atha yad idam asmin brahmapure daharaṃ puṇḍarīkaṃ veśma daharo 'sminn antarākāsaḥ | tasmin yad antas tad anveṣṭavyaṃ tad vāva vijijñāsitavyam iti
Harih, Om. There is this city of Brahman (the body), and in it the palace, the small lotus (of the heart), and in it that small ether. Now what exists within that small ether, that is to be sought for, that is to be understood.
taṃ ced brūyur yad idam asmin brahmapure daharaṃ puṇḍarīkaṃ veśma daharo 'sminn antarākāśaḥ kiṃ tad atra vidyate yad anveṣṭavyaṃ yad vāva vijijñāsitavyam iti | sa brūyāt
And if they should say to him: 'Now with regard to that city of Brahman, and the palace in it, i. e. the small lotus of the heart, and the small ether within the heart, what is there within it that deserves to be sought for, or that is to be understood?'
यावान् वा अयम् आकाशस् तावान् एषो ऽन्तर्हृदय आकाशः । उभे ऽस्मिन् द्यावापृथिवी अन्तर् एव समाहिते । उभाव् अग्निश् च वायुश् च सूर्याचन्द्रमसाव् उभौ विद्युन् नक्षत्राणि । यच् चास्येहास्ति यच् च नास्ति सर्वं तद् अस्मिन् समाहितम् इति
yāvān vā ayam ākāśas tāvān eṣo 'ntarhṛdaya ākāśaḥ | ubhe 'smin dyāvāpṛthivī antar eva samāhite | ubhāv agniś ca vāyuś ca sūryācandramasāv ubhau vidyun nakṣatrāṇi | yac cāsyehāsti yac ca nāsti sarvaṃ tad asmin samāhitam iti
Then he should say: 'As large as this ether (all space) is, so large is that ether within the heart. Both heaven and earth are contained within it, both fire and air, both sun and moon, both lightning and stars; and whatever there is of him (the Self) here in the world, and whatever is not (i. e. whatever has been or will be), all that is contained within it.
तं चेद् ब्रूयुर् अस्मिंश् चेदं ब्रह्मपुरे सर्वं समाहितं सर्वाणि च भूतानि सर्वे च कामा यद् एनज् जरा वाप्नोति प्रध्वंसते वा किं ततो ऽतिशिष्यत इति
taṃ ced brūyur asmiṃś cedaṃ brahmapure sarvaṃ samāhitaṃ sarvāṇi ca bhūtāni sarve ca kāmā yad enaj jarā vāpnoti pradhvaṃsate vā kiṃ tato 'tiśiṣyata iti
And if they should say to him: 'If everything that exists is contained in that city of Brahman, all beings and all desires (whatever can be imagined or desired), then what is left of it, when old age reaches it and scatters it, or when it falls to pieces?'
Then he should say: 'By the old age of the body, that (the ether, or Brahman within it) does not age; by the death of the body, that (the ether, or Brahman within it) is not killed. That (the Brah man) is the true Brahma-city (not the body). In it all desires are contained. It is the Self, free from sin, free from old age, from death and grief, from hunger and thirst, which desires nothing but what it ought to desire, and imagines nothing but what it ought to imagine. Now as here on earth people follow as they are commanded, and depend on the object which they are attached to, be it a country or a piece of land,
tad yatheha karmajito lokaḥ kṣīyata evam evāmutra puṇyajito lokaḥ kṣīyate | tad ya ihātmānam ananuvidya vrajanty etāṃś ca satyān kāmāṃs teṣāṃ sarveṣu lokeṣv akāmacāro bhavati | atha ya ihātmānam anivudya vrajanty etaṃś ca satyān kāmāṃs teṣāṃ sarveṣu lokeṣu kāmacāro bhavati
'And as here on earth, whatever has been acquired by exertion, perishes, so perishes whatever is acquired for the next world by sacrifices and other good actions performed on earth. Those who depart from hence without having discovered the Self and those true desires, for them there is no freedom in all the worlds. But those who depart from hence, after having discovered the Self and those true desires, for them there is freedom in all the worlds.
