the fourths, the elements: the letter a, the letter u, the letter m.1

9. The waking state, the Common-to-all-men, is the letter a, the first element, from apti (obtaining') or from ādimatvā ('being first').

He obtains, verily, indeed, all desires, he becomes first-he who knows this.

10. The sleeping state, the Brilliant, is the letter u, the second element, from utkarşa ('exaltation') or from ubhayatvā (intermediateness').

He exalts, verily, indeed, the continuity of knowledge; and he becomes equal" (samana); no one ignorant of Brahma is born in the family of him who knows this.

11. The deep-sleep state, the Cognitional, is the letter m, the third element, from miti ('erecting) or from apītis (immerging').

He, verily, indeed, erects (minoti) this whole world, and he becomes its immerging-he who knows this.

12. The fourth is without an element, with which there can be no dealing, the cessation of development, benign, without a second.

Thus Om is the Self (Atman) indeed.

He who knows this, with his self enters the Self-yca, he who knows this!

1 In Sanskrit the vowel o is constitutionally a diphthong, contracted from a + u. Om therefore may be analyzed into the elements a +u+m.

2 Either (1) in the sense of equable,' i. e. unaffected in the midst of the pairs of opposites (dvandva); or (2) in the sense of equitable,' i. e. impartial, alike, indifferent to both friend and foe; or (3) in the sense of equalized,' i. e. with the universe, which a knower understands exists only as his Self's consciousness; or even (4) in the very common sense of same,' i. e. the same as that which he knows. All these four (and more) are possible interpretations. They evidence how vague (or, how pregnant-it is urged) are some of the statements in the Upanishads, and how capable therefore of various interpretations.

Of each of sections 8-10 there are, similarly, several interpretations.

3 Possibly as a synonym for another ineaning of miti (derived from ✅✔✅mi, mināti), ⚫ destroying' or 'perishing.'

4 That is, out of his own consciousness—according to the philosophic theory of subjective idealism expounded in the Upanishads.

This is a phrase which has previously occurred at VS. 32. 11.

SVETASVATARA UPANISHAD

FIRST ADHYAYA

Conjectures concerning the First Cause

1. Discoursers on Brahma (brahma-vädin) say:

1

What is the cause? Brahma? Whence are we born?
Whereby do we live? And on what are we established?
Overruled by whom, in pains and pleasures,

Do we live our various conditions, O ye theologians (brahma-
vid)?

2. Time (kāla), or inherent nature (sva-bhava), or necessity (niyati), or chance (yadṛecha),

Or the elements (bhūta), or a [female] womb (yoni), or a [male]
person (purușa) are to be considered [as the cause];
Not a combination of these, because of the existence of the soul
(ātman).

The soul certainly is impotent over the cause of pleasure and

pain.

3. Those who have followed after meditation (dhyāna) and abstraction (yoga)

Saw the self-power (ātma-śakti) of God (deva) hidden in his

own qualities (guņa).

He is the One who rules over all these causes,

From 'time' to 'the soul.'

The individual soul in manifold distress

4. We understand him [as a wheel] with one felly, with a triple tire,

With sixteen end-parts, fifty spokes, twenty counter-spokes,"

1 The words kiṁ kāraṇam brahma might mean also 'What is the cause? Is it Brahma?' or 'What is the cause? What is Brahma?' or 'Is the cause Brahma ?' or Is Brahma the cause?' or even What sort of a cause is Brahma ??

2 That is, consisting of the Three Qualities according to the Sankhya philosophy (see Introduction, p. 8): sattvam, rajas, and tamas—pureness, passion, and darkness. 3 That is, the five elements (bhūta), the five organs of perception (buddhīndriya) the five organs of action (karmendriya), and the mind (manas).

4 The fifty conditions (bhāva) of the Sankhya philosophy (cf. Sankhya Kārikā 46).

5 The ten senses (indriya) and their ten corresponding objects.

With six sets of eights, whose one rope is manifold,
Which has three different paths," whose one illusion (moha)*

has two conditioning causes."

5. We understand him as a river of five streams from five sources," impetuous and crooked,

Whose waves are the five vital breaths, whose original source

is fivefold perception (buddhi),

With five whirlpools," an impetuous flood of fivefold_misery,
Divided into five distresses, with five branches.

6. In this which vitalizes all things, which appears in all things, the Great

In this Brahma-wheel the soul (hamsa) flutters about,

Thinking that itself (ātmānam) and the Actuator are different.
When favored by Him, it attains immortality.

The saving knowledge of the one inclusive Brahma

7. This has been sung as the supreme Brahma.

10

In it there is a triad. It is the firm support, the Imperishable.
By knowing what is therein, Brahma-knowers

Become merged in Brahma, intent thereon, liberated from the
womb [i. e. from rebirth].

