MAITRĪ UPANIṢAD By Dr.
Radhakrishnan Prepared by Veeraswamy Krishnaraj |
The Maitrī Upaniṣad or
Maitrāyaṇīya Upaniṣad, belongs
to the Maitrāyaṇa śākhā or branch of the Black
Yajur Veda.1 Maitrī is the principal teacher and Maitrāyaṇa
is the name of the śākhā to which the Upaniṣad belongs.
It contains seven chapters of which the last two are comparatively modern.
The whole Upaniṣad is later in date than the classical Upaniṣads
which it quotes frequently. 2 We have a reference to the Trimūrti conception
Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva in IV.5, which also indicates
the late date of the Upaniṣad. The three forms are
traced to the three Guṇas, rajas, sattva, and tamas in V.2.
Suggestions of the illusory character of the world, momentariness of the
phenomena show the influence of Buddhist thought. Rāmatīrtha’s
commentary on the Upaniṣad is of much interest. 1 In some texts it
assigned to the Sāma Veda. 2 From the
grammatical peculiarities found in this Upaniṣad Max Muller ascribes
the Upaniṣad to 'an early rather than to a
late period, possibly to an anti-Pāṇinean period.' Sacred
Books of the East, Vol. XV (1900), P.6. |
Chapter 1 MEDITATION ON THE SELF. EVANESCENCE OF THE WORLD |
1.1.A
sacrifice to brahmā, indeed, is the laying (of the sacrificial fires) of
the ancients. Therefore let the sacrificer, having laid these fires, meditate
on the self. Thus, verily, does the sacrifice become complete and flawless. Who is he
that is to be meditated upon? He who is called life. Of him there is this story. pūrveṣām: of the ancients or formerly described. The performance of
the sacrifices described previously in the Maitrāyaṇa Brāhmaṇa
is to lead up in the end to the knowledge of Brahman. According to Rāmatīrtha,1 the purpose of the Upaniṣad is to show that ceremonial
works insofar as they contribute to produce the knowledge of the Supreme Self
are themselves indirect causes of the highest end of man. Khalu: verily. 1Unless otherwise
stated, all references are from Rāmatīrtha. |
1.2. Verily, a king, Bṛhadratha
by name, after having established his son in the kingdom, reflecting that
this body is non-eternal, reaching for the state of non-attachment (to the
things of the world) went into the forest. There, performing extreme austerity, he stands, with
uplifted arms, gazing at the sun. At the end of a thousand (days) there came
into the presence of the ascetic, like a fire without smoke,
burning as It were with glow, the revered Sākāyanya the knower of
the self. He said unto the king 'Arise, arise, choose a boon.' He did his obeisance and said, 'O Revered
One, I know not the self. We have heard that you know Its nature. So tell It unto us. ' Sākāyanya replied, 'Such things used to occur
formerly Very difficult, (to answer) is this question a Alkṣvāka, choose other desires. The king, touching his (Sākāyanya's)
feet with his head recited this utterance. Sahasrasya: a thousand, at the end of a thousand years, stihasrasaṁ vatsarānte. V. sahasrāhasya, a thousand days. Vairāgya: non-attachment rāga..nivṛtti. tattvavit· ātmatattvasya vettā: the knower of the nature of the self. |
1.3 O Revered One,
in this foul-smelling, unsubstantial body, a conglomerate of bone, skin, muscle,
marrow, flesh, semen, blood, mucus, tears, rheum, faeces, urine, wind,
bile and phlegm, what is the good of the enjoyment of desires? In this body which is afflicted with desire,
anger, covetousness, delusion, fear, despondency, envy, separation from what
is desired, union with the undesired, hunger, thirst, old age, death, disease,
sorrow and the like, what is the good of the enjoyment of desires? niḥsāre: unsubstantial, kāma: desire, desire for what one has not got. Moha: delusion. Such descriptions of the human being occur in Buddhist literature and are
intended to create disgust for the human existence. Cp Manu VI. 62 'On their separation from those whom they love and their union With those whom they hate, on their strength overpowered by old age and their bodies racked With disease. ' |
1.4. And we see
that all this is perishing, as these gnats, mosquitoes and the like, the
grass and the trees that grow and decay. But, indeed, what
of these? There are others, superior, great warriors, some
world-rulers, Sudyumna, Bhūridyumna, Indradyumna, Kuvalayāśva,
Yauvanāśva, Vadhryaśva, Asvapati, Śaśabindu,
Hariścandra, Ambarīṣa, Ananakta, Saryāti, Yayāti,
Anaraṇya, Ukṣasena, and the rest, Kings, too, such as Marutta, Bharata and others,
with their whole families looking on, they renounced great wealth and went forth from this world
into that. But, indeed, what of these? There are
others, superior. We see the destruction of Gandharvas (fairies), Asuras (demons), Yakṣas (sprites), Rākṣasas
(ogres), Bhūtas
(ghosts), Gaṇas, Piśācas (goblins), snakes, vampires, and the like. But, indeed, what of these? Among other things, there is the drying
up of great oceans, the falling away of mountain peaks, the deviation of the
fixed pole-star, the cutting of the wind-ropes (that hold the stars m their
places), the submergence of the earth, the departure of the gods from their
station. In such a world as this, what is the good of
enjoyment of desires? For he who has fed on them is seen to return (to this world) repeatedly. Be pleased,
therefore, to deliver me. In this world (cycle of existence) I am like a frog
In a waterless well.
Revered Sir, you are our way (of deliverance). you are our way. Everything
in the
world is transient It rises and grows, decays and dies. Cp Henry Vaughan'
'Suddenly do the
high things of this world come to an end, and their delectable things
pass away, for when they seem to be In their flower and full strength, they perish to astonishment. And sure the ruine of the most goodly places seems to tell, that the dissolution of the whole is not far off.' Mount of Olives (1652) After Ambarīṣa, name of
Nahuṣa is given In some texts Anānata Is the name of a Ṛṣi in R V IX 3 nirodham destruction, another reading, nirodhanam. |
CHAPTER II SAKAYANYA'S TEACHING CONCERNING THE SELF |
II.1Then, the revered Sākāyanya, well pleased,
said to the king 'Great King Bṛhadratha, banner of the race of Ikṣvāku,
speedily will you who are renowned as Marut (the
wind) attain your purpose and become a knower of the self. This, indeed, is
thy self' 'Which, O Revered One,' said the King. Then he said to
him. The question is raised whether the self is different from the body, the
senses, mind, understanding and life and the answer is given that the self is different from the composite of all
these. The teaching concerning the self continues till VI 28. |
II.2 Now he who, without stopping the respiration, goes
upwards, moving about yet unmoving, dispels darkness, he is the self. Thus said the revered Maitrī.
For thus has It been said, 'Now that serene one, who, rising up out of this
body, reaches the highest light and appears with his own form, he is the self,'
said he, 'that is the immortal, the fearless That is Brahman ' See CU
VIII 3 4 moving about, yet unmoving while he experiences
the changes of the
mind caused by impressions, he is in reality unaffected
by them all. Śarīrāt:l from this body, both the gross (sthūla) and the subtle (sūkṣma). samprasādhaḥ: It is the self In deep sleep. |
II.3. Now, indeed,
O King, this is the brahma knowledge, even the knowledge contained In all the Upaniṣads as declared to us by the revered
Maitri. I will narrate it to you. Now we hear that Vālikhilyas were free
from evil, of resplendent glory and Vigorous chastity. Now they said to Kratu Prajā-pati,
'O Revered One, this body is like a cart
without intelligence. To what supersensuous being belongs such power by which such
a sort of thing has been made intelligent, or In other words, who is its mover? What you know, O Revered One,
tell us that ' Then he said to them. The
conversation between Vālikhilyas and Prajā-pati, continues till the end of IV 6 apahata-pāpmānaḥ: free from evil, Those
who freed themselves from evil by severe
austerities. tigma-tejasāḥ: of resplendent glory or transcendent radiance. Ūrdhva-retasāḥ of Vigorous Chasity. |
II.4. He who is reputed as
standing aloof amidst qualities like those of vigorous chastity, he indeed, is pure, clean, void , tranquil,
breathless, mindless, endless, undecaying, steadfast, eternal, unborn,
independent. He abides In his own greatness. By him this body is set up as
possessing intelligence or in other words, this one, verily, is its driver
Then they said, 'How, Revered sir, by
this kind of desireless being is this sort of thing
set up as possessing intelligence, or in other words, how is this one Its mover?' Then
he said to them. uparisthaḥ: standing aloof. ūrdhva·retasaḥ: may be taken as vocative also 'He who, O men of vigorous
chastity, is described in the śruti as dwelling
amidst worldly objects and yet placed above them all. This is more satisfactory. śūnyaḥ: void. śāntaḥ: ; tranquil. Nirātmā:
mindless. Anubhūti-.prakāśa reads anīṣārtmā. (60) 'He
abides in his own greatness.' See CU VII 24 aṇiṣṭhena' free from any local habitation or
attachment. |
II.5. Verily, that
subtile, ungraspable, invisible one, called the person, dwells here (in the body} With a part (of himself), with previous awareness
(volition) even as the man who is fast asleep awakes of his own awareness (volition) Now,
assuredly that part of him, which is entirely intelligent In every
person is the spirit (knower of the body) which has the marks of conception,
determination and self-love, Prajā-pati called Viśva. By him as intelligence is his body set up
as possessed of intelligence, or in other words this very one is its mover.
Then they said, 'Revered Sir, If by this kind of desireless being this sort of thing is
set up as possessed of intelligence, still, how is this one Its mover?' Then
he said to them. buddhi-pūrvam is the
reading adopted by Anubhūtiprakāśa 67, 68, A man If he likes can wake himself from sleep. Another reading is a-buddhi pūrvam, without previous awareness or volition. Ksetrajńaḥ: knower of the body. |
PROGRESSIVE DIFFERENTIATION OF PRAJĀ-PATI INTO DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEINGS |
II.6 Verily,
In the beginning Prajā-pati (the lord of
creatures) stood alone He had no happiness, being alone. Then,
meditating on himself, he created numerous offspring. He saw them to be like a stone, without understanding; without life, standing like a post. He had no happiness He then thought to
himself. 'Let me enter within in order to awaken (enlighten) them' He made
himself like wind and sought to enter into him. Being one, he could not do
it. He divided himself fivefold and Is called prāṇa,
apāna, samāna, udāna, vyāna (five kinds of breath). That breath which rises
upwards that, assuredly, is the prāṇa (breath).
