fet; to Catf n Ito fteit oaffeuatitiott be en prlncipal transited DATE DUE APR 1 1 * "'*« <* 3 <• * *4' PL AU6 19 liAl MG 25 THE THIRTEEN PRINCIPAL UPANISHADS TRANSLATED FROM THE SANSKRIT PRINTED IN ENGLAND AT TJIK OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRKHS DY FREDERICK II ALL THE THIRTEEN PRINCIPAL UPANI SHADS TRANSLATED FROM THE SANSKRIT WITH AN OUTLINE OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS AND AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY BY ft ROBERT ERNEST HUME, M.A., PH.D. PROFESSOR OF THE HISTORY OF RELIGIONS IN UNION THEOLOGICAL &MINARY, NEW YORK HUMPHREY MILFORD OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON EDINBURGH GLASGOW NEW YORK TORONTO MELBOURNE CAPE TOWN BOMBAY 1921 TO MY COUSIN JANE PORTER WILLIAMS IN LOVE AND GRATITUDE The One who, himself without color, by the manifold appli- cation, of his power Distributes many colors in his hicklon pwpose, And into whom, its end and its beymnini*, the whole dissolves — He is God ! May He endow us with clear intellect ! — &VETASVATARA Ui'ANISHAP, 4 I (p 4 VI PREFACE IN THE LONG HISTORY of man's endeavor to grasp the fundamental truths of being, the metaphysical tieatiscs known as the Upanishads l hold an honored place. They represent the earnest efforts of the profound thinkers of early India to solve the problems of the origin, the nature, and the destiny of man and of the universe, or—more technically — the mean- ing and value of ' knowing ' and ' being/ Though they con- tain some fanciful ideas, naive speculations, and inadequate conclusions, yet they arc replete with sublime conceptions and \\ith intuitions of universal truth.2 Here are found intimations of the inadequacy of mere nature-worship and of the falsity of an empty ceremonialism. Here are expiesscd the momentous discoveries that the various gods of polytheistic belief are but numerous special manifestations of the One Power of the universe, and that the supreme object of worship is this variously revealed, pattiiilly elusive, all-comprehending unitary Reality.) Still more momentous arc the discernments that man is of more significance than all the forces of Nature; that man himself is the interpretation as well as the interpreter of Nature, becau.se he is akin to the reality at the heart of the universe ; indeed/that the One God, the great intelligent Person who is immanent in the universe, is to be found most directly in the heart of man. Here in the Upanishads are set forth, in concrete example as well as in dogmatic instruction, two opposing theories of life: an ignorant, narrow, selfish way of life which seeks temporary, unsatisfying, unreal ends ; and a way of life which seeks to relate itself to the Supreme Reality of the universe, so as to escape from the needless misery of ordinary existence into undying bliss/ These important texts, the earliest of which can hardly 1 According to the derivation of the word, they are ' sittings under [a teacher]' ; in the acmal usage of the Upanishads themselves, ' mystic teachings.' 2 C)u the position of the Upanishads in the history of philosophy and the estimate of them in East and West at the present day, see pp. 1-9, 7I~73' vii have taken form later than the seventh century H.c.,1 arc surely finding, and will continue to find, more than a limited circle of readers. The student of the history of philosophy who desires to know the answers reached in India for the ever insistent problems of man and the universe and the ideals of the highest existence ; the special student of India who strives to understand the essence as well as the externals of its culture ; the religious teacher and worker in Kast and West who seeks to apprehend the aspii aliens and spiritual ideals of the Hindu soul; the educated English-speaking Hindu who feels a special affection for, and inteiest in, the sacied writings of his native land; and the deep thinker who searches in arcane doctrine for a clue to the solution of life's mysleiics™ all of these will turn constantly to the Upanibhads as an authoritative compendium of Indian metaphysical speculation. To meet the need of these varying types of readers for a faithful rendering of the original text -an English version that will enable them to know exactly what the icvercd Upanishads say — has been my constant aim in the piepaui- tion of this work. It is hardly necessary to dwell here on the difficulties and perplexities that confront anyone engaged on such a task ; texts such as these are among the hardest to present adequately in another language, and a completely satisfying translation is wcllnigh unattainable. I trust that I have succeeded at least in being literal without becoming cryptic, and in attain- ing clearness without exegctical accretions. Further remarks on the plan and anangemcnt of the translation will be found on subsequent pages (pp. xii~xiv), which those making use of this book are requested to consult. In publishing this new version I would first pay due respect to Professor F. Max Mliller, that eminent figure of the past generation of Sanskrit scholars, who, in volumes I and XV of the Sacred Books of the East (1879, 1884), published an English translation of twelve of the thirteen Upanishads here presented. For comment on that translation the reader is 1 'They lepresent a time probably from the 8lh to the 6th century fiu'.],'— • Garbe, Die bamkhya Philosophic, p. 107. 'The earliest of them can hnnlly be dated later than 600 B.C.' — Macdonell, History of Samknt Literature, p, 226, viii referred to the Bibliography, p. 462 below. In the present status of Sanskrit scholarship, as well as of comparative religion and comparative philosophy, it is no unappreciative aspersion to asscit that the same work can be done better now than it was done nearly forty years ago. Indeed, Max Muller himself predicted such improvement1 Among previous translators my indebtedness is greatest to the late Piofessor Paul Dcusscn, of the University of Kiel. No Western scholar of his time has made a more thorough study of the Upnnishads, both in themselves and in their i elation to the wide field of Sanskiit literature. As a philo- sophical inteipreter as well as an exact translator of the Upanishads, Deusscn has no equal. I most gladly and grate- fully acknowledge the help derived from constant reference to his German translation, Sccksig Upanishads des Veda? as well as the stimulus of personal association with him, many years ago, at his home in Kiel It is a pleasure to express here the debt of gratitude that I owe to Professor E. Washburn Hopkins, of Yale University. Under his supervision the introductoiy essay and part of the translation oiiginally took form, and he has since been good enough to revise the entire work in manuscript. His instiuc- tion and encouragement have been of the greatest assistance in the prepaiation of this volume, and many a passage has been clarified as a result of his helpful comments and con- structive suggestions. This volume has also had the benefit of the scholarship and technical skill of my friend Geoigc C. 0. Haas, A.M., Ph.D., for some years an editor of the Journal of the American Oriental Society and at present holding an administrative post under the United States Government. He not only revised the entire manuscript before it went to press, solving problems of typographical detail and securing consistency throughout * *J have no doubt tlut future translators will find plenty of work to do.* (Ltotttm on the l^ddnta Philosophy t p. 119.) ' Each one [of the previous trans- lators] has contributed something, but there is still much left to be improved. In these studies everybody does the best he can , and scholars should never forget how easy it is to weed a field winch has once been ploughed, and how difficult to plough unbroken soil* (Saered Jfooks ofth& East, vol. I, American edv preface, p, f.) 3 Sec the liibliogiaphy, p. 464 below. ix PREFACE the different parts of the entire work, but also undertook the laborious task of seeing the book through the pi ess. For this generous assistance extending over a long .series of years I feel deeply and sincerely grateful. For assistance in connection with the compilation of the Bibliography thanks are due to James Southgate, E.sq , who, as a member of the Department of Oriental Books and Manusciipts of the Biitish Museum, revised and amplified the collection of titles which I had myself gathered dining the progress of the work. A word must be said also in appreciation of the unfailing courtesy and helpfulness of the Oxfoid University Press, whose patience during the long course of putting the \voik through the press, even amid the trials and difficulties of recent years, deserves hearty recognition, In conclusion I would add a reveicnt salutation to India, my native land, mother of more religions than have ori»»in;xtrd or flourished in any other country of the woild. In the early years of childhood and later in the first period of adult service, it was the chief vernacular of the Bombay Presidency which furnished a medium, along with the English language, for intercourse with the wistful people of India, among whom are still many of my dearest friends. It Jhas been a satisfaction that some part of the preparation of this book, begun in the West, could be carried on in the land that gave these Upani- slmds to the world. Many of the MS. pages have been worked over in conjunction with native scholars in Calcutta and Bom- bay, and I wish to acknowledge especially the patient counsels of Mahdmahopadhyaya Hara Piasfid Shastri and some of his group of pandits. May this translation, with its introductory survey of the philosophy of the Upanishacls, prove a means of bringing about a wider knowledge of the contents of these venerated texts and a discriminating appreciation of their teachings 1 ROBERT ERNEST HUMK. UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, NEW YORK. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE vii REMARKS CONCERNING TEIE TRANSLATION: ITS METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT . . . xit LIST OF AIWRILVIATIONS xv AN OUTLINE OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS I 3*KHTAI>-AUAKYAKA UPANISIIAD .... 73 CHAN1XX5YA UPANISIIAD 177 TAITTIKIYA UPANISIIAD 375 AITARKYA UPANISIIAD 394 KAUSIIITAKI UPANISIIAD 302 KKNA UPANISIIAD 335 KATHA UPANISIIAD ...... 341 T£A UPANISHAD ,,..... 362 Muis'DAKA UPANISIIAD 366 TRASNA UPANISIIAD 378 MANUUKYA UPANISIIAD 391 SVKTASVATARA UPANISIIAD 394 MAITIU UPANISIIAD 41* A BlBLIOCaiAPIIY OP THE UPANISIIADS, SKLKCTED, CLASSIFIED, AND ANNOTATED . 459 SANSKRIT INDEX 509 GENERAL INDEX 514 XI REMARKS CONCERNING THE TRANSLATION ITS METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT Principles observed in. tlie translation It has been the aim of the tianslator to prepare a rendering that lepiesents, as faithfully as possible, the foim and meaning of the Sanskrit text A liteial equivalent, even though lacking in fluency or giace of expression, has been preferred thioughout to a fine phnise that less exactly reproduces the original. The version has been made in accordance \vith philological principles, with constant and com- prehensive comparison of recuircnt words and phi uses, and due attention has been paid to the native commentaries as \vell as to the \voik of previous scholars in East and West. The text on which, it is based The text of the Upanishads here translated may be said to be in fairly good condition, and the readings of the printed editions could in the main be followed. Occasional adoption of variants or eou- jectuial emendations is mentioned and explained in the footnotes (as on pp. 207, 226, 455). In the Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad the text of the Kanva recension has been used as the basis; some of the variations of the Madhyathdina recensionN aie noted at the foot of the page. In the Kaushitaki Upanibhad the pnncipal divergencies between the Bibhotheca Indica edition and that in the Anandasrawa Series are set foilh m the notes. Order of the Upanishads in this volume The traditional sequence of the ten principal Upanishads is that given in the following useful versus memonaUs : — aitareyam ca chandogyam brhaddranyakam In the present volume, which adds the Maitri Upanishatl to the usual group of twelve, they are anangcd in the probable order of their original composition. Though the determination of this order is 1 From A Catechism of flinduum, by Si is Chandia Vasu, Benares, 1899, j>, 3. xii CONCERNING THE TRANSLATION difficult and at best conjectural, yet a careful study of the style and contents of these texts points to a relative sequence nearly like that fust foimulatcd by Deussen.1 The only depaiture in this volume from Deussen's oider consists in placing the £vetasvataza in the later group with the Maitii, rather than in the earlier group before the Mundaka.2 Treatment of metrical portions Metrical poitions of the text are indicated by the use of type of a smalloi size and by an arrangement that suggests verse form to the eye. The meter of each stanza is shown by the width of the margin : ii maijrin of modciate width denotes the n -syllable tnstitbh, whereas a wider maigin denotes the familiar sloka, or 8-syllable anustubh. The number of lines accoids with the number of veises in the original, and wherever possible the tianslation follows the text line for line. It has frequently been possible to attain in English the same number of syllables as in the Sanskiit, though no attempt has been made to pioducc a consistently metiical translation to the detiiment of the sense. Additions in square brackets Matter in square brackets is matter not actually expiessed in the wouls of the Sanskiit text. It comprises — (a) the Knglish equivalent of a woid or words omitted or to be understood in the Sanskiit (as at Ait. 4. 6, p. 300; Katha 4.3, P- 3S4); (b) words added to complete or improve the English grammatical structure (as at Chanel. 5. 3. 3, p. 230); (r) explanations added by the translator to make clear the import of the passage (as at Prasna 5. 3-5, p. 388 ; Maitri 6, 14, P- 433)- Additions in parentheses Matter in parentheses is always identical in meaning with the pre- ceding woi d or words. It comprises — (a) translations or equivalents of pioper names or other designa- tions, as: * the Golden Germ (Hiranyagaibha)'; (b) Sanskrit words in italics, immediately after their English trans- lation as : * peace (santf)? 1 See Peussen, Die Philosophic der Upanishatf s , pp. 22-25; English tr., pp. aa -2<> (of. the Bibliography, p. 501 below). See also Macdonell, History of $&mkrit IMtrature, London, 1900, p. 226. * See Hopkins, « Notes on the <Jveta9vatara, etc,,' JAOS. 22 (1901), pp. 380- 387, where he controverts Deussen on this very point xiii' CONCERNING THE TRANSLATION TJse of italics Sanskrit words have been quoted freely in italics enclosed in paientheses — (a) to aid the special student in his search for the exact shade of meaning by giving the original of which the word or phrase immediately picceding is a translation ; (b) to render evident to the eye the play on woids 01 the etymo- logical explanation that frequently occms in the exposition or argumentation of the Upanishads (cf. Chand. i. 2. 10-12, p. 179), Nouns and adjectives are usually given in their uninflected stcm- foim; occasionally, however, an inflected form is used for the take of clearness (as at Chand. 8, 3. 3, p. 265). Transliteration of Sanskrit words The transliteration of Sanskrit words in italics follows thr current usage of Western Oriental scholars (except that anuwara is repre- sented by m instead of by the customary #;). In rotmm XiyV, as pan of the English tianslation, however, proper names (as of divinities, persons, texts, and ceremonies) aie given in a slightly less technical transliteration, with some concession to popular usage ; the vowel r is lepresented by fri' (except in 'Rig/ 'Rig- Veda '), and the sibilant s by ' sh.' Headings in heavy-faced type The headings in heavy-faced type have been inserted by the translator to summarize the contents of the ensuing sections and to interpret, as far as possible in a few words, the development of thought in the text, xiv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A ... the recension of Kaush. published in the Anan- dasrama Sanskrit Series, Ait. . . Aitarcya Upanishad. Ait. Br. . Aitarcya Biahmana. Ay P. . American Journal of Philology. Asv. . . Asvalayana (Grihya Sutra). AV. . * Atharva-Vcda. A VTr. - Atharva-Vcda Translation, by Whitney and Lan- man, in the Harvard Oriental Series, vols. 7 and 8, Cambridge, Mass., 1905. B . . . the recension of Kaush. published in the Biblio- thcca Indica. BhG. , Bhagavad-Git5. BR. . . Bohtlingk and Roth's great Sanskrit Dictionary, 7 vols., St. Petersburg, 1855-1875. Brih. . . Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad. 7>/r/p. . Bohtlingk's shoiter Sanskrit Dictionary, 7 parts, St. Petorsbuig, 1879-1889. Chanel. * Chandogya Upanishad. com, . , commentator, commentators. ccL . , edited, edition. JAOS. . Journal of the American Oriental Society. K * . Kanva recension of Brih. Kaush. „ Kaushitaki Upanishad. Lc. . . (loco ctiato)) at the place cited. M . - Mudhyamdina recension of Brih. MBh. . Mahabhfirata. Mahanan MahanFirfiyana Upanishad. Mfind. . Mandukya Upanishad. MS. . . Maitrayani Samhita. Mund. . Mundaka Upanishad. MW* + Monier-Williams's Sanskrit Dictionary, ad edition, Oxford, 1899. xv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Par. . . Paraskara (Grihya Sutra). RV. . . Rig- Veda. Sat, Br . Satapatha Biahmana- SJ1E. . Sacred Books of the East. SV. . . Sama-Vcda. s.v. . . (sub Tcrbo)^ under the word. Svet. . Svctasvatara TJpanishad. TA. . . Taittirlya Aranyaka. Talt. * . Taittirlya Upanishad. tr. . . . translated, translation. TS. . . Taittirlya Samhita. VS. . . Vajasaneyi Sariihita. ERRATA Page 48, line 2 for Madhyarhdina read Mildhyathdina Page 483 line 3 for Kanva read Ktiuva Page 143, line 26 for ibis home read this world Page 172, line 6 for Tvashtri read Tvashtri Page 175, line 26 for yajur r^Wyajus Page 330, line 26 and note 4 for Tvashtri read Tvashtri AN OUTLINE OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS CHAPTER I TIIK PLACE OF TIIK UPANISHADS IN THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY ALMOST contemporaneous with that remarkable period of active philosophic and religious thought the world over, about the sixth century r».c., when Pythagoi as, Confucius, Buddha, and Zoroaster were thinking out new philosophies and inaugurating great religions, there was taking place, in the land of India, a quiet movement which has exercised a continuous influence upon the entire subsequent philosophic thought of that country and which has also been making itself felt in the West. The Aryan invaders of Hindustan, after having conquered the territory and gained an undisputed foothold, betook themselves to the consideration of those mighty problems which thrust themselves upon eveiy serious, thoughtful person — the problems of the meaning of life and the world and the great unseen powers. They cast about on this side and on that for explanation. Thus we find, for example, in the Sveta^vatara Upanishad (i. i) : — * What is the cause? Brahma? Whence aie we born? \ Whereby do \vc live? And on what arc we established? Overruled by whom, in pains and pleasures, / Do we live our various conditions, O ye theologians ? ' j In childlike manner, like the early Greek cosmologists, they accepted now one thing and now another as the primary material out of which the whole xvorld is made. Yet, again like the early Greek philosophers and also with 'the subtlety and directness of childlike insight, they discerned the underlying unity of all being. Out of this penetrating intuition those early Indian thinkers elaborated a system of pantheism which has proved most fascinating to their descendants. If there is i B PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS any one intellectual tenet which, explicitly or implicitly, is held by the people of India, furnishing a fundamental presuppo- sition of all their thinking", it is this doctrine of pantheism. The beginnings of this all-pervading form of theorizing are recorded in the Upanishacls. In these ancient documents are found the earliest serious attempts at construing the world of experience as a rational whole. Furthcrmoie, they have continued to be the generally accepted authoiitative state- ments with which every subsequent oithodox philosophic formulation has had to show itself in accord, or at least not in discord. Even the materialistic Carvfikas, who denied the Vedas, a future life, and almost every sacred doctrine of the orthodox Brahmans, avowed respect for these Upanishads. That interesting later epitome of the Vcdfmla, the Vedftnta-sfira,1 shows how these Carvakas and the adherents of the Buddhistic theory and also of the litualistic Purva-mlmfunsa and of the logical Nyaya appealed to the Upanishads in .support of their varying theories. Even the clualistic Sankhya philosophers claimed to find scripture authority in the Upanishads.^ For the orthodox Vedanta, of course, the Upanishads, with Badarfiyana's Vedanta-Sutras and Sankara's Commentary on them, have been the very text-books. Not only have they been thus of histoiical impoitancc in the past development of philosophy in India, but they are of present-day influence. * To every Indian Brahman today the Upanishads are what the New Testament is to the Christian.'3 Max Muller calls attention to the fact that there arc more new editions published of the Upanishads and Saankara, in India than of Dcscaites and Spinoza in Europe.'1 Especially now, in the admitted inadequacy of the existing degraded form of popular Hinduism, the educated Hindus arc turning to their old Scriptures and are finding there much which they con- 1 Translated by Col. Jacob in his Manual of Hindu Pantheism > homlon, 1(891, pp 76-78* Text published by him m Bombay, 1894, and by Bohllinfjk in his Sanskrit- Chrestoviath ie. 2 See the Sarva-daxiaaa-samgiaha, a later summary of the vanous philosophers, translated by Cowell and Cough, p. 227 (and ed., London, 1894). 3 Deussen, The Philosophy of the Ufianishads, tr. by Gedtkn, p, viii, J&Uuburah, 1906, 4 Max Muller, Lectures on the Vedanta, Philosophy > p, 39, PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS fidcnlly stake against the claims of superiority of any foreign religion 01 philosophy. It k noteworthy that the significant movement indicated by the reforming and theistic Samajas of modem times was inaugurated by one who was the first to prepare an English tianslation of the Upanishads. Rammohun Roy expected to restore Hinduism to its pristine purity and superiority through a resuscitation of Upanishadic philosophy with an infusion of certain eclectic elements. They <ue also being taken up and exploited by a certain class who have found a rich reward and an attractive field of operation in the mysticism and cicdulity of India. Having hopes foi ' the Upanishads as a world-scripture, that is to say, a scripture appealing to the lovers of religion and truth in all races and at all times, without distinction,5 theosophists have been endeavoring to make them available for their converts.1 Not only have the Upanishads thus furnished the regnant philosophy for India from their date up to the present time and proved fascinating to mystics outside of India, but their philosophy presents nianj^tej'esting^jjaralljeb ft&d . contrasts ,, to the elaborate philosophizings of Western lands. And Western professional students of philosophy, as well as liteiary historians, have felt and expressed the importance of the Upanishads. In the case of Arthur Schopenhauer, the chief of modem pantheists of the West, his philosophy is unmis- takably transfused with the doctrines expounded in the Upanishads, a fact that might be surmised from his oft-quoted eulogy : * It pu c, Anquetil du Perron's Latin translation of a Persian rendering of the Upanishads] is the most rewarding and the most elevating reading which (with the exception of the original text) there can possibly be in the world. It has been the solace of my life and will be of my death.' 2 Professor Deussen, the Professor' of Philosophy in the University of Kiel (Germany), has always regarded his thorough study of the Vedanta philosophy as a reward in 1 The VfanishadS) by Mead and Chaftopadhyaya, p. 5, London, Theosophical Publishing Society, 1896. See also The Theosophy of the Upanishads (anonymous), London, Theosophical Publishing Society, 1896, and The. Upanishads with tankards Commentary ', a translation made by several Hindus, published by V. C» fteshacharri, Madras, 1898 (dedicated to Mrs* Annie Besant), fl P&rtrga, 2, § 185 (Werke, 6, 427). 3 B 2 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS itself, apait from the satisfaction of contributing so largely to our understanding of its teachings. Foi in the UpunLshads he has found Parmcnidcb, Plato, and Kant in a nutshell, and on leaving India in 1^93, in an address before the Bombay Hianch of the Royal Asiatic Society,1 he gave it as his paiting advice that 'the Veddnta, in its imfalsified form is the strongest support of pure morality, is the greatest consolation in the sufferings of life and death Indians, keep to it ! ; Professor Royce of Harvard University deemed the philo- sophy of the Upanishads sufficiently important to expound it in his Gifford Lectures,2 before the University of Aberdeen, and to introduce sonic original translations especially made by his colleague Professor Lanman. So, in East and West, the Upanishads have made and will make their influence felt. A broad survey of the facts will hardly sustain the final opinion expressed by Regnaucl ; 4 Arbitrary or Icgcndaiy doctrines, that is to say, those which have sprung from individual or popular imagination, such as the Upanishads, resemble a gallery of portraits whose originals have long since been dead. They have no more than a his- torical and comparative value, the principal interest of which is for supplying important elements for the study of the human mind.' 3 Historical and comparative value the Upanishads undoubt- edly have, but they are also of great present-day importance. No one can thoroughly understand the workings and conclusions Df the mind of an educated Hindu of today who does not know something of the fountain from which his ancestors for cen- turies past have drunk, and from which he too has been deriving h]s intellectual life. The imagery under which his philosophy is conceived, the phraseology in which it Is couched, and the analogies by which it is supported arc largely the same in the discussions of today as arc found in the Upanishads and in Sankara's commentaries on them and on the Sutras. Further- more, although some elements arc evidently of local interest 1 Printed as a pamphlet, Bombay, 1897,, and also contained in hi« /Memento of Metaphysics, English translation, p 337, London, 1894. 2 Royce, The World and the Individual, i. 156-175, New York, 1900, 3 Regnaud, Mat&riaitx pour scrvir & Phi stain de la philosophic dc /'///<#, a, 304, Paris, 1878. 4 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS and of past value, ii is evident that the pantheism of the Upanishads has exerted and will continue to exert an influence on the pantheism of the West, for it contains certain elements which penetrate deeply into the truths which every philosopher must reach in a thoroughly grounded explanation of experience. The intelligent and sympathetic discrimination of these ele- ments will constitute a philosophic work of the first importance. As a preliminary step to that end, the mass of unorganized material contained in the Upanishads has been culled and the salient ideas here arranged in the following outline. CHAPTER II THE UPANISHADS AND THEIR PLACE IN INDIAN PHILOSOPHY TIIK Upanishads are religious and philosophical treatises forming part of the early Indian Vedas.1 The preceding por- tions are the Mantras, or Hymns to the Vedic gods, and the Brahmanas, or directories on and explanations of the sacrificial ritual. Accordingly these three divisions of the Sruti, 01 4 Revelation,' may be roughly characterized as the utteiances successively of poct3 pncst, and philosopher. The distinction of course, is not strictly exclusive ; for the Upanishads, being integral parts of the Brahmanas,2 are continuations of the sacrificial rules and discussions, but_Jhey^pass over into .pixila- sophical considerations. Much that is in"lKe'"~Opanishads particularly in the Brihad-Aranyaka and in the Chandogya might more properly be included in the Brahmana portion and some that is in the Brahmanas is Upanishadic in charac- ter. The two groups are closely interwoven. 1 * That which is hidden in the sccict of the Vedas, even the Upanishads.'