Library·Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (Kāṇva)·3·3.1

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (Kāṇva) 3.1

जनको ह वैदेहो बहुदक्षिणेन यज्ञेनेजे । तत्र ह कुरुपञ्चालानां ब्राह्मणा अभिसमेता बभूवुः । तस्य ह जनकस्य वैदेहस्य विजिज्ञासा बभूव -- कः स्विद् एषां ब्राह्मणानाम् अनूचानतम इति । स ह गवां सहस्रम् अवरुरोध । दशदश पादा एकैकस्याः शृङ्गयोर् आबद्धा बभूवुः

janako ha vaideho bahudakṣiṇena yajñeneje | tatra ha kurupañcālānāṃ brāhmaṇā abhisametā babhūvuḥ | tasya ha janakasya vaidehasya vijijñāsā babhūva -- kaḥ svid eṣāṃ brāhmaṇānām anūcānatama iti | sa ha gavāṃ sahasram avarurodha | daśadaśa pādā ekaikasyāḥ śṛṅgayor ābaddhā babhūvuḥ

Ganaka Vaideha (the king of the Videhas) sacrificed with a sacrifice at which many presents were offered to the priests of (the Asvamedha). BrAhmazzas of the Kurus and the Pazz/£Alas had come thither, and Ganaka Vaideha wished to know, which of those Brihmazzas was the best read. So he enclosed a thousand cows, and ten padas (of gold) were fastened to each pair of horns.

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

तान् होवाच -- ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तो यो वो ब्रह्मिष्ठः स एता गा उदजताम् इति । ते ह ब्राह्मणा न दधृषुः । अथ ह याज्ञवल्क्यः स्वम् एव ब्रह्मचारिणम् उवाच -- एताः सौम्योदज सामश्रवा३ इति । ता होदाचकार । ते ह ब्राह्मणाश् चुक्रुधुः: -- कथं नु नो ब्रह्मिष्ठो ब्रुवीतेति । अथ ह जनकस्य वैदेहस्य होताश्वलो बभूव । स हैनं पप्रच्छ -- त्वं नु खलु नो याज्ञवल्क्य ब्रह्मिष्ठो ऽसी३ इति । स होवाच -- नमो वयं ब्रह्मिष्ठाय कुर्मो गोकामा एव वयं स्म इति । तं ह तत एव प्रष्टुं दध्रे होताश्वलः

tān hovāca -- brāhmaṇā bhagavanto yo vo brahmiṣṭhaḥ sa etā gā udajatām iti | te ha brāhmaṇā na dadhṛṣuḥ | atha ha yājñavalkyaḥ svam eva brahmacāriṇam uvāca -- etāḥ saumyodaja sāmaśravā3 iti | tā hodācakāra | te ha brāhmaṇāś cukrudhuḥ: -- kathaṃ nu no brahmiṣṭho bruvīteti | atha ha janakasya vaidehasya hotāśvalo babhūva | sa hainaṃ papraccha -- tvaṃ nu khalu no yājñavalkya brahmiṣṭho 'sī3 iti | sa hovāca -- namo vayaṃ brahmiṣṭhāya kurmo gokāmā eva vayaṃ sma iti | taṃ ha tata eva praṣṭuṃ dadhre hotāśvalaḥ

And Ganaka spoke to them: ‘Ye venerable Brahmazzas, he who among you is the wisest, let him drive away these cows.’ Then those Brahmazzas durst not, but Ya^zzavalkya said to his pupil: ‘ Drive them away, my dear.’ He replied: ‘ O glory of the SAman,’ and drove them away. The BrAhmazzas became angry and said: ‘ How could he call himself the wisest among us? ’ Now there was Asvala, the Hot ri priest of Ganaka Vaideha. He asked him: ‘ Are you indeed the wisest among us, O Ya^avalkya?’ He replied: ‘ I bow before the wisest (the best knower of Brahman), but I wish indeed to have these cows.’ Then Awala, the Hot ri priest, undertook to question him.