Now that which moves downwards, that, assuredly, is the apāna (breath). Now
that, verily, by which these two are supported,
that, assuredly, is the vyāna (breath). Now that which carries unto the apāna breath gross elements of food and distributes the subtle (elements) in
each limb, that, assuredly, is called samāna (breath) It
is a higher form of the vyāna (breath)
and between them is the production of the udāna (breath). That
which brings up or carries down what has been drunk and eaten is the udāna (breath). Now the upāṁśu
vessel is over
against the antaryāma vessel and the antaryāma vessel is over against the upāṁśu vessel and between these two the god generated heat. That heat is the
person and the person is the universal fire. And thus It is said elsewhere, 'This is the universal
fire namely that which is here within a person by means of which the food
that is eaten is cooked (digested) Its noise is that which one hears on covering the eyes thus. When
a man is about to depart this life he does not hear this noise. He, verily,
having divided himself fivefold is hidden in a secret place, he who consists
of mind, whose body is life, whose form is light, whose conception is truth,
whose soul is space. Verily, not having attained his purpose, he thought to
himself from within the heart here, 'Let me enjoy objects. Thence having
pierced these openings (the five apertures of the senses), he enjoys the
objects by means of the five reins These reins of his are the organs of
perception. His horses are the organs of action. His chariot is the body. The
charioteer is the mind. The whip is made of one's character. By him thus
driven, this body goes round and round like the
wheel (driven) by the potter. So this body is set up as possessing intelligence or in other words, this very one is Its mover. ekaḥ: with no one to help, asahāyaḥ agre: before creation, carācarasṛṣṭeḥ pūrvam. Aśmeva: Pāṣāṇavad acetanaḥ. aprabuddhāḥ: buddhi-rahitāḥ. upāṁśu and antaryāma are the two (grahas) vessels for holding the soma juice.
They are placed on
either Side of the stone used for crushing the soma plant See Taittirīya Saṁhitā 1. 4 2. 3; VI. 4 5 6 Thus it is
said elsewhere: B U V 9, C U III 13 8 Guhāyām: in a
secret place. It conceals the excess of knowledge, JOY, etc. Bhā-rūpaḥ: whose
form is light. Satya-saṁkalpaḥ· whose conception is truth. Ākāsātmā: whose soul is space. |
II.7. Verily, thus self, the seers declare, wanders here on earth in every body (from body to body) unaffected, as
it seems, by the light or the dark fruits of action. On account of this
unmanifestness, subtility,
imperceptibility, ungraspability, freedom from
self-sense, (the self) is unabiding and a doer only in seeming, truly is not a doer, he is abiding. Verily, he is pure, steadfast, unswerving, stainless, unagitated,
free from desire, remains
fixed like a spectator and abiding In his own self. As an enjoyer of righteous work he covers himself with a veil made of
qualities, but he remains fixed, yea, he remains fixed. kavayah seers, medhāvinaḥ. anabhtbhutah unaffected. He 18 a
seer, a witness, not an object seen. nispṛhaḥ: free from desire. prekṣaka. spectator, udāsīna The impartial looker-on of the drama of which all the world, ourselves included, is the stage. The suggestion that the self assuming the form of an enjoyer wanders in the world of saṁsāra is made here. |
CHAPTER III THE GREAT SELF AND THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL |
II.1. They (the
Vālikhilyas) said (to Prajā-pati Kratu), 'Revered One, If you thus indicate the greatness of this self then there is that other, different one also called self, who,
affected by the bright or dark fruits of action, enters a good or an evil womb, so that his
course is downward or upward and he wanders about, affected by the pairs (of
Opposites like pleasure and pain). |
II.2. There is, indeed, another, different, called the elemental self,
he who, affected by the bright or the dark fruits of action, enters a good or
an evil womb so that his course is downward or upward and he wanders about
affected by the pairs (of opposites). And this is its explanation. The five
subtle elements are called by the name element.
Likewise the five gross elements are called by the
name element. Now the combination of these is called
the body. Now he, Indeed, who is said to be in the body is called the elemental self. Now its immortal self is like a drop
of water on the lotus leaf .This (elemental self) verily, is
affected by nature's qualities. Now because of being
affected, he gets to bewilderment (becomes confused); because of
bewilderment he sees not the
blessed Lord who dwells in himself the causer of action.
Borne along and defiled by the stream of qualities, unstable,
wavering, bewildered, full of desire distracted, he gets to the state of self-love. Thinking 'I am he,' 'This is mine,' he binds himself with this
self like a bird In a snare. So being affected by the fruits of his action,
he enters a good or an evil womb so that his course is downward or upward
and he wanders about, affected by the pairs of
opposites. Which one is this?
Then he said to them. Śarīram: body. The gross body consists
of
the gross elements, the subtle body of
life, senses, mind and the subtle-elements. Apaśyad: does not see See B
G VII 13. gunaughair uhyamānā, this refers
to
the torrent of guṇas by which one is swept along.
Cp Plato's river of
sensations, Timaeus 43B
and Philo: 'river
of
the objects of sense that swamps and
drowns our Soul under the flood of the passions until he crosses
it. The
self Is overcome by the guṇas and falls into an illusion in
which
it becomes weak, disordered, sensual and believes in Its
own
separate existence, fettering Itself by Its own action like a bird In the net. |
II.3. And thus it has been said elsewhere. Verily he who
is the doer is the elemental self' he who causes to act by means of
the organs is the inner person. Now even as a ball of iron, overcome
by fire and beaten by workmen takes
many forms, the elemental self, overcome by the inner person and beaten by
the qualities takes many forms. The mode of that form has a fourfold
covering, is fourteen-fold, is transformed in eighty-four different
ways, is a host of beings, is verily manifold. All these
varieties, verily, are impelled by the person even as the wheel by the potter. Now, as when a ball of Iron is being beaten, the fire is not overcome, even so the person is not overcome, The elemental self is
overcome because of its attachment (to qualities). kaṛtṛbhiḥ: workmen, smiths. catur-jālam fourfold covering, the four sheaths, matter, life, consciousness and intelligence. Commentators mention the four forms of
animal life. Fouteenfold: fourteen classes of beings Reference
is to Sāmkhya Kārikā 53 or to the fourteen worlds, Vedānta-sāra
I29. eighty-four This may have reference to an early speculation in natural history or may mean any number of forms |
II.4. And thus it
has been said elsewhere This body arises from sexual intercourse It is endowed
with growth in darkness. Then it comes forth through the urinary
passage. It is built up with bones, smeared over with flesh, covered
with skin, filled with faeces, urine, bile, phlegm, marrow,
fat, grease and also with many diseases, like a treasure house full of wealth. Niraye: in darkness (of the womb). In due time comes out of the urinary passage (mūrta-dvārena yoni-randhreṇa
āmayaiḥ: v. malaiḥ) Wise people
should not identify their true self with the body. Comment: when Maitri Upaniṣad was
spoken, taught and later written, the author assumed
that urinary and birth passages are one. A separate vaginal passage was not discovered until modern anatomists said it
differently. To this day, women in Indian villages believe that urinary and
birth passages are the same. Veeraswamy Krishnaraj. December 5, 2013. |
II.5. And then it has been said elsewhere bewilderment, fear, depression,
sleepiness, sloth, heedlessness, old age, grief, hunger, thirst (mental),
weakness, anger, unorthodoxy, ignorance, jealousy, cruelty, stupidity,
shamelessness, meanness, rashness, unequableness, these are the
characteristics of the quality of darkness. Inner
thirst, affection, passion, covetousness, hurting others, lust, hatred,
deceit, envy, insatiability, unsteadfastness fickleness, distractedness,
ambitiousness, acquisitiveness, patronage of friends, family pride, aversion
to unpleasant objects and over-attachment to pleasant objects, sourness of
utterance and gluttonousness, these are the characteristics of the
quality of passion. By these he is filled, by these he is affected, therefore the elemental self attains
manifold forms, yea, attains (manifold forms). sammoha: bewilderment, viparyaya tandrī: sloth, ālasyam kārpaṇyam: weakness (mental). kṛpaṇatvam. nāstikyam· unorthodoxy non-belief In the unseen world and indifference to sacred scriptures. naiṣkāruṇyam: cruelty. uddhatatvam = rashness.
hiṁsā = hurting others, para-pīḍā. dviṣṭiḥ = hatred
dveṣaḥ vyagratvam = distractedness. The Upaniṣad is greatly influenced by Sāṁkhya
ideas. |
CHAPTER IV THE UNION OF THE ELEMENTAL SELF AND THE SUPREME SELF |
IV.I. They (the Vālikhilyas), indeed, of vigorous chastity, exceedingly amazed, approached him and
said, 'Revered Sir, salutations to you, instruct us further. You are our way
(of deliverance) and there is no other What is the method (rule) by which this elemental self, after
leaving this (elemental body) obtains union with the (true) self?' Then he (Prajā-pati Kratu) said to them. Vismitā: amazed that the true self, pure and
undefiled, should appear to be impure and defiled. Hitvā: leaving. ātman: atmani, the self. Sāyujyam: union. |
IV.2. And this It
has been said elsewhere. Like the waves in large
rivers there is no turning
back of that which has been done previously; like
the tide of the ocean, the approach of one's death is hard to keep back. Like
a lame man, bound by the fetters made of the fruits of good and evil, like
the condition of a man in prison,
lacking independence, like the condition of one in the realm
of death, beset by many fears like one intoxicated with liquor, intoxicated
with the liquor of delusion,
rushing about like one possessed by an evil spirit
like one bitten by a great serpent, bitten by the objects of sense like gross
darkness, the darkness of passion like Juggler consisting of illusion,
like a dream, false appearances, like the inside of the banana tree,
unsubstantial, like an actor changing dress every moment, like a painted
scene, falsely delighting the mind and therefore it has been said,
'Objects of sound, touch and the like are worthless objects for a man, the elemental self,
through attachment to them, does not remember the highest state. Pāpmanā: by an evil spirit. Martye: man, a mortal. |
IV.3. This is indeed, the antidote for the elemental self,
acquirement of the knowledge of the Veda and the due performance of
one's own duty. Pursuit of the duties of the stage of life to which each one
belongs, this is the rule for one's own duty, others
are like the branches of a stem. Through
it one goes upwards, otherwise downwards. That is one’s
regular duty which is set forth in the Vedas. Not by transgressing one's regular duty does one belong to the stage of life. If one says that a man does not belong to any of the
stages of life for he is (one)
who practices austerity, It is not proper. (However) if one does not practice austerity
there is no success in the knowledge of the self
or in the perfection of works. For thus has
it been said: By austerity goodness is obtained
and from goodness understanding is reached and from the understanding is the self obtained and he who obtains the self
does not return. Veda-vidyādhigamaḥ: acquirement of the knowledge of the _Veda Stambha śākeva:
branches
of a
stem, like a
bunch of grass. We
belong to a particular stage of life or āśrama by performing the duties belonging to it and
not by assuming Its external marks. Sattvam: goodness. manaḥ: understanding. Ātmā: the self. Clttasyeva mokṣaḥ Upaniṣad Brahmayogin When
one attains self-knowledge, he is freed from saṁsāra. |
KNOWLEDGE, AUSTERITY AND MEDITATION |
IV.4. Brahman is said one
who knew the knowledge of Brahman. This is the door to Brahman,' said one who
had freed himself from evil by (the practice of) austerity. 'Aum
is the (manifest) greatness of Brahman,' said one who, completely absorbed, always meditates (on it) Therefore, by
knowledge, by austerity, by meditation is Brahman apprehended. He becomes one who goes beyond the
Brahmā (the lower, Hiraṇya-garbha)
and to the state
of the supreme divinity above the gods. He obtains happiness, undecaying,
unmeasured, free from sickness, he who knows this and worships Brahman with this triad (knowledge, austerity
and meditation). Then freed from those things by which he was filled and affected, this rider of the chariot attains
(complete) union with the self. Brahma-vidyā: knowledge of Brahman which arises
from logical investigation. By
austerity, knowledge and meditatton, we obtain Brahman lower Brahma: śabda Brahman. rathitaḥ: the rider of the chariot. |
WORSHIP OF VARIOUS GODS PERMISSIBLE BUT THEIR REWARDS ARE TEMPORARY |
IV.5. They said 'Revered
One, you are the teacher, you are the teacher. What has been said has been
duly fixed in mind by us. Now answer a
further question Fire, air, Sun, time, whatever
it is, breath, food. Brahma, Rudra, Viṣṇu,
some meditate upon one, some upon another. Tell us which one is the best for us ' Then he said to them. |
IV.6. These are
but the chief forms of the Supreme, the Immortal, the
bodiless Brahman. To whichever one each man is devoted
here, in his world he rejoices. For it has been said, Verily this whole world
is Brahman.' Verily, these, which are its chief forms one meditates upon, worships and discards.