— £vetaivntara Upixnishad 5, rt, u Technically, the older Upanishads i, with the exception of the I6a, which is th< last chapter of the Sarhhita of the White Yajur-Veda) form part of the Aranyakas ' Forest JBooks/ which in turn are part of the Biahraanas, the second part of ih< Vedas. Later a distinct class of independent Upanishads arose, but even of several o the classical Upanishads the connection with the Brahmanas has been lost. Onl^ the thirteen oldest Upanishads, which might be called classical and which ar< translated in this volume, are here discussed. 5 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS This fact, along with the general lack of data in Sanskiit literature for chronological orientation, makes it impossible to fix any definite dates for the Upanishacls. The Satapalha Brahmana, of which the Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishud forms the conclusion, is believed to contain material that comes down to 300 B.C. The UpanLshads themselves contain several references to writings which undoubtedly arc much latct than the beginnings of the UpanishacLs The best that can be done is to base conjcctuies upon the gcneial aspect of the contents compaied with what may be supposed to precede and to suc- ceed, The usual date that is thus assigned to the Upanishads is about 600 or J)OQ it. (J^Just prior to the Buddhist revival, Yet evidences of Buddhist influences are not wanting in them. In Brih. 3. a. 13 it is stated that after death the differ- ent parts of a person return to the different parts of Nature from whence they came, that even his soul (aim an) goes into space and that only his karma, or effect of work, remains over. This is out and put tbc.HuddhistJoctrine. Connections in the point of dialect may also be shown, Sarvavat is * a word which as yet has not been discovered in the whole range ol Sanskrit literature, except in Satapatha Brahmana 14. 7. i. 10 [ = Brih. 4. 3. 9] and in Northern Buddhist writings,' l Its Tali equivalent is sabbavfi. In Brih. 4. 3. a-6 r is changed to /» i. e, paly-ay ate for pary-ayatc — a change which is regularly made in the Pali dialect in which the books of Southern Bud- dhism arc written. It may be that this is not a direct influence of the Pali upon the Sanskrit, but at least it is the same ten- dency which exhibits itself in Pali, and here the two languages are close enough together to warrant the assumption of contact and mutual influence. Somewhat surer evidence, however, is the use of the second person plural ending tha for la. Mitllcr pointed out in connection with the word acarathct (MtmcL i. 2, i) that this irregularity looks suspiciously Buddhistic. There are, however, four other similar instances. The word samvatsyatka (Prasiaa i. 2) might be explained as a future indicative (not an imperative), serving as a mild future imper- ative. But prcckatha (Pra&ia jr. 2), apadyatha (Pnufou a. 3), and/###Afctf and vimtmcatAa(Mu%d. 2, 3. 5) arc evidently meant 1 Kern, *?#£ 2r, p. xvii, 6 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS as imperatives, and as such arc formed with the Pali instead of with the regular Sanskrit ending. It has long been suspected that the later Siva sects, which recognized the Atharva-Veda as their chief scripture, were closely connected with the Bud- dhistic sects. Peihaps in this way the Buddhistic influence1 was transmitted to the Prasna and Mundaka Upanishads of the Atharva-VccUi. This shows that the Upanishads are not unaffected by out- side influences. Even irrespective of these, their inner structure reveals that they arc heterogeneous in their material and com- pound in then composition. The Brihad-Aianyaka, for instance, is composed of three divisions, each of which is concluded, as if it were a complete whole, by a vai'ufat or genealogy of the doctrine (that is, a list of teachers through whom the doctrine there taught had originally been leceived from Brahma and handed down to the time of wilting). The first section, entitled ' The Honey Section,' contains a dialogue between Vajnavalkya and Maitrcyl which is almost verbally repeated in the second section, called ' The Yajnavalkya Sec- tion.' It seems quite evident that these two pieces could not have been parts of one continuous writing, but that they were parts of t\\o sepaiate works which were mechanically united and then connected with the third section, whose title, e Supple- mentary Section/ is in accord with the heterogeneous nature of its contents, Both the Brihad-Aranyaka and the Chandogya are very composite in character. Disconnected explanations of the sacrificial ritual, legends, dialogues, etymologizing^ (which now appear absurd, but which originally were regarded as im- portant explanations),2 sayings, philosophical disquisitions, and so forth arc, in the main, merely mechanically juxtaposed. In the shorter and later Upanishads there is not room for such a collection ; but in them, more and more, quotations from the earlier Upanishads and from the Vedas are inserted. Many of these can be recognized as such. There are also certain passages, especially in the Katha and Svetasvatara, which, t "*""*" 1 See on this point the interesting testimony adduced by Foucher, &tude sur I ' iconographic bbuddhiqnt de Flndc^ Paris, 1900. 2 Such as Hrih. r, 2.7; i. 3. 22; i. 4. i ; 3.9. 8-9 ; Chanel, i. 2. 10-12 ; 6, 8. i. 7 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS though not referable, arc evidently quotations, since they arc not grammatically construablc in the sentence, but contain a thought which seems to be commented upon in the words immediately following. Not only are the Upanishads thus heterogeneous in point of structure, but they also contain passages which .set forth the dualistic Sankhya philosophy, which has been the chief antag- onist of the monistic Vcdfmta. Of the earlier Upanishads the CbcTndogya, in 6. 4, explains all existing objects as a com- position of three elements, a reduction which has an analogue in the Sankhya with its three qualities. In Katha 4. 7, the prakrti or £ Nature3 of the Sankhya is described. In Katha 3. 10-13, and similarly in 6. 7~c85 there is a gradation of psychical principles in the order of their emanation from the Unmanifest (avyakta) which agrees closely with the Srmkhya order ; but a difference is added when that UmnamTcst, instead of being left as the ultimate, is suboidinated to the Person of the world-ground. Somewhat similar arc the genealogies of Munch i. i. 8 ; a. t. 3; and Prasna 6. ^. In Prasna 4, 8 is a combined Sankhya and Vedanta list, the major part of which, up to citta, 'thought and what can be thought/ Is Sankhyan. The term buddhi, 'intellect,' is an important Sankhyan word. It is noticeable that it docs not occur until the Katha, where other Sankhyan similarities are first prominent^and where this word is found four times. In the Svetasvatara the Sankhya is mentioned by name in the last chapter, and the statement is made that it icascms in search of the same object as is there being expounded The references in this Upanishad to the Sankhya arc unmistakable. The enumerations of i, 4-5 arc distinctly non-Vcdfmtic and quite Sankhyan. The passage at 6. j, where svah/tava, 'the nature of things,3 evidently means prah-ti^ the c Nature J of the Sankhya, denounces that theory as the utterance of deluded men. Similarly I. 3 contradicts the Sfinkhyaa doctrine in placing the gunas, or c qualities/ in God and in attributing to him ' self-power/ But more numerous arc the instances where the Vedanta theory is interpreted in Sankhyan terms, as in 4- 10, where the prakrti of the Sankhya is identified with the may a of the Vedanta. The passage 4. 5, where the cxplana- 8 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS tion of experience is sensually analogized, is thoroughly Sankhyan. The relation of the Vedanta to the Sankhya has not yet been satisfactorily made out. Perhaps, as Professor Cowell maintained,1 'the Svetasvatara Upanishad is the most direct attempt to reconcile the Sankhya and the Vedanta.5 The Maitri is even more evidently pervaded by Sankhyan influences, especially the explicit references to the gunas, or s qualities/ with the enumeration of their effects (3. 5) and the explanation of their origin '(5, 2). Even with due allowance made for a supposititious period when the terms of philosophy may have existed without distinction of systems, such as are known afterwards as Vedanta and Sankhya, it is nevertheless improbable that so complete a Sankhyan vocabulary as meets us in the Svetas- vatara and the Maitri Upanishads could belong to such a period. They seem rather to belong to a period when systems were not only recognized as such, but as antagonistic. ^ These remarks have made it clear that the Upanishads are no homogeneous products, cogently presenting a philosophic theory, but that they are compilations from different sources recording the fi guesses at truth' of the early Indians. A single, well articulated system cannot be deduced from them ; but underlying all their expatiations, contradictions, and unordered matter there is a general basis of a developing pantheism which will now be placed in exposition. CHAPTER III FIRST ATTEMPTS AT THE CONCEPTION OF A UNITARY WORLD-GROUND AMONG the early Indians, as among the early Greeks, an explanation of the beginnings of the world, its original sub- stance, and its construction, formed the first and most inter- esting subject of philosophical speculation. In the Ve'das such speculation had gone on to some extent and had produced the a In his notes to Colebrooke's •Miscellaneous Essays, i. 257, London, 1873. But see 'more. especially: Professor Hopkins, JA OS. 22, 380-387. > ; '•.•"•': •; ! '• : : 9 PHILOSOPHY OF TIIK UPANISHADS famous Creation Hymn, RV. 10. 1 29, as well as others (such as RV. TO. vju ; 10. 81 ; 10. 73 ; 10. 90) in which the origin of the world was conjectured under architectural, generative, and sacrificial analogies. In the Brahmanas speculation continued further along the same lines. When the peiiod of the Upanishads arrived, the same theme had not grown old — and when will it? The quotation from Svet. T. i already cited (page i) shows how this theme was still discussed and indicates the alternatives that were offered late in the period. Hut among the early Upanishads these first crude cosmo^onic theories had not yet been displaced. Prominent among these is one which was advanced among the early Greeks by Thalcs and which was also a widely prevailing Semitic idea, namely, that the original stuff of the world was Water. Thus in Brih $. 5 we find it stated that { In the beginning this world was just Water.' clt is just Water solidified that is this earth, that is the atmosphere, that is the sky, that is gods and men, that is animals and birds, grass and trees, beasts, together with worms, flies, and ants ; all these are just Water solidified' (Chanel 7. To. i), Gargi in Brih. 3. 6. i opens a discussion with the philosopher Yajnavalkya by asking for an explanation of the popular theory that *all this world is woven, warp and woof, on water.1 In the later Katha a more philosophic theory of the world- ground was added on to this older theory that water was the primal entity : ' [Atman], who was born of old from the waters ' (4- 6). Somewhat similar combinations of the earlier and laloi theories arc made in Ait. i. r. 3, where Atman, after creating the wateis, 'from the waters drew forth and shaped a person/ from whose members the different parts of the world and of man emanated; arid in Kaush. t, 7, where Brahma declares ethc waters, verily, indeed, arc my world/ In a little more philosophic fashion Space also was posited as the ultimate ground of the world. At Chand 1.89 three men are represented as having a discussion over the origin (or 'what it goes to,' gati] of the Saman, ' Chant,' of the sacrificial ritual. One of the group traced it back to sound, to breath, to food, to water, to yonder world. When pressed as to what ' yonder world goes back to/ he replied: 'One should not lead 10 PHILOSOPHY OK THE UPANISHADS beyond the heavenly world. We establish the Saman upon the heavenly woild, for the Saman is praised as heaven.' The second member of the group taunted the first that his Saman had no foundation, and when challenged himself to declaie the origin of that world, replied 'this world'; but he was immediately brought to the limit of his knowledge as regards the origin of this world. ' One should not lead beyond the world-support. We establish the Sfxman upon the world as a support, for the Saman Ls piaiscd as a support/ Then the third member put in his taunt . l Your Saman comes to an end,' said he. It is noticeable that he, who was the only one of the three not a Brahman, or professional philosopher, was able to explain: 'Verily, all things here aiise out of space. They disappear back into space, for space alone is greater than these ; space is the final goal/ With still greater abstraction the origin of the world is traced back, as in the early Greek speculations and as in RV. 10. 73. 3-3 and AV. 17. j. 19, to Non-being (a-sad). ¥£ fn the beginning, verily, this [world] was non-existent. Thcicfiom, vcnly, Being was pioduced/ (Tail:. 2. 7.) In Chdnd. 3. 19 the same theory is combined with another theory, which is found among the Greeks and which was popular among the Indians, continuing even after the time of Mann, namely, that of the cosmic egg. ' In the beginning this world was merely non-being (a~sad). It was existent. It developed. It turned into an egg. It lay for the period of a year. It was split asunder. One of the two eggshell-parts became silver, one gold. That which was of silver is this earth. That which was of gold is the sky. What was the outer membrane is the mountains. What was the inner membrane is cloud and mist. What were the veins are the rivers* What was the fluid within is the ocean/ This theory of the Rig- Veda, of the Atharva-Veda, of the Taittirlya, and of the early part of the Chandogya is expressly referred to and combated at Chand. 6. $. ' In the beginning, my dear, this world was just Being, one only, without a second. To be sure, some people say : C{ In the beginning this world was just Non-being, one only, without a second ; from that PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHAIXS Non-being Being was produced." But verily, my dcai, whence could this be? How from Non-being could Being be produced? On the contrary, my dear, in the beginning this world was Being, one only, without a second. It bethought itself: ''Would that I were many! Let me procreate myself!'3 It emitted heat.' Similaily the heat procicatcd water, and the water food. Out of these three elements., after they had been infused by the oiiginal existent with name and form (i.e. a principle of individiuition), all physical objects and also the organic and psychical nature of man were composed. Still more abstract than the space-theory, but connected with it, is the cosmological speculation offeicd by Yfijfiavalkya to Gargl,who confronted him with two supposedly unanswerable* questions. c That which is above the sky, that which is beneath the earth, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which people call the past and the present and the futmv — across what is that woven, warp and woof? ' * Acioss space/ was Yajnavalkya's reply. l Across what then, pray, is spaa* woven ?' < That, O Gargi, Brahmans call the Imperishable,' answers Yajnavalkya, but he does not attempt to describe this, since it is beyond all earthly distinctions. However, with a directness and a grand simplicity that call to mind the Hebrew account of the creation by the mandatory word of the Divine Being, there follows an account of the governances of the world by that world-ground. 'Verily, () Gargi, at the command of that Imperishable the sun and moon stand apart. Verily, 0 Gargi, at the command of that Imperishable the earth and the sky stand apart. Verily, C) Gurgi, at the command of that Imperishable the moments, the hours, the days, the nights, the fortnights, the months, the seasons, and the years stand apart. Verily, 0 GargT, at the command of that Imperishable some rivers flow from the snowy mountains to the east, others to the west, in whatever direction each flows ' (Brih. 3. 8. 3-9). These searchings for the origin and explanation of the world of phenomena, first in a phenomenal entity like water and space, and then in a super-phenomenal entity like non-being, being, or the Imperishable, had even in the Rig- and Alharva- PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS Vcdas reached the conception of a necessarily unitary basis of the world and even the beginnings of monism. Thus :— - Hiahmana.spati like a smith Did foige together all things heie.' (RV. 10. 72. 2.) VLsvakarman (Hteially, the < All-maker'), the one God, established all things (RV. 10. 81). From the sacrificial dismemberment of Purusha, the World-Person, all things were formed (RV. 10. 90). Again, in RV. 10. 131. i:— ' In the beginning aiose Hiranyagaibha, The cauli's begetter, ^ho cieated heaven.' So also in RV. 10. 129. i, 2, the Creation Hymn:— 'Tlu'ie was then neither being nor non-being.. .. Without hi oath breathed by Us own power That One.' So also RV, i, 1 64. 6 : — ' L unknowing, ignoiant, here Ahk the wise sages for the sake of knowledge : What was That One, in the form of the unborn, Who established these six worlds?' A glimpse into monism is seen in RV. i, 164. 46 : — ' Him who is the One existent, sages name variously/ Various, indeed, wcie the conjectures regarding the world- ground. Four — Brahmanaspati, Visvakarman, Purusha, and Iliranyagarbha — besides the indefinite That One, have just been cited from the Rig-Veda. Another, Prajapati (literally ' Lord of creatures ') began to rise towards the end of the Vedic period, increased in prominence through the Brahmanic, and continued on into the Upanishadic. But the conception which is the ground- woi k of the Vcdanta, which overthrew or absorbed into itself all other conceptions of the world-ground, was that of Brahma, Emerging in the Brahmanas, it obtained in the Upanishads a fundamental position which it never lost, In- deed, the philosophy of the Upanishads is sometimes called Brahma-Lsm from its central concept. PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS CHAPTER IV THE DEVELOPMENT OF THTC CONCEPTION OF BRAHMA AS the early cosmologies started with one tiling and another, but always one particular thing, posited as the piimal entity, so in Brih. i. 4. 10-1 1 and again in Maitii 6. 17 we find the* statement: ' Verily, in the beginning this world was Brahma.' And as in the old cosmologies, especially in the Rig- Veda and in the Brahmanas, so also in the Upanishacls procreation was adopted as the specific analogy for world-production. Thus: ' He desired: "Would that I were many' Let me procreate my- self! " He performed austerity. Having perfoimed austerity, he created this whole world, whatever thcic is here' (Tail. 2. 6) It should be noticed that consciousness, which was absent in the water- and space-cosmologies, is here posited for the production of the world ; also that the creation of the world, as in the Purusha Hymn, RV, 30. 90, and all through the Brahmanas, is an act of religious significance accompanied by ceremonial rites. This last fact is not unnatural when the situation is considered. Every undertaking of importance had to be preceded by sani- ficcs and austerities in order to render it auspicious. The greater the importance of the affair, such as beginning a wat- er going on a journey, the greater was the need of abundant saciifice. And if saciifice was so essential and efficacious for human affairs, would it not be equally necessary and efficacious for so enormous an undertaking as the creation of the world ? These considerations probably had the greater weight in view of the meaning and historical importance of the word &ra/ima, which now and henceforth was to be employed as the designation of the world-ground. In the Rig- Veda brahma seems to have meant first ' hymn/ prayer/ ' sacred knowledge/ * magic formula/ In this very sense it is used in the Upanishads, e. g. Tait. 3. 10. 4, as well as in compounds such as brafivtavat, 'possessed of magic formulas/ and brahma-varcasa, ' superiority in sacred knowledge/ It also signified the power that was inherent in the hymns, 14 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS piaycrs, sacicd foimulas, and sacicd knowledge. This latter meaning it was that induced the application of the word to the world-ground — a power that created and pervaded and upheld the totality of the univeisc. Yet how difficult it was to preserve the penetrating philo- sophical insight which discerned that efficiency, that power, that brahnia undei lying the world — an insight which dared to take the word from its religious connection and to infuse into it a philosophical connotation — will be shown in the recorded attempts to grasp that stupendous idea, all of which fell back, because of figurative thinking, into the old cosmo- logies which this very Brahma-theory itself was intended to transcend. The unknown character of this newly discovered Being and the idea that only by its will do even the gods perform their functions, is indicated in a legend contained in the Kena Upanishad. Biahma appeared to the gods, but they did not understand who it was. They deputed Agni, the god of fire, to ascertain its identity. He, vaunting of his power to burn, was challenged to burn a straw, but was baffled. Upon his unsuccessful return to the gods, Vayu, the god of wind, was sent on the same mission. He, boasting of his power to blow anything away, was likewise challenged to blow a straw away and was likewise baffled. To Indra, the next delegate, a beautiful woman, allegorized by the commentator as Wis- dom, explained that the incognito was Brahma, through whose power the gods were exalted and enjoyed greatness. In Brih. 3. 9. 1-9 Yajnavalkya was pressed and further pressed by Sakalya to state the real number of the gods. Un- willingly he reduced, in seven steps, the popular number of 3306 gods to one, and that one was Brahma, the only God. But apart from legend and apait from religion it was difficult for the ordinary person to understand who or what this Brahma was, Gargi, one of the two women in tthe Upanishads who philosophize, takes up the old water-cosmology and asks Yajnavalkya, the most prominent philosopher of the Upani- shads (Brih. 3, 6) : ' On what, pray, is the water woven, warp and woof?1 He replies, 'The atmosphere- wo rids/ On being PHILOSOPHY OF THK UPANLSIIADS asked again/ On what then, pray, arc the atmosphcrc-wotlds woven, warp and woof?' he .says, 'The Gandharva-xvorld [or^ world of spirits]; The rcgressus has been entered, and Yajnavalkya plays somewhat the part of Locke's 'poor Indian [i. c. American Indian] philosopher ' with his toitotsc, and elephant, and so forth, as the world's last standing- ground. Merc he takes Gaigl back to the worlds of the sun upon which the Gandharva-worlds arc woven, and then in turn to the worlds of the moon, the worlds of the stais, the woiUls of the gods, the woilds of Indra, the woilds of Prajapati, the worlds of Brahma. « On what then, pray, arc the worlds of Brahma woven, warp and woof?' 'Gfugi, do not question too much, lest your head fall off. In tiuth you arc question- ing too much about a divinity about which furl her questions cannot be asked. GargI, do not over-question.1 Thereupon Gargi ceased to question. It is a remnant of the old space-cosmology joined with the Brahma-theory when in Brih. 5. i it is stated that • Brahma is ether— the ether piimcval, the ether that blows' A little more b added when it is said that v Brahma is life, Brahma is joy. Brahma is the void ' (Chanel, 4. i o. 3). The abundance and variousncss of being in that world-ground which must also be the ground of the physical and of the mental life of persons is approached in Tait 3, where the instruction is successively given that Brahma is food, biealh, mind, under-* standing, and bliss, since out of each of those, as from the world-ground, things arc bora, by those they live, unto those they enter on departing hence. There arc four other passages where attempts are expressly made to define Brahma, In^Brih. a. i the renowned Brahman Gargya Ufilfiki came to Ajatasatru, king of Benares, and volunteered to tell him of Brahma, The wealthy king, In emulation of the lavish Janaka, offered a thousand cows for such an exposition, Gargya explained that he venerated the person in the sun as Brahma. £ Talk not to me about such a Brahma/ Ajataiitru protested He venerated as Brahma the Supreme Head and King of all beings. Then Gargya said that he also venerated the person m the moon as Brahma. Ajfita&tru again protested against PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS the inadequacy of such a conception of Brahma, He vener- ated It as the great white-robed king Soma (i.e. the person vivifying the moon). Again Gargya gave another definition of Brahma, namely, as the person in the lightning ; and again Ajfita^atru condemned his statement as inadequate by de- claring that he venerated as Brahma the Brilliant One, the principle of brilliancy, not only in the lightning but in all brilliant things. So the two converse back and forth, Gargya successfully giving new definitions and Ajatasatru declaring their inadequacy with a broader conception which included and went beyond Gfirgya's, and at the same time deducing a practical benefit to any who held such a conception. Gargya Js conception of Brahma as the person in space was supple- mented by the conception of Brahma as the Full, the non-active ; the person in the wind, by Indra, the terrible, and the unconquered army; the person in the fire, by the Vanquisher; the person in water, by the Counterpart (of all phenomenal objects); the person in the mirror, by the, Shining One ; the sound which follows after one, by Life ; the person in the quarters of heaven, by the Inseparable Companion ; the person consisting of shadow, by Death ; the person ia the body, by the Embodied One— in all, twelve1 conceptions of Brahma, which exhaust Gargya Balakfs speculation on the subject. He, the challenger, the professional philosopher, then requests instruction from his vanquisher, who, it may be noticed again? was not a Brahman, but a Kshatriya (i. a a man belonging to the second caste). Ajatasatru called attention to the anomaly of a Brahman's coming to a Kshatriya for instruction, but consented to make him know clearly this comparatively new and not fully comprehended conception of Brahma. * He, verily, 0 Balaki, who is the maker of all these persons [whom you have mentioned in succession], of whom, * In KausL 4, which is evidently another version of the same dialogue, there arc sixteen conceptions, *thc person in the quarters of heaven* being omitted from the Bjiknd-Aranyaka list and there being added the person in thunder, in the echo, the conscious self by whom a sleeping person moves about in dreams, the person in the right eye, and the person in the left eye — conceptions which are supplemented respectively by the soul of sound, the inseparable companion, Yama (king of the dead), the soul of name, of fire, of light, and the soul of truth, oi lightning:, of splendor, 17 c PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS verily, this Is the work— he, verity, should be known ' (Kaush. 4.19). With the illustration at hand of a man awaking from sleep, Ajatasatru shows that finally Brahma is to be conceived of as that into which one goes to sleep and from which one wakes again. The conclusion Ls : < As a spicier might come out with his thread, as small sparks come forth from the fire, even so from this Soul come forth all vital energies, all worlds, all gods, all beings. The mystic meaning \itfanisa<f) there- of is k£ the Real of the real " } (Brih. 3. i. 30). This is the most important passage, for it is the first in the Upanishads where the conception of Biahrna Ls subjected to a regressive analysis leading to a conclusion which obtains throughout the remainder of the Upanishads, except us it is further supplemented. In it the following points an* to be noticed. The old cosmologies, accoidiny to which the woi Id- ground was to be discovered in some particular phenomenal object or substance, aic still clung to in so Eir as Urahmu, the newly postulated world-ground, is to be found in one and another individual object, such as the sun, the moon, lightning, space, fire, water, and so forth; they are transcended, however! in so far as those objects arc not regarded as themselves of the stuff out of which the world was fashioned, but arc looked upon only as a habitation of the world-ground, which is also a person, locally lodged. Such a conception of the first disputant is corrected by the second's pointing out that the world ground cannot be the substrate of only certain particular phenomena ; that the several principles must be referred back to a .single one, ' who is the maker of these persons, of whom this [ universe') is the work5 (Kaush. 