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच -- यद् इदं सर्वं मृत्युनाप्तं सर्वं मृत्युनाभिपन्नं केन यजमानो मृत्योर् आप्तिम् अतिमुच्यत इति । होत्रर्त्विजाग्निना वाचा । वाग् वै यज्ञस्य होता । तद् येयं वाक् सो ऽयम् अग्निः स होता सा मुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः

yājñavalkyeti hovāca -- yad idaṃ sarvaṃ mṛtyunāptaṃ sarvaṃ mṛtyunābhipannaṃ kena yajamāno mṛtyor āptim atimucyata iti | hotrartvijāgninā vācā | vāg vai yajñasya hotā | tad yeyaṃ vāk so 'yam agniḥ sa hotā sā muktiḥ sātimuktiḥ

‘ Ya^wavalkya,’ he said, ‘everything here (connected with the sacrifice) is reached by death, everything is overcome by death. By what means then is the sacrificer freed beyond the reach of death?’ Y a^zavalkya said: ‘By the Hot ri priest, who is Agni (fire), who is speech. For speech is the Hotrf of the sacrifice (or the sacrificer), and speech is Agni, and he is the Hot ri. This constitutes freedom, and perfect freedom (from death).’

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच -- यद् इदं सर्वम् अहोरात्राभ्याम् आप्तं सर्वम् अहोरात्राभ्याम् अभिपन्नं केन यजमानो ऽहोरात्रयोर् आप्तिम् अतिमुच्यत इति । अध्वर्युणर्त्विजा चक्षुषादित्येन । चक्षुर् वै यज्ञस्याध्वर्युः । तद् यद् इदं चक्षुः सो ऽसाव् आदित्यः । सो ऽध्वर्युः सा मुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः

yājñavalkyeti hovāca -- yad idaṃ sarvam ahorātrābhyām āptaṃ sarvam ahorātrābhyām abhipannaṃ kena yajamāno 'horātrayor āptim atimucyata iti | adhvaryuṇartvijā cakṣuṣādityena | cakṣur vai yajñasyādhvaryuḥ | tad yad idaṃ cakṣuḥ so 'sāv ādityaḥ | so 'dhvaryuḥ sā muktiḥ sātimuktiḥ

‘ Ycl^avalkya,’ he said, ‘everything here is reached by day and night, everything is overcome by day and night. By what means then is the sacrificer freed beyond the reach of day and night? ’ Ya^vsSavalkya said: ‘ By the Adhvaryu priest, who is the eye, who is Aditya (the sun). For the eye is the Adhvaryu of the sacrifice, and the eye is the sun, and he is the Adhvaryu. This constitutes freedom, and perfect freedom.’

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच -- यद् इदं सर्वं पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षाभ्याम् आप्तं सर्वं पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षाभ्याम् अभिपन्नं केन यजमानः पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षयोर् आप्तिम् अतिमुच्यत इति । उद्गात्रर्त्विजा वयुना प्राणेन । प्राणो वै यज्ञस्योद्गाता । तद् यो ऽयं प्राणः स वायुः स उद्गाता । स मुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिः

yājñavalkyeti hovāca -- yad idaṃ sarvaṃ pūrvapakṣāparapakṣābhyām āptaṃ sarvaṃ pūrvapakṣāparapakṣābhyām abhipannaṃ kena yajamānaḥ pūrvapakṣāparapakṣayor āptim atimucyata iti | udgātrartvijā vayunā prāṇena | prāṇo vai yajñasyodgātā | tad yo 'yaṃ prāṇaḥ sa vāyuḥ sa udgātā | sa muktiḥ sātimuktiḥ

‘ Ydf^avalkya,’ he said, ‘everything here is reached by the waxing and waning of the moon, everything is overcome by the waxing and waning of the moon. By what means then is the sacrificer freed beyond the reach of the waxing and waning of the moon?’ Ya^wavalkya said: ‘By the Udgat ri priest, who is Vayu (the wind), who is the breath. For the breath is the Udgcit ri of the sacrifice, and the breath is the wind, and he is the Udgat ri. This constitutes freedom, and perfect freedom.’