For with these one moves
higher and higher in the worlds. And when all things perish (in universal
dissolution), he attains unity of (with) the
person, yea, of the person. agryaḥ chief. tanavavaḥ: forms. mūrtayaḥ 'Veri1y, this whole world is Brahman, C. u III. 14. 1 kṛtsna-kṣaye: when all things perish. At the
end of this world, at the time of universal dissolution, the lord of this world Hiraṇya-garbha lapses into the Absolute Brahman. Till then individualities are retained by the souls including the world-soul. By the
worship of these deities one rises
to higher states of being. When
these forms are resolved he attains to the Unity of the Person The different concepts of
the Supreme are supports for contemplation. Here apparently ends the conversation begun in II. 3 between the Vālikhilyas and Prajā-pati as derived by tradition from Maitrī and narrated by Sākāyanya to King Bṛhadratha Sākāyanya’s
teaching is said to be continued till VI 29, though it evidently is a later addition as undoubtedly chapters VI and
VII are even according to the commentator. |
CHAPTER V THE CONCEPTION OF TRIMŪRTI |
V.1. Now then this is Kutsāyana's hymn of praise
Thou art Brahmā and verily thou art Viṣṇu,
thou art Rudra and thou Prajā-pati, thou art Agni, Varuṇa, Vāyu, thou art Indra and thou art the moon. Thou art food, thou
art Yama, thou art the earth, thou art all, thou art the Imperishable
All things exist in thee in many forms
for their own or for their natural ends. Lord of the universe, salutations to thee, the self of all, the maker of all, the enjoyer of all, thou art all life and the lord of all pleasure
and delight. Salutations to thee, the tranquil self, salutations to thee, the
deeply hidden, the incomprehensible, the Immeasurable and
without beginning and Without
end. Svārtlhe: for their own ends. svābhāvikaḥ: for their natural ends. Viśvātmā: because he is the material cause of the world. the tranquil self. Brahma Khānda XIX 23. 2. |
V.2. Verily, in the beginning this
(world) was darkness alone. That was in the Highest. When Impelled by the Highest, it moves on to differentiation. That form, verily, is passion. That passion, when Impelled, moves on to
differentiation. That, verily, is the form of goodness That goodness, when Impelled, the essence flowed
forth. That part is what the intelligence principle in every person is, the knower of the body, which has the marks of conception, determination and self-love, Prajā-pati (the lord of creation] called
Viśva. His forms have been previously mentioned.
Now then, indeed the part of him which is characterized by
darkness that, O students of sacred
knowledge, is this Rudra. Now
then, indeed, that part of him which is characterized
by passion, that, O students of sacred knowledge, is this Brahmā. Now then, indeed, that part of him
which is characterized by goodness, that, O students of sacred know ledge, is this Viṣṇu. Verily, that one becomes threefold. He developed
forth eightfold, eleven-fold, twelvefold, in unlimited parts. Because he thus
developed, he is a (created) being, he moves about, having entered all
beings. He became the lord of (created) beings. That is the self within and
without, yea, within and without. The relation of the three forms (mūrti-traya),
to the Supreme is here indicated.
The three Brahmā, Viṣṇu and
Śiva are not to be conceived as independent persons, they are the
threefold manifestations of the one Supreme. rasaḥ: essence. cetāmātraḥ: intelligence-principle, which is entirely intelligent. Ksetrajńa: knower of the body. Viśva: every one, I.e. every individual He is not only the sum-total Of all existences but is also the principle of the individual being. Eightfold: etc The eight forms are the five vital airs, the sun, moon and stars or the last three and the five elements. The eleven are the eleven organs of sense and action and mind. If we make mind and understanding (buddhi), different, we get twelve. It becomes unlimited if we take the endless activities m the various individuals. |
CHAPTER VI INWARD BREATH AND OUTWARD SUN, CORRELATED MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SELF |
VI.1. He (the self)
bears himself in two ways,
as he who is breath and he
who is the Sun. Therefore, two, verily, are these paths, inward and
outward. They both turn back in a day and night. Yonder sun, verily, is the outer
self; the inner self is breath. Hence the course of the inner self is measured (inferred from) by the course of the outer self. For thus has it been said, 'Now, whoever is a knower, who has
freed (himself) from evil, the overseer of the senses, pure-minded, firmly established
in that, locking away (from outward objects) is even he (the self).
Likewise, the course of the outer self is
measured by the course of the inner self. For thus has it been said,
'Now that golden person who is within the Sun, who looks on
this earth from his golden place is even he who has
entered into the lotus of the
heart and eats food. 'The sixth and seventh chapters are treated as supplementary. The main purpose of
the Upaniṣad is to affirm that there is one Supreme Self to be known and the various forms of Brahma, Viṣṇu and
Śiva are only aspects or manifestations of that Supreme Self. In these
chapters we find references to various
modes of worship and means by which spiritual knowledge can be gained. See RV X 902. akṣādhyakṣa: overseer of the senses and not subject to them. |
VI.2. Now, he who
has entered the lotus of the heart and eats food is the same as that fire of
the Sun which enters the sky, called Time the
Invisible, who eats all beings as his food. What is the lotus and of what is
it made? That lotus, assuredly, is the same as space.
The four quarters and the four intermediate quarters are its leaves. These
two, breath and the Sun, move near each other. Let
him reverence them with the syllable aum, with the mystic utterances (Bhūḥ,
bhuvaḥ, svaḥ)
and with the Sāvitrī prayer. sauraḥ: of the sun. Ākāśa
is described as the lotus flower whose petals are the four quarters and the four intermediate quarters or the cardinal points. Time who eats all beings as his food. arvāg near. |
THE MYSTIC AUM |
VI.3. There are, assuredly, two forms of Brahman, the formed and the formless. Now that which is formed is unreal, that
which is the formless is the real,
that is the Brahman, that is the Light. That which is the light is the Sun. Verily, that came to have aum as its self. He divided himself threefold (for aum.
consists of three letters (a, u, m). By means of these all this (world) is
woven, warp and woof, across him. For thus has it been said, 'One should meditate on the
Sun as aum and get united to
it.' The
formed is the effect and the formless is the cause. Satyam: the real, paramārtha-satyam,
sarvādhiṣthānam. mātrāḥ: parts, avyavāḥ |
VI.4. And then it
has been said elsewhere 'Now then the udgītha is the praṇava
and the praṇava is the udgītha. And so verily the udgītha is the yonder Sun and he is praṇava. For thus It is said, the udgītha
called praṇava, the leader (in the performance of
sacrificial rites), whose form is radiance,
sleepless, ageless, deathless, three-footed, three-lettered, also to be known as fivefold,
hidden in the secret place
(of the heart). And it is also said, 'The
three-footed Brahman has its root above. Its branches are space, wind, fire,
water, earth and the like Thus Brahman has the name of the
"lone fig tree" and of It that is the radiance which is called the Sun and the radiance too of the syllable aum.
Therefore, one should continuously worship it. With the syllable aum. For thus It is said, "This syllable, indeed, is holy, this
syllable, indeed, is supreme. By
knowing that syllable, indeed, whatever one desires (becomes) his." |
VI.5. And then It has been said elsewhere, 'This aum is the sound form of this (the self). Feminine, masculine and
neuter (this) is the sex
form. Fire, wind and sun, this is his light form. Brahmā, Rudra and Viṣṇu, this
is his lordship form. The Gārhapatya,
the Dakṣiṇāgni and the Ᾱhavanīya sacrificial
fires-this is his mouth-form. Ṛg,
Yajus and Sāman (Vedas) this is his knowledge-form. Earth, atmosphere
and sky, this is his world-form. Past, present and future, this is his
time-form. Breath, fire and Sun, this is his heat-form. Food, water and moon,
this is his growth form. Understanding, mind and self sense, this is his thought-form. The prāṇa breath, the apāna breath and
the vyāna breath, this is his breath form. Therefore, by the utterance
of the syllable aum all these (forms) are praised, worshipped and ascribed.