अथ ये चास्येह जीवा ये च प्रेता यच् चान्यद् इच्छन् न लभते सर्वं तद् अत्र गत्वा विन्दते । अत्र ह्य् अस्यैते सत्याः कामा अनृतापिधानाः । तद् यथापि हिरण्यनिधिं निहितम् अक्षेत्रज्ञा उपर्य् उपरि सञ्चरन्तो न विन्देयुः । एवम् एवेमाः सर्वाः प्रजा अहर् अहर् गच्छन्त्य एतं ब्रह्मलोकं न विन्दन्त्य् अनृतेन हि प्रत्यूढाः
atha ye cāsyeha jīvā ye ca pretā yac cānyad icchan na labhate sarvaṃ tad atra gatvā vindate | atra hy asyaite satyāḥ kāmā anṛtāpidhānāḥ | tad yathāpi hiraṇyanidhiṃ nihitam akṣetrajñā upary upari sañcaranto na vindeyuḥ | evam evemāḥ sarvāḥ prajā ahar ahar gacchantya etaṃ brahmalokaṃ na vindanty anṛtena hi pratyūḍhāḥ
Sanskrit only: no published translation is held for this verse.
अथ य आत्मा स सेतुर् धृतिर् एषां लोकानाम् असंभेदाय । नैतं सेतुम् अहोरात्रे तरतो न जरा न मृत्युर् न शोको न सुकृतम् । सर्वे पाप्मानो ऽतो निवर्तन्ते । अपहतपाप्मा ह्य् एष ब्रह्मलोकः
atha ya ātmā sa setur dhṛtir eṣāṃ lokānām asaṃbhedāya | naitaṃ setum ahorātre tarato na jarā na mṛtyur na śoko na sukṛtam | sarve pāpmāno 'to nivartante | apahatapāpmā hy eṣa brahmalokaḥ
That Self is a bank, a boundary, so that these worlds may not be confounded. Day and night do not pass that bank, nor old age, death, and grief; neither good nor evil deeds. All evil-doers turn back from it, for the world of Brahman is free from all evil.
Therefore he who has crossed that bank, if blind, ceases to be blind; if wounded, ceases to be wounded; if afflicted, ceases to be afflicted. Therefore when that bank has been crossed, night becomes day indeed, for the world of Brahman is lighted up once for all.
atha yad yajña ity ācakṣate brahmacaryam eva tat | brahmacaryeṇa hy eva yo jñātā taṃ vindate | atha yad iṣṭam ity ācakṣate brahmacaryam eva tat | brahmacaryeṇa hy eveṣṭvātmānam anuvindate
Sanskrit only: no published translation is held for this verse.
atha yat sattrāyaṇam ity ācakṣate brahmacaryam eva tat | brahmacaryeṇa hy eva sata ātmanas trāṇaṃ vindate | atha yan maunam ity ācakṣate brahmacaryam eva tat | brahmacaryeṇa hy evātmānam anuvidya manute
Sanskrit only: no published translation is held for this verse.
atha yad anāśakāyanam ity ācakṣate brahmacaryam eva tat | eṣa hy ātmā na naśyati yaṃ brahmacaryeṇānuvindate | atha yad araṇyāyanam ity ācakṣate brahmacaryam eva tat | tat araś ca ha vai ṇyaś cārṇavau brahmaloke tṛtīyasyām ito divi | tad airaṃmadīyaṃ saraḥ | tad aśvatthaḥ somasavanaḥ | tad aparājitā pūr brahmaṇaḥ prabhuvimitaṃ hiraṇmayam
Sanskrit only: no published translation is held for this verse.
