knows it.”

“Tell me, Sir.”

 

11. To him he then said: “The person who is seen in the eye – he is the Self. This is the immortal, the fearless. This is Brahman. So even if one drops butter or water into it (the eye) it goes away by the sides.

 

12. “He is called Samyad-vama, for all desirable things go towards him. All desirable things go to him who knows this.

 

13. “He is also Vamani, for he brings in all desirable things. He who knows this brings in all desirable things.

 

14. “He is also Bhamani, for he shines in all the worlds. He who knows this shines in all the worlds.

 

15. “Now, for such a man, whether people perform his obsequies or not, he goes to light, from light into the day, from the day into the fortnight of the waxing moon, from the fortnight of the waxing moon into the six months during which the sun goes to the north, from the months into the year, from the year into the sun, from the sun into the moon and from the moon into the lightning. There a person not human leads them to Brahman. This is the way of the gods, the way that leads to Brahman. Those who proceed by it do not return to the human condition, yea, they do not return.”

 
XII. iv. 17
 

1. Prajapati brooded over the worlds, and from them thus brooded on he extracted their essences – fire from the earth, air from the atmosphere and the sun from the sky.

 

2. He then brooded over these three deities. And from them thus brooded on he extracted their essences – the Rik verses from the fire, the Yajus formulae from the air and the Saman chants from the sun.

 

3. He brooded again over these three kinds of knowledge. And from them thus brooded on he extracted their essences – Bhuh from the Rik verses, Bhuvah from the Yajus formulae and Suvah from the Saman chants.

 

4. If the sacrifice is injured in connection with the Rik verses one should make an oblation in the Garhapatya fire with the words Bhuh Svaha. Thus does one set right the injury done to the sacrifice on the side of the Rik verses by the essence and the power of the Rik verses themselves.

 

5. If the sacrifice is injured in connection with the Yajus formulae one should make an oblation in the southern fire with the words Bhuvah Svaha. Thus does one set right the injury done to the sacrifice on the side of the Yajus formulae by the essence and the power of the Yajus formulae themselves.

 

6. If the sacrifice is injured in connection with the Samana chants one should make an oblation in the Ahavaniya fire with the words Suvah Svaha. Thus does one set right the injury done to the sacrifice on the side of the Saman chants by the essence and the power of the Saman chants themselves.

 

7. As one joins together gold by means of borax, and silver by means of gold, and tin by means of silver, and lead by means of tin, and iron by means of lead, and wood by means of iron and by means of leather, so does one set right the injury done to the sacrifice by means of the essence of these worlds, these deities and the three Vedas. That sacrifice is well healed on which there is a Brahma priest who knows this.

[Note: Brahma priest sits as observer, maintaining complete silence.]

 
XIII. v. 1

1. Once upon a time the senses quarrelled among themselves as to who was superior, each saying: “I am superior, I am superior.”

 

2. They went to Prajapati, their father, and said: “Sir, who is the best of us?”

He replied: “He by whose departure the body looks the worst – he is the best of you.”

 

3. Speech then departed and, having stayed away for a year, returned and said: “How have you been able to live without me?”

They replied: “Like the dumb-not speaking, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with the mind. Thus we lived.” Then speech entered in.

 

4. The eye then departed and having stayed away for a year, returned and said: “How have you been able to live without me?” They replied: “Like the blind – not seeing, but breathing with the breath, speaking with the tongue, hearing with the ear and thinking with the mind. Thus we lived.” Then the eye entered in.

 

5. The ear then departed, and having stayed away for a year, returned and said: “How have you been able to live without me?” They replied: “Like the deaf – not hearing, but breathing with the breath, speaking with the tongue, seeing with the eye and thinking with the mind. Thus we lived.” Then the ear entered in.

 

6. The mind then departed and having stayed away for a year, returned and said: “How have you been able to live without me?” They replied: “Like children – not thinking, but breathing with the breath, speaking with the tongue, seeing with the eye and hearing with the ear. Thus we lived.” Then the mind entered in.

 

7. Now, when the breath was about to depart, tearing up the other senses, as a strong horse about to depart might tear up the pegs to which he is tethered, they gathered round him and said: “Sir, remain. You are the best of us, do not depart.”

 

8. Then speech said to him: “If I am the most prosperous, so are you the most prosperous.” The eye said to him: “If I am the firm basis, so are you the firm basis.” The ear said to him: “If I am success, so are you the success.” The mind said to him; “If I am the abode, so are you the abode.”

 

9. Hence these are not termed organs of speech or eyes or ears or minds. They are termed signs of life. For life itself becomes all these.