4. 19), and (more impoitant still) that if one would come close to the apprehension of this world-ground, it is chiefly to be known as the upholder of his own psychical existence through the period of sleep ; that it is a Soul (Atman] and that this Soul is the source of all existing things, vital energies, worlds, gods, all beings, which arc actual, to bo sure, but actual only because It is their Real. A very great advance in the conception of the world-ground is here made, and a doctrine is reached of which most of the later dialogues are further explications. There are two other dialogues, however, which by a similar succession of definitions 18 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS and corrections arrive at the same fundamental conception of Brahma. In Brih. 4. 1-2 Janaka, at Yajfiavalkya's request, states the various philosophical theories that have been piopounded to him. Six diffeient conceptions of Brahma, taught by different teachers, arc thus elicited- First, that Brahma is speech. This was self-evident, replied Yajiiavalkya, but it was saying no more than that one had a mother, or a father, or a teacher ; without explaining the scat and support of speech, such a Brahma was one-legged. Yajnavalkya then supplied the deficiency by explaining that its seat was speech, its support space, and it should be reverenced as intelligence, for by speech all things were known. Similarly, the theory that Brahma was breath was approved as true, but condemned as inade- quate, and supplemented by the explanation that breath was its scat, space its support, and it should be reverenced as dear, since the breath of life is dear. So Brahma is sight, the eye its scat, space its suppoit ; and it should be reverenced as truthfulness, since the eyes see truly. Brahma is hearing, the ear its scat, space its support ; and it should be reverenced as the endless, for the quarters of heaven from which one hears arc endless. Brahma is mind, its scat is mind, its support is space ; and it should be reverenced as the blissful, for with the mind one experiences bliss. Brahma is the heart, its seat is the heart, its support is space ; and it should be reverenced as the steadfast, for the heart is a steadfast support. The con- clusion is not clearly connected with the dialogue ; at 4. 3. 4 there seems to be a break in the text. But it ends with the description of the Atman (Soul, or Spirit), which is without deseribablc limits. * ^rL Here it is to be noticed that Brahma isVpostulated as mani- fest in a person's psychical activities ; that It has its seat in the sense-organs and in the mental organs ; that It has various qualities, such as the quality of intelligence, truthfulness, end- lessness, blissfulness, steadfastness ; and that It turns out to be a Self, without any limiting qualities. All these statements are of importance, both as indicating the development of the con- ception of Brahma and as contrasted with later modifications. The only other dialogue where an extended attempt is made 19 C a PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS to arrive at a conception of Brahma, exhibits in philosophy the henothcistic religious tendency of the Indian mind, which elevates the god or the concept immediately concerned to the highest position and accepts it as supreme and complete, only to turn to anothei and repeat the process. In Chanel. 7. i Narada, in search of saving knowledge, comes to Saaat- kumara with the request * Teach me, Sir ! (adlilhi bhagavo). [It is probable that this should be 'Sir, declare Biahma!' (adhlki hJiagavo brakma], the same icqucst that Bhrigu Varuni put to his father in a similar progressive definition of Brahma (Tait.3- J, referred to on page J 6).] The latter, being bidden to declare his learning, enumerates seventeen books and sciences, but is informed that they all teach such knowledge as is only a name — not however worthless, since a name is part of Brahma and should be revered as Brahma. Indeed, he who does so venerate names as Brahma has free sway so far as a name covers the nature of Brahma, which, however, is only to a slight extent. But there is more than a name, viz. speech. That, too, is a manifestation of Brahma, because it makes every- thing manifest — all the sciences, all objects, all distinctions. But there is more than speech, viz. the mental organ, or mind (manas), for that embraces both speech and name. The self is mind. The world is mind. Brahma is mind. But there is something more than mind or ideation. There is will (samkalpa, the constructive faculty). It is through will that everything comes into existence. Again, though will defines a phase of Brahma, theic is something greater, viz. thought. Verily, when one thinks, then he wills and performs all the previously named processes. So there is giwn a successive advance over each previous conception of Brahma, and usually some reason for the dependence of the preceding upon the succeeding^ After thought follows meditation, under- standing, strength, food, water, heat, space, memory, hope, and breath, or life ; everything is breath. Further, by a circuitous route, the author leads to the immortal, unrestricted, undifFcr- cnced, self-supported plenum which is below, above, before, behind, to the right, to the left, which is the whole world itself* The next thought seems to be that since it is a spirit for whom there is a below and above, a before and behind, a right and 20 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS a left, a spirit for whom a whole world exists, therefore all these arc themselves spirit, or the Spirit (Afrnan). So Spirit alone is below, above, before, behind, to the right, to the left. This whole world is Spirit. Out of Spirit arise hope, memory, space, heat, water, appearance and disappearance, food, strength, understanding, meditation, thought, will, mind, speech, name, sacred verses, religious work — which previously were defined as parts of Brahma. Indeed, this whole world arises out of Spirit (Atmaii). One more reference will show the manner of progress in the development of the conception of Brahma which has now been reached, namely that It is the one great reality, present both In objective phenomena and in the self's activities (Chand. 3. 1 8. i-a). 'One should reverence the mind as Brahma. Thus with reference to the self (atman). Now with reference to the divinities [who operate the different departments of nature]. One should reverence space as Brahma. . . . That Brahma has four quarters. One quarter is speech. One quarter is breath. One quarter is the eye. One quarter Is the ear. Thus with reference to the self. Now with reference to the divinities. One quarter is Agni (Fire). One quarter is Vayu (Wind). One quarter is Aditya (the Sun). One quarter Is the quarters of heaven. This is the twofold instruction with reference to the self and with reference to the divinities.' Two stages are analyzable in the progress thus far: (i) the necessity for a universal, Instead of a particular, world-ground led to a theory which postulated a world-ground that embraced all phenomena as parts of it, and so which gradually identified everything with the world-ground; (s,) it was felt that this world-ground was in some sense a Soul, co-related with the finite ego. These two tendencies will now be further traced. According to the earlier theory of Brahma, in which It was the primal entity which procreated the woild, the world was somehow apart from Brahma. Thus, ' having created it, into it he entered5 (Tait. a. 6). Or, as Chand. 6. 3 speaks of the originally Existent, after it had procreated heat, water, and food : 'That divinity thought to itself: " Come ! Let me enter these three divinities [i,e. heat, water, and food] with this living Soul, and separate out name and form," ' 21 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS With the development of the concept of Brahma away fiom its earliest form (i.e. from the influence of the early cosmogonies), the thought of perva.ding-all, mentioned in the previous para- graph, and the gcncial enlargement and universalizing of the concept, led to the thought of being-all. So the world was identified with Brahma, in a different sense from what is implied in ' Verily, in the beginning this world was Bi ahma ' (Brih. 1.4. 10). The world, according to this developed conception, is not the emanation of the original Being that was called Brahma, not is it strictly the past construct of an artificer Brahma (Kaush. 4. 19). Nor yet is it to be regarded as pervaded by Brahma as by something not itself, as in: 'He entered in here, even to the fingernail-tips, as a razor would be hidden in a razor-case, or fire in a fire-holder [i.e. the fire- wood]1 (Brih. i. 4. 7). But here and now Verily, this whole world is Brahma7 (Chanel 3. 14). The section of the Chandogya just quoted is the first clear statement of the pantheism which had been latent in the previous conception of Brahma and of the relation of the world to It. Later that pantheism is made explicit and remains so through the rest of the Upanishacls, where the thought recurs that Brahma actually is everything.1 Thus : — ' The swan [i. e. the sun] in the clear, the Vasu in the atmo- sphere, The priest by the altai, the guest in the house, In man, in broad space, in the light (r/a}: in the sky, Born in water, born in cattle, born in the right, born in rock, is the Right, the Groat.' (Katha g. 2.) 'Brahma, indeed, is this tmmoital. Brahma bcfoio, Brahma behind, to right and to left. Stretched forth below and above, Brahma, indeed, is this whole world, this widest extent/ (Munch 2, 2, n.) * For truly, everything here is Brahma ' (Mfuul. 3). Thus far, in the exposition of the development of the pantheistic conception of the world, the merging of all objective 1 Bnhad-Aianyaka, Chandogya, Taittinyn, Aitareya, Kaushltaki, ami Kcna 14-34 (the prose portion) are regarded as forming the group representative of the earlier Upamshadic philosophy, The otheis are later and dogmatic, presupposing a considerable development of thought and not infrequently quoting the earlier ones. PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS phenomena into a unitary world-ground has been, the process emphasized; for this seems to have been its first stage, Objective phenomena are the ones which first arrest the attention and demand explanation. But, as the Svetasvatara, at its beginning (i. 2), in recounting the various speculative theories, states explicitly, there is another important factor, namely < the existence of the soul (atmcui); which cannot be lumped in with material objects, but presents another and more difficult fact for the philosopher who would find a unitary ground that shall include the diverse objective and subjective. This leads over to what was stated on page 21 as the second stage in the development of the conception of Brahma as the world-ground, namely, that It is in some sense a Soul co-related with the finite ego. CHAPTER V THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPTION OF THE ATMAN AND ITS UNION WITH BRAHMA IN the dialogue in Brih. 2. i (and its longer recension, Kaush, 4), where a progressive attempt was made to con- ceive of Brahma, it was admitted that Brahma was to be found not only in the not-self, but also in the self; that It was not only the essence of cosmical phenomena, but also of the organic and mental functions of the human person. This probably was an outgrowth of the primitive anthro- pomorphic notion- that the world-ground is an enormous human person, graphically portrayed in the £ Hymn of the Cosmic Person/ RV. JQ. 90, The sun came out of his eye, the moon from his mind, Indra and Agni (fire) from his mouth, Vayu (the wind) from his breath, the air from his navel, the sky from his head, the earth from his feet, and so forth. In the Atharva-Vcda (10. 7. 32-34) the earth is the base of the highest Brahma, the air his belly, the sky his head, the sun and moon his eyes, fire his mouth, the wind his breaths. In the cosmology in Brih. i. a fire Is the semen of the PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS demiurge Death, the east is his head, the south-east and north-east his arms, the west his hinder part, the south-west and the north-west his thighs, the south and north his sides, the sky his back, the atmosphere his belly, the earth his chest. According to Aitareya i, there proceeded from the mouth of the world-person fire., from his nostrils the wind, from his eyes the sun, from his ears the quarters of heaven, from his skin plants and trees, from his heart the moon, from his navel death, from his male generative organ water. But here the important thought is added that not only are the bodily parts of this cosmic person to be observed in the external world, but they are also correlated with the functions of the individual person. So, in the sequel of the Aitareya account, fire became speech and entered in the mouth of the individual ; wind became breath and entered in his nose ; the sun, sight in his eyes ; the quarters of heaven, hearing in his ears ; plants and trees, hairs in his skin ; the moon, mind in the heart ; Death, semen in the generative organ. This is perhaps the first detailed mention of a correspon- dence between the microcosm and the macrocosm. Glimpses of it there have been before, as in Chanel. 5, 18. 3, where Brah- ma, selfwise, is fourfold: speech, breath, eye, ear; and with regard to nature, is implicitly corresponding, also fourfold : fire, wind, sun, quarters. A correspondence between four parts of the bodily self and of the world is as old as the Cremation Hymn of the Rig-Vecla (10. .16, 3), where the deceased is addressed : c Let thine eye go to the sun, thy breath to wind/ a notion of dissolution at death which recurs in L4a 17, c My breath to the immortal wind/ and more fully in Brih. 3. 3. 13 : < The voice of a dead man goes into fire, his breath into wind, his eye into the sun, his mind into the moon, his hearing into the quarters of heaven, his body into the earth, his soul (&tmm) into space, the hairs of his head into plants, the hairs of his body into trees, and his blood and semen into water.* I After the correspondence between the parts of the bodily self and the cosmic phenomena was firmly in mind, the next step with the development of abstract thought was probably to conceive of the world as really a Soul (Atmari), a universal ,34 . PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS 1 Soul of which the individual self or soul is a miniature. This was a great step in advance. A sign of the dawning of the philosophical self-consciousness and of a deeper insight into the nature and meaning of the self is given in Brih. i. 4. 7 . 'One's self (atmau), for therein all these become one. That same thing, namely, this self, is the trace of this All ; for by it one knows this All. Just as, verily, one might find by a footprint.' This thought recurs in Svet. 2. 15 : — ' When with the nature of the self, as with a lamp, A piactiscr of Yoga beholds heie the natme of Brahma/ Still crude and figurative, it is nevertheless of deep philo- sophical significance, yielding a concept which is of equal import- ance to that of Brahma. Its development may in the same way be traced now, remembering that this Atman theory was not in all probability a development subsequent to that of Brahma, which has already been traced, though its beginnings certainly were posterior to the beginnings of the Brahma theory. The two, it would seem, progressed simultaneously and influenced each other until their final union. For the sake of clearness in exposition, however, they are here analyzed and followed separately. In the second movement, Atman being postulated as the world-ground, attempts were made to conceive of him as was the case with Brahma. Thus there was an early theory of procreation, Brih. I. 4. 1-5, but much coarser than the similar theory with Brahma. Although by a recognized mistake he was stricken by fear at first and overcame it, Atman was pos- sessed by a feeling of loneliness in his primeval solitariness and wished : ' Would that I had a wife, then I would procreate ' (Brih. i. 4. 17). By an act of self-bifurcation which, etymo- logically interpreted, explains the existence and comple- mentary nature of husband and wife, he produced a female principle by union with which, the pair continually converting themselves into different species, all the different kinds ot animals were born. Then, by the usual method of attrition and blowing, he made fire. This crude myth, near the begin- ning of the earliest Upanishad, is based on the primitive idea that the same empirical methods which man uses for productive PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS purposes, especially the one which is the most mysterious and which accounts for his own production, may be held account- able analogously for the production of the world. It is in the old Brahmanic style and is somewhat misplaced in an Upani- shad. The idea docs not recur again. A more serious attempt to conceive of At man is the dialogue in Chand. 5.11-1 cS3 which again resembles similar attempts with Brahma. Five learned householders came together and discussed: 'Who is our Atman ? What is Brahma?' (a col- location which shows that the two theories of the world-ground were being connected ; in this passage they arc not, however, identified, as they are to be later). These five decided to resort to another who had the reputation of understanding that universal Atman, but even he dared not expound him and answer all questions concerning him. The six then repair to the famed Asvapati for instruction. He, in genuine Socratic manner, first elicits from each of them his present conception of the universal Atman. One says that he vcnciatcs the sky as the universal Atman. Asvapati commends the conception and gives assurance that he is shining like the sky, but a gicat deal more. The sky would be only his head, The others in turn contribute their conceptions, all of which arc accepted as true, but as only partially true, and in essence false. The universal Atman is indeed the sun, and like it all-formed ; but the sun is only his eye. He is indeed the wind, and like it moving in various paths ; but the wind is only his breath. The universal Atman is indeed space, and like it expanded ; but space is only his body. He is indeed water, and like it abun- dant ; but water is only his bladder. The universal Atman is indeed the earth, and like it a support ; but the earth is only his feet. The six Brahmans, as they learned from ASvapati, in spite of having thus grasped partial truth, had made a most serious error in conceiving of Atman as something apart from themselves. This universal Atman, or Soul, is best referred to as in oneself. Important steps in the development of the Atman doctrine are here taken. In the figurative manner of speculation, from which Indian philosophy as well as all philosophy proceeded, Atman3 like Brahma, is first conceived under the form of par* 36 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS ticular objects of nature. The truth there contained is appre- ciated and, better than in the Brahma-dialogues, commended by being immediately universalized. All the great nature-gods, mentioned as hcnothcistically venerated for the philosophical world-ground, are indeed the Atman, but only parts of him. They may, by an accommodation to the learner's standpoint of sense-thought, be regarded as his bodily parts. But by transcending this lower plane of attention directed to object- ively observed facts, AsVapati directed them, in their search for ultimate icality, to an inclusive cosmic Self, which must be conceived of after the analogy of a human self and with which the human self must be identified. A new line of thought is here entered upon, namely intro- spection, which always follows after extrospection, but which marks the beginnings of a deeper philosophic thought. What it finally led on to will be described after an exposition of certain developments and conjunctions of the concept of Atman. The world-ground being Atman, an objective Soul, which was known by the analogy of the soul, but which externally included the soul, certain closer relations were drawn between the not-self and the self, of both of which that Atman was the ground. On pages a 3- 24 citations were made illustrating the notion of correspondences between parts of the world as a cosmic corporeal person and of the individual's bodily self. That notion occurs also in the first chapter of the Chandogya. 1 This [breath in the mouth] and that [sun] are alike. This is warm. That is warm. People designate this as sound (svara), that as sound (svara) [an approximation to $var> light] and as the reflecting (fratyasvara)' (Chand. i. 3, 3). ' The form of this one is the same as that [Person seen in the sun] ' (Chand. i , 7. 5). But now with the doctrine of a universal Atman imma- nent both in the subjective and in the objective, it is no longer similarities, but parts of a unity or identities. c Both he who is here in a person and he who is yonder in the sun — he is one ' (Tait a. 8 ; 3. 10. 4), 'He who is in the fire, and he who is here in the heart, and he who is yonder in the sun — he is one ' (Mailri 6. 17 ; 7. 7), ' He who is yonder, yonder Person (putotfa)—! myself am he!' (Brih. 5. 15; Ka 16). £ Verily, what the space outside of a person is — that is the same as what 37 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISITADS the space within a person is. Verily, what the space within a person is — that is the same as what the space heie within the heart is, That is the Full, the Non-moving' (Chanel. 3. i a. 7 c;). Longer descriptions of Atman as the basis of the unity implied in the usual correlations of the not-self and the self, are the two following : Atman is the person in the caith and the person in the body; in the waters and in the semen; in fire and in speech ; in wind and in breath ; in the sun and in the eye ; in the quarters and in the car and in the echo ; in the moon and in the mind ; in lightning and in heat , in thunder and in sound ; in space and in the space of the heart -, in law and in virtuousncss ; in truth and in truthfulness ; in humanity and in a human ; in the Self and in the self. All these are just Atman (Brih. 2. 5). Brih. 3. 9. 10-1 7 similaily presents this idea of the one Person immanent in and including1 the scklf and the not-self: the person in the earth and in fire is also the person in the body ; the person in the sun is also the person in appearances and in the eye ; the person in space is also the person in the car and in hearing; the poison in claikness and in the shadow is also the person in the heart ; the person in the waters is also the person in semen and in the heart. And finally he is Atman, the Self, the Soul So, as Yajilavalkya explained to Ushastas : ' Uc who breathes in with your breathing in is the Soul (Atman) of yours which is in all things. He who breathes out with your breathing out is the Soul of yours which is in all things. He who breathes about with your breathing about is the Soul of yours which is in all things. He who breathes up with your breathing up is the Soul of yours which is in all things' (Brih. 3. 4- *)• The inner essence, then, of the objective and the subjective is one Being, and that, too, of the nature of a Self, by reason of the reality of the directly known self which necessarily constitutes a part of that ground of all being. But by a different course of speculation and (as was natural with the earlier) one which had regard more especially to the objective, the conception of a single world-ground and then of the actual being of the world itself had been that of Brahma, An objective entity though this Brahma was, the unity of being which it was intended to signify could not disregard the PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS existence and activities of the self, which surely were as real as the sun, moon, waters, space, and so forth that had been the prominent facts to be grounded in the unitary being of the world of Brahma, An approachment to Brahma as under- lying the self also was being made, as was shown In the exposition of the development of the conception of Brahma. But, differently from the realistic procedure with Brahma, a more personal and self-like ground was necessary for effect- ing (he union of the psychologically viewed subjective and objective. For this purpose the old conception of a cosmic Person was more serviceable ; and it was developed away from its first materialistic and corporeal connections to that of a more spiritual Atman, who is immanent in self and not-self and who constitutes the unity expressed in their correlation, Yet finally these two world-grounds, Brahma and Atman, arc not different and separate. Their essential oneness, as aspects of the same great Being, was at first only hinted at, but was later explicitly stated. The suspicion that these two theories., which were becoming current and which people desired to understand more fully, were both of the same Being, was manifested by the form in which learners who came to recognized philosophers for instruction put their questions. Thus, Ushastas came to Yajnavalkya and said : f Explain to me him who Is the Brahma, present and not beyond our ken, him who Is the Soul (Atman) in all things ' (Brih. 3. 4. i). Likewise the five householders who came to A3vapati were first discussing among themselves * Who is our Atman (Soul) ? What is Brahma?' (Chand. 5. n. i). Then we find it directly stated : c Verily, that great unborn Soul, undccaying, undying, Immortal, fearless, is Brahma* (Brih. 4. 4. 35). ' He [i. e. Atman] is Brahma ' (Ait. 5. 3). ' Him [i.e. Brahma] alone know as the one Soul (Atman). Other words dismiss' (Muriel, a, 3. 5). 'The Soul (Atman), which pervades all things . . . , this is Brahma ' (Svet. 1. 16). Before the identification of Brahma and Atman was formally made, the two terms were hovering near each other as designations of the ultimate world-ground, as in Brih. %. 5- *> where to emphasize a point the phrases are used In succession : ' This Soul (Atman), this Immortal, this Brahma, this AIL' After PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS the identification was made the two became interchangeable terms, as in Chand. 8. 14. i : ' . . . Brahma, that is the immortal, that is the Soul (Atman),' and Muncl. 2.2 9 : * Brahma, that which knowcrs of the Soul (Atman) do know ' (through the whole of this section, where the Imperishable is being dc^ciibcd,the terms Brahma and Atman are used indifferently). So the two great conceptions — Brahma, reached first realistically, the unitary cosmic ground, with outrcachings towards a cosmo-antluopic ground ; and Atman, the inner being of the self and the not-self, the great world-spirit — were joined, the former taking over to itself the latter conception and the two being henceforth to a considerable degree synonymous. Here the quest for the real,1 for the unity of the diversified world, for the key to the universe, reached a goal. That which Svctnkctu did not know, though he had been away from home studying twelve years and had studied all the Vcdas and thought himself learned, even that c whereby what has not been heard of becomes heard of, what has not been thought of becomes thought of, what has not been understood becomes understood * (Chand. 6, i. 1-3); that for instruction in which Saunaka, the great householder, came to Angiras (Mund. 1. 1.3) ; that which Karachi knew not, though he knew eighteen books and sciences, and for lack of the knowledge of which he was sorrowing (Chand. 7, i. 1-3) ; that for complete instruction in which Inclra remained with Prajapati as a pupil for one hundred and one years — that supreme object is just this Brahma, this Atman, who is in the world, who is the great Self, the ground of oneself. J Ic is the highest object of knowledge, whom one should desire to know. * By knowing Him only, a wise Brahman should get for himself intelligence/ (Brih. 4. 4. 21,) He Is the key to all knowledge, \ c Verily, with the seeing of, with the hearkening to, with the thinking of, and with the imder- 1 Beautifully expressed, in a different connection, by the three verses of Brill, i. 3. 28 .— 'From the unreal lead me to the real. From darkness lead me to light. From death lead me to immortality/ The earnestness of the search for truth is one of the delightful and commendable features of the Upanishads. 3° PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS standing of the Soul, this world-all is known7 (Brih. a. 4. 5) * Verily, he who knows that thread and the so-called Inner Controller knows Brahma, he knows the worlds, he knows the gods, he knows the Vedas, he knows created things, he knows the Soul, he knows everything' (Brih. 3. 