य आत्मा अपहतपाप्मा विजरो विमृत्युर् विशोको विजिघत्सो ऽपिपासः सत्यकामः सत्यसंकल्पः सो ऽन्वेष्टव्यः स विजिज्ञासितव्यः । स सर्वांश् च लोकान् आप्नोति सर्वांश् च कामान् यस् तम् आत्मानम् अनुविद्य विजानातीति ह प्रजापतिर् उवाच
ya ātmā apahatapāpmā vijaro vimṛtyur viśoko vijighatso 'pipāsaḥ satyakāmaḥ satyasaṃkalpaḥ so 'nveṣṭavyaḥ sa vijijñāsitavyaḥ | sa sarvāṃś ca lokān āpnoti sarvāṃś ca kāmān yas tam ātmānam anuvidya vijānātīti ha prajāpatir uvāca
Sanskrit only: no published translation is held for this verse.
tau ha dvātriṃśataṃ varṣāṇi brahmacaryam ūṣatuḥ | tau ha prajāpatir uvāca | kim icchantāv avāstam iti | tau hocatur ya ātmā apahatapāpmā vijaro vimṛtyur viśoko vijighatso 'pipāsaḥ satyakāmaḥ satyasaṃkalpaḥ so 'nveṣṭavyaḥ sa vijijñāsitavyaḥ | sa sarvāṃś ca lokān āpnoti sarvāṃś ca kāmān yas tam ātmānam anuvidya vijānātīti bhagavato vaco vedayante | tam icchantāv avāstam iti
Sanskrit only: no published translation is held for this verse.
उदशराव आत्मानम् अवेक्ष्य यद् आत्मनो न विजानीथस् तन् मे प्रब्रूतम् इति । तौ होदशरावे ऽवेक्षां चक्राते । तौ ह प्रजापतिर् उवाच किं पश्यथ इति । तौ होचतुः सर्वम् एवेदम् आवां भगव आत्मानं पश्याव आ लोमभ्यः आ नखेभ्यः प्रतिरूपम् इति
udaśarāva ātmānam avekṣya yad ātmano na vijānīthas tan me prabrūtam iti | tau hodaśarāve 'vekṣāṃ cakrāte | tau ha prajāpatir uvāca kiṃ paśyatha iti | tau hocatuḥ sarvam evedam āvāṃ bhagava ātmānaṃ paśyāva ā lomabhyaḥ ā nakhebhyaḥ pratirūpam iti
'Look at your Self in a pan of water, and whatever you do not understand of your Self, come and tell me.' They looked in the water-pan. Then Pragâpati said to them: 'What do you see?' They said: 'We both see the self thus altogether, a picture even to the very hairs and nails.'
tau ha prajāpatir uvāca sādhvalaṃkṛtau suvasanau pariṣkṛtau bhūtvodaśarāve 'vekṣethām iti | tau ha sādhvalaṃkṛtau suvasanau pariṣkṛtau bhūtvodaśarāve 'vekṣāṃ cakrāte | tau ha prajāpatir uvāca kiṃ paśyatha iti
Pragâpati said to them: 'After you have adorned yourselves, have put on your best clothes and cleaned yourselves, look again into the water-pan.' They, after having adorned themselves, having put on their best clothes and cleaned themselves, looked into the water-pan. Pragâpati said: 'What do you see?'
tau hocatur yathaivedam āvāṃ bhagavaḥ sādhvalaṃkṛtau suvasanau pariṣkṛtau sva evam evemau bhagavaḥ sādhvallaṃkṛtau suvasanau pariṣkṛtāv iti | eṣa ātmeti hovāca | etad amṛtam abhayam etad brahmeti | tau ha śāntahṛdayau pravavrajatuḥ
They said: 'Just as we are, well adorned, with our best clothes and clean, thus we are both there, Sir, well adorned, with our best clothes and clean.' Pragâpati said: 'That is the Self, this is the immortal, the fearless, this is Brahman.' Then both went away satisfied in their hearts.