For thus it is said, 'This syllable aum, verily, is the higher
and the lower Brahman.' |
THE EXPLANATION OF THE THREE WORLDS |
VI.6. Now (in the
beginning) this (world) was, verily, unuttered When he, the Real, the lord of
creation, performed austerity, he uttered (the words) bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ. This, indeed, is Prajā-pati's very gross form, this world-form. Its head is the sky,
the navel is the atmosphere, the feet are the earth, the eye is the sun, for
a person's great material world depends on the eye, for with the eye he
measures all things. Verily the eye is the real for stationed In the eye a
person moves about among all objects. Therefore one should reverence bhūḥ,
bhuvaḥ, svaḥ, fort his Prajā-pati, the self of all, the eye of all, becomes reverenced,
as it were. For thus has it been said, 'Verily this is the all-supporting
form of Prajā-pati. for in it all this (world) is hidden, and it is hidden in
this whole (world). Therefore, this is what one should reverence.' |
WORSHIP OF THE SUN BY MEANS OF SᾹVITRī PRAYER |
VI.7. That desirable (splendor) of
Sāvitrī, yonder sun, verily, is Sāvitrī. He, verily, is to
be sought thus, by one desirous of self,
so say the expounders of Brahma-knowledge. May we meditate on the splendor of
the god? Sāvitrī, verily, is
God. Therefore I meditate as that which is called his splendor. So say the expounders of
Brahma-knowledge. May he inspire (illuminate)
our thoughts. Thoughts, verily, are meditations. May he inspire these for us,
so say the expounders of Brahma- knowledge.
Now splendor, verily, he is hidden in yonder Sun is
called splendor or he who is the pupil in the eye. He is so called because his course is with the
rays of the light or he is Rudra because he causes to dry up so say the
expounders of Brahma-knowledge.
Now bha means that he illumines these
Worlds, ra means that he gladdens these
beings, ga means that creatures
here go into him and come out of him. Therefore, because of being bha, ra, ga, he is bharga. Sūrya is so named because of the continued squeezing
out, Sāvitrī is so
named because of its bringing forth. Ᾱditya is so named because of taking up into Itself Pāvana is so named
because of its purifying Apas is so named
because of its causing to grow. For thus has it been
said, Assuredly the self of one's self is called the leader,
immortal, perceiver, thinker, the goer, the evacuator, the delighter, the doer, the speaker, the taster, the smeller,
the seer and the hearer and he touches. He, the
all-pervader has entered the body. For thus
has it been said, Now where knowledge is of a dual nature (implying a
subject which knows and an object which is known), there, indeed, one hears, sees, smells,
tastes and also touches, the self
knows everything. Where knowledge,
being devoid of effort, cause or action, unspeakable, incomparable,
indescribable, what is that? It is impossible to say. pravaraṇīya v. pracaraṇīya ātma·kāmaḥ = desirous of self. brahma-vādinaḥ= expounders of Brahma-knowledge bharjayati = causes to dry up. Rudra is the destroyer of the world. Creatures
go into him and come out of him = They go into him in sound sleep and in intervals
between successive creations and come out of him
In waking
and In creation. For
the distinction between dual and non-dual knowledge see B U II 4 14. The self is present in all knowledge but it is not itself an object of knowledge. The gāyatrī prayer has come down from the period of the R V. and expresses man's aspiration to know more and more .Cp Nicolas of Cusa: 'To be able to know ever more and more without end, this is our likeness to the eternal wisdom. Man always desires to know better what he knows, and to love more what he loves, and the whole world is not sufficient for him, because It does not satisfy his craving for knowledge.' |
VI.8. This self, verily, is the lord, the
beneficent the real the terrible, the lord of creation, the creator of all, the golden germ, truth, life, spirit, the ordainer, the pervader Nārāyaṇa the shining,
vivifier, the upholder, the maker, sovereign, Indra, the moon. He It is who gives forth
heat, concealed by the thousand-eyed golden egg as one fire by another Him,
verily, one should desire to know. He should be sought after 'Having given
fearlessness to all creatures, having gone to the forest, then having put
aside objects of sense, let a man comprehend the self from out of his own
body. He who has all forms, the golden one, who is all-knowing, the
final goal, the only light, who gives heat, the thousand-rayed, abiding In a hundred places, the life of creatures, the yonder sun rises. Rāmatīrtha
makes out that the Supreme associated with the three guṇas is described in Sanskrit verse. The
one appears as threefold on account of the three functions: saṁhāra-sṛṣṭi-sthiti. Pihitaḥ = concealed. hiraṇmayena = golden,brilliant. araṇyam = forest, a solitary place which soothes the mind. hariṇam = golden, also interpreted as the seizer of all. Jāta-vedasaḥ = all-knowing. |
EATING OF FOOD A SACRIFICIAL ACT |
VI.9. Therefore,
verily, he who knows that this has both these (breath and the sun) as his
self, meditates only on his self, sacrifices only to his self, such
meditation, the mind absorbed in such practice, is praised by the wise. One should purify the impurity of his mind
with the verse 'What has been defiled by the leavings.' He reads the verse Leavings or what has been
defiled by leavings and what has been given by a sinner
or (what is rendered Impure) by a stillbirth, may the purifying
power of Vasu, Agni and of Sāvitrī's rays purify my food and any other that may be evil. First (before taking his food). he swathes (his breath) with
water. Hail to the prāṇa breath, hail to the apāna breath,
hail to the vyāna breath, hail to the samāna
breath, hail to the udāna breath.
With these five invocations, he offers the oblation. Then he eats the
remainder, with restrained voice (in silence). Then, afterwards he again swathes with water. So, having sipped (the water),
having made the sacrifice to the self, he should meditate on the self with
the two (formulas) 'As breath and fire,' 'Thou art all. 'As breath and fire,
the highest self has entered in with the five
airs. May he when pleased himself, please all, the enjoyer of all.' Thou art all, thou art the Vaiśvānara (fire). All
that is born is supported by
thee. Let all oblations enter into thee. There creatures live where
thou, the all-immortal art. So he who eats according to this rule comes not again into the condition of food. In
this passage the taking of food is represented as a sacrifice Offered
by the self to the self . The formal
rinsing of the mouth at the beginning and the end of meals is described here. See C U V 2 pāpena= by a sinner. yata-vāk = with restrained voice, maunī. Viśva-bhuk =the enjoyer of all. Viśvāmṛitaḥ all-immortal. comes not again into the Condition of food. He does not become food for others, he is not reborn |
PURUṢA AND PRAKṚTI |
VI.10. Now, there is something else to be known. There is a further
development of this self-sacrifice, namely, what concerns the food and the
eater thereof. The further explanation of this (follows) The conscious person
abides within nature. He is the enjoyer for he
enjoys (feeds on) the food (supplied by) of nature. This
elemental self, verily, is food for him, Its maker is nature.
Therefore, that which is to be enjoyed consists of the
three qualities and the enjoyer is the person who stands within. Here the evidence is what is observed (by the senses). Since animals spring from seed and as seed is the food, by this is explained that
nature is what is to be enjoyed. Therefore, the person is the enjoyer, nature is what is to be
enjoyed. Abiding in it he enjoys. All that begins with the intellect and
ends with the elements being a transformation of the distinction of nature with its
three qualities is the sign (that there must be a self). And by this, the
fourteen-fold course is explained. This world is indeed the
food, called pleasure, pain and delusion. There is no
apprehension of the taste of the seed (cause) so long as there is no
production (of effect). And in its
three conditions
also it has the
character of food, as childhood youth and old age. There is in them the character of
food, on account of transformation Thus as nature
moves to the state of becoming
manifest, there arises the
perception of it. For the tasting (of
the effects of nature) arise intellect and the like,
determination, conception and
self-love. Then there are the five objects of sense, for the tasting of them. Thus arise
all actions of organs and actions of senses. Thus the
manifest is food and the unmanifest is
food. The enjoyer of it is
without qualities (but)
from the fact of his being an
enjoyer. It is evident that he possesses consciousness. As fire, verily, is the eater of food among the gods and Soma is the food, so he who knows this eats food by fire.
The elemental self is called Soma. He who bas the unmanifest as his mouth is called Agni because of the saying. The person truly with the unmanifest as his mouth enjoys the three
qualities. He who knows this is a renouncer, a contemplator, a performer of the
self-sacrifice. Even as there
is no one to touch sensual women who have entered into an empty house, so he who does not touch objects of sense that enter into him is a renouncer, a contemplator, a performer of the self-sacrifice. dṛṣtam:l what is observed. pratyayam evidence, pramnāṇam liṅgam: Sign Hume interprets it as the subtle body
which includes from the Intellect up to the separate elements. The fourteen-fold course: The four forms of antaḥ-karaṇa, the five organs of sense-perception
and the five organs of action. Ātmā-yājī = the performer of the self-sacrifice. kāminyaḥ = sensual women. |
FOOD AS THE FORM OF SELF |
VI.11. This,
verily, is the highest
form of self, namely, food, for truly this life consists of food. If one does not eat, he becomes a non-thinker, a
non-hearer, a non-toucher, a non-seer, a non-speaker, a non-smeller, a non-taster, and he lets
go his vital breaths. For thus it has been said 'If
indeed one eats he becomes full of life, he becomes a thinker, he becomes hearer, he becomes a toucher,
he becomes a speaker, he becomes a taster, he becomes a smeller, he becomes a
seer.' For thus has It
been said: From food, verily, are creatures, whatsoever dwell on earth, are produced, moreover, by food,
verily, they have and again into
it they finally pass.' See CU
VII 9 1, TU II 2 |
VI.12. And thus it
has been said elsewhere. Verily all creatures here run about day after day,
desiring to get food. The sun takes food to himself
by his rays and thereby he gives forth heat. When supplied with food living beings here digest Fire, verily, blazes up by food. This world
was fashioned by Brahmā with a desire for food. Therefore, let a
man reverence food as the self. For thus has it been said. From food creatures are born, by food they
grow when born, because it is eaten by and eats creatures, It is called
food. V. annenābhijvalati See TU II 2,BS IV 1.4.5 abhiṣiktāḥ = supplied. |
VI.I3. Now It has elsewhere been said: That born of the blessed Viṣṇu which is called the
all-supporting that, verily, is thus food life, verily, is the essence of food, mind of life under standing of
mind, (spiritual) bliss of understanding. He who knows this becomes possessed of food, life, mind, understanding and bliss. Whatever creatures here (on
earth) eat food, abiding in them does he, who knows this, eat food.