7. i). < This is the knowledge the Brahmans know. Thereby I know what is to be known ' (Brih. 5. i. i). « As, when a drum is being beaten one would not be able to grasp the external sounds, but by grasping the drum or the beater of the drum the sound is grasped ; as, when a conch-shell Is being blown, one would not be able to grasp the external sounds, but by grasping the conch-shell or the blower of the conch-shell the sound is grasped ; as, when a lute is being played, one would not be able to 01 asp the external sounds, but by grasping the lute or the player^ of the lute the sound is grasped'— so by com- prehending At man or Brahma eveiything is comprehended (Brih. 4. 4. 7-9). So the unity which has been searched for from the beginning of Indian speculation was reached. < As all the spokes are held together in the hub and felly of a wheel, just so in this Soul all things, all gods, all worlds, ail breathing things, all selves are held together' (Brih. 2. 5. 15). Pantheism now is the ruling conception of the world, for the world is identical with Atman. ' Atrnan alone is the whole world3 (Chand. 7, 35. 2), * This Brahmanhood, this Kshatrahood, these worlds, these gods, these beings, everything here is what this Soul is' (Brih. a. 4. 6 ; 4. 5. 7). c Who is this one? J is asked in Ait. 5, i, and the reply is: 'He is Brahma; he is Indra; he is Prajapati; [he is] all the gods here ; and these five gross elements, namely earth, wind, space, water, light ; these things and those which are mingled of the fine, as it were ; origins of one sort or another : those born from an egg, and those born from a womb, and those born from sweat, and those born from a sprout ; horses, cows, persons, elephants ; whatever breathing thing there is here— whether moving or flying, and what is stationary/ As the later metrical £vcta£vatara expresses the thought : — * That God faces all the quarters of heaven, Aforetime was he bom, and he it is within the womb. He has been born forth. He will be born.' (£vet. 2, 16.) 3* PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS And again, with more indefinitcness, concerning the pantheistic 'That':— 1 That study is Agni (fnc). That is Adilya (the sun). That is Vayu (the ^md), and That is the moon. That suiely is the pure. That is Biahma. That is the wateis. That is Piajdpati (Lord of Creation). Thou ait woman. Thou ait man. Thou ait the youth and the maiden too. Thou as an old man totteiest with a staff. Being bom, thou becomest facing in eveiy dhcction. Thon art the claik-blue biid and the green [parrot) with red eyes. Thou hast the lightning as thy child. Thou art the seasons and the seas. Having no beginning, thou dost abide with all-pcivadingness, Whercfrom all beings aie bom/ (SveU 4. 2—4.) And most important of all, as Uddalaka nine times repeated to Svetaketu (Chfmd. 6. 8-16): 'That ait thou.' CHAPTER VI THE REALISTIC CONCEPTION OF THE ULTIMATE UNITY, AND THE DOCTRINE OF ILLUSION WHAT, now, is the nature of that single all-encompassing pantheistic Being that has been discovered? It must possess as many qualities as there are in the whole of the real world which it constitutes. This attribution of all possible qualities to the Being of the world is made in the famous Sfimlilya section of the Chandogya (3. 14). ' Verily, this whole world is Brahma. . . . He who consists of mind, whose body is life, whose form is light, whose conception is truth, whose soul (atman) is space, containing all works, containing all desires, containing all odors, containing all tastes, encompassing this whole world, the unspeaking, the unconcerned, . , . smaller than a grain of rice, or a barley-corn, or a mustard-seed, or a grain of millet, or the kernel of a grain of millet, . . . [yet] greater than the earth, greater than the atmosphere, greater than the sky, PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS greater than these worlds.' It must also be capable of all contraries ; — ' Unmoving, the One is swifter than the mind. The sense-poweis icached not It, speeding on before, Past olheis miming, This goes standing. In It Miitansvan places action. It moves. It moves not. It is fin, and It is near. It is within all this, And It is outside of all this/ (Isa 4-5.) 'Sitting, he proceeds afai. Lying, he goes eveiywheie ' (Katha 2. 21.) The diverse identification and constitution of this pantheistic Being arc further expressed in the verses : — c As ike (Agni), he \vaims. He is the sun (Suiya). lie is the bountiful lam (Parjanya). He is the wind (Vayu). He is the earth, matter, God, Being and Non-being, and what is immoital/ (Prasna 2. 5.) ' What that is, know as Being and Non-being/ (Mund. 2. 2. i.) This necessity of postulating in the substrate itself of the world the whole store of materials and qualities which exist in the world, led to the summary contained in Brih. 4. 4. 5, where Brahma is described as ' made of knowledge, of mind, of breath, of seeing, of hearing, of earth, of water, of wind, of space, of energy and of non-energy, of desire and of non-desire, of anger and of non-anger, of virtuousness and of non- virtuousuess. It is made of everything. This is what is meant by the saying " made of this, made of that." ' But such a realistic conception of Brahma as a conglomerate was subversive of the very idea of unity which the concept of Brahma fundamentally signified. All those diverse material objects, psychical functions, and mental states as such could not be regarded as the materials composing the structure of a unitary world-ground. Yet there is diversity and manifoldness in the being of the world which cannot be regarded as existing apart from the world-ground. How account for them ? In one of the old cosmologies (Tait, 2. 6), where Brahrna 33 D PHILOSOPHY OK TIIK UPANISIIADS wished that he were many, performed austerities, procreated himself, and ejected this whole world from himself, it is stated that he entered into it with a double naliuo. ' He became both the actual and the yon both the defined and the undefined, both the based and the non-based, both the conscious and the un- conscious, both the real and the false/ Hcic is perhaps the first emergence of the thought which is the solution to the question put above. It is the distinction made between the so-called phenomenal and noumcnal, between the sensuously peiceived and that which cannot be thus bi ought into consciousness, but can only be thought. This notion that there is much of reality which is not within the spheie of the senses, or within the woild of what is called common-sense experiences, expresses itself here and there in the caily part of the Upanishads, as in Chfmd. 3. 12. 6 - — 'All beings arc one fouith of him , Three fouiths, the immoital m the sky.' Also in Brih. I. 4. 7: cllim they sec not, for [as seen] he is incomplete.' And later also, more like the modern conceptions of immanence and transcendence, as in Brih. 3. 7. ;; : * He who, dwelling in the earth, yet is other than the earth, . , , whose body the earth is, who controls the earth from within,3 and similarly of twenty other objects. ' As the one wind has entered the world And becomes corresponding in foim to every form, So the one Inner Soul of all things Is corresponding in foim to evciy foim, and yet is outside.' (Katha 5. 10.) But it is by the distinction between the noumenal and the phenomenal that the apparent conflict between the One and the many is solved. In a noteworthy passage, Brih. i. 6, 3, it is declared that ' Life (prdna, ' breath ') [a designation of the Atman], verily, is the Immortal. Name and form [the usual phrase signifying individuality] arc the actual By them this Life is veiled.' Similarly in Brih. 2. i , 20 : 4 The mystic mean- ing (npanisad) thereof is the l< Real of the real" Breathing creatures, verily 9 arc the real. He is their Real' Brih. 3, 3. i makes the distinction explicit by affirming that 'there arc, 34 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS assuredly, two forms of Brahma/ It is the same thought, for the section closes with the woids of Brih. 2. i. 30, just cited /but the effort to express the great truth finds itself halting and falling back directly upon the early sensuous conceptions which it endeavored to iise above. These two foims of Brahma are the formed and the un- formed, the mortal and the immortal, the stationary and the moving, the actual and the yon. As regards the Vedic nature- gods, the unformed, immortal, moving, yonder Brahma is the wind and the atmosphere. The essence of that is the person in the sun-disk. The formed, the mortal, the stationary, the actual Brahma is what is different from the wind and the atmosphere. Its essence is the sun which gives forth heat. As regards the self, the unformed, immortal, moving, yonder Brahma is the breath and the space in the heart. Its essence is the person in the right eye. The formed, mortal, stationary, and actual Brahma is what is different from the breath and the intercardiac space. Its essence is the eye (this being typical of the senses by which the phenomenal is perceived). The glorious, brilliant nature of the higher Brahma is then represented by similes of the bright and shining— a saffron- colored robe, white wool, the purple beetle, a flame of fire, a white lotus flower, a sudden flash of lightning. But immediately there follows the warning that the noumenal Brahma cannot be represented to the senses, indeed cannot be defined by any positive characteristics. ' Ncti.ncti: Not thus! Not so!' (Brih. 3. 3. 6; 3. 9. 36). Nevertheless it is the reality of the individual phenomenal actualities. Though starting with and making use of sense data and accepting a strange pair of differentia, namely the stationary and the moving, for the actual and the yon, or for the phenomenal and the noumenal Brahmas, this section nevertheless advances toward the final idealistic conception of reality, to which the pantheism of the Upanishads led. The two Brahmas are described again in Maitri 6. 15. * There are, assuredly, two forms of Brahma : Time and the Timeless* That which is prior to the sun is the Timeless (a-MZa) without parts (a~kala). But that which begins with the sun is Time, which has parts/ The thought begins to appear that if all is One, the manifold 35 D3 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANTSHADS differences that seem so real in experience arc not constitutive of the inner being of that One ; they must be only an appear - ancc, a phenomenon. So again the two Brahmas aic described in Maitri 6. a a . fc Verily there aic two Brahmas to be medi- tated upon sound and non-sound. Now non-sound is revealed only by sound. ... Of it there is this sevenfold comparison : like rivers, a bell, a brazen vessel, a wheel, the croaking of fiogs, rain, as when one speaks in a sheltered place. Passing beyond this variously characterized [souncl-Btahma], men disappear in the supreme, the non-sound, the unmanifcst Brahma/ These two Brahmas, the one manifold with sense qualities, and the other a supcrphcnomcnal unity, wcie accepted as both ical, though in different ways. They wcic ( both the higher and the lower ' of Muncl. % 2. <S and Prasna 5 2 ; the two forms of Svet. i. 13. They formed the subject-matter of the ' two knowledges to be known — as indeed the knowcrs of Brahma aie wont to say: a higher and a lower/ The lower knowledge is of various sciences, but * the higher Is that whereby that Imperishable is apprehended ' (Mund. i. i. 4-5). Their importance in a complete knowledge of Brahma is affirmed by Katha 6. 13, for 'He can indeed be comprehended by the thought "He is*' And by [admitting] the real nature of both [his com- prehensibility and his incomprehensibility].' But this dualizing of the world-ground, this postulating of two Brahmas when the fundamental and repeated axiom of the whole Upanishadic speculation was that t there is only one Brahma, without a second/ induced by way of correction the further development of the previous conception of phenome- nality,1 Reality is One. Diversity and manifoldnc&s are only an appearance. ' There is on earth no diversity. He gets death after death, Who perceives here seeming diversity. As a unity only is It to be looked upon—- This indemonsttable, enduring Being/ (Brih,4. 4. 19 20.) 1 Thus fWkara reconciled the opposition between the two Bralmmn and the one Bfahma, at the end of his commentary on the Veclanta-Sfltras, 4, 3, 14. PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS 1 The seer sees not death, Nor sickness, nor any distress. The seer sees only the All, Obtains the All entirely/ (Chand. 7. 26. 2.) That is the real Brahma, the undifferenced unity. The lower Brahma of sense- manifoldness, in which everything appears as a sclf-subsistent entity, is merely an appearance due to a person's ignorance that all is essentially one ; that is, it is an illusion. So Maitri 6. 3 says plainly of the two Brahmas : ' There are, assuredly, two forms of Brahma • the formed and the formless. Now, that which is the formed is unreal ; that which is the formless is real.' The distinction between the phenomenal and the super- phenomenal was, as has been described, made quite early in the Upanishadic thought. First, the phenomenal, though admittedly a part of the reality of the world, is only a fragment of its totality. : Him they see not, for [as seen] he is incom- plete. . . .Whoever worships one or another of these [individual manifestations] — he knows not ; for he is incomplete with one or another of these5 (Brih. 1.4.7). I* '1S rnere ignorance (amdya) on one's own part, then, that allows him to rest in the things of sense as the ultimate being of the world ; but this ignorance, or non-knowledge, is remediable under instruction concerning the underlying unity. But soon the conception arose that the error is attributable not so much to oneself, as to that Other which hides its unitary nature. * There is nothing by which he is not covered, nothing by which he is not hid' (Brih. 2. 5. 18). Poetically expressed, 'Life, verily, is the Immortal. Name and form are the real By them that Life is veiled 3 (Brih. i. 6. 3). He who is essentially one, ' The Inner Soul (antaratman) of all things . . . , Who makes his one form manifold' (Katha 5. 12), is performing a piece of supernatural magic in appearing as many. 'He became corresponding in form to every form. This is to be looked upon as a form of him. Indra by his magic powers (mays) goes about in many forms; Yoked are his ten-hundred steeds/ (Brih. 2. 5. 19.) 37 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UFANISHA1XS This is the first occurrence in the Upanishadsof the word — in the plural, be it noticed, and as a quotation from Rig-Veda 6. 47. jtS, wheic it occurs many limes in the meaning of '•super- natural powers' or 'artifices' It is this thought which is developed into^ the theory of cosmic illusion and \\hich is expressed in Svct 4. 9-10, the favorite proof-text in the UpanishacLs of the later Maya doctrine. 4 This \\holc woild the illusion-maker piojccts out of this [Brahma]. And m it by illusion the other is confined. Now, one should know that Natuie is illusion, And that the Mighty Loid is the illusion-makei .' Such was the beginning of that which became a prominent doctrine of the later Vcdanta, the doctrine of Maya or thr inevitable illusorincss of all human cognition. In its early development it did not base itself in any way upon what was a chief source of the early Greek scepticism, namely illusions of sense. The sole reference to them in the Upani.shuds, Katha 5.11— 'As the sun, the eye of the whole woild, Is not sullied by the external faults of the eyes ' — is not used as an argument for illusion, though Sankara in his Commentary in loco explains It by the stock simile of the later Vedanta in which the piece of rope lying by the wayside appears in the twilight as a snake to the belated traveler.1 On the contrary, sight is to the philosophers of the UpanishacLs the symbol of truth, 'Sight is truthfulness, for when they say to a man who sees with his eyes " Have you seen ? " and he says te I have seen," that is the truth9 (Brih, 4. 1.4; similarly also in Brih. 5. 14. 4). The doctrine of illusion, then, was the speculative outcome of the conflict between the phenomorfal and the super-phenomenal, between the lower and the higher Brahma, It was the logical 1 Gottgh, in Ins Philosophy 0J the (rpanishads, maintains, in my judgment, an ei'roneousposition, viz, that the UpanibhacU tench the pure Vcdantismof finfckiura, who flourished at least a thousand years after their date, Cough's book in filled with explanations bunging in the similes of the rope and wolec, the distant poht seeming to be a man, the mirage on the band, the reflection of the sun on the water, etc., all of which are drawn from Sankara and even later Hindu philosophers, and not from the Upanibhads. 38 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS conclusion of the abstract presupposition as to the nature and possibilities of the pure unity which these thinkers conceived of as the essence of reality and to which they pressed on as the great goal of all their speculations. The manifold world of sense furnished no such unity and therefore had to be aban- doned as illusory and unreal, in favor of that undifferenced unity to \vhich they were driven as the basis underlying the illusory and which, just because it is beyond all sense- qualities, distinctions, or limitations of any kind, is the real Brahma. eAs a unity only is It to be looked upon — This indemonstrable, enduring Being.3 (Brih. 4. 4. 20.) The attempts to describe this pure unity of being are nume- rous. ' This Brahma is without an earlier and without a later, without an inside and without an outside' (Brih. 2, 5. 19). * For him cast and the other directions exist not, nor across, nor below, nor above [He is] unlimited ' (Maitri 6. 17). < It is not coarse, not fine, not short, not long, not glowing, not adhesive, without shadow and without darkness, without air and without space, without stickiness [intangible], odorless, tasteless, \\ithout eye, without ear, without voice, without mind, without energy, without breath, without mouth, [without personal or family name, unageing, undying, without fear, immortal^ stainless, not uncovered, not covered], without measure, without inside and without outside. It consumes nothing soever. No one soever consumes it J (Brih. 3. 8. 8). * What is soundless, touchless, foimless, imperishable, Likewise tasteless, constant, odoiless, Without beginning, without end, higher than the great.' (Katha 3. 15.) 1 That which is invisible, ungraspable, without family, without caste — without sight or hearing is It, without hand or foot, eternal ' (Mund. i. i. 6). He is apart from all moral, causal, or temporal relations. One must put Him aside as possessed of qualities and take Him as the subtile only (Katha 3. 13-14). The ultimate is void of any mark (a-hnga] whatever (Katha 6. 8; ^vet. 6, 9); without qualities (nir-gima) (£vet 6. 11). About this higher Brahma c there is the teaching " Not thus ! Not 39 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS so I " (ncti, nrti), for there is nothing higher than this [negative definition]' (Brih. s. 3. 6 ; 3. 9. 26 ; 4, 2. 4). '\ Indefinable; k incon- ceivable,1 mere negative statements are all that can be asserted of this pure being, which ex hypothesi is incapable of the qualification, determination, and diversity implied in descriptive attribution. This is exactly the conclusion which Spinoza reached with his in many respects similar pantheism — the famous dictum 'Omnis dclcrminatio ncgatio cst.' 1 How now is this kind of real Biahma to be known ? The practical method, stated in Katha 2. 8-Q and frequently else- where, that if one were taught by a competent guru, or teacher, he might find Brahma, is of course superseded. The progress of speculation had taken Brahma to that far-off, transcendent realm where it is a question whether it may be reached or known at all. Certainly — 1 Not above, not acioss, Not in the middle has one giasped Him. Thcie is no likeness of Him Whose name is Gicat Gloiy. His form is not to be beheld. No one soevei sees Him with the eye. They who know Him with heait and mind As abiding in the heart, become immortal/ (£vet. 4. 19-20.) But no ! that higher Brahma is not accessible to knowledge by sense or by thought or by instruction :— 'There the eye goes not; Speech goes not, nor the mind. We know not, we understand not How one would teach it.3 (Kena 3.) ' Whciefiom words turn back, Together with the mind, not having attained.' (Tait, 2. 4, 9.) No more than its bare existence can be postulated, 'Not by speech, not by mind, Not by sight can lie be apprehended. How can He be comprehended Otherwise than by one's saying "He is I"? (Katha 6. la.) But even here the real point is dodged. 3 £ All determining (describing or qualifying) is a negating.* 40 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS 4 lie who mles the ignoiance and the knowledge is another.' (Svet. 5. i.) ' [Brahma is] highei than understanding/ (Mund 2. 2. i.) 'Other indeed is It than the known, And moieover above the unknown.3 (Kena 3.) ' Into blind daikness enter they That worship ignoiance ; Into daikness greater than that, as it were, That delight in knowledge. Other indeed, they say, than knowledge ' Other, they say, than non-knowledge ! — Thus have we heard from the wise Who to us have explained It.J (Isa 9-10.) Utterly inconceivable is this supreme Brahma. The very attempt to conceive of it indicates that one does not know the essential fact about it. There follows the paradox : ' It is conceived of by him by whom It is not conceived of, He by whom It is conceived of, knows It not. It is not understood by those who [say they] understand It. It is understood by those who [say they] understand It not.' (Kena n.) Such is the outcome of a long circuitous journey to reach that ultimate unity of reality which was dimly foreseen long before in the Rig-Veda and which had been the goal of all the succeeding speculations. What is it — we pause and ask — that has now been reached ? On the one hand an illusory world and on the other hand an unknowable reality. Honestly and earnestly had the thinkers of the Upanishads sought to find the true nature of this world of experience and of a beyond which constantly lured them on, but it had proved to be an ignis fatitus. Yet they did not give up in the despair of agnosticism or in the disappointment of failure. The glimpses which they had had of that final unity had frequently suggested that the self must be accounted for in the unity of being They had found an underlying basis for the subjective and objective in the great Atman, the world-soul, like unto the self-known soul and inclusive of that, but in itself external to it And they had found that the great Atman was identical with the great Brahma, the power or efficacy that actuates PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISMADS the world. But in the explanation of the phenomenal and the noumenal that Brahma had fallen apart and vanished, one pait into the illusory and the other into the unknowable. CHAPTER VII IDEALISM AND THE CONCEPTION OF PURE UNITY THE former glimpses of that nearest of known facts, the self, bhowcd the thinkers of the Upanishads that the path they had been following, the path of realism, had logically led thorn to an unsatisfying conclusion. The unity for which they had been searching as if it were something outside of and apart from the self, could never be reached. For there still remains the stubborn dualism of self and not-self, howevci deeply the two might be set into a pantheistic unity which should embrace them both in an external grasp. Kpistcmological idealism must hcitceforth be the path traveled in order to reach the goal of an absolute unity This was a wonderful discovciy, intuitions of which had flashed out here and there, but which was forced upon them for adoption" by the limit which they had i cached along the line of cpistcmological realism. , The final unity could not and would not, then, be found outside of self, but in it, In truth, the self is the unity that they had been looking for all along, 'for therein all these [things] become one' (Brill, i. 4, 7), and only in it, i. e. in one's own consciousness, do things exist, 4 As far, verily, as this world-space extends, so far extends the space within the heart. Within it, indeed, arc contained both heaven and earth, both fiic and wind, both suu and moon, lightning and stais, both what one possesses here and what one does not possess ; everything here is contained within it J (Chand. 8. i. 3). Realistic pantheism has been changed into epistemological idealism. All existence is for, and in, the self. t This whole world is Brahma, , . . This Soul of mine within the heart , . .' (Chand. 3. 14. i, 3). * He is the world-protector. He is 43 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS the world-sovereign. He is the lord of all. He is my self (Kaush.3 8). «I am Brahma!1 (Brih. i. 4. 10). Thus that world-ground, that unity of being which was being searched for realistically outside of the self, and which, as it was being approached, seemed to recede back into the illusory and into the unknowable, is none other than the self, which had eluded cognition for the reason that, as the subject of consciousness, it could not become an object. £ He is the unseen Seer, the unheard Hearer, the unthought Thinker, the ununderstood Understander ' (Brih. 3. 7. 23). 'You could not see the seer of seeing. You could not hear the hearer of hearing. You could not think the thinker of thinking. You could not understand the understander of understanding' (Brih. 3. 4. 2). ' Wherewith would one understand him with whom one under- stands this All? Lo, wherewith would one understand the understander ? ' (Brih. 2. 4. 14). The world, which by the simile of birds supported on a tree as their roost had been realistically explained (in Pras'na 4. 7) as supported on that which, with unforeseen insight, was called Atman, a Self, because I, a self, am also a part of It — that world is none other than my self. ' He ^vho has found and has awakened to the Soul (Self) . . . The world is his; indeed, he is the world itself.' (Brih. 4. 4. 13.) t One should reverence the thought "I am the world-all!" (Chand. 2. 21. 4). (l alone am this whole world* (Chand. 7. 25. T). ' When he imagines . * , ee I am this world-all/' that is his highest world. This, verily, is that form of his which is beyond desires, free from evil, without fear ' (Brih. 4. 3. 20-21). Rather, instead of being identified with my consciousness, this world of sense is the product of my constructive imagina- tion, as is evident in sleep, when one ( himself tears it apart, himself builds it up, and dreams by his own brightness, by his own light. . . . There are no chariots there, no spans, no roads, But he projects from himself chariots, spans, roads. There are no blisses there, no pleasures, no delights. But he pro- jects from himself blisses, pleasures, delights. There are no tanks there, no lotus-pools, no streams. But he projects from 43 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS himself tanks, lotus-pools, streams. For he is a creator. , . * In the state of sleep going aloft and alow, A god, he makes many forms for himself.1 (I>rih. 4, ,j. <), 10, 13.) Such a theory is distinctly idealistic metaphysics ' Here, then, is the source of that manifold diversity which has seemed to contradict the pure unity of being. It all is the thought-pi oduct of the larger real Self, apait from whom neither it nor I have any existence whatever. lllc who knows " Let rnc smell this," u Let me uttei this,1' "Let me hear this," " Let me think this," is the Self (Clulncl <S. 1 2. 4-5). The ego does not perform those activities. * Assuredly, the Soul (Atman) of one's soul is called the Immortal Leader. As perccivel , thinker, goer, cvacuator, begetter, doer, speaker, taster, smcllci, seer, hcaicr — and he touches the All-pervudei has entered the body ' (Maitri 6. 7). The ical illusion is not strictly the trick of the other, the gieat magician, but my own persistence in the vain belief that I and the world exist apart from, or arc in any sense other than, the pure, untliffcrencccl unity of the Self — or, according to the theory of realistic pantheism, the one world-all Brahma,2 In cither case knowledge of the truth banishes the illusion and restores the identity which was only temporarily sun- dered by ignorance. 'Whoever thus knows "I am Brahma!" becomes this All ; even the gods have not powci to prevent his becoming thus, for he becomes thcii self (Brih. i. *}. 10). Knowledge of the real nature of Brahma in general effects an assimilation of the knowcr of it. 4 Verily, Brahma is fearless. He who knows this becomes the fearless Brahma' (Brill, 4. 4. 35). 'He, verily, who knows that supreme Brahma, becomes very Brahma ' (Muncl 3. 