tau hānvīkṣya prajāpatir uvāca | anupalabhyātmānam ananuvidya vrajato yatara etadupaniṣado bhaviṣyanti devā vā asurā vā te parābhaviṣyantīti | sa ha śāntahṛdaya eva virocano 'surāñ jagāma | tebhyo haitām upaniṣadaṃ provāca ātmaiveha mahayya ātmā paricaryaḥ | ātmānam eveha mahayann ātmānaṃ paricarann ubhau lokāv āpnotīmaṃ cāmuṃ ceti
And Pragâpati, looking after them, said: 'They both go away without having perceived and without having known the Self, and whoever of these two, whether Devas or Asuras, will follow this doctrine (upanishad), will perish.' Now Virokhana, satisfied in his heart, went to the Asuras and preached that doctrine to them, that the self (the body) alone is to be worshipped, that the self (the body) alone is to be served, and that he who worships the self and serves the self, gains both worlds, this and the next.
Therefore they call even now a man who does not give alms here, who has no faith, and offers no sacrifices, an Âsura, for this is the doctrine (upanishad) of the Asuras. They deck out the body of the dead with perfumes, flowers, and fine raiment by way of ornament, and think they will thus conquer that world.
But Indra, before he had returned to the Devas, saw this difficulty. As this self (the shadow in the water) is well adorned, when the body is well adorned, well dressed, when the body is well dressed, well cleaned, if the body is well cleaned, that self will also be blind, if the body is blind, lame, if the body is lame, crippled, if the body is crippled, and will perish in fact as soon as the body perishes. Therefore I see no good in this (doctrine).
sa samitpāṇiḥ punar eyāya | taṃ ha prajāpatir uvāca | maghavan yac chāntahṛdayaḥ prāvrājīḥ sārdhaṃ virocanena kim icchan punar āgama iti | sa hovāca yathā eva khalvayyaṃ bhagavo 'smiñ charīre sādhvalaṃkṛte sādhvalaṃkṛto bhavati suvasane suvasanaḥ pariṣkṛte pariṣkṛta evam evāyam asminn andhe 'ndho bhavati srāme srāmaḥ parivṛkṇe parivṛkṇaḥ | asyaiva śarīrasya nāśam anv eṣa naśyati | nāham atra bhogyaṃ paśyāmīti
Taking fuel in his hand he came again as a pupil to Pragâpati. Pragâpati said to him: 'Maghavat (Indra), as you went away with Virokana, satisfied in your heart, for what purpose did you come back?' He said: 'Sir, as this self (the shadow) is well adorned, when the body is well adorned, well dressed, when the body is well dressed, well cleaned, if the body is well cleaned, that self will also be blind, if the body is blind, lame, if the body is lame, crippled, if the body is crippled, and will perish in fact as soon as the body perishes. Therefore I see no good in this (doctrine).'
evam evaiṣa maghavann iti hovāca | etaṃ tv eva te bhūyo 'nuvyākhyāsyāmi | vasāparāṇi dvātriṃśataṃ varṣāṇīti | sa hāparāṇi dvātriṃśataṃ varṣāṇyuvāsa | tasmai hovāca
'So it is indeed, Maghavat,' replied Pragâpati; 'but I shall explain him (the true Self) further to you. Live with me another thirty-two years.' He lived with him another thirty-two years, and then Pragâpati said:
ya eṣa svapne mahīyamānaś caraty eṣa ātmeti hovāca | etad amṛtam abhayam etad brahmeti | sa ha śāntahṛdayaḥ pravavrāja | sa hāprāpyaiva devān etad bhayaṃ dadarśa | tad yady apīdaṃ śarīram andhaṃ bhavaty anandhaḥ sa bhavati yadi srāmam asrāmaḥ | naivaiṣo 'sya doṣeṇa duṣyati
'He who moves about happy in dreams, he is the Self, this is the immortal, the fearless, this is Brahman.' Then Indra went away satisfied in his heart. But before he had returned to the Devas, he saw this difficulty. Although it is true that that self is not blind, even if the body is blind, nor lame, if the body is lame, though it is true that that self is not rendered faulty by the faults of it (the body),
na vadhenāsya hanyate | nāsya srāmyeṇa srāmaḥ | ghnanti tv evainam | vicchādayantīva | apriyavetteva bhavati | api roditīva nāham atra bhogyaṃ paśyāmīti
Nor struck when it (the body) is struck, nor lamed when it is lamed, yet it is as if they struck him (the self) in dreams, as if they chased him. He becomes even conscious, as it were, of pain, and sheds tears. Therefore I see no good in this.