 
XIV. v. 3-10

1. Svetaketu Aruneya went to an assembly of the Panchalas. There Pravahava Jaivali said to him: “Boy, has your father instructed you?”

“Yes, Sir.”

 

2. “Do you know to what place men go from here?”

“No, Sir.”

“Do you know how they return again?”

“No, Sir.”

“Do you know where the path of the gods and that of the ancestral spirits diverge?”

“No, Sir.”

 

3. “Do you know why the other world never becomes full?”

“No, Sir.”

“Do you know why in the fifth libation water is called a person?”

“No, Sir.”

 

4. “Then why did you say you had been instructed? How could any one who did not know these things say he had been instructed?”

 

5. Distressed, the boy went to his father’s place and said to him: “Sir, you said you had instructed me without really instructing me. That fellow of the Rajanya caste asked me five questions and I could not answer even one of them.”

He replied: “As you have told me these questions of his I do not know even one of them. If I had known any of them how could I not have told you?”

 

6. Then Gautama went over to the Rajah’s place, and when he arrived there the king showed him proper respect. In the morning he went to the audience hall and the king said to him: “Venerable Gautama, choose a boon out of the wealth that belongs to the world of men.” Then he replied: “Let the wealth that belongs to the world of men remain with you, O king. But the speech which you addressed to this boy – tell me that.” The king was perplexed.

 

7. “Stay with me for some time,” he commanded. Afterwards he said to him: “As to what you have told me, O Gautama, this knowledge has not reached any Brahmin before you. Therefore among all people this teaching belonged to the Kshatriya class only.”

 

8. Then he proceeded.

“That world (heaven) is a sacrificial fire, the sun itself is the fuel, the rays the smoke, the day the flame, the moon the embers and the stars the sparks. In this fire of gods offer the oblation of faith. From this offering arise Soma, the king.

 

9. “Parjanya (god of rain), O Gautama, is the sacrificial fire. The air itself is its fuel, the cloud is the smoke, the lightning is the flame, the thunderbolt the embers and the thunders the sparks. In this fire the gods offer the oblation of Soma, the king. From this offering arises rain.

 

10. “The earth, O Gautama, is the sacrificial fire, the year is its fuel, space is the smoke, the night is the flame, the quarters the embers and the intermediate quarters the sparks. In this fire the gods offer the libation of rain. From this offering arises food.

 

11. “Man, O Gautama, is the sacrificial fire, speech is its fuel, breath is the smoke, the tongue is the flame, the eyes the embers and the ears the sparks. In this fire the gods offer the libation of food. From this offering arises seed.

 

12. “Woman, O Gautama, is the sacrificial fire. In this fire the gods offer the libation of seed. From this offering arises the foetus.

 

13. “It is for this reason that in the fifth oblation water comes to be called a person. The foetus enclosed in the womb lies inside for more or less nine or ten months, and then it is born.

“When born, he lives whatever the length of his life may be. When he passes away, they carry him to the appointed place, to the fire from which indeed he came, from which he sprang.

 

14. “Those who know this and those who in the forest meditate with faith and austerity go to light, from light to day, from day to the bright half of the month, from the bright half of the month to those six months during which the sun moves northward, and from these months to the year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon, and from the moon to the lightning. There is a person there – not human. He leads them on to Brahman. This is the path of the gods.

 

15. “But those who, living in a village, offer sacrifices and perform works of public utility and give alms – they pass into smoke, from smoke to night, from night to the dark half of the month, from the dark half of the month to the six months during which the sun moves southward, but they do not reach the year. From these months they go to the world of Pitris, from the world of Pitris into space, from space to the moon. That is Soma, the king. They become the food of the gods. The gods use them for their pleasure.

 

16. “Having dwelt there till the fruit of their good works is exhausted, they return again by the way by which they came – to space and from space into air. Having become air, he (the sacrificer) becomes smoke and having become smoke he becomes mist. Having become mist he becomes a cloud, and having become a cloud he drops down as rain. Then are they born as rice and barley, as herbs and trees, as sesamum and beans. From thence the release becomes extremely difficult. For whoever eats the food and begets the offspring – like unto him he becomes.

 

17. “Those whose conduct here has been good will quickly attain a good birth – the birth of a Brahmin, or a Kshatriya or a Vaisya. But those whose conduct here has been evil, will quickly attain an evil birth – the birth of a dog, or a hog or an outcaste.

 

18. “But on neither of these two ways are those small creatures which are continually revolving, those of whom it may be said, ‘Be born and die.’ Theirs is a third state.”

That is why that world never becomes full. Therefore let a man take care of himself.

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...)       

_{(My humble salutations to Swamy Nikhilanda ji, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari and Hinduism com  for the collection)}