Food, indeed, prevents decay, food is worshipful, It is said: Food is the life of
animals, food is the
eldest-born, food is the physician, it is said. saṁvananam = worshipful. jyeṣṭham = prathamajam, eldest born, first born. |
IMPORTANCE OF TIME |
VI.14. And thus It
has been said elsewhere: Food verily is the source of this
whole (world), and time of food, and the Sun is the source of time The form
of it (time) is the year, which is composed of moments (twinklings)
and other measures of time, and which consists of twelve months. Of it one
half (when the Sun moves northward, belongs to Agni, the (other) half (when
the sun moves southward) belongs to Varuṇa. The course from the
asterism Magha (the Sickle) to half of Śraviṣṭha (the drum) belongs to Agni. In its northward course from Sarpa (the
serpent) to half of Śraviṣṭha belongs to the moon. Among
these each month of the self (named as the year) includes nine quarters
according to the corresponding course (of the Sun through the asterism).
Because of its subtility (imperceptibility of senses) this (course of the
Sun) is the proof for only in this way is time proved (to exist). Without
proof there is no apprehension of the thing to be proved.
However the thing to be proved may become proved
from the fact of its containing parts and for the sake of making itself
known. For this it has been said, As many parts
of time as there are, through
this the yonder (sun)
moves. He who worships time as Brahma from him time moves away very far. For this has it been said,
'From time all beings
flow, from time they advance to growth; in time they obtain rest
(they disappear) Time is formed and formless
too.' Half the year is uttarāyaṇa belongs to Agni, and the other half dakṣhiṇayāṇa belongs to Varuṇa. The two periods are predominantly warm and moist respectively. Sārpam = the asterism
of Ᾱśleṣā, sacred to the serpents. subtility: indriyāagocaratvāt. Sambodhanārtham = for making itself known. |
VI.is. There are, verily two forms of
Brahman, time and the timeless. That which is prior to the sun is the
timeless, without parts. But that which begins with (has a
beginning from) the Sun is time, which has parts. Verily, the form of that which has parts is the year. From the year, verily, are these creatures produced. By the rear, verily, after having been produced they grow. In the year they disappear. Therefore, the year verily is Prajā-pati, is time, is food, is the abode
of Brahman, is the self. For thus has it been
said: 'Time cooks (ripens) all things, indeed, in the great
self. He who knows in what time is cooked, he is the knower of the Veda.' The Sun is the self of time as he is its ordainer. pacati: cooks. Pacyate: is cooked, is dissolved,. The
temporal process and the Sun go together.
What is prior to the Sun is non-temporal. Time is exalted as the highest principle as the source of all that is. There is a distinction between time which has parts, which is later than the Sun and the stars and the non-time which is without parts and is earlier, between time which cooks or matures all beings and that in which time is cooked or matured. |
VI.16. This embodied (incarnate) time is the great ocean of
Creatures. In it abides he who is called Sāvitrī (the Sun as begetter) from
whom, indeed, are begotten the moon, stars, planets, the year and the rest.
And from them comes this whole (world) here and whatever of good or evil is seen In this
(world) comes from them. Therefore, Brahman is the self of the Sun. Therefore one
should reverence the Sun under the name of time. Some say the Sun is Brahman and thus is it said: 'The offerer (of the sacrifice), the enjoyer (of the sacrifice), the obla tion, the hymn, the sacrifice, Viṣṇu, Prajā-pati all this is the lord, the witness who
shines in yonder
orb.' See
CU. III 19 I. Vigrahavān = embodied, mūrtimān. |
VI.17· Verily, in the
beginning this world was Brahman, the infinite one, infinite in the
east, infinite in the south, infinite in the west, infinite in the north and
above and below, infinite in every direction. For him, indeed, east and the other directions exist
not nor across, nor below, nor above. Incomprehensible is that Supreme Self, unlimited, unborn
not to be reasoned about, not to be thought of, he whose self is space. At the
dissolution of all he alone remains awake. Thus from that space, he
awakes this (world) which consists of thought only. By him
alone is all this meditated
on and In him It is dissolved. He is that luminous form
which gives heat in the yonder sun, the wonderful light on the smokeless
fire as also the fire in the stomach which cooks (digests) food.
For thus has It been said, He who is in the
fire, and he who is here in the heart and he who is yonder in the sun--he is one. He who knows this goes to the oneness of the one. na kalpante = exists not. anūhya = The self cannot be
imagined because It is not
determinate. Whatever is imagined is determined. ākāśātman =
whose self
is space See C.U. III 14 2,
K
U II 14 citra-taram. wonderful. |
THE YOGA METHOD |
VI.18. This is the rule for achieving this (oneness), control
of the breath, withdrawal of the senses, meditation, concentration,
contemplative inquiry and absorption, (this is) said to be the six-fold yoga. When, by this (yoga) he
beholds the gold-colored maker, the lord, the person, the Brahmā source,
then the sage, shaking off good and evil, makes everything into oneness in the supreme
indestructible. For thus has it been said, 'As beasts and birds do not resort
to a burning mountain, so sins do
not find shelter in those who know Brahman. Yoga is the means by which we control the mind. See Yoga
Sūtra II.29 Withdrawal
of the senses from
their objects is pratyāhāra. Contemplative
inquiry or tarka is savikalpaka-samādhi. It may also mean an inquiry whether the mind has become transformed or not
into the object of meditation or an investigation
into the hindrances of concentration caused by the inferior powers
acquired by meditation. Paśyati = beholds. By means of yoga we achieve direct perception of the Supreme. |
VI.19. And thus it
has been said elsewhere: 'Verily, when a knower has restrained his mind from the external, when his breath has put to rest objects of sense, let
him then remain Void of conceptions. Since the living individual who is named
the breathing spirit has arisen here from what is not the breath- ing spirit, therefore let the breathing spirit merge his
breathing spirit in what is called the fourth (condition).' For thus has it been said: 'That which is non-thought,
which stands in the midst of thought, the unthinkable, the hidden, the
highest, let a man merge his thought there. Then will this living being be without
support (attachment).' aprāṇāt = from what is not the breathing spirit. Its source is the thinking self. Turya = the fourth, the other three being waking, dream and sleep.
See MU.7. liṅga = the subtle body. It will not appear in its separate individuality on account of the absence of any conscious object or the subtle body will become void of all objects. |
THE VISION OF THE SELF |
VI.20. And thus it
has been said elsewhere: There is yet a higher
concentration than this for him. By pressing the tip
of the tongue down the palate, by restraining voice, mind
and breath, he sees Brahman
through contemplative thought. When, by the suppression of
the mind, he sees through self he sees the
shining self, more subtle than the subtle, then having the self through the
self he becomes selfless. Because of his being selfless he is to be thought of as unmeasurable, without origin. This is the mark of
liberation, the highest mystery.' And thus has it been said,
'For by the serenity of thought, one destroys deeds, good and
evil, with the serene self abiding is the self he
enjoys eternal happiness.' The process described here is called lambikā-yoga and the state produced by It is called unmanībhāva. tarkeṇa = through contemplative thought. nirātmā = selfless. |
VI.21. And thus It has been said elsewhere: 'The channel called suṣumnā leading upward, serving as the passage for the breath, is divided
within the palate. Through it, when it is joined by the breath, the syllable aum and by the mind, let
him pro ceed upwards. By
causing the tip of the tongue to turn back on the palate, by binding together the
senses, let greatness perceive greatness. Thence he goes to selflessness.' On account of selflessness, he is not (ceases
to be) an experiencer of pleasure and pain. He obtains aloneness. For thus has it been said 'Having
first fixed the breath that has been restrained, having crossed the limit, let him join the limitless in (the crown of the head.' See
CU. VIll 66, Katha VI 16;
T U. 1-6, Praśna III 7 (7) 6. Freed
from limitations he becomes conscious
of the unlimited
perfection of Brahman. |
MEDITATION ON AUM |
VI.22. And thus it
has been said elsewhere: 'There are, verily, two Brahmans to be meditated upon, sound and non-sound. By sound alone is the
non-sound revealed. Now here the sound is aum. Moving
upward by it one comes to ascend in the non- sound. So (one says) this is the way, this is immortality, this is complete union and also tranquillity. And now
as the spider moves upward by the thread, obtains free space, thus assuredly,
indeed the meditator moving upward by the syllable aum obtains independence.' Other expounders of the sound (as Brahman) think otherwise. By closing the ears with the thumbs they hear the sound
of the space within the heart. There is the sevenfold comparison of it, like rivers, a bell, a brass vessel, a wheel, the croaking of frogs, rain, as when one
speaks in a still place. Having passed beyond this variously characterized
(sound), they disappear (become merged) in the supreme, the non-sound, the
unmanifest Brahman. There they are unchar acterized and indistinguishable like the various juices that have reached the condition of honey. For thus has it been said,
'There are two Brahmans to be known, the sound Brahman and what is higher. Those who know the sound Brahman get to the higher
Brahman.' See MB
XII 8540. nivṛtatvam: tranquility. kiṅkiṇī = bell. kāṁsyam a brass vessel. the
croaking of frogs, maṇḍūka-ravaḥ astam: disappearance, adarśanam For
the comparison of juices and
honey see CU VI.9.1-2 The
Absolute is not totally unconnected with God. Those who worship God get to
the Absolute. |
VI.23. And thus It has been said elsewhere: 'What is (called) the sound is the syllable aum. That which is its end is tranquil,
soundless, fearless, sorrowless, blissful, satisfied, steadfast, unmoving,
immortal, unshaking, enduring, called Viṣṇu, for obtaining what is higher than
everything (final release), let him reverence these two. For thus is it said, 'He who is both higher and lower, that God known by the name of aum is soundless and void of being
too. Therefore let one concentrate on (the crown) of the head.' śūnya-bhūtaḥ: void of being. nirākāratvāt
nirviśeṣaḥ Distinctions do not apply to it, but it is not, on that account, to be regarded as non-being. |
VI.24. And thus It
has been said elsewhere 'The body is the bow The arrow is aum. The mind is its point, darkness is the mark. Having pierced through the darkness,
one goes to what is not enveloped In darkness.
Then having pierced through what is thus enveloped one sees Brahman who sparkles like a wheel of fire, of the color of the Sun, full of vigour, beyond darkness, that which shines in yonder sun, also in the moon,
in the fire, in the lightning. And having seen Him
assuredly, one goes to immortality. For thus has it been
said: 'Meditation is directed to the highest being within and to the
(outer) objects. Hence the unqualified understanding becomes qualified. But
when the mind is dissolved and there is the bliss of which
the witness is the self, that is Brahman, the
Immortal, the radiant, that is the way.