3, 9). ' He who recognises that shadowless, bodiless, bloodless, pure Imperishable, anivcs at the Imperishable itself. He, knowing all, becomes the All ' (Pra^na 4. 10). { Brahma-knowcrs become merged in Brahma * (Svet i. 7). ,4 In the Atman-lheory the great desideratum is union with 1 This is an ancient foreshadowing of the mockin theory of the ' project.* 2 c In tbib Brahma-wheel the soul (Jtamsa) flutters about, thinking that itself and the Actuator are different ' (Svet. I, 6). 44 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS Alman, the inner, real, unitary Self — who in truth am I, if I but knew it and could realize it. That is ' the Self which is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless, hungerless, thirstless, whose desire is the Real, whose conception is the Real' (Chand. 8. 7. i , Maitri 7. 7). In the Brahma-theory also it is complete unqualified unity that is the ideal. £ An ocean, a seer alone without duality, becomes he whose world is Brahma. This is a man's highest path This is his highest bliss' (Brih 4. 3. 32). For £ verily, a Plenum is the same as Pleasure. Theie is no Pleasure in the small. Only a Plenum is Pleasure/ (Chanel. 7. 33. i). This path, however, from the troubled consciousness with its limitations, sorrows and pains, to that state of unalloyed beatitude and unbounded bliss — ' A sharpened edge of a razor, hard to traverse, A difficult path is this — poets declare!' (Katha 3. 14.) 1 Verily, there are just two conditions of this person: the condition of being in this world and the condition of being in the other world. There is an intermediate third condition, namely, that of being in sleep ' (Brih. 4. 3. 9). Going to it, as a fish goes over to the other side of a river and back, one may have an actual experience of that reality of bliss in contrast with which the waking life is but a bad dream (Brih. 4. 3. 18). It is noteworthy how the dominant realistic pantheism of the Upanishads is frequently overriden by the idealistic tendency which rejects the world of the waking consciousness as the real world and which adopts the state of dreamless sleep or of vacuous meditation as grasping the absolute unity and reality. So Prajapati described the real Self, after futile attempts to satisfy Indra with the lower conceptions such as the person who is seen in the eye and the reflected image in a vessel of water, as follows : ' He who moves about happy in dream — he is the Self J (Chand. 8. 10. i). But Indra per- ceived the failure on Prajapati's part to instruct him about a Self which is free from evil and from sorrow, for even in dreams one has most unpleasant experiences, such as being struck and cut to pieces.1 1 Brih. 4. 3. 20 meets the same difficulty— that in a person's dreaming sleep people seem to be killing him, they seem to be overpowering him, an elephant seems to be tearing him to pieces, he seems to be falling into a hole— with the 45 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS Admitting the inadequacy of the state of dreaming .sleep as famishing a cognition of the supreme blissful Self, PiajTipati gives it as his final instruction that * When one is sound asleep, composed, serene, and knows no cheam — that is the Self1 (Chanel. 8. u. i). But Indra found no satisfaction in such a Self, for in that condition a man does not leally know himself so that he can say 'This is I,' noi does he know other things. The objection is not fairly met by IVajapatfs reply that pleasure and pain arc due to the self's connection with the body ; that the highest condition is when in sleep the serene one, rising out from this body, no longer thinks of the appendage of the body, but goes around laughing, spotting, taking delight with women or chariots or relatives. For the explanation is a relapse into the state of dreaming sleep, which, however pleasant it may be at times, had nevertheless been condemned by Prajapati himself as faulty, because it is a conscious condition and thercfoic liable to all the vicissitudes of waking consciousness, In contrast with the unsatisfactory conclusion of this dialogue, Yfijnavalkya, in Brih. a. 4. 14 and 4. 5. 1/5, gave to Maitrcyl — who, like Indra, had been perplexed by the similar instruction that the highest stage of the one Self is unconscious — a more philosophical explanation of why it can not be conscious. 'Where there is a duality, as it were, there one sees another; there one smells another; there one tastes another ; there one speaks to another. . . . Hut where everything has become just one's own self, then whereby and whom would one sec? then whereby and whom would one smell ? then whereby and to whom would one speak ? then whereby and whom would one hear? then whereby and of whom would one think? then whereby and whom would one touch? then whereby and whom would one understand ? M 4 Knowledge is only of a second.' Consciousness means consciousness of an object ; but in that consciousness where all things become one (Kaush, 3. 4), in that unbounded ocean-like pure unity of the explanation that ' he is imagining through ignorance the very fear which he nets when awake1 and which by implication is illusory, 1 There is another almost identical occurrence of n part of this passage in Byilu 4- .V ?>l- PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS real Self (Brih. 4. 3. 32), the duality and limitation of the subject-object relation is obliterated. In it, therefore, con- sciousness is an impossibility. The conception of this pure unity of being and of the blissful union with self was not clearly defined and consistently held, Haiti i 6. 7 suggests the reason. 'Now, where knowledge is of a1 dual natuic [i.e. subjective-objective], there, indeed, one hears, sees, smells, tastes, and also touches , the soul knows everything. Where knowledge is not of a dual nature, being devoid of action, cause, or effect, unspeakable, incomparable, indescribable — what is that ? It is impossible to say ! ' It is strictly inconceivable . — ( Whercfiom words turn back, Together with the mind, not having attained — The bliss of Brahma.' (Tait. 2, 4.) It may only be affirmed as approximately conceived : — ' " This is it " — thus they recognize The highest, indescribable happiness/ (Katha 5. 14.) There was consequently vacillation and indefmiteness in the statements regarding it* Prajapati, when pressed to justify it as unconsciousness, fell back upon the notion of pleasant dreams. The Taittiriya Upanishad, where by arithmetical computation that perfect bliss is declared equal to octillion blisses of the most favored man on earth, states in closing that the aspirant, having reached the ' self which consists of bliss/ goes up and down these worlds, eating what he will and assuming what forms he will, and sits singing the song of universal unity which begins with ' Oh, wonderful ! Oh, wonderful ! Oh, wonderful ! ' (Tait. 3. 10. 5). The limitation of the not-self certainly would be absent in that plenary bliss. £ Where one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, understands nothing else — that is a Plenum. But where one sees something else — that is the small.' 'Verily, a Plenum is the same as Pleasure. There is no Pleasure in the small. Only a Plenum is Pleasure' (Chand*. 7. 33-34). One passage, Brih. 4, 3, 23-30 (the only one of its kind in the Upanishads), attempts, contrary to the prevailing conception of the condition of union with the Self, to make 47 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANTSIIADS qualified provision for sense-activity by a sort of paradox, which is more intelligible in the Madhyaiiidina than in the Kanva recension. c Vciily, while he doas not there sec, he is verily seeing, though he docs not sec what is [usually] to be seen ; for there is no cessation of the seeing of a seer, because of his impel ishability. It is not, howcvei, a second thing, other than himself and separate, that he may sec.' Similarly he continues to smell, taste, speak, hear, think, touch, and know, though not a second thing othci than himself and separate. A sensual conception of that bliss is pictured in Brih, 4. 3. 3 1 , according to which the condition of union with the Self is conscious, but void of content cither subjectively or objectively refcrrent, a mere state of bliss. ' As a man, when in the embrace of a beloved wife, knows nothing within or without, so this person when in the embrace of the intelligent Soul knows nothing within or without' In Ma ml 5 that bliss is found in deep sleep as such. The true conception of the bliss of union with the Self, then, would seem to be that it is strictly an unconscious condition ; but with the attempt to conceive of that condition, which indeed was asserted to be inconceivable; recourse is had to sensual experiences and to balmy sleep. Strictly it is the state of dreamless sleep which is taken as typifying the attainment of the real ' Therefore they say of him "he sleeps," for he has gone to his own' (Chand, 6. 8. i). This is true both in the Brahma theory and in the Atman theory. ' So, just as those who do not know the spot might go over a hid treasure of gold again and again, but not find it, even so all creatures here go to that Brahma-world [in deep sleep] day by day, but do not find it ' (Chand. 8. 3. 2) — a doctrine alluded to in Pra^na 4. 4. * Now, that serene one [the soul in sleep] who, rising up out of this body, reaches the highest light and appears with his own form — He is the Soul ! That is the immoital, the fearless. That is Brahma. The name, verily, of that Brahma is the Real . . . Day by day, verily, he who knows this goes to the heavenly world ' (Chand. 8, 3, 4-5), The pleasant dreams of sleep, rather than the hampered waking consciousness, were, according to some of the passages 48 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS which have been quoted, tentatively accepted as characteristic of the unlimited Self; but, because of the fact of unpleasant dreams, they were rejected in favor of the bliss of dreamless sleep, where even the duality of subject and object that is foreign to the essential nature of the unitary Self is melted away. But even that condition of profound sleep from which one wakes refreshed— back, however, into diversity and into the limitation of the waking consciousness — seems too near the unreality of the illusory egohood which is conscious of falsely apparent objects and subjects. In the Mandukya, therefore, there is put, above the waking consciousness and the dreaming sleep and the dieamless sleep, a fourth stage. ' Not inwardly cognitive, not outwardly cognitive, not bothwise cognitive, not a cognitive mass, not cognitive, not non-cognitive unseen, with which there can be no dealing, ungraspable, having no distinctive mark, non-thinkable, that cannot be designated, the essence of the assurance of which is the state of being one with the Self J (Mand. 7). Another later Upanishad, the Maitri, adopts the same fourfold condition of all existence and denominates the fourth and highest condition tuny a (7. n). Not only in sleep and in a supposititious condition beyond profound slumber does one reach that unity with the Self. He does it also in death, the consummation of unification, for then the diversity and illusoriness of sense-knowledge and separatcness arc overcome. c When this self comes to weakness and to confusedness of mind, as it were, then the breaths gather around him. He takes to himself those particles of energy and descends into the heart. When the person in the eye turns away, back [to the sun], then one becomes non-knowing of forms, " He is becoming one/' they say ; " he does not see." " He is becoming one" they say; "he does not smell" " He is becoming one," they say ; (c he does not taste." " He is becoming one/' they say ; cc he does not speak." " He is becoming one/' they say; "he does not hear." "He is becoming one," they say ; " he does not think." " He is becom- ing one/* they say ; " he does not touch " e< He is becoming one," they say; "he does not know." , . . He becomes one with intelligence' (Brih. 4. 4. 1-3). Similarly in Chand. 6. 49 E PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS 8. 6 and 6. 15 death is only the process of absorption into the Real, into the Self. Of a dying person it is said : ' His voice goes into his mind ; his mind into his breath ; his breath into heat ; the heat into the highest divinity. That which is the finest essence — the whole world has that as its soul That is Reality. That is At man. That art thou, Svctaketu.' And, it might be added, only ignorance and persistence in the thought of a scpaiatc self keep one from actually being It. Death is truly the loosing of the cords of the hcait which bind one to an illusoiy life and to the thought of a separate self-existence. ' Gone aie the fifteen parts according to then station, Even all the bense-organs m their conespondm<» divinities! One's woik and the soul that consists of understanding — All become unified in the supiemc Impciishablo.' (Mu ml. 3. 2. 7.) It is evident that this pure unity of the self, the really Existent, union with which is effected in bleep and in death, is unconscious, because it is void of all limitations or distinctions whatsoever, being * the Person all-pervading and without any mark whatever ' (Katha 6. 8). And therein even the possible distinction that 4 this is I ' {loss of which represented a condition which seemed so abhor- rent to Indra and which Prajapati did not succeed in justifying) is impossible, just because the duality and limitations of the subject-object relation arc impossible in that plenary unity* Thus, from the empirical point of view which regaids the waking consciousness as the real, a man docs in this way * go straight to destruction ' ; but to the philosopher, who understands the falsity of ordinary standards and the illusorincss of the ego to which men fondly cling, the loss of finite individuality in the real Self that is unlimited is the supreme achievement. This doctrine is set forth in parables from nature in the ' That-art -thou ' section of the Chfmdogya. * As the bees, my dear, prepare honey by collecting the essences of different trees and reducing the essence to a unity, as they are not able to discriminate u I am the essence of this tree," "I am the essence of that tree" — even so, indeed, my dear, all creatures here, though they reach Being, know not "We 50 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS have reached Being." . . . These rivers, my dear, flow, the eastern toward the east, the western toward the west. They go just from the ocean to the ocean. They become the ocean itself. As there they know not £C I am this one," " I am that one " — even so, indeed, my dear, all creatures here, though they have come forth from Being, know not " We have come forth from Being"' (Chand. 6. 9-10). It is the very con- sciousness of £this' and of fl' which is the limitation that separates one from the unlimited. And individuality and self- consciousness must be lost ere one reach that infinite Real. "As these flowing rivers that tend toward the ocean, on reaching the ocean, disappear, their name and form [or in- dividuality] are destroyed, and it is called simply " the ocean " — even so of this spectator these sixteen parts that tend toward the Person, on reaching the Person, disappear, their name and form are destroyed, and it is called simply "the Person"' (Prasna 6. 5). Thus the ultimate unity of reality which has been the search throughout the Upanishads is finally reached. On the cpistcmological basis of the common-sense realism which views all things as really existing just as they are seen to exist, and in continuation of the cosmologies of the Rig- Veda, the Upanishads started by positing various primeval entities, out of which by various processes the manifold world was produced. Then Brahma, a power such as that inherent in the ritual and sacrifice whereby rain and the forces of nature were controlled, was postulated as the one world-producer and controller. This conception of Brahma gradually developed into a monism. Simultaneously speculation regarding the nature of the unity in which the self and object's are joined developed the con- ception of Atman, a great Self, after the analogy of the individual self. The Atman-theory and the Brahma- theory became merged together in an absolute pantheism. An apparent conflict between the many and the One led to the distinction between phenomenon and noumenon. Those two under further speculation turned out to be respectively an illusory world and an unknowable reality. The theory of epistemological idealism which had been intuited previously on occasions and which had been led up to by the failure of 51 E3 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS realism, was then developed. The manifold world was seen to be the construction of the imagination, and the supreme unity was found in one's own Self from which the ego is falsely sun- dered by the life of waking consciousness. That pine unity with the Real which is actually effected in sleep and in death is a blissful state of consciousness in which individuality and all distinctions arc overcome. Thus far chiefly the metaphysical doctrines of the Upuni- shads have been treated. There remain important ethical and practical corollaries to the main propositions here laid down, and these will be considered in the following chapters. CHAPTER VIII THE OUTCOME ON RELIGION AND ON TIIK DOCTRINE OF KARMA IN the Vedic period punctilious performance of the ritual was the one means of satisfying the gods and of obtaining" salvation. In the Brahmanic period a change took place similar to that in the Greek religion. That very efficacy of the sacri- fice for the appeasement of the gods whereby men had been kept in subjection, turned out to be an instrument in their hands for controlling the gods, who now became the dependents and received their sustenance from such sacrifice as men might give* In the Upanishads a still fmthcr change occurred. The development of a monistic philosophy removed altogether the necessity of believing in the various Vcdic or Brahmanic gods to supei intend and operate the different departments of nature or to be coerced into man's service* The beginning of this subordination to the one world-all and of the later displacement of the gods as philosophic conceptions (although in popular religion the gods have continued to hold sway) is evidenced in the latter part of the Kcna Upanishad. The first half of this Upanishad, by reason of its advanced position on the unknow- ability of Brahma, must belong to a late period in the Upanishadic philosophy, while the last part of it, which represents Brahma as a new and unknown Being, must belong PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS to the period of the first speculations about that conception. There Agni (Fire) and Vayu (Wind) discover that their power is not independent, but is subject to the will of the world-ruler Brahma. However, by their knowledge of Brahma they attained a pre-eminence over the other gods ; and < he, verily, who knows it thus, striking off evil becomes established in the most excellent, endless, heavenly world— yea, he becomes -established ' (Kena 34). ,That last paragraph of the Kena states the radically new standard of religion and of ethics. No longer is worship or sacrifice or good conduct the requisite of religion in this life, or of salvation in the next. Knowledge secures the latter and disapproves of the former, \ The whole religious doctrine of dif- ferent gods and of the necessity of sacrificing to the gods is seen to be a stupendous fraud by the man who has acquired metaphy- sical knowledge of the pantheistic unity of self and of the world in Brahma or Atman. ' This that people say, " Worship this god ! Worship that god !"— one god after another—this is his creation indeed ! And he himself is all the gods ' (Brih. i. 4. 6). * So whoever worships another divinity [than his Self], thinking " He is one and I another," he knows not. He is like a sacri- ficial animal for the gods. Verily, indeed, as many animals would be of service to a man, even so each single person is of service to the gods. If even one animal is taken away, it is not pleasant. What, then, if many? Therefore it is not pleasing to those [gods] that men should know this [i. e. that the gods are only a phase of Brahma and that an in- dividual man may himself become Brahma by knowing himself to be such] ? (Brih. i. 4. 10). Sacrifice and works of merit towards hypostatized divinities are, in the light of metaphysical knowledge, seen to be futile. On the other hand, the very same knowledge conserves all the efforts of the knower who may care to worship and to do religious acts. ^ ' Verily, even if one performs a great and holy work, but without knowing this [i, e. that the whole world is Brahma or the Self, and that I am Brahma or the Self], that work of his merely perishes in the end. One should worship the Self alone as his [true] world. The work of him who worships the Self alone as his [true] world does not perish ' (Brih. i. 4, 15). 53 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS Thus religious piety is renounced as unnecessary, and know- ledge of that fact, or metaphysical knowledge in general, replaces religiosity in worth and alone renders efficacious any religious or meritorious act which any one, for the sake of conformity to popular custom, may choose to perform. > ' If one offers the Agnihotra sacrifice without knowing this [i. c. that the cosmic process itself is a continuous Agnihoti a | — that would be just as if he were to remove the live coals and pour the offering on ashes. But if one offers the Agnihoti a sacrifice knowing it thus, his offering is made in all worlds, in all beings, in all selves' (Chand. 5. 34. 1-3). * This that people say, <f By offering with milk for a year one escapes the second death " — one should know that this is not so, since on the very day that he makes the offering he who knows escapes the second death ' (Brih. i . 5. 2). This last quotation leads to a topic which holds an im- portant place in the practical religion of India today, namely, the doctrine of karma (literally 'action'), the theory that according to one's good or bad actions In this life one passes at death into the body of a higher or a lower animal. It is noteworthy that in the Rig- Veda there is no trace of metempsychosis.1 This fact is interestingly confirmed in the Upanishads at Chand. 5. 3, where neither Svctnketu (who, according to Chand. 6. i. a, had spent twelve years in study- ing the Vcdas) nor his father and instructor, Gautama, had heard of the doctrine ; and when they are instructed m 5tT it is expressly stated that the doctrine had always belonged to the Kshatriyas, the military class, and was then for the first time divulged to one of the Brahman class. In the Rig- Veda the cschatology consisted of a belief in a personal immortality in the paradise of the gods. After ' a preliminary sign of the doctrine of metempsychosis in the Atharva-Veda/ " the notion first makes its definite appearance in the Satapatha Brahmana. In the Upanishads it had not yet become what it became in later times, a belief which Monier Williams 1 The native commentator of later times thought he discovered ft reference to it in RV. 1. 164. 32, bahfafrajafi , interpreting the word as * subject to many births/ For a refutation see Monier Williams, Brahmanism mid Hinduism, p. 18, note a* 2 Hopkins, Religions of India^ p. 175. 54 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS has aptly characterized in the following severe statement : ' Transmigration, or metempsychosis, is the great bugbear — the terrible nightmare and daymare — of Indian philoso- phers and metaphysicians. All their efforts are directed to the getting rid of this oppressive scare The question is not, What is the truth? The one engrossing problem is, How is the man to break this iron chain of repeated existences ? ' l How his doctrine of karma and reincarnation came to be so thoroughly accepted in India, is uncertain . whether from the Indigenes whom the invading Aryans found in India (as Gough conjectures 2) or whether as the most plausible philo- sophic explanation of the phenomena of instinctive knowledge (as in Brih. 4. 4. a) and of dreaming and remembrance of things not experienced in this life, as well as of sin (according to Sankara on Brih. 4. 3, 9). (In passing be it noted that these are exactly the considerations which led philosophers like Plato, and Christian theologians like Origen and Julius Midler to the belief in an existence prior to the present life.) At any rate, the belief in a person's renewed existence in another body after death, is present in the Upanishads, but not as a burden of despair. It is only the belief in the retributive reward of chaiacter operating with a continued existence in the locality of this world instead of in the locality of heaven or hell. ' Accordingly, those who are of pleasant conduct here — the prospect is3 indeed, that they will enter a pleasant womb, either the womb of a Brahman, or the womb of a Kshatriya, or the womb of a Vaifya. But those who are of stinking conduct here—the prospect is, indeed, that they will enter a stinking womb, either the womb of a dog, or the womb of a swine, or the womb of an outcast' (Chand. 5. 10.7). 'According unto his deeds the embodied* one successively Assumes forms in various conditions. Coarse and fine, many in number, The embodied one chooses forms according to his own qualities. 1 Monier "Williams, Br&hmanisw and Hinduism , p. 41, , s In the first chapter of his Philosophy of the Upanisltads, where ne cites the prevalence of the belief among semi-savage peoples, connected with animism- ' 55 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS [Each] subsequent cause of his union with them is aeon to he Because of the quality of his acts and of himsell.' (£vet. fj. IT- 1 2.) The character which is thus determinative of one's position in the next life is formed not only by action but also by knowledge ' Either as a worm, or as a moth, or as a fish, or as a bird, or as a snake, or as a tiger, or as a poison, 01 as some other in this or that condition, he is born again heie accoi cl- ing to his deeds, according to his knowledge' (Kaush. i. 3). 1 Some go into a womb For the embodiment of a corpoical being*. Others go into a stationaiy thing Accoi ding to their dcseds, accoiding to their knowledge/ (Katha 5, 7,) As in the matter of religion, so as regards this theological tenet, the Upam.shads offer the philosophical knowledge which was the result of their own speculations and which was assessed at a very high value as the means of escape. * Now, whether they perform the cremation obsequies in the case of such a person [i.e. a person who knows] or not, they [i.e. the dead] pass over into a flame; from a (lame, into the day ; from the clay, into the half-month of the waxing moon; from the half-month of the waxing moon, into the six months during which the sun moves northwards ; from the months, into the year ; from the year, into the sun ; from the sun, into the moon ; from the moon, into lightning. There there is a person who is non-human. lie leads them on to Brahma. This is the way to the gods, the way to Brahma. They who proceed by it return not to the human condition here!' (Chand. 4. 15, 5 6), In Brih, 6.2, where the same transmigration theory is discussed the con- clusion is that ' those who know this [namely, the stages of transmigration] ' go to the Brahma-worlds. i Of these there is no return' (Brih. 6. a. 15), There are several other passages which emphasize the efficaciousness over karma and rebirth of that knowledge, the bringing forth of which formed the travails of the Upanishads and the laborious attainment of which induces! an exceeding high estimate of its value ; — 56 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS * What is soundless, touchless, formless, imperishable, Likewise tasteless, constant, odorless, Without beginning, without end, higher than the great, stable- By discerning That, one is liberated from the mouth of death,' (Katha 3. 15.) ' And one's deeds (karma) cease When He is seen — both the higher and the lower.' (Mund. 2. 2. 8.) * By knowing what is therein, Brahma-knoweis Become merged in Biahma, intent theieon, libeiated from the womb [i. e. from rebirth]/ (5vet. i. 7.) 'By knowing God theie is a falling off of all fetters; With disti esses destroyed, there is cessation of birth and death.3 (Svet, i. n.) Slightly different from the theory of sainsara, which con- ceives of the round of existence as bounded within the confines of this world, there is another variety in which persons may by the good deeds of religion earn a limited amount of merit, to be enjoyed for a time in heaven, after which the inexorable law of rebirth returns them to the world : — 1 Unsafe boats, howevei, are these sacrificial foims, The eighteen, in which is expressed the lower work [i.e. the Vedas and the sciences of subsidiary rules]. Since doers of deeds do not understand, because of passion, Therefore, when their worlds are exhausted, they sink down wretched. Thinking sacrifice and merit is the chiefest thing, Naught better do they know — deluded! Having had enjoyment on the top of the heaven won by good works, They re-enter this world, or a lower.' (Mund, i, 2. 