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