That indeed is the (true) world.' See B
G XV 12; M U II. 2.3-4 śikhā = point. agram, śalya-sthānīyam. darkness,
Ignorance, mūlājńānam adamāviṣṭam: what is not enveloped in darkness, atama-āviṣṭam.tama-āveśana-rahitam. śukram radiant, dīptimat Jńāna-svabhāvam. |
VI.25. And thus it
has been said elsewhere: 'He who has his Senses indrawn as in sleep, who
has his thoughts perfectly pure as in dream, who, while in the cavern of the
senses, is not under their control, perceives him who is called Praṇava, the leader of the form of
light, the sleepless, free from old age, the death less, the sorrowless, he
himself becomes called Praṇava
and becomes a leader,
of the form of light, sleepless, free from old age, deathless and
sorrowless.' And thus it is said: 'Because in his manner he
joins the breath, the syllable aum and all this world in its manifoldness
or perhaps they are joined, therefore this (process of
meditation) is called Yoga (joining). The oneness of the breath, the mind and
likewise of the senses and the abandonment of all
conditions of existence, this is designated as yoga.' nidreva = as if in sleep, svapna iva: as if in dream. indriya-bile =
In the cavern of the senses. avivaśaḥ = not under control. śuddhitamayā =
perfectly pure. praṇetāram = leader VI.4. bhā-rūpam = of the form of light, Jńāna-prakāśa svarūpam The first verse describes the goal of Yoga and the second the means to it. |
VI.26. And thus It has been
said elsewhere: 'Verily even as the huntsman draws in the
dwellers in the waters with his net and offers them
(as a sacrifice) In the fire of his stomach, thus, assuredly does one draw
in these breaths by means of the syllable aum and sacrifice them in the fire
that is free from ill. Hence it is like a
heated vessel. Now as ghee in a heated vessel lights up by contact with (lighted) grass
or wood, thus assuredly does he who is called non-breath light up by contact with the
breaths. Now that which lights up is a form of Brahman, and that is the highest
place of Viṣṇu and that is the Rudra nature
of Rudra. That having divided itself in limitless ways
fills these worlds.' For thus has it been said, 'And as
indeed the sparks (issue) from the fire, as rays from the sun, so do the
breaths and the rest come forth again and again into the world In proper
order' SeeB U II 1.20 dwellers in the waters = matsyādīn. anāmaya = free from ill See S U III 10. |
VI.27. And thus it has been said elsewhere. Verily, this is the heart
of Brahman, the supreme, the immortal, the bodiless, even the warmth of the
body. For that (heat) this (body) is the ghee (melted butter) Although it is
manifest, verily, it is hidden in the space
of the heart Then by intense concentration they disperse the space within the
heart that the light, as it were of that (heat)
appears. Then one passes speedily into the same condition (of light) even as a ball of iron
that is hidden In the earth passes
speedily into the condition of earthiness. As fire and brass smiths and the like do not trouble
about the ball of iron that is in the condition of earth, so does thought disappear together with its support. And thus it is said, 'The store house which consists of
the space in the heart, the blissful, the supreme abode, is our self,
our Yoga (goal) too and this the heat of fire and sun.' for that this body is the ghee = the splendor of Brahman which is otherwise unmanifested is manifested, even as fire blazes up by contact with ghee. āviḥ = manifest, prakaṇam.
See MU II 2. I. kośam = storehouse, bhāṇḍāgāram The words āśraya and ālaya are used in their technical meanings. When disembodied in the yogic process the hṛd-ākaśa is the nirāśraya-liṅga consubstantial (of one and the same substance, essence, or nature.) with citta, its own āśraya. When this process cu1mmates m the ānanda state, it is the higher ālaya. Lamkāvatara Sūtra distinguishes two aspects of ālaya, the lower of which is vijnāpti and the higher param ālayavijńānam which lS tathatā. |
THE FREE SPIRIT |
VI.28. And thus it
has been said elsewhere: Having passed beyond the elements, the senses and
the objects of sense and then having seized the bow, whose string is
the life of a mendicant, and whose stick is steadfastness and
having struck down with the arrow which consists of freedom from
self-conceit, the first guardian of the door to Brahmā, (who has)
bewilderment as his crown, greed and envy as his ear-rings,
sloth, sleep and impurity as his staff, the cord of self-love, who seizes the bow whose string is anger,
whose stick is lust, who slays beings here with the arrow that
consists of desires, having slain him, having crossed over with the raft of the
syllable aum to the other side of the space in the heart, in the inner
space which gradually becomes manifest one should enter the hall of
Brahmā as a miner seeking minerals enters into the mine. Then let him
disperse the fourfold sheath of Brahmā by the teaching of his spiritual
preceptor. Henceforth being pure, clean, void (of being), tranquil, breathless, selfless,
endless, undecaying,
steadfast, eternal, unborn, independent, he
abides in his own greatness. Thereafter, having seen (the self) which abides
in his own greatness, he looks down on the wheel of births and deaths as on a
revolving wheel (of a chariot). For thus has it been said.
If a man practices yoga for six months and is constantly freed (from the world)
then the infinite supreme, mysterious Yoga is accomplished. But if a man,
though well-enlightened, is afflicted with passion and darkness, if he is attached to son, wife and family, for such a one, no, never at all.' Tandrī = sloth. Irā = sleep, nidrā. Agham = impurity, pāpam _ dhātu--kāmaḥ = seeking minerals. fourfold
sheath = consisting of matter, life,
mind and understanding See TU II 1-4 |
VI.29. Having thus
spoken (to Bṛhadratha) Sākāyanya with his heart (fixed) on
the inner self bowed before him and said, by this brahma knowledge, did the
sons of Prajā-Pati ascend the path of Brahman. By the practice of Yoga one gains contentment, endurance of the dualities (of pleasure and
pain) and tranquility. Let no one declare
this most secret doctrine to anyone who is not a son, who is not a pupil, who is not of a tranquil (mind). To one who is devoted to none
other (than his teacher) to one endowed with all qualities, one may
give it. The
conversation begun at I.2 and the course of instruction begun at II.1 conclude here. See BU
VI 3 I2; SU VI. 22 The sons of Prajā-pati The Vālikilyas who approached Prajā-pati for this knowledge See II.3. |
VI.30. Aum. One should be in a
pure place, himself pure, abiding in goodness, studying the real, speaking of
the real, meditating on the real, sacrificing to the real. Henceforth
absorbed in the real Brahman is
he who yearns for the real, becomes another. He has the reward of having his
bonds (fetters) cut, becomes void of expectation, is
freed from fear in regard to others as in regard to himself, void of desire,
he remains, having attained imperishable and unmeasurable happiness. Verily,
freedom from desire is, as it were, the highest prize from the choicest
treasure. For a person who is made up of all
desires, who has the marks of determination, conception and self-love is
bound. He who is the opposite of that is liberated. On this point, some (the Sāṁkhyas)
say, it is the quality which, through the force of the differentiation of
nature, binds the self with determination (and the like) and from the
destruction of the fault of determination (and the like) liberation
(results). It is with the mind, verily, that one sees. It is with the mind
that one hears. Desire, conception, doubt, faith and lack of faith, stead
fastness and lack of steadfastness, shame, meditation, fear,
all this is truly mind. Borne along and defiled by the stream of qualities,
unsteady, fickle, bewildered, full of desire, distracted, one gets into the
state of self-love. In thinking I am he, this is mine, he binds
himself with himself as a bird in a snare. Hence a person who has the marks of determination,
conception and self-love is bound. He who is the opposite of that is
liberated. Therefore stand free from determination, free from conception,
free from self-love. This is the mark of liberation. This is the path to Brahman
in this world. This is the opening of the door here in this world.
Through it one will go to the farther shore of darkness for therein are all
desires contained (fulfilled). On this point they quote, 'When the five forms
(of sense) of knowledge along with the mind stand still and the intellect
stirs not, that, they say, is the highest state. Having spoken thus,
Sākāyanya had his heart (fixed) on the inner self. Then Marut
having bowed before him and properly honoured him, having obtained his end,
departed by the northern course of the sun for there is no way thither by a
side-path. This is the path to Brahma here in the world. Bursting open the
door of the sun, he rose on high and departed. On this point they quote,
'Endless are the rays of him, who, like a lamp, dwells in the heart, white
and black, brown and blue, tawny and pale red. One of them leads upwards
piercing the solar orb, by it, crossing the world of Brahmā they go to
the highest path. The other hundred rays lead upwards also and through them
(the worshipper) reaches the abiding-places of the gods But the rays of dim
color which manifestly lead downwards by them one wanders here helplessly for
experiencing (the fruits of) his deeds. Therefore, the yonder blessed sun is
the cause of creation, of heaven and of final emancipation.' KathaVI 10
16; Praśna I 10; C.U. VIII. 6 I; B U 1.5.3. calo v. cańcalo sat = the real, sadākhyam brahma. brahma-padam = path to Brahman, sāksāt-brahma-prāpti-mārgaḥ. Avatiṣṭhante stand still, niścalāni
bhavanyti. Marut = marud nāma bṛhaddrathaḥ kṛta-kṛtyaḥ = having attained his end, avāptakāmaḥ By the
upward course we reach the highest state or the abodes Of the gods by the
downward course we are reborn in the world of births and deaths. |
THE SELF'S RELATION TO THE SENSES AND THE MIND |
VI.31. (One asks):
Of what nature, verily, are these senses that go forth (towards their
objects)? Who is the one that sends them out here and
who restrains them? Another answers they are of the nature of self for
the self is he who sends forth and restrains them. There are
enticing objects of sense and there are what are
called the luminous rays. Now the self feeds on objects by the five rays. Who
is the self? He who has been defined
as pure, clean, void, tranquil and of other marks. He is to be apprehended by his own marks. Some say that the mark of
him who is without any mark is as heat and
anything pervaded by it are to fire, or what the most agreeable taste is to water,
others say that it is speech, hearing, sight, mind, breath, others say that
it is understanding, steadfastness, memory, wisdom. Now,
verily, these are the marks of him even as the sprouts here are the mark of a
seed, as smoke, light and sparks are the marks of a fire. On this point they
quote: As indeed the sparks from fire, and likewise
as the rays from the sun, having creatures and the rest in proper order again
and again proceed
from him here on earth. See II 4; VI 28; S U VI 13; AU III 2; B U IV 4 18; Kena 2. The sprout reminds us of the invisible seed. Even so from the manifestations of self we infer the reality of self. |
VI.32. From him, indeed,
who is In the self come forth all
having creatures, all
worlds, all the vedas, all the gods and all beings. Its mystic meaning is that it
is the truth of the truth. Know as from a fire laid with green (damp) wood, when kindled, clouds of smoke
separately issue forth, so, verily, from this great being has been breathed
forth that which is the Ṛg
Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sāma Veda (hymns of), the Atharvaṇs and the Angirasas, legendary
stories, ancient. lore, Sciences, mystic doctrines,
verses, aphorisms, explanations and commentaries. From it, indeed, all these
beings (come forth). SeeBU II. I.2; II 4.10 Upaniṣad = mystic doctrines. The truth of the truth= empirical existence is the truth, the underlying truth of it is the self. |
VI.33. Venly, this (gārhapatya
sacrificial) fire with its five bricks is the year. For that the bricks are these, spring, summer, the rainy season, autumn, winter. So it has a head, two wings, a back and a tail. In the case of one who knows
the person, this earth is Prajā-Pati's first sacrificial pile. With its hands it
raises the sacrificer to the atmosphere and offers him to
Vāyu (the wind). Wind, verily, is breath. Breath is the fire (Dakṣiṇāgni). For that the bricks are these, the prāṇa breath,
the vyāna breath, the apāna breath, the samāna
breath and the udāna breath. So it has a head, two wings, a back and a
tail. In the case of one who knows the person, this atmosphere is Prajā-Pati's second sacrificial pile. With its hands, it raises the sacrificer up to the sky and offers him to Indra. Verily, Indra is yonder sun. He is this [third Ᾱhavanīya) fire.