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच -- यद् इदम् अन्तरिक्षम् अनारम्बणम् इव केनाक्रमेण यजमानः स्वर्गं लोकम् आक्रमत इति । ब्रह्मणर्त्विजा मनसा चन्द्रेण । मनो वै यज्ञस्य ब्रह्मा । तद् यद् इदं मनः सो ऽसौ चन्द्रः स ब्रह्मा स मुक्तिः सातिमुक्तिर् इत्य् अतिमोक्षा । अथ संपदः

yājñavalkyeti hovāca -- yad idam antarikṣam anārambaṇam iva kenākrameṇa yajamānaḥ svargaṃ lokam ākramata iti | brahmaṇartvijā manasā candreṇa | mano vai yajñasya brahmā | tad yad idaṃ manaḥ so 'sau candraḥ sa brahmā sa muktiḥ sātimuktir ity atimokṣā | atha saṃpadaḥ

‘ Yi^avalkya,’ he said, this sky is, as it were, without an ascent (staircase.) By what approach does the sacrificer approach the Svarga world? ’ Ya^avalkya said: ‘ By the Brahman priest, who is the mind (manas), who is the moon. For the mind is the Brahman of the sacrifice, and the mind is the moon, and he is the Brahman. This constitutes freedom, and perfect freedom. These are the complete deliverances (from death).’ Next follow the achievements.

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच -- कतिभिर् अयम् अद्यर्ग्भिर् होतास्मिन् यज्ञे करिष्यतीति । तिसृभिर् इति । कतमास् तास् तिस्र इति । पुरोनुवाक्या च याज्या च शस्यैव तृतीया । किं ताभिर् जयतीति । यत् किञ्चेदं प्राणभृद् इति

yājñavalkyeti hovāca -- katibhir ayam adyargbhir hotāsmin yajñe kariṣyatīti | tisṛbhir iti | katamās tās tisra iti | puronuvākyā ca yājyā ca śasyaiva tṛtīyā | kiṃ tābhir jayatīti | yat kiñcedaṃ prāṇabhṛd iti

‘ Yi^avalkya,’ he said, ‘how many Rik verses will the Hotrf priest employ to-day at this sacrifice?’ ‘ Three,’ replied Yi^avalkya. ‘ And what are these three?’ ‘ Those which are called Puronuvctkyd, Yatfya, and, thirdly, Yasya V ‘ What does he gain by them?’ ‘ All whatsoever has breath.’

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच -- कत्य् अयम् अद्याध्वर्युर् अस्मिन् यज्ञ आहुतीर् होष्यतीति । तिस्र इति । कतमास् तास् तिस्र इति । या हुता उज्ज्वलन्ति या हुता अतिनेदन्ति या हुता अधिशेरते । किं ताभिर् जयतीति । या हुता उज्ज्वलन्ति देवलोकम् एव ताभिर् जयति । दीप्यत इव हि देवलोको । या हुता अतिनेदन्ते पितृलोकम् एव ताभिर् जयति । अतीव हि पितृलोकः । या हुता अधिशेरते मनुष्यलोकम् एव ताभिर् जयत्यि । अध इव हि मनुष्यलोकः

yājñavalkyeti hovāca -- katy ayam adyādhvaryur asmin yajña āhutīr hoṣyatīti | tisra iti | katamās tās tisra iti | yā hutā ujjvalanti yā hutā atinedanti yā hutā adhiśerate | kiṃ tābhir jayatīti | yā hutā ujjvalanti devalokam eva tābhir jayati | dīpyata iva hi devaloko | yā hutā atinedante pitṛlokam eva tābhir jayati | atīva hi pitṛlokaḥ | yā hutā adhiśerate manuṣyalokam eva tābhir jayatyi | adha iva hi manuṣyalokaḥ