sa samitpāṇiḥ punar eyāya | taṃ ha prajāpatir uvāca | maghavan yac chāntahṛdayaḥ prāvrājīḥ kim icchan punar āgama iti | sa hovāca | tad yady apīdaṃ bhagavaḥ śarīram andhaṃ bhavaty anandhaḥ sa bhavati yadi srāmam asrāmaḥ | naivaiṣo 'sya doṣeṇa duṣyati
Taking fuel in his hands, he went again as a pupil to Pragâpati. Pragâpati said to him: 'Maghavat, as you went away satisfied in your heart, for what purpose did you come back?' He said: 'Sir, although it is true that that self is not blind even if the body is blind, nor lame, if the body is lame, though it is true that that self is not rendered faulty by the faults of it (the body),
na vadhenāsya hanyate | nāsya srāmyeṇa srāmaḥ | ghnanti tv ivainam | vicchādayantīva | apriyavetteva bhavati | api roditīva | nāham atra bhogyaṃ paśyāmīti | evam evaiṣa maghavann iti hovāca | etaṃ tv eva te bhūyo 'nuvyākhyāsyāmi | vasāparāṇi dvātriṃśataṃ varṣāṇīti | sa hāparāṇi dvātriṃśataṃ varṣāṇyuvāsa | tasmai hovāca
Nor struck when it (the body) is struck, nor lamed when it is lamed, yet it is as if they struck him (the self) in dreams, as if they chased him. He becomes even conscious, as it were, of pain, and sheds tears. Therefore I see no good in this.' 'So it is indeed, Maghavat,' replied Pragâpati; 'but I shall explain him (the true Self) further to you. Live with me another thirty-two years.' He lived with him another thirty-two years. Then Pragâpati said:
tad yatraitat suptaḥ samastaḥ saṃprasannaḥ svapnaṃ na vijānātyeṣa ātmeti hovāca | etad amṛtam abhayam etad brahmeti | sa ha śāntahṛdayaḥ pravavrāja | sa hāprāpyaiva devān etad bhayaṃ dadarśa | nāha khalv ayam evaṃ saṃpraty ātmānaṃ jānāty ayam aham asmīti | no evemāni bhūtāni | vināśam evāpīto bhavati | nāham atra bhogyaṃ paśyāmīti
'When a man being asleep, reposing, and at perfect rest sees no dreams, that is the Self, this is the immortal, the fearless, this is Brahman.' Then Indra went away satisfied in his heart. But before he had returned to the Devas, he saw this difficulty. In truth he thus does not know himself (his self) that he is I, nor does he know anything that exists. He is gone to utter annihilation. I see no good in this.
sa samitpāṇiḥ punar eyāya | taṃ ha prajāpatir uvāca - maghavan yac chāntahṛdayaḥ prāvrājīḥ kim icchan punar āgama iti | sa hovāca nāha khalv ayaṃ bhagava evaṃ saṃpraty ātmānaṃ jānāty ayam aham asmīti | no evemāni bhūtāni | vināśam evāpīto bhavati | nāham atra bhogyaṃ paśyāmīti
Taking fuel in his hand he went again as a pupil to Pragâpati. Pragâpati said to him: 'Maghavat, as you went away satisfied in your heart, for what purpose did you come back?' He said: 'Sir, in that way he does not know himself (his self) that he is I, nor does he know anything that exists. He is gone to utter annihilation. I see no good in this.'