7, 9, 10,) * But they who seek the Atman by austerity, chastity, faith, and knowledge . . , they do not return5 (Pras"na i. 10). 57 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS CHAPTER IX THE OUTCOME ON PRACTICAL LIFK AND ON MORALS KNOAYLKDCJK — not ( much learning,5 but the understanding of metaphysical truths — was the Impelling motive of the thinkers of the Upanishads. > Because of the theoretical importance of knowledge in that period of speculative activity, and also because of the discrediting of the popular polytheistic leligion by philosophical reasoning, there took place In India during the times of the UpanishacLs a movement similar to that which produced the Sophists in Greece, namely, an unsettling of the accepted ethics and a substitution of knowledge for religion and morality. Knowledge was the one object of supreme value, the irresistible means of obtaining one's ends. This Idea of the worth and cfficicy of knowledge is expressed again and again throughout the UpanishacLs not only in connection with philosophical speculation, but also in the practical affairs of life. 'That Udgatri priest who knows this — whatever desire he desires, cither for himself or for the sacrifice!', that he obtains by singing. This, indeed, Is world-conquering* (Brih. i. 3. a8). ' This whole world, whatever there is, is five- fold. He obtains this whole world who knows this' (Brih. j. 4. 17). 'He [Indra] is without a rival. ... He who knows this has no rival' (Brih. i. 5. 12). * Whoever strives with one who knows this, dries up and finally olios' (Brih. i. 5, 21), ' lie who knows this [the etymology of Atri (eater) | becomes the eater of everything; everything becomes his food' (Brih, a, 2. 4). ' He who knows that wonderful being as the first- born— namely, that Brahma is the Real — conquers these worlds* Would he be conquered who knows thus that great spirit as the first-born— namely, that Brahma is the Real ? ' (Brih, 5, 4), s As a lump of clay would fall to pieces in striking against a solid stone, so falls to pieces he who wishes evil to one who knows this, and he, too, who injures him, Such a one J& a solid stone* (Chand. i, 3. 8), 58 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS 1 He who knows Brahma as the real, as knowledge, as the infinite . . . , He obtains all desires/ (Tail. 2. i.) cHe who knows that food which is established on food, becomes established. He becomes an eater of food, possessing food. He becomes great in offspring, in cattle, in the splendor of sacred knowledge, great in fame' (Tait. 3. 7). 'Whatever conquest is Brahma's, whatever attainment — that conquest he conquers, that attainment he attains who knows this ' (Kaush. 1.7). ' Verily, indeed, if upon one who knows this both moun- tains should roll themselves forth — both the southern and the northern — desiring to lay him low, indeed they would not lay him low. But those who hate him and those whom he himself hates — these all die around him' (Kaush. 2. 13). c He, verily, who knows that supreme Brahma ... in his family no one igno- rant of Brahma arises' (Mund. 3. 2. 9). (So frequent are the statements describing the invulnerability and omnipotence of him who is possessed of this magic talisman, that j^z evam veda, f he who knows this,3 becomes the most frequently recurring phrase in all the Upanishads. Beside this practical value of knowledge and the speculative value, previously described, for attainment of the ideal unity with the Real,1 knowledge also had a marked ethical value. 1 It is noteworthy how the extreme valuation put upon both these kinds of knowledge produced a reaction withm the period of the Upanishads themselves. The license to override the prescriptive usages of religion and custom which the possessor of knowledge claimed for himself, is distinctly denied in Maitn 4. 3, on the point of the four customary stages in the life of every orthodox Hindu, through disregard of which the revenues of the priests were seriously diminished. As regards speculative knowledge of Atman, its apprehension by means of human knowledge is opposed by the doctrine of prasada, or ' Grace ', in Katha 2. 20 (and, with a slight verbal change, in Svet. 3. 20) * c Through the grace of the Creator he beholds the greatness of Atman/ It is by means of this grace, according to i5vet. 1. 6, that an individual obtains release from illusion and reaches immortality : — 4 In this Brahma-wheel the soul flutters about, Thinking that itself and the Actuator aie different. When favored by Him, it attains immortality.' An even more explicit denial of the knowledge-doctrine is found at Katha 2. 23 (=Mund, 3. 2. 3), where a strict Calvinistic doctrine of election is anticipated : — ' This Soul is not to be obtained by instruction, Nor by intellect, nor by much learning. He is to be obtained only by the one whom He chooses. To such a one that Soul reveals his own person/ 59 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS The possessor of knowledge is freed even now from all his evil deeds as well as from the later mctcmpsychosical results of doing any deeds at all. l Verily, indeed, even if they lay very much [wood] on a fiic5 it burns it all. I wen so one who knows this, although he commits very much evil, con- sumes it all and becomes clean and pure, ageless and immoital ' (Brih. 5. 14. tf). 'Brahma is lightning (vidyitt), they say, because of unloosing (viddna)* Lightning unlooses him fiom evil who knows this, that Brahma is lightning' (JJrih, 5. 7). 'The plunderer of gold, the liquor-drinker, The invader of a teacher's bed, the Bialmun-killer-- - These four sink downward in the scale, And, fifth, he who consorts with them. But he who knows these five fires [i.e. the five-fire doctrine, pancagnwidya~\ thus, is not stained with evil, even though con- sorting with those people. He becomes pure, clean, possessor of a pure world, who knows this—yea, he who knows this1 (Cliand. 5. 10. 9-30). 'As a rush-reed laid on a fire would be burned up, even so arc burned up all the evils of him who offers Agnihotra sacrifice knowing it thus' (Chund. 3. 44. 3), ' He who understands me [Indra is the speaker, representing Atman]— by no deed whatsoever of his is his world injured, not by stealing, not by killing an embryo, not by the murder of his mother, not by the murder of his father ; if he has clone any evil, the dark color departs not from his face ' (Kaushu 3. j), This ethical theory has been compared with the Socratic doctrine of the identity of knowledge and virtue. There is a wide difference, however, between the Upanishadic theory and the theory of the Greek sages that the man who has know- ledge should thereby become virtuous in character, or that the result of teaching should be a virtuous life. Here the possession of some metaphysical knowledge actually cancels all past sins and even permits the knowcr unblushingly to continue in 'what seems to be much evil,' with perfect impunity, although such acts arc heinous crimes and arc disas- trous in their effect for others who lack that kind of knowledge But this unbridled licentiousness of the- earlier Upanishads could not long continue. It probably went to excess, for in 60 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS the middle of the period it is sternly denounced. Good conduct was declared to be an equal requisite with knowledge. e He who has not understanding, Who is unmindful and ever impure, Reaches not the goal, But goes on to transmigration. He, however, who has undei standing, Who is mindful and ever pure, Reaches the goal From which he is bom no more.5 (Katha 3. 7-8.) 1 Not he who has not ceased from bad conduct . . . Can obtain Him by intelligence/ (Katha 2. 24.) The earlier conception that the knower was able to continue in evil unharmed was true only so far as it expressed the idea that knowledge exempts from evil. ' One should be familiar with it. By knowing it, One is not stained by evil action/ (Bnh. 4. 4. 23.) * As water adheres not to the leaf of a lotus-flower, so evil action adheres not to him who knows this [that the *Self is Brahma] ' (Chand. 4. 14. 3). This thought recurs at Maitri 3. 3, and, with another simile, at Pra&ia 5. 5 : f As a snake is freed from its skin, even so, verily, is he [who knows this] freed from sin.' Still another simile is used to drive home this same thought : — £ As to a mountain that Js enframed Deer and birds do not resort — So, with the Brahma-knowers, faults Do never any shelter find/ (Maitn 6. iS.)1 The consistent pantheistic conception, however, of the re- lation of knowledge and moral evil is that knowledge exempts from both good and evil, and elevates the knower altogether from the region of moral distinctions to the higher one where they are not operative. ' Such a one, verily, the thought does not torment : " Why have I not done the good ? Why have I done the evil ? " He who knows this, saves himself from 1 The similes contained in this and the three preceding passages are excellent illustrations of a method of reasoning characteristic of the Upanishads and of the Hindu mind in general. Analogies from nature that serve to illustrate a pro- position are accepted with the force of an argument. 61 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISMADS these [thoughts]. For truly, from both of these he saves himself — he who knows this ! ' (Tait. a. 9). 4 Him [who knows this] these two do not overcome — neither the thought 44 Hence I did wrong," noi the thought " Hence I did light." Verily lie ovei comes them both. What he has clone and what he has not done do not affect him ' (Brih. 4. 4. 32), ' When a seer sees the brilliant JMakei, Potentate, Person, the Biahma-somce, Then, being a knower, shaking oil" good ami evil, Stainless, he attains supreme identity [with I Inn]/ (Mund. t\. i. 3.) For this emancipation, an emancipation from the unreal and an entrance into the ical, the reason is that to the knower good and evil arc conceptions of partial knowledge which can no longer hold in the light of full knowledge. They aie only verbal distinctions. ; Vcniy, if there were no speech, neither right nor wrong would be known, neither true nor false, neither good nor bad, neither pleasant nor unpleasant. Speech, indeed, makes all this known ' (Chfind. 7. a. i). The world of reality, the Brahma-world to which the true knower is admitted, is devoid of all distinctions, pleasant and unpleasant, which are empirically real, but Iranscentlenlally unreal. Accordingly that world is free also from tho ethical distinction of good and evil. v Over that bridge theie cross neither day, nor night, noi old age, nor death, nor sorrow, nor well-doing, nor evil-doing. All evils turn back therefrom, for that Brahma-world is freed from evil ' (Chanel 8. 4* i-j), c lie goes to the world that is without heat, \vithout cold. Therein he dwells eternal years ' (Brih. 5. TO). 'When theie is no daikncsw, then there is no day or night, Nor being, noi non-being, only the Kindly One alone/ (Svet. 4. 1 8.) f He, ... a knower of Brahma, unto Brahma goes on. ... lie comes to the river Vijara (* Ageless 3)» This he crosses with his mind alone, There he shakes off his good deeds and his evil deeds. His dear relatives succeed to the good deeds ; those not dear, to the evil deeds. Then, just as one driving a chariot looks down upon the two chariot-wheels [which in their 63 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS revolutions do not touch him], thus he looks down upon day and night, thus upon good deeds and evil deeds, and upon all the pairs of opposites. This one, devoid of good deeds, devoid of evil deeds, a knower of Brahma, unto very Brahma goes on' (Kaush. i. 4). The same ethical position _is held in the Atman-theory. The world-ground, the great Atman, in itself is — 'Apart from the right and apait from the unright, Apart from both what has been done and what has not been done here, Apart fiom what has been and what is to be/ (Katha 2. 14) 'As the sun, the eye of the whole world, Is not sullied by the external faults of the eyes, So the one Inner Soul of all things Is not sullied by the evil m the world, being external to it/ (Katha 5. n.) ' The bright, the bodiless, the scatheless, The sinewless, the pure, unpieiced by evil/ (Isa 8.) This idea that the Atman-world is ' free from evil or sin, free from impurity, blameless, spotless,' which is expressed in numerous epithets and detached phrases, also receives an etymological justification. ' In the beginning this world was Soul (Atman} alone in the form of a Person (purusa). . . . Since before (purva) all this world he burned up (*/ns) all evils, therefore he is a person (puwts-a) ' (Brih. I. 4. i).1 The Atman thus being void of all ethical distinctions, the Atman-knower who by his knowledge becomes Atman like- wise transcends them in his union with Him. 'As a man when in the embrace of a beloved wife knows nothing within or without, so this person when in the embrace of the intelligent Soul knows nothing within or without. Verily, that is his [true] form. . . , There a father becomes not a father ; a mother, not a mother ; the worlds, not the worlds ; the gods, not the gods ; the Vedas, not the Vedas ; a thief, not a thief. 1 In spite of this non-attnbutability of moral qualities to the world-ground by theoretical reason, the affirmation of the practical reason in postulating a moral order at the heart of the universe is to be observed in two passages in the Upanishads, Chand. 6. 16 and 6 vet. 6. 6. 63 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISIIADS ... He is not followed by good, he is not followed by evil, for then he has passed beyond all sorrows of the heart ' (Brih. 4. 3. 21-m).1 The ethical theoiy thus far presented, which was based on the epistcmological realism of the Upanishads, did not, like the theory of reality, suffer any change by the transition to idealism, but lathci was confirmed by it. The illusion of an external world and of an external Soul that needs to be reached by effort of will served only to prove illusory all activity what- ever, even the good and evil deeds making up such activity. Sleep is the nearest approach to real existence, an individual in sleep only ' appearing to think, appearing to move about * (Brih. 4, 3. 7). ' In this state of sleep, having traveled around and seen good and bad, he hastens again, according to the entrance and place of origin, back to the state of waking. Whatever he sees there [i c. in dreaming sleep], he is not followed by it, for this person is without attachments ' (Brih. 4. 3. 1 6). He there actually reaches the Real and therefore is not affected by the ethical distinctions which are alien to its nature.- ' Now, when one is thus sound asleep, composed, serene, he knows no dream . . . ; so no evil touches him, for then he has reached the Bright Power' (Chand. 8. 6. 3), So the final goal of metaphysical speculation and the practical attainment of supreme and imperishable value was the Soul, the larger Soul which was the ground of the in- dividual soul and of all existence, ' That self is clearer than a son, is dearer than wealth, is clearer than all else, since this self is nearer' (Brih. i. 4. 8), 'He should be searched out, Him one should desire to understand' (Chanel. 8, 7. i)» 3 Among the many Kantian ideas which I )eussen finds in the Upanishads there is a striking one in this connection, namely, that the final jjoal and perfect condition of the human soul is autonomy. See svaraj at Chfmd. 7, 35. 3 and warajyatf. Tait. i. (5. 2, But the conception of autonomy tbeie held is very different from the idea that an autonomous person is in such full control of self that he never by passion disobeys the moral law. As is indicated in the following sentence, *ile has un- checked sway in all the worlds,' the idoa of autonomy is that of unhindered liberty to do what one willb, the same as the condition of perfect bliss described at Tait. 3, 10. 5—a condition in which the successful aspirant 'goes up and down these worlds, eating what he desires, assuming what form he desires.' Cf. also Chand. 8. x. 6. 2 An idea possibly based on the psychological fact that in sleep the moral sense appears greatly weakened. 64 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS However beautiful such a doctrine was in theory, it might very easily be misundei stood and misapplied in practice, as indeed it was by Virocana, who is said to have lived as a pupil with Prajapati for thirty-two years. After receiving instruction about ' the Self which is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless, hungerless, thirstless, whose desire is the Real, whose conception is the Real/ he went forth and declared the following doctrine : ' Oneself is to be made happy here on earth. Oneself is to be waited upon. He who makes meiely himself happy here on earth, who waits upon himself, obtains both worlds, this world and the yonder/ Such utter selfishness is forthwith condemned by the author, who comments : ' Therefore even now here on earth they say of one who is not a giver, who is not a believer, who is not a sacrifice!-, " Oh ' devilish ! " for such is the doctrine of the devils/ And Prajapati also regret- fully declared : * Whosoever shall have such a mystic doctrine — be they gods or be they devils — shall perish ' (Chand. 8. 7-8). The same mistaken ethical theory might be gathered from Yajnavalkya's advice to Maitreyl, Brih. 2. 4 and 4, 5, if Atman were translated by ' self ' or ' ego.' ' Not for love of the wife is a wife dear, but for love of the Soul a wife is dear/ Similarly not for love of sons, wealth, the Brahman class3 the Kshatriya class, the worlds, the gods, things, any thing, are they dear, but for love of the Soul they are dean This is not the modern psychological doctrine that we do not desire anything in itself, but only the pleasantness or self- advantage which the possession of that thing yields to us ; nor is Yajnavalkya advocating the utilitarian doctrine that all love and apparent altruism are and should be self-love and selfishness. The central idea is rather that all those objects are not separate entities, in themselves of value to us; but that they all are phases of the world-self and that in the common, every-day experience of having affection for others we find illustrated the great doctrine of the individual self finding his selfhood grounded in, and reaching out towards, that larger Self which embraces all individuals and all things. With this liberal interpretation, Yajnavalkya's advice to Maitreyi, so far as it contains ethical theory, represents the high-water mark in the Upanishads. The practical ethics are 65 F PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS certainly not as high. The general teaching is that already presented, namely, that moral distinctions do not obtain for the man who has metaphysical knowledge. This is the influence effected on the Bhagavad-Gita, the popular book of religious meditation, in which (at a. 19) Krishna, the divine incarnation, quells the scruples of Arjuna over the murdering of his enemies by this Upanishadic assurance : — flf the slayer think to slay, If the slain think himself slain, Both these understand not. This one slays not, nor is slain/ (Katha 2. 19 ) CHAPTER X THE ARTIFICIAL METHOD OF UNITY IN RENUNCIATION AND IN YOGA As the absolute unity of the Atman was the final goal of speculative thought, so absolute unity with the Atman was re- garded as the supreme actual attainment. Though this is theoretically accomplishable by mere metaphysical knowledge, it is as a matter of fact accomplished only after death or during sleep. Therefore for the period while one is still alive and not sleeping some other method than knowledge must be pro- vided. That was found to be what in Mund. 3. 2. i was joined with knowledge as the means of escaping transmigration : — ' They who, being without desire, worship the Person And are wise, pass beyond the seed [of rebirth] here/ After knowledge has informed a person that he is Brahma or Atman, he should strictly have no more desires, for e he who has found and has awakened to the Soul ... the world is his J (Brih. 4. 4- 13)- ' If a person knew the Soul With the thought " I am He ! " With what desire, for love of what Would he cling unto the body?' (Brih. 4, 4, 12.) 'Verily, because they knew this, the ancients desired not 66 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS offspring, saying: "What shall we do with offspring, we whose is this Soul, this home? " They, verily, rising above the desire for sons and the desire for wealth and the desire for worlds, lived the life of a mendicant' (Brih. 4. 4. w ; cf. 3, 5. i), In actual experience, however, desires do still continue and harass one, But by harboring desires and resorting to activity to satisfy them, one is only admitting and emphasizing to the mind a lack or limitation, and thereby preventing assimilation to and union with the desireless, blissful plenum of the Soul. The entertaining of any desires whatsoever, and the resulting activity, are conditions which from the point of view of know- ledge are sheer ignorance ; these react in dulling the under- standing (cf. Mund. i. a. 9), blind one to the limitation of existence in the world and to the series of rebirths, and maintain the person's false separation from the real Brahma or At man : — 'He who in fancy forms desires, Because of his desires is born [again] here and there.' (Mund. 3. 2. 2.) The psychology and praxis of this doctrine are set forth in a notable passage, Brih. 4. 4. 5-7. <A person is made of desires only. As is his desire, such is his resolve; as is his resolve, such the action he performs ; what action (karma) he performs, that he procures for himself. On this point there is this verse : — Where one's mind is attached — the inner self Goes theieto with action, being attached to it alone. Obtaining the end of his action, Whatever he does in this world, He comes again from that world To this world of action. So the man who desires. Now the man who does not desire. He who is without desire, who is freed from desire, whose desire is satisfied, whose desire is the Soul— his breaths do not depart, Being very Brahma, he goes to Brahma, On this point there is this verse : — When are liberated all The desires that lodge in one's heart, 67 . F a PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS Then a mortal becomes immortal I Therein he reaches Brahma ! ' 1 But if the metaphysical knowledge of the essential oneness of the individual soul (dtman) and the universal Soul (A tin an) did not procure the blissful union with that Soul, neither docs this theory of the avoidance of limiting desires ; for they inevit- ably rise up in the ordinary life of activity. The final solution of the practical problem which the Upanishads offer, namely Yoga, is the outcome of that conception of strict unity which started the speculations of the Upanishads and which urged them on from cosmology to monism, from monism to pantheism, and from an external to an internal unity. That unity — under which it is the aim of every philosophy which has ever existed rationally to bring experience — the early Indian thinkers found in Brahma, and then in the objective Soul (Atman\ and then in one's own soul, wherein the manifoldness of thought itself and the limitation of the distinctions of object and subject and all sorrows of the heart are merged into an undifferentiatcd unitary blissful plenum. cTo the unity of the One goes he who knows this [i. e. that all is one]. The precept for effecting this [unity] is this : restraint of the breath, withdrawal of the senses [from objects], meditation, concentration, contemplation, ab- sorption5 (Maitri 6. 17, 18). This is Yoga (from the root yztj, meaning to 'join/ 'yoke/ 'harness'), a harnessing of the senses and mind from the falsely manifold objects and thoughts, and at the same time a union with the unitary blissful Self. e When cease the five [Sense-]knowledges, together with the mind, And the intellect stirs not — That, they say, is the highest course/ (Katha 6. 10 ; Maitri 6, 30.) The practical application, the ethics, and the offers of this 1 It is interesting to note the opposition between this theory that desires are limitations, and the earlier theory in which one of the strongest practical induce- ments to knowledge was the sure means of obtaining all desires. Cf. Chand. i. i. 7 ; 5. r. 4 ; 7. 10. 2 ; 8. 2. 10 ; Brih. I. 3. 28 ; 6. I. 4 ; Tait. 2. I ; Kafha 2. 16. Similarly the former method of obtaining Brahma was to know Brahma ; now it is to quench all desires. The change on this point is another instance of that transition from epistemological realism to idealism which has been previously traced. 68 PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS theory of the union with the Self are set forth in Maitri 6. 20. According to that — ' By tranquillity of thought Deeds, good and evil, one destroys! With soul serene, stayed on the Soul, Delight eternal one enjoys ! ' The final exhortation of the Upanishads is well expressed in the following words connected with the Brahma-theory : — ' Taking as a bow the great weapon of the Upanishad, One should put upon it an arrow sharpened by meditation. Stretching it with a thought directed to the essence of That, Penetrate that Imperishable as the mark, my friend. The mystic syllable Om l is the bow. The arrow is the soul. Brahma is said to be the mark. By the undistracted man is It to be penetrated. One should come to be in It, as the arrow [in the mark].' (Mund. 2. 2. 3-4.) CHAPTER XI CONCLUDING ESTIMATE SUCH is the philosophy of the Upanishads in what may very probably have been its order of development. Many tendencies made up the process ; and perhaps centuries elapsed between the first and last of the speculations recorded, from the Brihad- Aranyaka and the Chandogya to the Maitri. The thinkers were earnest in their search for truth, and they unhesitatingly abandoned conclusions which had been reached, when in the light of further reasonings and new considerations they weie proved inadequate. The changes from the first realistic materialism to the final speculative idealism form an interest- ing chapter in the history of philosophy. Their intuitions of 1 The sacred syllable to be repeated until one passes into an unconscious stupor or ecstasy. PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS deep truths are subtile with the directness and subtlety of new seekers after truth. In a few passages the Upanishads are sublime in their conception of the Infinite and of God, but more often they are puerile and groveling in trivialities and superstitions. As Hegel, a keen appreciator and thorough student of the history of philosophy, estimated it, f If we wish to get the so-called pantheism in its poetic, most elevated, and, if one will, its coarsest form, we must look for it in the Eastern poets ; and the largest expositions of it are found among the Indians.' As it was suggested before, so it must be emphasized again that, although at first the order of exposition here followed was in all probability the historical order in the progress of thought in the early Hindu philosophy, yet there arc not the chrono- logical data in the Upanishads upon which an unquestioned order can be maintained throughout. The Brihad-Aranyaka, Chandogya, Taittinya, Aitareya, Kaushltaki and Kena 14-34, from their stiucture and literary characteristics; as well as from their contents., are quite certainly assigned to the earlier group of the Upanishads. But even in them theie is a vaiiety of philosophical doctrines which are not in the same stage of development. The heterogeneity and unordered arrangement and even contradictions of the material make it difficult, indeed impossible, to set forth in systematic exposition a single system of philosophy, The purpose has been, therefore, to discern the different tendencies that are undoubtedly present in the philosophy of the Upanishads and to present them in what seems to be the most probable order of development. For the purposes of exposition there have been followed out and con- nected with each other certain lines of thought which in the actual development of the philosophy could hardly have been as independent as they are here set forth. The thought of any people and of any generation is exceed- ingly complex, consciously or unconsciously containing certain elements from the past, which are being gradually discarded, and also certain presentiments of truth which are only later fully recognized. Yet in it all there Is a dominant tendency which may readily be discerned. So in the Upanishadic period there were mythical cosmologies inherited and accepted, whose in- jo PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS fluence continued long after they had logically been superseded by more philosophical theories. In the main, however, there was an appreciation of idealism. This, having seen in the psychic self the essence of the whole world, and having identified it with Brahma, reacted against the realistic philo- sophy which had produced the concept of Brahma ; and then it carried the Atman, or the purely psychical, element over into the extreme of philosophical idealism. Pantheism it may, in general, be called ; for, although very different types of philosophy have been shown to be represented in the Upanishads, pantheism is their most prevalent type and the one which has constituted their chief heritage. Still, even as pantheism., it is hardly the pantheism of the West, nor is it the monism that is based upon science. It is like the simple intuition of the early Greek philosopher Xenophanes, who (after a prior course of cosmological theorizings similar to those in the Upanishads) c looked up into the expanse of heaven and declared, "The One is God."' (Aristotle's Meta- physics, i. 5.) Can such faith in such form, although it has laid hold of the profound truths of ultimate unity and spiritu- ality, be expected to furnish the highly inspiring religion of progress and the elaborately articulated philosophy, correlated with science, which modern India demands ? Before that question can be answered, it will be necessary to find out exactly what the revered Upanishads do actually say. Sanskritists, historians, philosophers, religionists — all who are interested in India's past and concerned about India's future may find here something of what each is already seeking in his separate line. In particular, there will be found by the sympathetic reader throughout these thirteen principal Upani- shads the records of that eager quest which India has been pursuing through the centuries, which is tersely expressed in the Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad in its first division (at i. 3. 