‘ Yi^avalkya,’ he said, ‘how many oblations (ahuti) will the Adhvaryu priest employ to-day at this sacrifice?’ ‘ Three,’ replied Yi^wavalkya. ‘ And what are these three? ’ ‘Those which,when offered, flame up; those which, when offered, make an excessive noise; and those which, when offered, sink down ‘ What does he gain by them?’ ‘ By those which, when offered, flame up, he gains the Deva (god) world, for the Deva world flames up, as it were. By those which, when offered, make an excessive noise, he gains the Yitri (father) world, for the Yitri world is excessively (noisy) l. By those which, when offered, sink down, he gains the Manu- shya (man) world, for the Manushya world is, as it were, down below.’

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच -- कतिभिर् अयम् अद्य ब्रह्मा यज्ञं दक्षिणतो देवताभिर् गोपायतीति । एकयेति । कतमा सैकेति । मन एवेति । अनन्तं वै मनो ऽनन्ता विश्वे देवाः । अनन्तम् एव स तेन लोकं जयति

yājñavalkyeti hovāca -- katibhir ayam adya brahmā yajñaṃ dakṣiṇato devatābhir gopāyatīti | ekayeti | katamā saiketi | mana eveti | anantaṃ vai mano 'nantā viśve devāḥ | anantam eva sa tena lokaṃ jayati

‘ Y ^«avalkya,’ he said, ‘with how many deities does the Brahman priest on the right protect to-day this sacrifice? ’ ‘ By one,’ replied Yi^wavalkya. ‘And which is it?’ ‘ The mind alone; for the mind is endless, and the Visvedevas are endless, and he thereby gains the endless world.’

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.

याज्ञवल्क्येति होवाच -- कत्य् अयम् अद्योद्गातास्मिन् यज्ञे स्तोत्रियाः स्तोष्यतीति । तिस्र इति । कतमास् तास् तिस्र इति । पुरोनुवाक्या च याज्या च शस्यैव तृतीया । कतमास् ताः । या अध्यात्मम् इति । प्राण एव पुरोनुवाक्यापानो याज्या व्यानः शस्या । किं ताभिर् जयतीति । पृथिवीलोकम् एव पुरोनुवाक्यया जयत्य् अन्तरिक्षलोकं याज्यया द्युलोकं शस्यया । ततो ह होताश्वल उपरराम

yājñavalkyeti hovāca -- katy ayam adyodgātāsmin yajñe stotriyāḥ stoṣyatīti | tisra iti | katamās tās tisra iti | puronuvākyā ca yājyā ca śasyaiva tṛtīyā | katamās tāḥ | yā adhyātmam iti | prāṇa eva puronuvākyāpāno yājyā vyānaḥ śasyā | kiṃ tābhir jayatīti | pṛthivīlokam eva puronuvākyayā jayaty antarikṣalokaṃ yājyayā dyulokaṃ śasyayā | tato ha hotāśvala upararāma

‘ Ycyfwavalkya,’ he said, ‘how many Stotriya hymns will the Udgitrf priest employ to-day at this sacrifice? ’ ‘Three,’ replied Ya^avalkya. ‘ And what are these three?’ ‘ Those which are called Puronuvakyi, Y&fya, and, thirdly, Yasya.’ ‘ And what are these with regard to the body (adhyatmam)?’ ‘ The Puronuvikyi is Pri«a (up-breathing), the Y&^yi the Apana (down-breathing), the Yasya the Vyana (back-breathing),’ fire, flame up. The second, when thrown on the fire, make a loud hissing noise. The third, consisting of milk, Soma, &c., sink down into the earth. ‘ What does he gain by them?’ ‘ He gains the earth by the PuronuvAkyfi, the sky by the YA^yA, heaven by the YasyA.’ After that Ajvala held his peace.

Translated by F. Max MüllerFrom an unproofread scan of the printed edition; spelling and line breaks may carry OCR errors.