Verily, the self (ātman) consists of speech, mind, and breath. 4. These same are the three worlds. This [terrestrial] world is Speech. The middle [atmospheric] world is Mind. That [celestial] world is Breath. 5. These same are the three Vedas. are the three Vedas. The Rig-Veda is Speech. The Yajur-Veda is Mind. The Sama-Veda is Breath. 6. The same are the gods, Manes, and men. The gods are Speech. The Manes are Mind. Men are Breath. 7. These same are father, mother, and offspring. The father is Mind. The mother is Speech. The offspring is Breath. 8. These same are what is known, what is to be known, and what is unknown. Whatever is known is a form of Speech, for Speech is known. Speech, having become this, helps him [i. e. man]. 9. Whatever is to be known is a form of Mind, for mind is to be known. Mind, having become this, helps him. 10. Whatever is unknown is a form of Breath, for Breath is unknown. Breath, having become this, helps him. 11. Of this Speech the earth is the body. Its light-form is this [terrestrial] fire. As far as Speech extends, so far extends the earth, so far this fire. 12. Likewise of that Mind the sky is the body. Its lightform is yon sun. As far as Mind extends, so far extends the sky, so far yon sun. These two [the fire and the sun] entered sexual union. Therefrom was born Breath. He is Indra. He is without a rival. Verily, a second person is a rival. He who knows this has no rival. 13. Likewise of that Breath, water is the body. Its lightform is yon moon. As far as Breath extends, so far extends water, so far yon moon. Verily he who worships Likewise he who worships These are all alike, all infinite. them as finite wins a finite world. them as infinite wins an infinite world. One's self identified with the sixteenfold Prajapati 14. That Prajapati is the year. He is composed of sixteen parts. His nights, truly, are fifteen parts. His sixteenth part is steadfast. He is increased and diminished by his nights alone. Having, on the new-moon night, entered with that sixteenth part into everything here that has breath, he is born thence on the following morning [as the new moon]. Therefore on that night one should not cut off the breath of any breathing thing, not even of a lizard, in honor of that divinity. 15. Verily, the person here who knows this, is himself that Prajapati with the sixteen parts who is the year. The fifteen parts are his wealth. The sixteenth part is his self (atman). In wealth alone [not in self] is one increased and diminished. That which is the self (atman) is a hub; wealth, a felly.1 Therefore even if one is overcome by the loss of everything, provided he himself lives, people say merely: 'He has come off with the loss of a felly!' The three worlds and how to win them 16. Now, there are of a truth three worlds-the world of men, the world of the fathers, and the world of the gods. This world of men is to be obtained by a son only, by no other means; the world of the fathers, by sacrifice; the world of the gods, by knowledge. The world of the gods is verily the best of worlds. Therefore they praise knowledge. A father's transmission to his son 17. Now next, the Transmission.2 When a man thinks he is about to depart, he says to his son: Thou art holy knowledge. Thou art sacrifice. Thou art the world.' The son replies: "I am holy knowledge. I am sacrifice. I am the world.' Verily, whatever has been learned [from the Vedas], the sum of all this is expressed by the word 'knowledge' (brahma). Verily, whatever sacrifices have been made, the sum of them all is expressed by the word 'sacrifice.' Whatever worlds there are, they are all comprehended under the word 'world.' So great, verily, is this all. 1 In the analogy of a wheel. 2 Another description of a dying father's benediction and bestowal upon his son occurs at Kaush. 2. 15. 'Being thus the all, let him assist me from this world,' thus [the father considers]. Therefore they call 'world-procuring ' a son who has been instructed.1 Therefore they instruct him. When one who has this knowledge departs from this world, he enters into his son with these vital breaths [i.e. faculties: Speech, Mind, and Breath]. Whatever wrong has been done by him, his son frees him from it all. Therefore he is called a son (putra). By his son a father stands firm in this world. Then into him [who has made over to his son his mortal breaths] enter those divine immortal breaths. 