evam evaiṣa maghavann iti hovāca | etaṃ tv eva te bhūyo 'nuvyākhyāsyāmi | no evānyatraitasmāt | vasāparāṇi pañca varṣāṇīti | sa hāparāṇi pañca varṣāṇyuvāsa | tāny ekaśataṃ saṃpeduḥ | etat tad yad āhuḥ | ekaśataṃ ha vai varṣāṇi maghavān prajāpatau brahmacaryam uvāsa | tasmai hovāca
'So it is indeed, Maghavat,' replied Pragâpati; 'but I shall explain him (the true Self) further to you, and nothing more than this. Live here other five years.' He lived there other five years. This made in all one hundred and one years, and therefore it is said that Indra Maghavat lived one hundred and one years as a pupil with Pragâpati. Pragâpati said to him:
From the dark (the Brahman of the heart) I come to the nebulous (the world of Brahman), from the nebulous to the dark, shaking off all evil, as a horse shakes his hairs, and as the moon frees herself from the mouth of Râhu. Having shaken off the body, I obtain, self made and satisfied, the uncreated world of Brahman, yea, I obtain it.
ākāśo vai nāma nāmarūpayor nirvahitā | te yadantarā tad brahma tad amṛtaṃ sa ātmā | prajāpateḥ sabhāṃ veśma prapadye yaśo 'haṃ bhavāmi brāhmaṇānāṃ yaśo rājñām yaśo viśām | yaśo 'ham anuprāpatsi | sa hāhaṃ yaśasāṃ yaśaḥ | śyetam adatkam adatkaṃ śyetaṃ lindu mābhigāṃ lindu mābhigām
He who is called ether (âkâsa) is the revealer of all forms and names. That within which these forms and names are contained is the Brahman, the Immortal, the Self. I come to the hall of Pragâpati, to the house; I am the glorious among Brâhmans, glorious among princes, glorious among men. I obtained that glory, I am glorious among the glorious. May I never go to the white, toothless, yet devouring, white abode; may I never go to it.
तद् धैतद् ब्रह्मा प्रजापतय उवाच प्रजापतिर् मनवे मनुः प्रजाभ्यः । आचार्यकुलाद् वेदम् अधीत्य यथाविधानं गुरोः कर्मातिशेषेणाभिसमावृत्य कुटुम्बे शुचौ देशे स्वाध्यायम् अधीयानो धर्मिकान् विदधद् आत्मनि सर्वेन्द्रियाणि संप्रतिष्ठाप्याहिंसन् सर्वभूतान्य् अन्यत्र तीर्थेभ्यः । स खल्व् एवं वर्तयन् यावद् आयुषं ब्रह्मलोकम् अभिसंपद्यते । न च पुनर् आवर्तते न च पुनर् आवर्तते
tad dhaitad brahmā prajāpataya uvāca prajāpatir manave manuḥ prajābhyaḥ | ācāryakulād vedam adhītya yathāvidhānaṃ guroḥ karmātiśeṣeṇābhisamāvṛtya kuṭumbe śucau deśe svādhyāyam adhīyāno dharmikān vidadhad ātmani sarvendriyāṇi saṃpratiṣṭhāpyāhiṃsan sarvabhūtāny anyatra tīrthebhyaḥ | sa khalv evaṃ vartayan yāvad āyuṣaṃ brahmalokam abhisaṃpadyate | na ca punar āvartate na ca punar āvartate
Brahmâ (Hiranyagarbha or Paramesvara) told this to Pragâpati (Kasyapa), Pra'gâpati to Manu (his son), Manu to mankind. He who has learnt the Veda from a family of teachers, according to the sacred rule, in the leisure time left from the duties to be performed for the Guru, who, after receiving his discharge, has settled in his own house, keeping up the memory of what he has learnt by repeating it regularly in some sacred spot, who has begotten virtuous sons, and concentrated all his senses on the Self, never giving pain to any creature, except at the tîrthas (sacrifices, &c), he who behaves thus all his life, reaches the world of Brahman, and does not return, yea, he does not return.