For that the bricks are these, the Ṛg Veda, the YaJur Veda, the
Sāma Veda (the hymns of the), Atharvaṇs
and Angirasas, legendary stones, ancient lore; so it has a head, two wings, a back and a tail. In the case of one who knows the person, this sky is Prajā-Pati's
third sacrificial pile. With Its hands it presents the sacrificer to the knower of the self. Then the knower of the self raises him up and offers him to Brahmā. There he becomes blissful
and Joyful. The three fires which are used in religious sacrifices
are treated as three sacrificial plies erected by Prajā-Pati the lord of creation on earth, the atmosphere and the sky. The year, the wind and the sun rule in these three regions.They
raise the sacrificer to the next higher stage until, finally, he reaches Brahmā. |
CONTROL OF THOUGHT IS LIBERATION |
VI.34. The earth
is the gārhapatya fire, the atmosphere is the dakṣiṇa
fire and the sky the āhavanīya fire. Hence
they are (called) the pure, the purifying, the bright. By this the
sacrifice is made manifest. Since the digestive fire
is the combination of the pure, the purifying and the bright, therefore this
fire should be worshipped with oblations, is to be built (with bricks), is to
be praised, is to be meditated upon. The sacrificer,
when he takes the oblation seeks (to perform) his meditation of the divinity
thus, 'The bird of golden hue abides in the heart and in the sun, a
diver-bird, a swan, of surpassing radiance. Let us worship him in the fire.
Having recited, one discerns the meaning of this verse, the
adorable splendor of Sāvitrī should be meditated upon by him, who,
abiding in his understanding, meditates thereon. Here he reaches the
place of tranquillity for the mind. He places it in the self, indeed, on this
point there are these verses. Even as fire without fuel becomes extinct in
its own place, even so thought, by the cessation of activity becomes extinct
in its own source. Even in a mind which seeks the truth and
has quieted down in its own place, there arise false ideas due to past
acts when deluded by the objects of sense. One's own thought, indeed, is saṁsāra;
let a man cleanse it by effort. What a man thinks, that he becomes, this is the eternal mystery.
For by the serenity of one's thought, one destroys all actions, good or bad.
Dwelling within the self, with a serene self, he enjoys imperishable
happiness. If the thought of man is so fixed on Brahman
as it is on the things of this world, who will not then be free from
bondage? The mind, it is said, is of two kinds, pure
and impure, impure from contact with desire and pure when freed from desire.
By freeing mind from sloth and distraction and making it motionless, he
becomes delivered from his mind (reaches mindlessness), then that is the
supreme state. So long should the mind be restrained in the heart till it
reaches its end, that is knowledge, that is
liberation. All else is but extensions of the knots that bind us to this
life. The happiness of a mind whose stains are washed away by concentration
and who has entered the self, it cannot be here described by words. It can be grasped by the inner organ (only). One cannot
distinguish water in water, fire in fire or ether
in ether, even so he whose mind has entered in, he is released completely.
Mind, in truth, is the cause of bondage and liberation for mankind;
for bondage if it is bound to objects, freedom from objects, that is called
liberation. Therefore, for those who do not perform the agnihotra sacrifice
who do not build up the fire, who are ignorant, who do not meditate, the
remembering of the ethereal (heavenly) place of Brahman is obstructed. Therefore that fire should be worshipped
with oblations, should be built (with bricks), is to be praised, is to be meditated upon. Thought
is the cause for all things When it is active there are the three worlds, when it subsides the world subsides.
Therefore the mind should be treated with diligence.' 'The
body, heaven and hell and so both bondage and liberation are but mental. What then have I (who am) essentially
intelligence to do with them?' This
passage equates āśraya with śabda Brahman whose pravṛtti. or concomitant differentiation leads to the universe. Its
purification or unification leads to aśabda
or utter voidness, śūnyatva. |
VI.35. Adoration to Agni (Fire), who dwells in the earth, who remembers
the world. Bestow the
world on this worshipper. Adoration to Vāyu (wind) who dwells in the atmosphere, who Remembers
the world. Bestow the
world on this worshipper. Adoration to the Ᾱditya (the sun), who dwells in heaven, who
remembers the world. Bestow the
world on this worshipper. Adoration to Brahmā, who dwells in all, who remembers all. Bestow all on this worshipper. With a golden vessel is
the face of the real covered.
That do thou, O Pūṣan, uncover, that we may reach the Eternal
real, the pervader. He who is the yonder person in
the sun, I myself am he. Verily, that which isthe sunhood of the sun is the eternal real. That
is the bright, the personal, the sexless.
Of the bright power that pervades the sky, it is only, a portion, which is,
as it were, in the midst of the sun, the eye
and in fire. That is Brahman that is the immortal,
that is splendor. Of the bright power that pervades the sky it is only
a portion which is the nectar in the midst of the Sun, of which the moon and
the living creatures too are only offshoots. That
is Brahman, that is immortal, that is splendour, that is the
eternal real. Of the bright power that pervades the sky it is only a portion
which shines as the Yajur Veda in the midst of the Sun that is aum,
water, light, essence immortal, Brahman bhūr, bhuvas, svar, aum. The
eight-footed the pure, the swan, three-stringed, minute the Imperishable,
blind to the two attributes (of good and evil), kindled in the light, he who
sees him sees all. Of the bright power that pervades the sky it is only a
portion, which, rising in the midst of the Sun becomes the two right rays.
That is the knower, the eternal, real, that is the Yayus,
that is heat, that is fire, that is wind, that is breath, that is water
that is the moon that is the bright, that is the immortal, that is the place
of Brahman. That is the ocean of light In it, indeed the worshippers
become dissolved like (a lump of) salt. It is the oneness with Brahman
for in it are all desires contained.' On this point they quote. Even as a
lamp moved by a gentle breeze, he who dwells within the gods shines forth. He
who knows this, is the knower, he knows the difference, having grasped the
oneness, he becomes identified with it They who rise forth perpetually like
spray drops (from the sea) like lightnings from the
light within the clouds in the highest sky, they, by virtue of their entrance
into the light of glory appear like crests of flame in the track of fire. Pṛthvī-kṣite: who dwells in the earth. satya-dharmāya viṣṇve that we may reach the eternal real, the pervader. aliṅgam = sexless. dvi-dharmo'ndham = blind to the two attributes (of good and evil). Brahma-viṣaym
= the
place of Brahman,
brahma-Prāpti-dvāram. Savit = the knower. |
VI.36. Verily,
indeed, of the Brahmā light there are these two forms, one, the tranquil
and the other the abounding. Now of that which is
tranquil, space is the support, of the other which is the abounding, food here
is the support. Therefore one should offer sacrifice in
the sacrificial altar with sacred hymns, herbs, ghee, flesh [sacrificial),
cakes, boiled rice and the like, and also with food and
drink cast into the mouth, knowing the mouth to be the āhavanīya
fire for the sake of abundance of vigour, for winning the world of
sanctity and for immortality. On this point they quote: He who is desirous of
heaven should offer the agnihotra sacrifice. One wins the kingdom of
Yama by the agniṣṭoma sacrifice, the kingdom of the moon
by the uktha, the kingdom of the Sun by the sixteen-day sacrifice, the
kingdom of independence by the atirātra sacrifice, the Kingdom of
Prajā-pati, by the sacrifice which continues to the end of a
thousand years. As the continued existence of a lamp is because of the union
of wick, support and oil, so also the self and the
bright (sun) continue to exist because of the union of the Inner One and the
world egg. The two selves are the witness and the experiencing self. The
former is tranquil and the
latter is full of activity. tejasaḥ = Vlgour. Svārājyam = the kingdom of independence or the kingdom of Indra: Even as the lamp burns so long as there is oil to be
consumed so the light of Brahman remains divided as the
individual soul and the
Sun so long as the latent brightness of previous actions in the incorporated being and in the world are not exhausted. If the Sun is taken as the symbol of the
cosmic process. It means that the process continue until all men are liberated. |
VI.37· Therefore one should meditate with the syllable aum on that unlimited splendor. That has been manifested threefold In the fire, In the sun, In the breath. Now this is the channel by which the abundance of food offered is this fire goes up to the sun. The sap which flows there from rains down like the udgītha chant. By this
living creatures
here exist. From living creatures come
offspring. On this point they quote. The oblation
which has been offered in the fire goes to the sun. The sun rains that down with his rays. Thereby arises food. From food the production
of beings. For
thus has it been said, the offering properly cast, In the fire
goes toward the sun, from out of the sun comes rain, from the rain food, from food living beings. nāḍī =
channel, dvāra-rūpa See Manu III.