18. From the earth and from the fire the divine Speech. enters him. Verily, that is the divine Speech whereby whatever one says comes to be. 19. Out of the sky and out of the sun the divine Mind enters him. Verily, that is the divine Mind whereby one becomes blissful and sorrows not. 20. Out of the water and out of the moon the divine Breath enters him. Verily, that is the divine Breath which, whether moving or not moving, is not perturbed, nor injured. He who knows this becomes the Self of all beings. As is that divinity [i.e. Prajapati], so is he. As all beings favor that divinity, so to him who knows this all beings show favor. Whatever sufferings creatures endure, these remain with them. Only good goes to him. Evil, verily, does not go to the gods. Breath, the unfailing power in a person: like the 21. Now next, a Consideration of the Activities.Prajapati created the active functions (karma). They, when they had been created, strove with one another. 'I am going 1 The sense of this and the following paragraph seems to involve a play upon the double meaning of a word, a procedure characteristic of the Upanishads. The word lokya may here be translated 'world-wise' or 'world-procuring.' When properly instructed, a son is 'world-wise' in his own attainment of the world through knowledge. He is also 'world-procuring' for his father, in that he is able, through the discharge of appointed filial duties, to help the departed spirit of his father to attain a better world than would otherwise be possible. 2 Cf. Mānava Dharma Sastra 9. 138: 'Because a son delivers (trāyate) his father from the hell called Put, therefore he is called putra (son) [i. e. deliverer from hell].' to speak,' the voice began. 'I am going to see,' said the eye. 'I am going to hear,' said the ear. So spake the other functions, each according to his function. Death, appearing as weariness, laid hold and took possession of them; and, taking possession of them, Death checked them. Therefore the voice becomes weary, the eye becomes weary, the ear becomes weary. But Death did not take possession of him who was the middle breath. They sought to know him. They said: 'Verily, he is the best of us, since whether moving or not moving, he is not perturbed, nor perishes. Come, let us all become a form. of him.' Of him, indeed, they became a form. Therefore they are named 'vital breaths' after him. In whatever family there is a man who has this knowledge, they call that family after him. Whoever strives with one who knows this, dries up and finally dies.-So much with reference to the self. 22. Now with reference to the divinities. 'Verily, I am going to blaze,' began the Fire. I am going to give forth heat,' said the Sun. 'I am going to shine,' said the Moon. So said the other divinities, each according to his divine nature. As Breath holds the central position among the vital breaths [or functions], so Wind among these divinities; for the other divinities have their decline, but not Wind. The Wind is that divinity which never goes to rest. 23. There is this verse on the subject:— From whom the sun rises And in whom it sets in truth, from Breath it rises, and in Breath it setsHim the gods made law (dharma); He only today and tomorrow will be. Verily, what those [functions] undertook of old, even that they accomplish today. Therefore one should practise but one activity. He should breathe in and breathe out, wishing, 'May not the evil one, Death, get me.' And the observance which he practises he should desire to fulfil to the end. Thereby he wins complete union with that divinity [i.e. Breath] and residence in the same world. SIXTH BRAHMAŅA The entire actual world a threefold appearance of the unitary immortal Soul 1. Verily, this world is a triad-name, form, and work. Of these, as regards names, that which is called Speech is their hymn of praise (uktha), for from it arise (ut-tha) all names. It is their Saman (chant), for it is the same (sama) as all names. It is their prayer (brahman), for it supports (✔bhar) all names. 2. Now of forms.-That which is called the Eye is their hymn of praise (uktha), for from it arise (ut-tha) all forms. It is their Saman (chant), for it is the same (sama) as all forms. It is their prayer (brahman), for it supports (√bhar) all forms. 3. Now of works.-That which is called the Body (atman) is their hymn of praise (uktha), for from it arise (ut-thā) all actions. It is their Saman (chant), for it is the same (sama) as all works. It is their prayer (brahman), for it supports (✔bhar) all works. Although it is that triad, this Soul (Ātman) is one. Although it is one, it is that triad. That is the Immortal veiled by the real (satya). Life (prāṇa, 'breath') [a designation of the Atman], verily, is the Immortal. Name and form are the real. By them this Life is veiled. SECOND ADHYAYA FIRST BRAHMAŅA 1 Gārgya and Ajātaśatru's progressive definition of Brahma as the world-source, entered in sleep 1. Dṛiptabālāki was a learned Gargya. He said to Ajātaśatru, [king] of Benares: 'I will tell you about Brahma.' Ajātaśatru said: 'We will give a thousand [cows] for such a speech. Verily, people will run hither, crying, “A Janaka! a Janaka!"' 2 Compare the similar conversation in Kaush. 4. 1 |