38) :— ' From the unreal lead me to the real. From darkness lead me to light. From death lead me to immortality/ The Upanishads have indubitably exercised, and in the revival of Sanskrit learning and of the Indian national con- PHILOSOPHY OF THE UPANISHADS sciousness will continue to exercise, a considerable influence l on the religion and philosophy of India. To present their actual contents by a faithful philological translation, and to furnish a clue to their unsystematic expositions by a brief outline of the development of their philosophical concepts, is one of the needs of the time and has been the aim in the preparation of this volume. 1 Evidenced, for example, m the recent establishment by a Hindu of Bombay of a valuable annual prize for the best exposition and defence of some doctrine of the Upamshads or of Sankara. BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD FIRST ADHYAYA FIRST BRAHMANA1 The world as a sacrificial horse 2 1. Om! Verily, the dawn is the head of the sacrificial horse ; the sun, his eye ; the wind, his breath ; universal fire (Agni VaisVanara), his open mouth. The year is the body (atman) of the sacrificial horse ; the sky, his back ; the atmo- sphere, his belly ; the earth, the under part of his belly ; the quarters, his flanks ; the intermediate quarters, his ribs ; the seasons, his limbs ; the months and half-months, his joints ; days and nights, his feet ; the stars, his bones ; the clouds, his flesh. Sand is the food in his stomach ; rivers are his entrails. His liver and lungs are the mountains ; plants and trees, his hair. The orient is his fore part ; the Occident, his hind part. When he yawns, then it lightens. When he shakes himself, then it thunders. When he urinates, then it rains. Voice, indeed, is his voice. 2. Verily, the day arose for the horse as the sacrificial vessel which stands before. Its place is the eastern sea. Verily, the night arose for him as the sacrificial vessel which stands behind. Its place is the western sea. Verily, these two arose on both sides of the horse as the two sacrificial vessels.3 1 This Brahmana occurs also as £at. Br, 10. 6 4. 2 The A&va-medha, * Horse-sacrifice,' the most elaborate and important of the animal sacrifices in ancient India (described at length in Sat. Br. 13. 1-5), is interpreted, in this and the following Brahmana, as of cosmic significance — a miniature reproduction of the world-order. In the liturgy for the Horse-sacrifice (contained in VS. 22-25) there is a similar apportionment of the parts of the animal to the vanous parts of the world. Compare also a similar elaborate cosmic correlation of the ox at AV. 9. 7. 3 The vessels used to hold the libations at the Asva-medha. Here they are symbolized cosmically by the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. 73 i.i,2-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Becoming a steed, he carried the gods; a stallion, the Gandharvas ; a courser, the demons ; a horse, men.1 The sea, indeed, is his relative. The sea is his place. SECOND BRAHMANA* The creation of the world, leading up to the institution of the horse-sacrifice i. In the beginning nothing whatsoever was here. This [world] was covered over with death, with hunger — for hunger is death. Then he made up his mind (manas) : ' Would that I had a self!'3 So he went on (acarat) praising (arcau). From him, while he was praising, water was produced. 'Verily, while I was praising, I had pleasure (ka) \ ' thought he, This, indeed, is the tfTv&tf-nature of what pertains to brightness (arkya). Verily, there is pleasure for him who knows thus that ar/ca-naturc of what pertains to brightness. 2* The water, verily, was brightness. That which was the froth of the water became solidified. That became the earth. On it he [i.e. Death] tortured himself ( Vsram}. When he had tortured himself and practised austerity, his heat (tejas) and essence (rasa) turned into fire. 3. He divided himself (atmanam) threefold : [fire (agni) one third], the sun (aditya) one third, wind (vayii) one third. He also is Life (prdna) divided threefold. The eastern direction is his head. Yonder one and yonder one4 are the foie quarters. Likewise the western direction is his tail. Yonder one and yonder one 5 are the hind quarters. South and north are the flanks. The sky is the back. The atmosphere is the belly. This [earth] is the chest. He stands firm in the waters. He who knows this, stands firm wherever he goes. 1 Different names for, and aspects of, this cosmic carnei . 2 This Brahmana is found also as a part of Sat, Br. 10, 6. 5. 3 Or * a body,' atman-mn* 4 Explained by Sankara as northeast and southeast respectively. 5 Explained by Sankara as northwest and southwest respectively. 74 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-1.2.7 4. He desired : < Would that a second self of me were pro- duced 1 ' He — death, hunger — by mind copulated with speech (vac). That which was the semen, became the year. Previous to that there was no year. He bore him for a time as long as a year. After that long time he brought him forth. When he was born, Death opened his mouth on him. He cried ' bhan ! ' That, indeed, became speech. 5. He bethought himself: 'Verily, if I shall intend against him, I shall make the less food for myself.' With that speech, with that self he brought forth this whole world, whatsoever exists here : the Hymns (re) [i.e. the Rig- Veda], the Formulas (yajus) [i.e. the Yajur-Veda], the Chants (sdman) [i.e. the Sama-Veda], meters, sacrifices, men, cattle. Whatever he brought forth, that he began to eat. Verily, he eats ( Vad) everything : that is the adtti-oaiure of Aditi (the Infinite). He who knows thus the tf&fz-nature of Aditi, becomes an eater of everything here; everything becomes food for him. 6. He desired : * Let me sacrifice further with a greater sacrifice (yajna)V He toitured himself. He practised austerity. When he had tortured himself and practised austerity, glory and vigor went forth. The glory and vigor, verily, are the vital breaths. So when the vital breaths departed, his body began to swell. His mind, indeed, was in his body (sarira). 7. He desired: ' Would that this [body] of mine were fit for sacrifice ! Would that by it I had a self (atmanmn) ! J Thereupon it became a horse (asva), because it swelled (a£vat). ' It has become fit for sacrifice (medhya) \ ' thought he. There- fore the horse-sacrifice is called A6va-medha. He, verily, knows the A3va-medha, who knows it thus. He kept him [i.e. the horse] in mind without confining him.1 After a year he sacrificed him for himself, [Other] animals he delivered over to the divinities. Therefore men sacrifice the victim which is consecrated to Prajapati as though offered unto all the gods. 1 Even as In the regular Asva-medha the consecrated horsse is allowed to range free for a year. 75 i.a 7-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Verily, that [sun] which gives forth heat is the Asva-medha. The year is its embodiment (atmau). This [eaithly] fire is the ar&a.1 The worlds are its embodi- ments. These aie two, the arka sacrificial fire and the A^va- medha sacrifice. Yet again they are one divinity, even Death. He [who knows this] wards off death again, death obtains him not, death becomes his body (atman\ he becomes one of these deities. THIRD BRAHMANA The superiority of breath among the bodily functions 1. The gods (devd) and the devils (asurd) were the twofold offspring of Prajapati. Of these the gods were the younger, the devils the older. They were struggling with each other for these worlds. The gods said • * Come, let us overcome the devils at the sacrifice with the Udgitha.' 2 2. They said to Speech : c Sing for us the Udgitha.1 'So be it/ said Speech, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in speech, that it sang for the gods ; what- ever good one speaks, that for itself. They [i. e. the devils] knew : ' Verily, by this singer they will overcome us.' They rushed upon it and pierced it with evil. That evil was the improper thing that one speaks. That was the evil. 3. Then they [i.e. the gods] said to the In-breath (prana) : c Sing for us the Udgitha.' e So' be it/ said the In-breath, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in the in-breath, that it sang for the gods ; whatever good one breathes in, that for itself. They [i.e. the devils] knew: 'Verily, by this singer they will overcome us.' They rushed upon it and pierced it with evil That evil was the improper thing thai one breathes in. This, truly, was that evil. 4. Then they [i.e. the gods] said to the Eye: cSing for us the Udgitha.' 1 That is, the fire in the Horse-sacrifice. 2 The important Loud Chant in the ntual. BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-1.3.8 cSo be it/ said the Eye, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in the eye, that it sang for the gods ; what- ever good one sees, that for itself. They [i.e. the devils] knew: 'Verily, by this singer they will overcome us/ They rushed upon it and pierced it with evil. That evil was the improper thing that one sees. This, truly, was that evil. 5. Then they [i. e. the gods] said to the Ear : * Sing for us the Udgltha/ ' So be it/ said the Ear, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in the ear, that it sang for the gods ; whatever good one hears, that for itself. They [i.e. the devils] knew. 'Verily, by this singer they will overcome us/ They rushed upon it and pierced it with evil. That evil was the improper thing that one hears. This, truly, was that evil. 6. Then they [i.e. the gods] said to the Mind : ' Sing for us the Udgltha/ c So be it/ said the Mind, and sang for them. Whatever pleasure there is in the mind, that it sang for the gods , what- ever good one imagines, that for itself. They [i.e. the devils] knew: 'Verily, by this singer they will overcome us/ They rushed upon him and pierced him with evil. That evil was the improper thing that one imagines. This, truly, was that evil. And thus they let out upon these divinities with evil, they pierced them with evil. 7. Then they [i.e. the gods] said to this Breath in the mouth : ' Sing for us the Udgltha/ 4 So be it/ said this Breath, and sang for them. They [i.e. the devils] knew: c Verily, by this singer they will overcome us/ They rushed upon him and desired to pierce him with evil. As a clod of earth would be scattered by striking on a stone, even so they were scattered in all directions and perished. Therefore the gods increased, the demons became inferior. He increases with himself, a hateful enemy becomes inferior for him who knows this. 8. Then they said, * What, pray, has become of him who stuck to us thus ? ' c This one here (ay am) is within the mouth 77 i. 3. 8-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD (asyd) ! ' He is called Ayasya Angirasa, for he is the essence (rasa) of the limbs (ahgct). 9. Verily, that divinity is Dur by name, for death is far (durani) from it. From him who knows this, death is far. 10. Verily, that divinity having struck off the evil of these divinities, even death, made this go to where is the end of the quarters of heaven. There it set down their evils. Therefore one should not go to [foreign] people, one should not go to the end [of the earth], lest he fall in with evil, with death. 11. Verily, that divinity by striking off the evil, the death, of those divinities carried them beyond death. 12. Verily, it carried Speech over as the first. When that was freed from death, it became fire. This fire, when it has crossed beyond death, shines forth. 13. Likewise it carried Smell across. When that was freed from death, it became wind. This wind, when it has crossed beyond death, purifies. 14. Likewise it carried the Eye across. When that was freed from death, it became the sun. That sun, when it has crossed beyond death, glows. 15. Likewise it carried the Ear across. When that was freed from death, it became the quarters of heaven. These quarters of heaven have crossed beyond death. 1 6. Likewise it carried the Mind across. When that was freed from death, it became the moon. That moon, when it has crossed beyond death, shines. Thus, verily, that divinity carries beyond death him who knows this. 17. Then it [i.e. breath] sang out food for itself, for what- ever food is eaten is eaten by it. Hereon one is established. 1 8. Those gods said : c Of such extent, verily, is this universe as food. You have sung it into your own possession. Give us an after-share in this food.' * As such, verily, do ye enter into me.' * So be it.' They entered into him from all sides. There- fore whatever food one eats by this breath, these are satisfied by It. Thus, verily, his people come to him, he becomes the supporter of his people, their chief, foremost leader, an eater of food, an overlord— he who knows this. And whoever 78 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-1.3.25 among his people desires to be the equal of him who has this knowledge suffices not for his dependents. But whoever follows after him and whoever, following after him, desiies to support ^his dependents, he truly suffices for his dependents. 19. He is Ayasya Angirasa, for he is the essence (rasa) of the limbs (anga). Verily, breath is the essence of the limbs, for vcnly breath is the essence of the limbs. Therefore from whatever limb the breath departs, that indeed dries up, for it is verily the essence of the limbs. so. And also it is Brihaspati. The Brihati l is speech. He is her lord (pati), and is therefore Brihaspati. 2.1. And it is also Brahmanaspati. Prayer (brahman)? verily, is speech. He is her lord (pati), and is therefore Brah- manaspati. A glorification of the Chant as breath 2.2. And it is also the Sama-Veda. The Chant (saman\ verily, is speech. It is sa (she) and ama (he). That is the origin of the word sdman. Or because it is equal (sama) to a gnat, equal to a fly, equal to an elephant, equal to these three worlds, equal to this uni- verse, therefore, indeed; it is the Sama-Veda. He obtains intimate union with the Saman, he wins its world who knows thus that Saman. 23. And it is also the Udgitha. The breath verily is up (uj)9 for by breath this whole world is upheld (ut-tabdha}. Song (glthd), verily, is speech ; ut and githa— that is Udgitha. 34. As also Brahmadatta Caikitaneya, while partaking of King [Soma], said: 'Let this king cause this man's3 head to fall off, if Ayasya Angirasa sang the Udgitha with any other means than that, for/ said he, 'only with speech and with breath did he sing the Udgitha/ 25. He who knows the property of that Saman has that property. Its property, truly, is tone. Therefore let him who is about to perform the duties of an Ritvij priest desire a good 1 Name of a meter used m the Rig- Veda. Here it signifies the Rig- Veda itself. 2 Here referring particularly to the Yajur-Veda. 3 That is, * my.'— Com. 79 I-3-35-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD tone in his voice. Being possessed of such a voice, let him perform the duties of the Ritvij priest. Therefore people desire to see at the sacrifice one who has a good tone, as being one who has a possession. He has a possession who knows thus the property of the Saman. 36. He who knows the gold of that Saman comes to have gold. The tone (svara), verily, is its gold. He comes to have gold who knows thus that gold of the Saman. 27. He who knows the suppoit of that Saman is indeed supported. Voice, verily, is its support, for when supported on voice the breath sings. But some say it is supported on food. Prayers to accompany an intelligent performance of the Chant 28. Now next, the praying of the puiificatory formulas (pavamana). — The Prastotri priest (Praiser), verily, begins to praise with the Chant (sdman). When he begins to praise, then let [the sacrlficer] mutter the following : — ' From the unreal (asaf) lead me to the real (sat) I From darkness lead me to light! From death lead me to immortality ' ' When he says ' From the unreal lead me to the real/ the unreal, verily, is death, the real is immortality. * From death lead me to immortality. Make me immortal ' — that is what he says. * From darkness lead me to light ' — the darkness, verily, is death, the light is immortality. ' From death lead me to im- mortality. Make me immortal ' — that is what he says. ' From death lead me to immortality '—there is nothing there that seems obscure. Now whatever other verses there are of a hymn of praise (stotra), in them one may win food for himself by singing. And, therefore, in them he should choose a boon, whatever desire he may desire. That Udgatri priest who knows this — whatever desire he desires, either for himself or for the sacri- ficer, that he obtains by singing. This, indeed, is world-con- quering. There is no prospect of his being without a world who knows thus this Saman. 80 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-1.4,5 FOURTH BRAHMANA The creation of the manifold world from the unitary Soul T. In the beginning this woild was Soul (Atman) alone in the form of a Person. Looking around, he saw nothing else than himself. He said first : < I am.' Thence arose the name ' I.' Theiefore even today, when one is addressed, he says first just ' It is I ' and then speaks whatever name he has. Since before (purvd] all this world he burned up (Jus] all evils, therefore he is a person (pur-iis-a). He who knows this, verily,' burns up him who desires to be ahead of him. 2. He was afraid. Therefore one who is alone is afraid. This one then thought to himself: ' Since there is nothing else than myself, of what am I afraid ? ' Thereupon, verily, his fear departed, for of what should he have been afraid ? Assur- edly it is from a second that fear arises. 3. Verily, he had no delight. Therefore one alone has no delight. He desired a second. He was, indeed, as large as a woman and a man closely embraced. He caused that self to fall (</J>at) into two pieces. Theiefrom arose a husband (pati) and a wife (patnT). Therefore this [is true] : ' Oneself (sva) * is like a half-fragment/ as Yajnavalkya used to say. Therefore this space is filled by a wife. He copulated with her. Therefrom human beings were pioduced. 4. And she then bethought herself- ' How now does he copulate with me after he has produced me just from himself? Come, let me hide myself/ She became a cow. He became a bull. With her he did indeed copulate. Then cattle were born. She became a mare, he a stallion. She became a female ass, he a male ass ; with her he copulated, of a truth. Thence were bom solid-hoofed animals. She became a she-goat, he a he-goat ; she a ewe, he a ram. With her he did verily copulate. Therefrom were born goats and sheep. Thus, indeed, he created all, whatever pairs there are, even down to the ants. 5. He knew : ' I, indeed, am this creation, for I emitted it all from myself.3 Thence arose creation. Verily, he who has this knowledge comes to be in that creation of his. 1 Less likely is Deusben's interpretation • c Therefore is this [body] by itself St G i. 4. 6-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 6. Then he rubbed thus.1 From his mouth as the fire-hole (yoni) and from his hands he created fire (agni}< Both these [i.e. the hands and the mouth] are hairless on the inside, for the fire-hole (yom) is hairless on the inside. This that people say, £ Worship this god ! Worship that god!' — one god after another — this is his creation indeed! And he himself is all the gods. Now, whatever is moist, that he created from semen, and that is Soma. This whole world, verily, is just food and the eater of food. That was Brahma's super-creation : namely, that he created the gods, his superiors ; likewise, that, being mortal, he created the immortals. Therefore was it a super-creation. Verily, he who knows this comes to be in that super-creation of his. 7. Verily, at that time the world was undifferentiated. It became differentiated just by name and foim, as the saying is : * He has such a name, such a form/ Even today this world is differentiated just by name and form, as the saying is : ' He has such a name, such a form.' He entered in here, even to the fingernail-tips, as a razor would be hidden in a razor-case, or fire in a fire-holder.'2 Him they see not, for [as seen] he Is incomplete. When breathing, he becomes breath (prdnd) by name ; when speaking, voice ; when seeing, the eye ; when hearing, the ear ; when thinking, the mind : these are merely the names of his acts. Whoever worships one or another of these — he knows not ; for he is 1 The adverb is here used deictically. 2 Such is the traditional interpretation. If that is correct, the passage presents the earliest occurrence of a favorite simile of the later Vedanta ; cf. for example, £ankara on the Brahma-Sutras 3. 2. 6 ' as fire is latent in firewood or in covered embers.* But the meaning of m&vambJiara is uncertain. Etymologically the word is a compound signifying * all-bearing.' As such it is an unambiguous appellation of the earth at AV 12. I 6. The only other occurrence of its adjectival -use that is cited in BR. is AV. 2. 16. 5, where the commentator substantiates his rendering * fire' by quoting the piesent passage. In both of these passages Whitney rejects the meaning ( fire ' (A V Tr. p. 60-61), and in his criticism of Bohtlingk's translation of this Upamshad (AJP n. 432) suggests that ' vtivambhara may perhaps here mean some kind of insect, in accordance with its later use,' and * since the point of comparison is the invisibility of the things encased ' proposes the translation * or as a vitvambhara in a vtfvam&kara-uest.1 But Professor Lanman adds to Whitney's note on AV. a. 16. 5 (AV, Tr. p. 60-6 j) ; 'I think, nevertheless, that fire may be meant.' The same simile recurs at Kaush. 4. 20. BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-1.4.10 incomplete with one or another of these. One should worship with the thought that he is just one's self (atman\ for therein all these become one That same thing, namely, this self, is the trace (fadaniyd) of this All, for by it one knows this All. Just as, verily, one might find by a footprint (^r),thus— -1 He finds fame and praise who knows this. 8. That self is dearer than a son, is dearer than wealth, is dearer than all else, since this self is nearer. If of one who speaks of anything else than the self as dear, one should say, fc He will lose what he holds dear/ he would indeed be likely to do so. One should reverence the self alone as dear. He who reverences the self alone as dear— what he holds dear, verily, is not perishable. 9. Here people say : £ Since men think that by the knowledge of Brahma they become the All, what, pray, was it that Brahma knew whereby he became the All ? ' 10. Verily, in the beginning this world was Brahma, It knew only itself (atmanam) : < I am Brahma ! ' Therefore it became the All. Whoever of the gods became awakened to this, he indeed became it ; likewise in the case of seers (rsi), likewise in the case of men. Seeing this, indeed, the seer Vamadeva began : — I was Manu and the Sun (Surya)\* This is so now also. Whoever thus knows ' I am Brahma ! ' 1 In the above translation warn (' thus *) is regarded as the complete apodosis of the sentence whose protasis is introduced by yatka (' just as'). This arrangement of clauses involves an ellipsis, which, if supplied m full, might be • 'Just as, verily, one might find [cattle, the commentate! explains] by a footprint, thus one finds this All by its footprint, the self (atwany Another possible grouping would connect that protasis with the preceding sentence merely as an added simile, warn (' thus ') being regarded as a resumptive introduction for the following sentence. The translation of the words thus grouped would be : f That very thing is the trace of this All—even this self (atman) ; for by it one knows this All, just as, verily, one might find by a footprint. Thus he finds fame and praise who knows this.' Neither arrangement of the clauses is entirely satisfactory. Of the two, the latter, however, would appear to be the less probable, for the reason that it prevents the concluding sentence from assuming the exact form — peimitted by the arrangement adopted above — of the customary formula announcing the reward of knowing the truths which have been expounded. * RV. 4. 26. I a. 83 G a i.4. io-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD becomes this All; even the gods have not power to pievcnt his becoming thus, for he becomes their self (atman}. So whoever worships another divinity [than his Self], thinking ' He is one and I another/ he knows not He is like a sacrificial animal for the gods. Verily, indeed, as many animals would be of service to a man, even so each single person is of service to the gods. If even one animal is taken away, it is not pleasant. What, then, if many? Therefoie it is not pleasing to those [gods] that men should know this, ii. Verily, in the beginning this world was Biahma, one only. Being one, he was not developed. He created still further1 a superior form, the Kshatrahood, even those who are Kshatras (rulers) 2 among the gods : Indra, Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama., Mrityu, Isana. Therefore there is nothing higher than Kshatra, Therefore at the Rajasuya ceremony 3 the Brahman sits below the Kshatriya. Upon Kshatrahood alone does he confer this honor. This same thing, namely Brahrnanhood (brahma)> is the source of Kshatrahood. Therefore, even if the king attains supremacy, he rests finally upon Brahmanhood as his own source, So whoever injures him [i.e. a Brahman] attacks his own source. He fares worse in proportion as he injures one who is better. is. He was not yet developed. He created the Vis (the commonalty) ,those kinds of gods that are mentioned in numbers : the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, the Vi^vadevas, the Maruts. 13. He was not yet developed. He created the Sudra caste (varya), Pushan 4 Verily, this [earth] is Pushan, for she nourishes ( Vpzts) everything that is. 14. He was not yet developed. He created still further a better form, Law (dharma). This is the power (ksatra) of the Kshatriya class (ksatra), viz. Law. Therefore there is nothing higher than Law. So a weak man controls a strong man by Law, just as if by a king. Verily, that which is Law is truth. Therefore they say of a man who speaks the truth, < He speaks 1 aty-asrjata t super- created * 2 ksatra abstractly, power or dominion ; specifically, temporal power : used to designate the military and princely class, as contrasted with the priestly class of Brahmans, See page 98, note 2. 8 The ceremonial anointing of a king. 4 Another Vedic divinity. BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-1.4.17 the Law/ or of a man who speaks the Law, < He speaks the truth/ Verily, both these are the same thing. 