76. |
VI.38. He who performs the agnihotra
sacrifice rends the net of selfish desire Then having cut through bewilderment he does not approve of anger. Meditating on desire, he cuts through the fourfold
sheath of Brahmā. Thence he goes to the highest space. There having broken through the spheres of the sun, of the moon, of the fire and of
the pure being, he, then, being purified himself, he sees the intelligence which abides
in the pure being, unmovable, Immortal, indestructible, enduring, bearing the name of Viṣṇu, the ultimate
abode, endowed with love of truth (or the desires) and omniscience,
independent, which stands in its own greatness. On this point they quote: In the midst of the sun stands
the moon, in the midst of the moon the fire, in the midst of fire stands pure
being, in the midst of pure being stands the indestructible one. Having meditated on him who is of the measure of a thumb within the span (of
the heart) in the body, who is smaller than the small, then one goes to the supreme condition. For in that all desires are
contained. On this point they quote: Having the measure of a thumb within the span in the body like the flames of a light burning twofold or
threefold, the Brahmā who is praised, the great god, has entered (all) the worlds Aum, adoration to
Brahmā, yea, adoration. VI 28,
VI 23,
VI 30,
VI. 35. He
who makes the fire sacrifice
tears up the snare of greed, cuts Down delusion and breaks with anger. of
the measure of a thumb within
the span in the body· pradīpa pratāpavat = like the flame of a light. |
CHAPTER VII THE SELF AS THE WORLD-SUNAND ITS RAYS |
VII.1. The Fire,
the gāyatrī meter, the trivṛt hymn, the rathantara
chant, the spring season, the upward breath, the stars, the vasu gods (these), rise in the east, they warm, they rain, they praise, they enter
again within and look out through an opening. He is unthinkable,
formless, deep (unfathomable), hidden, blameless. compact (solid],
impenetrable, free from qualities, pure, brilliant, enjoying (the play of the
three) qualities, fearful, unproduced, the master yogin, omniscient, mighty,
immeasurable, without beginning or end, possessing all excellence, unborn,
wise, indescribable, the creator of all, the self of all, the enjoyer of all,
the lord of all, the inmost being of everything. vasu gods = deva-gaṇa-viśeṣaḥ. deep, unfathomable = duravagāhaḥ. compact solid. bhayaḥ = fearful, because
he lS the all-devounng time, kālarūpaḥ maghaḥ: mighty or worshipful. |
VII.2. Indra, the triṣṭubh meter, the pancadaśa
hymn, the bṛhat chant, the summer season, the vyāna breath,
the moon, the Rudra gods rise in
the south, they warm, they rain, they praise, they
enter again within and look out through an opening. He is without
beginning or end, unmeasured, unlimited, not to be moved by another,
independent, without any marks (signs), formless, of
endless power, the creator, the maker of light (the enlightener). |
VII.3. The Maruts, the Jagatī meter, the saptadaśa hymn, the Vairūpa chant, the rainy season, the apāna breath, the
planet Venus, the Ᾱditya gods, these rise in the west.
They warm, they rain, they praise, they enter again
within and look out through an opening. That is tranquil,
soundless, fearless, sorrowless, blissful, satisfied, steadfast, unmovable,
immortal, unshaking, enduring, bearing the name of Viṣṇu, the
highest abode. |
VII.4. The Viśve devas, the anuṣṭubh meter, the ekaviṁsā hymn, the Vairāja chant, the samāna breath,
Varuṇa, the Sādhya gods, rise in the north.
They warm, they rain, they praise, they enter again
within, and look out through an opening. He is pure within, clean, void, tranquil, breathless, selfless, endless. |
VII.5. Mitra and Varuṇa,
the paṅkti meter, the triṇava and the trayastriṁśa hymns, the Śākvara and Raivata chants, the winter and the dewy seasons,
the udāna breath, the Aṅgirasas, the moon rise
from above. They warm, they rain, they praise, they enter again within, and
look out through an opening. Him who is called praṇava, the Impeller, whose form is light, sleepless, ageless, deathless, sorrowless. |
VII.6. Saturn, Rāhu (the dragon's head), Ketu (the dragon's tall), serpents, the Rākṣasas, Yakṣas, men, birds, deer, elephants and the like rise from
below. They warm, they ram, they praise, they enter
again within and look out through an opening. He Who
is wise, the ordainer, within all, imperishable, pure, clean, shining, patient,
tranquil. vidharaṇaḥ: the ordainer. |
THE WORLD-SELF |
VII.7. And he, verily, is the self within the heart, very subtile, kindled like fire, endowed with all forms. Of him all this is food. In him are woven
creatures here. He is the self which is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless, free
from uncertainty, free from fetters, whose conception is the real, whose desire is the real. He is the supreme lord, he is the ruler of beings, he is the protector of beings. He is the determining bridge. This self, verily, is the lord, the beneficent, the existent, the terrible, the
lord of creation, creator of all, the golden germ, truth, life, spirit, the
ruler, the unshaken, the pervader, Nārāyaṇa.
He who is in the fire, he who is here in the heart, he who is yonder in the sun, he is one. To thee who art this,
endowed with all forms hidden in the real space, be adoration. viśva-rūpaḥ
= endowed with all forms, sarva-rūpo vaiśvānaraḥ setu = bridge See B U IV 4 22, CU VIII 4 I hitāya = hidden, nihitāya. |
VII.8. Now then, the hindrances to knowledge, O King. This is indeed the source of the net of delusion, the
association of one who is worthy of heaven with those who are not worthy of heaven,
that is it. Though it is said that there is a grove
before them they cling to a low shrub. Now there are some
who are always hilarious, always abroad, always begging, always making
a living by handicraft. And
others there are who are beggars in town, who perform sacrifices, for the
unworthy, who are the disciples of Śūdras and who, though
Śūdras, are learned in the scriptures And others there are who are
wicked, who wear their hair in a twisted knot, who are dancers, who are mercenaries,
travelling mendicants, actors, those who have been degraded in the King's
service. And others there are who, for money, profess that they can
allay (the evil influences) of Yakṣas (sprites), Rākṣasas
(ogres), ghosts, goblins, devils, serpents, imps and the like. And
others there are who, under false pretexts, wear the red robe, earrings, and
skulls. And others there are who love to distract the believers in the Veda
by the jugglery of false arguments, comparisons, and paralogisms, with these
one should not associate. These creatures, evidently, are thieves and
unworthy of heaven. For thus has it been said: The world
bewildered by doctrines that deny the self, by false Comparisons and proofs
does not discern the difference between wisdom and knowledge. Jńānopasargaḥ: hindrances to knowledge Jńānotpatti-vigātakā hetavaḥ
vṛthā = falsely, mthyā veda-Vidyā = wisdom and knowledge, vedāvidyā
= knowledge and ignorance The caste prejudice comes out here
with reference to the Śūdras. |
VII.9. Verily, Bṛhaspati
(the teacher of the gods) became Śukra (the teacher of the demons) and
for the securitv of Indra and for the destruction
of the demons created this ignorance. By this (they) declare the inauspicious
to be auspicious and the auspicious to be inauspicious. They say that there
should be attention to the (new) law which is destructive of the (teaching of
the) Vedas and the other scriptures. Therefore one should not attend to this teaching. It is false. It is like a barren woman.
Mere pleasure is the fruit thereof as also of one who has fallen from
the proper course. It should not be attempted. For
thus has it been said widely opposed and divergent are these two,
the one known as Ignorance, and the other as knowledge. I (Yama) think that
Naciketas is desirous of obtaining knowledge and many
desires do not rend you. He who knows at the same time knowledge and ignorance
together, having crossed death by means of ignorance he wins the Immortal by knowledge. Those who are wrapped up in the midst of
ignorance, fancying themselves alone wise and learned, they wander, hard
smitten and deluded like blind men led by one who is himself
blind. Cp C U VIII 7 śivam = auspicious. aśivam =inauspicious. Uddiśanti = declare. rati-mātram = mere pleasure, of a passing nature. knowledge and ignorance: See Katha II 4; Isa II; Katha II 5; MU I 2 8. |
VII.10. Verily, the gods and the demons, being desirous of (knowing) the self went into the presence of Brahmā.
Having Bowed before him they said,
Revered Sir, we are desirous of (knowing) the self, so do you tell
us. Then, after having reflected a long while, he thought in himself. Verily, these demons are desirous
of a self different (from the
true one). Therefore, a very different doctrine
was told to them. On that these deluded (demons) here have their life, with intense
attachment, destroying the means of salvation and praising what is false. They
see the false, as if It were
true, as in jugglery. Therefore what is set forth In the Vedas, that is the truth.
On what is said in the Vedas, on that
wisemen live their life. Therefore a Brāhmaṇa should not study
what is not of the Veda. This should be the purpose. See Cu VIII 8 With intense attachment atyasaktāḥ
tat-parāḥ. They live according to another idea of the self than
the reality, deluded, attached, expressing a falsehood as if by an enchantment they see the false as
the true. Tariḥ = the means, the raft by which to cross the ocean of saṁsāra. |
MEDITATION ON AUM AND ITS RESULTS |
VII.11 Verily, the
nature of the ether within the space (of the heart) is the same as the
supreme bright power. This is mani fested in a threefold way, in fire, in the sun and in the
breath of life. Verily, the nature of the ether within the space (of the heart)
is the same as the syllable aum. With this syllable, indeed, that (light)
rises up (from the depths) goes upwards and breathes forth. Verily, It
becomes forever, the support of the meditation on Brahmā. In the breathing,
that (bright power) has its place in the heart that casts forth light. In the breathing that is like the action of smoke, for when there
is breathing the smoke rises to the sky in one column and follows afterwards
one branch after another. That is like throwing salt in to water, like
heat in melted butter, like the range (of the thought) of a meditator. On this
point they quote, now, why is it said to be lightning?
Because in the very moment of going forth it lights up the whole
body. Therefore one should meditate with the syllable aum that
boundless light. The person who is in the eye, who abides in the right eye,
he is Indra and his wife abides in the left eye. The union of these two
(takes place) within the hollow of the heart and the lump of blood which
is there is indeed the life-vigour of these two. There is a channel extending
from the heart up to the eye and fairly fixed there. That is the channel which
serves both of them, by being divided in two though but one. The mind stirs
up the fire of the body; that stirs the wind. The wind, then moving through
the chest produces the low sound. As brought forth in the heart, by contact with
the fire of friction it is smaller than the smallest, it becomes double (the
minimum size) in the throat, know that it is treble on the tip of the tongue
and when it comes forth they call it the alphabet. The seer does not see
death, nor sickness, nor any sorrow. The seer sees the all and becomes all everywhere.
He who sees with the eye, who moves in dreams, who is sound asleep and he who
is beyond the sound sleeper, these are a person's four distinct conditions. Of
these the fourth is greater than the rest. Brahman with one quarter
moves in the three and with three-quarters in the last. For the sake of experiencing
the true and the false the great self has a dual nature, yea, the great self
has a dual nature. See B U. IV 2 3, C.U. VII. 26. 2. ajasram= for
ever. Veda is Said to be
the expression of the mind of Īśvara. Īśvaracid-vistāro
vedaḥ. Suṣau = hollow, chidre. For the
four conditions of the self, see Mā.U. |
End of Maitrī Upaniṣad |