8. That which is joined together as perishable and imperishable, As manifest and unmanifest-the Lord (isa, Potentate) supports

it all.

Now, without the Lord the soul (ātman) is bound, because of being an enjoyer;

By knowing God (deva) one is released from all fetters.

9. There are two unborn ones: the knowing [Lord] and the unknowing [individual soul], the Omnipotent and the impotent.

1 That is, (1) eight producing causes of Prakriti, namely the five elements, mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), and self-consciousness (ahaṁkāra); (2) eight constituents of the body (dhātu); (3) eight forms of superhuman power; (4) eight conditions (bhāva); (5) eight gods; (6) eight virtues.

2 That is, desire.

3 Namely religiousness (dharma), irreligiousness (a-dharma), and knowledge (jñāna).

That is, the illusion of self-consciousness.

5 Namely the consequences of good and of evil deeds.

The five senses.

8 The five objects of sense.

7 The five elements.

According to Sankara's reading. The traditional text has divided fiftyfold, 10 The world, the individual soul, and the cosmic Soul.

She [i. e. Nature, Prakriti], too, is unborn, who is connected
with the enjoyer and objects of enjoyment.
Now, the soul (atman) is infinite, universal, inactive.
When one finds out this triad, that is Brahma.

10. What is perishable, is Primary Matter (pradhāna). What is immortal and imperishable, is Hara (the 'Bearer,' the soul). Over both the perishable and the soul the One God (deva) rules. By meditation upon Him, by union with Him, and by entering into His being

More and more, there is finally cessation from every illusion (māyā-nivṛtti).

11. By knowing God (deva) there is a falling off of all fetters; With distresses destroyed, there is cessation of birth and death. By meditating upon Him there is a third stage at the dissolution

of the body,

Even universal lordship; being absolute (kevala), his desire is satisfied.

12. That Eternal should be known as present in the self (ātmasaṁstha). Truly there is nothing higher than that to be known.

When one recognizes the enjoyer, the object of enjoyment, and the universal Actuator,

All has been said. This is the threefold Brahma.

Made manifest like latent fire, by the exercise of meditation 13. As the material form (mūrti) of fire when latent in its source [i.e. the fire-wood]

Is not perceived-and yet there is no evanishment of its subtile form (linga)

But may be caught again by means of the drill in its source,
So, verily, both [the universal and the individual Brahma] are
[to be found] in the body by the use of Om.

14. By making one's own body the lower friction-stick
And the syllable Om the upper friction-stick,

By practising the friction of meditation (dhyāna),
One may see the God (deva) who is hidden, as it were.

The all-pervading Soul

15. As oil in sesame seeds, as butter in cream,

As water in river-beds, and as fire in the friction-sticks,
So is the Soul (Atman) apprehended in one's own soul,
If one looks for Him with true austerity (tapas).

16. The Soul (Atman), which pervades all things
As butter is contained in cream,

Which is rooted in self-knowledge and austerity

This is Brahma, the highest mystic teaching (upaniṣad)!'
This is Brahma, the highest mystic teaching!

SECOND ADHYAYA

Invocation to the god of inspiration for inspiration
and self-control 2

1. Savitri (the Inspirer), first controlling mind

And thought for truth,

Discerned the light of Agni (Fire)

And brought it out of the earth.3

2. With mind controlled, we are

In the inspiration of the god Savitri,
For heaven and strength.

3. With mind having controlled the powers

That unto bright heaven through thought do go,

May Savitri inspire them,

That they may make a mighty light!

4. The sages of the great wise sage

Control their mind, and control their thoughts.

The One who knows the rules has arranged the priestly functions.

Mighty is the chorus-praise of the god Savitri.*

5. I join your ancient prayer (brahma pūrvyam) with adorations! My verses go forth like suns upon their course.

All the sons of the immortal listen,

Even those who ascended to heavenly stations! 5

1 Or 'This is the highest mystic teaching concerning Brahma (brahmopaniṣad)!' 2 These five stanzas = TS. 4. I. I. 1-5 and with variation also = VS. 11. 1-5, from which again they are cited and applied liturgically at Sat. Br. 6. 3. 1. 12-17. 3 Or possibly dative, 'to the earth.'

In addition to the references cited in note 2, above, this stanza also = RV. 5. 81. 1; VS. 5. 14 and 11. 4. It is quoted in Sat. Br. 3. 5. 3. 11, 12.

5 This stanza also = RV. 10. 13. 1; VS. 11. 5. - AV. 18. 3. 39 b, c, d.

Lines a, b, c with slight variants