15. So that Brahma [appeared as] Kshatra, Vis, and Sudra. So among the gods Biahma appeared by means of Agni, among men as a Brahman, as a Kshatriya by means of the [divine] Kshatriya, as a Vaisya by means of the [divine] Vai^ya, as a Sudra by means of the [divine] Sudra. Therefore people desire a place among the gods in Agni, among men in a Brah- man, for by these two forms [pre-eminently] Brahma appeared. Now whoever depaits from this world [i. e. the world of the Atman] without having recognized it as his own, to him it is of no service, because it is unknown, as the unrecited Vedas or any other undone deed [do not help a man]. Verily, even if one performs a great and holy work, but without knowing this, that work of his merely perishes in the end. One should worship the Self alone as his [true] world The work of him who worships the Self alone as his world does not perish, for out of that very Self he creates whatsoever he desires.1 1 6. Now this Self, verily, is a world of all created things. In so far as a man makes offerings and sacrifices, he becomes the world of the gods In so far as he learns [the Vedas], he becomes the world of the seers (rsi). In so far as he offers libations to the fathers and desiies offspring, he becomes the world of the fathers. In so far as he gives lodging and food to men, he becomes the world of men. In so far as he finds grass and water for animals, he becomes the world of animals. In so far as beasts and birds, even to the ants, find a living in his houses, he becomes their world. Verily, as one would desire security for his own world, so all creatures wish security for him who has this knowledge. This fact, verily, is known when it is thought out. 17. In the beginning this world was just the Self (Atman), one only. He wished ; c Would that I had a wife ; then I would procreate. Would that I had wealth; then I would offer sacrifice.' So great, indeed, is desire. Not even if one desired, would he get more than that. Therefore even today when one is lonely one wishes : ' Would that I had a wife, then 1 Cf. Chand. 8. 2, where this thought is developed in detail 85 I.4.I7-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD I would procreate. Would that I had wealth, then I would offer sacrifice.3 So far as he does not obtain any one of these, he thinks that he is, assuredly, incomplete. Now his complete- ness is as follows : his mind truly is his self (dtmaii) ; his voice is his wife ; his breath is his offspring ; his eye is his worldly wealth, for with his eye he finds ; his ear is his heavenly [wealth], for with his ear he hears it , his body (dtman\ indeed, is his work, for with his body he performs work. The sacrifice is fivefold. The sacrificial animal is fivefold. A person is fivefold. This whole world, whatever there is, is fivefold. He obtains this whole world who knows this. FIFTH BRAHMANA The threefold production of the world by Prajapati as food for himself i. When the Father produced by intellect And austenty seven kinds of food, One of his [foods] was common to all, Of two he let the gods partake, Three he made for himself, One he bestowed upon the animals On this [food] everything depends, Both what breathes and what does not. How is it that these do not peiish When they are being eaten all the time He who knows this imperishableness— He eats food with his mouth (pratika), He goes to the gods, He lives on strength. Thus the verses. 3. 'When the Father produced by intellect and austerity seven kinds of food' — truly by intellect and austerity the Father did produce them. ' One of his [foods] was common to all.' That of his which is common to all is the food that is eaten here. He who worships that, is not turned from evil, for it is mixed [i.e. common, not selected]. 'Of two he let the gods partake/ They arc the tmta (fire-sacrifice) and thtfra/mta (offering). For this reason one 86 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-15.3 sacrifices and offers to the gods. People also say that these two are the new-moon and the full-moon sacrifices. Therefore one should not offer sacrifice [merely] to secure a wish 1 One he bestowed upon the animals ' — that is milk, for at first both men and animals live upon milk. Therefore they either make a new-bom babe lick butter or put it to the breast. Likewise they call a new-born calf 'one that does not eat grass ' * On this [food] everything depends, both what breathes and what does not ' — for upon milk everything depends, both what breathes and what does not. This that people say, cBy offering with milk for a year one escapes the second death ' — one should know that this is not so, since on the very day that he makes the offering he who knows escapes the second death, for he offers all his food to the gods. 1 How is it that these do not perish when they are being eaten all the time?' Verily, the Person is imperishableness, for he produces this food again and again. ' He who knows this imperishableness ' — verily, a person is imperishableness, for by continuous meditation he produces this food as his work. Should he not do this, all the food would perish. ( He eats food with his mouth (pratlkd)' The prattka is the mouth. So he eats food with his mouth. * He goes to the gods, he lives on strength ' — this is praise. 3. * Three he made for himself5 Mind, speech, breath — these he made for himself. People say : ' My mind was elsewhere ; I did not see. My rnind was elsewhere ; I did not hear. It is with the mind, truly, that one sees. It is with the mind that one hears. Desire, imagination, doubt, faith, lack of faith, steadfastness, lack of steadfastness, shame, meditation, fear — all this is truly mind.1 Therefore even if one is touched on his back, he discerns it with the mind. Whatever sound there is, it is just speech. Verily, it comes to an end [as human speech] ; verily, it does not [as the heavenly voice]. The in-breath, the out-breath, the diffused breath, the up-breath, the middle-breath — all this is just breath. 1 This and the two preceding sentences are quoted at Maitri 6. 30. 87 i-5 3-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Verily, the self (dtman) 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. 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. l 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 [L 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. n. 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. v 12. Likewise of that Mind the sky is the body. Its light- form 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 light- form is yon moon. As far as Breath extends, so far extends water, so far yon moon. These are all alike, all infinite. Verily he who worships them as finite wins a finite world. Likewise he who worships them as infinite wins an infinite world. One's self identified with the sixteenfold Prajapati 14. That Prajapati 5s the year. He is composed of sixteen parts. His nights, truly, are fifteen parts. His 88 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-1.5.17 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 honoi 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 j 6. 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 c knowledge ' (brahma}. Verily, whatever sacrifices have been made, the sum of them all is expressed by the word * sacrifice.3 Whatever worlds there are, they are all compre- hended under the word ' world.5 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. 1.5- 1 7-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 1 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. 1 8. From the earth and from the fire the divine Speech enters him. Verily, that is the divine Speech whereby what- ever 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 unwearying world-breath, wind 31. 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 paragiaph seems to involve a play upon the double meaning of a word, a procedure characteristic of the Upamshads. The word lokya may here be translated 'world-wise7 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 Of. Manava Dharma Sastra 9. 138 • ' Because a son delivers (trayate} hib father from the hell called Put, therefore he is called putra (son) [i.e. deliverer from hell],' 90 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-1.5.33 to speak/ the voice began. ' I am going to see/ said the eye. 6 I am going to hear,' said the ear. So spake the other func- tions, 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. 33. Now with reference to the divinities. — c Verily, I am going to blaze/ began the Fire. c I am going to give forth heat/ said the Sun. e 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 lises, and in Breath it sets — Him the gods made law (dharmd)\ 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, 1 May not the evil one, Death, get rne.' 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. I.6.1-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD SIXTH BRAHMANA The entire actual world a threefold appearance of the unitary immortal Soul I. 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 (ttktha), 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. 3. Now of forms. — That which is called the Eye is their hymn of praise (uktha), for from it arise (nt-thd) all forms. It is their Saman (chant), for it is the same (sama) as all forms. It is their prayer (brahman), for it supports (Vb/iar) all forms. 3. Now of works, — That which is called the Body (atman) is their hymn of praise (ttktha), for from it arise (ut-tha) all actions. It is their Saman (chant), for it is the same (sama) as all works. It is their prayer (brahman), for it supports ( Vbhar) all works. Although it is that triad, this Soul (Atman) is one. Although it is one, it is that triad. That is the Im- mortal veiled by the real (satya). Life (prana^ ' 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 BRAHMANA1 Gurgya and Ajatasatru's progressive definition of Brahma as the world-source, entered in sleep i. Driptabalaki was a learned Gargya. He said to Aja- ta£atru, [king] of Benares : ' I will tell you about Brahma/ Ajata^atru said: 'We will give a thousand [cows] for such a speech. Verily, people will run hither, crying, " A Janaka ! a Janaka ! " ' 2 1 Compare the similar conversation in Kaush. 4. 2 A very learned and liberal king. 92 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-2.1.8 2. Gargya said : ' The Person who is yonder in the sun— him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatasatru said : ' Talk not to me about him ' I worship him as the pre-eminent, the head and king of all beings. He who worships him as such becomes pre-eminent, the head and king of all beings/ 3. Gargya said : ' The Person who is yonder in the moon — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma I ' Ajatasatru said . ' Talk not to me about him ! I worship him as the great, white-robed king Soma. He who worships him as such, for him soma is pressed out and continually pressed out day by day. His food does not fail.' 4. Gargya said: 'The Person who is yonder in lightning — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! I worship him, verily, as the Brilliant. He who worships him as such becomes brilliant indeed. His offspring becomes brilliant/ 5. Gargya said: 'The Person who is here in space — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatasatru said : ' Talk not to me about him ! I worship him, verily, as the Full, the non-active. He who worships him as such is filled with offspring and cattle. His offspring goes not forth from this earth/ 6. Gargya said. 'The Person who is here in wind — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatasatru said : ' Talk not to me about him ! Verily, I worship him as Indra, the terrible (vaikuntha), and the uncon- quered army. He who worships him as such becomes indeed triumphant, unconquerable, and a conqueror of adversaries/ 7. Gargya said: 'The Person who is here in fire — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ' ' Ajatasatru said : ' Talk not to me about him ! I worship him, verily, as the Vanquisher. He who worships him as such becomes a vanquisher 'indeed. His offspring become van- quishers/ 8. Gargya said: 'The Person who is here in water — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatasatru said : * Talk not to me about him ! I worship him, verily, as the Counterpart [of phenomenal objects]. His 93 a, i. 8-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD counterpart comes to him [In his children], not that which is not his counterpart His counterpart is born from him.' 9. Gargya said: 'The Person who is here in a mirror — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatasatru said : 'Talk not to me about him! I worship him, verily, as the Shining One. He who worships him as such becomes shining indeed. His offspring shine. He out- shines all those with ^whom he goes.3 10. Gargya said : cThe sound here which follows after one as he goes — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ' ' Ajatas'atru said: 'Talk not to me about him! I worship him, verily, as Life (asu). To him who worships him as such there comes a full length of life (dyu) in this world. Breath (prdna) leaves him not before the time.' 11. Gargya said: 'The Person who is here in the quarters of heaven — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatas'atru said: 'Talk not to me about him' I worship him, verily, as the Inseparable Companion. He who worships him as such has a companion. His company is not separated from him.' ia. Gargya said . ' The Person here who consists of shadow — him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! I worship him, verily, as Death. To him who worships him as such there comes a full length of life in this world. Death docs not come to him before the time.' 13. Gargya said: 'The Person here who is in the body (dtman)— him, indeed, I worship as Brahma ! ' Ajatasatru said : ' Talk not to me about him ! I worship him, verily, as the Embodied One (atmanvin). He who wor- ships him as such becomes embodied indeed, His offspring becomes embodied,' Gargya became silent 14. Ajatas'atru said : ' Is that all ? ' Gargya said : ' That is all.' Ajatas'atru said : ' With that much [only] it is not known.' Gargya said : ' Let me come to you as a pupil/ 15. Ajatasatru said: ' Verily, it is contrary to the course of things that a Brahman should come to a Kshatriya, thinking 94 BR1HAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.1.30 " He will tell me Brahma/' However, I shall cause you to know him clearly/ He took him by the hand and rose. The two went up to a man who was asleep. They addressed him with these words : 1 Thou great, white-robed king Soma ! ' He did not rise. He [i.e. Ajatasatru] woke him by rubbing him with his hand. That one arose. 16. Ajatasatru said : ' When this man fell asleep thus, where then was the person who consists of intelligence (mjndna) ? Whence did he thus come back ? ' And this also Gargya did not know. 17. Ajatasatru said : ' When this man has fallen asleep thus, then the peison who consists of intelligence3 having by his intelligence taken to himself the intelligence of these senses (prana\ rests in that place which is the space within the heart. When that person restrains the senses, that person is said to be asleep. Then the breath is restrained, The voice is restrained. The eye is restrained. The ear is restrained. The mind is restrained. 1 8. When he goes to sleep, these worlds are his. Then he becomes a great king, as it were. Then he becomes a great Brahman, as it were. He enters the high and the low, as it were. As a great king, taking with him his people, moves around in his own country as he pleases, even so here this one, taking with him his senses, moves around in his own body (tarlra) as he pleases. 19. Now when one falls sound asleep (susuptci), when one knows nothing whatsoever, having crept out through the seventy-two thousand veins, called hitd, which lead from the heart to the pericardium, one rests in the pericardium. Verily, as a youth or a great king or a great Brahman might rest when he has reached the summit of bliss, so this one now rests. 20. As a spider might come out with his thread, as small sparks come forth from the fire, even so from this Soul come forth all vital energies (prdnd), all worlds, all gods, all beings. The mystic meaning (upanisad) thereof is * the Real of the real ' (satyasya satya)?- Breathing creatures, verily, are the real. He is their Real/ 1 Part of this paragraph recurs at Maitri 6. 32. 95 2.2.I-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD SECOND BRAHMANA The embodiment of Breath in a person i Verily, he who knows the new-born infant with his housing, his covering, his post, and his rope, keeps off seven hostile relatives. Verily, this infant is Breath (prdnd) in the middle. Its housing is this [body]. Its covering is this [head]. Its post is breath (prdna). Its rope is food. 2. Seven imperishable beings stand near to serve him. Thus there are these red streaks in the eye. By them Rudra is united with him. Then there is the water in the eye By it Parjanya is united with him There is the pupil of tlic eye. By it the sun is united with him. By the black of the eye, Agni ; by the white of the eye, Indra ; by the lower eyelash, Earth is united with him ; by the upper eyelash, Heaven, He who knows this — his food does not fail. 3. In connection herewith there is this verse : — There is a cup with its mouth below and its bottom up. In it is placed every foim of glory. On its rim sit seven seers. Voice as an eighth is united with prayer (brahman}} ' There is a cup having its mouth below and its bottom up J — this is the head, for that is a cup having its mouth below and its bottom up. £ In it is placed every form of glory ' — breaths, verily, are the c every form of glory ' placed in it ; thus he says breaths (prdna). ' On its rim sit seven seers' — verily, the breaths are the seers. Thus he says breaths. ' Voice as an eighth is united with prayer7 — for voice as an eighth is united with prayer, 4. These two [sense-organs] here [i. e. the ears] are Gotama and Bharadvaja. This is Gotama and this is Bharadvaja. These two here [i. e. the eyes] are VisVamitra and Jamadagni. This is VisVamitra. This is Jamadagni. These two here[L e. the nostrils] are Vasishtha and Kas"yapa. This is Vasishtha. This is Kas"yapa. The voice is Atri, for by the voice food is eaten (*/ad). Verily, eating (at~ti) is the same as the name 1 A very similar stanza is found at AV. 10. 8. 9. BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.3.6 Atri. He who knows this becomes the eater of everything ; everything becomes his food. THIRD BRAHMANA The two forms of Brahma 1. There are, assuredly, two forms of Brahma: the formed (murta) and the formless,1 the mortal and the immortal, the stationary and the moving, the actual (sat) and the yon (tya). 2. This is the formed [Brahma]— whatever is different from the wind and the atmosphere. This is mortal; this is sta- tionary ; this is actual. The essence of this formed, mortal, stationary, actual [Brahma] is yonder [sun] which gives forth heat, for that is the essence of the actual. 3. Now the formless [Brahma] isthewmdandtheatrnosphere This is immortal, this is moving, this is the yon. The essence of this unformed, immortal, moving, yonder [Brahma] is the Person in that sun-disk, for he is the essence of the yon, — Thus with reference to the divinities. 4. Now, with reference to the self. — Just that is the formed [Brahma] which is different from breath (frdna) and from the space which is within the sell (atman). This is mortal, this is stationary, this is actual. The essence of this formed, mortal, stationary, actual [Brahma] is the eye, for it is the essence of the actual. 5. Now the formless [Brahma] is the breath and the space which is within the self. This is immortal, this is moving, this is the yon. The essence of this unformed, immortal, moving, yonder [Brahma] is this Person who is in the right eye, for he is the essence of the yonder. 6. The form of this Person is like a saffron-colored robe, like white wool, like the [purple] Indragopa beetle, like a flame of fire, like the [white] lotus-flower, like a sudden flash of lightning. Verily, like a sudden lightning-flash is the glory of him who knows this. Hence, now, there is the teaching ' Not thus ! not so ! ' (mti> neti), for there is nothing higher than this, that he is thus. Now the designation for him is cthe Real of the real/ Verily, breathing creatures are the real. He is their Real. 1 Thus far the sentence recurs at Maitn 6. 3, 97 H 2.4- 1-] B£IHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD FOURTH BRAHMANA The conversation of Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi concerning the pantheistic Soul i. c Maitreyi!3 said Yajnavalkya, Mo, verily, I am about to go forth from this state.1 Behold ! let me make a final settlement for you and that Katyayani.' 3. Then said Maitreyi . ' If now, Sir, this whole earth filled with wealth were mine, would I be immortal thereby ? ' c No,5 said Yajnavalkya. c As the life of the rich, even so would your life be. Of immortality, however, there is no hope through wealth.' 3. Then said Maitreyi : ' What should I do with that through which I may not be immortal ? What you know, Sir — that, indeed, tell me ! ' 4. Then said Yajnavalkya : ' Ah (bata) \ Lo (arc\ dear (priya) as you are to us, dear is what you say ! Come, sit down. I will explain to you. But while I am expounding, do you seek to ponder thereon.1 5. Then said he : * Lo, verily, not for love of the husband is a husband dear, but for love of the Soul (Atman) a husband is dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the wife is a wife dear, but for love of the Soul a wife is dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the sons are sons dear, but for love of the Soul sons are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the wealth is wealth dear, but for love of the Soul wealth is dear. Lo, verily, not for love of Brahmanhood 2 (brahma) is Brahmanhood dear, but for love of the Soul Brahmanhood is dear. Lo, verily, not for love of Kshatrahood'2 (ksatrd) is Kshatra- hood dear, but for love of the Soul Kshatrahood is dear. 1 Instead of the general meaning ' place,* sthdna in this context probably has this more technical meaning, designating ( stage in the life of a Brahman ' (atrama) ; i.e. from being a 'householder' (grhastka) he is going on to be an 'anchorite' (vanajbrastha) in the order of the £ four stages.' a From the more simple, general conception of brahma as ' devotion * and * sanctity ' there became developed a more specific, technical application, ' the BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.4.5 Lo, verily, not for love of the worlds are the worlds dear, but for love of the Soul the worlds are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the gods are the gods dear, but for love of the Soul the gods are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the beings (bhuta) are beings dear, but for love of the Soul beings are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of all is all dear, but for love of the Soul all is dear. priesthood1 or 'the Brahman class.' Likewise from the more simple, general conception of ksatra as ' rule' was developed^ more specific, technical application, 6 the ruling power ' or c the Kshatnya class ' The trend of this process is discernible in the Rig- Veda at i. 157. 2, the earliest instance where the two words are associated. Various stages may be noted in other passages where the two words are connected. In the Atharva-Veda at 12 5 8 they would seem to be used (unless, indeed, figuratively) in the primary, non- technical sense, for they are mentioned along with othei qualities of a Kshatnya. But the technical significance is evident in AV. 2. 15. 4 and 15. 10. 2-11 ; while m AV. 9. 7. 9 the social classes as such are unmistakably emphasized. Similarly in the Vajasaneyi-Samhita : — in 19. 5 the primary meaning is dominant; in 5. 27 , 6. 3 ; 7 21; 14. 24; 18, 38 the more technical meaning is evident, while brahma and ksatra are mentioned along with other caste terms at 10 10-12 (with m$, 'the people'); 18. 48; 20. 17, 25; 26. 2, 30, 5 (with vaifya and sudra}. Similarly in the Aitareya Brahmana where the two words are associated — at 3. n and 7 21, with the primary meaning dominant, there seems to be a touch of the technical significance; at 7. 22, 24 the social classes are designated, although it comes out clearly that they are such because charactenzed by the abstract qualities brahma and ksatra respectively; they are mentioned as distinct classes at 2. 33 (along with the w£) and at 7. 19 (along with vattya and Siidrd). Similarly in the Satapatha Brahmana wheie the two words are associated: — the primary conceptions are apparent in n 4 3 11-13 where brahma and ksatra are qualities or characteristics co-ordinated with other objects desired m prayer; but these qualities are felt as characteristic of certain social classes, as also of certain gods (Brihaspati and Mitra respectively) correlated there- with (in 10. 4. i. 5 Indra and Agm, in 5. 1 1. 1 1 Brihaspati and Indra, in 4. 1 . 4. 1-4 Mitra and Varuna respectively) ; brahma and ksatra are also simply technical designations of the social classes in i. 2. i. 7 , 3. 5. 2. n , 4 2. 2 13 ; 9. 4. i. 7-11 ; 12. 7. 3 12; 13. 1,5.2. Still further advanced class differentiation is evidenced by the use of brahma and ksatra along with vi§ as designations of the * priesthood,* * nobility,' and * people' respectively at 2. i. 3, 5-8; 2. i. 4. j? 10. 4, i. 9; n. 2. 7. 14-16. This conspectus of usage furnishes corroboration to the inherent probability that here (in the Upanishad which forms th§ conclusion of the Satapatha Brahmana), especially in § 6, the words brahma tnd ksatra are class-designation^, pregnant, however, with the connotation of the respective qualities. Accoidingly, the (hybrid) word ' Brahmanhood ' can perhaps best express both ' the Brahman class ' and the quality of * devotion ' or ' sanctity ' characterizing the priesthood. Similarly the woid ' Kshatrahood ' is used to designate both 'the Kshatnya class' and the quality of * warrior-rule ' characterizing the nobility. 99 H 2 2,4-5-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Lo, verily, It is the Soul (Atman) that should be seen, that should be hearkened to, that should be thought on, that should be pondered on, O Maitreyi. Lo, verily, with the seeing of, with the hearkening to, with the thinking of, and with the understanding of the Soul, this world-all is known. 6. Brahmanhood has deserted1 him who knows Brahman- hood in aught else than the Soul. Kshatrahood has deserted1 him who knows Kshatrahood in aught else than the Soul. The worlds have deserted him who knows the worlds in aught else than the Soul. The gods have deserted him who knows the gods in aught else than the Soul. Beings have deserted him who knows beings in aught else than the Soul. Eveiy thing has deserted him who knows everything in aught else than the Soul. This Brahmanhood, this Kshatrahood, these worlds, these gods, these beings, everything here is what this Soul is. 7. It is — as, when a drum is being beaten, one would not be able to grasp the external sounds, but by grasping the drum or the beater of the drum the sound is grasped, 8. It is — as, when a conch-shell is being blown, one would not be able to grasp the external sounds, but by grasping the conch-shell or the blower of the conch-shell the sound is grasped. 9. It is — as, when a lute is being played, one would not be able to grasp the external sounds, but by grasping the lute or the player of the lute the sound is grasped, 10. It is — as, from a fire laid with damp fuel, clouds of smoke separately issue forth, so, lo, verily, from this great Being (bkutd) has been breathed foith that which is Rig- Veda, Yajur- Veda, Sama-Veda, [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Angirascs,2 Legend (itihasa), Ancient Lore (pitrand)> Sciences (vidya), Mystic Doctrines (^m^rf), Verses (sloka), Aphorisms (sutra), 1 If this aonst is gnomic, the meaning would be simply * deserts * or * would desert ' ; so also in all the following similar sentences. Cf. Bnh. 4. 5. 7. 2 A designation of the Atharva-Veda. 100 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-2.4.14 Explanations (amivydkkydua)> and Commentaries (vyakhyana). From it, indeed, are all these breathed foith.1 ii. It is — as of all waters the uniting-point is the sea, so of all touches the uniting-point is the skin, so of all tastes the uniting-point is the tongue, so of all smells the uniting-point is the nostrils, so of all forms the uniting-point is the eye, so of all sounds the uniting-point is the ear, so of all intentions (samkalpa) the uniting-point is the mind (manas\ so of all knowledges the uniting-point is the heart, so of all acts (karma) the uniting-point is the hands, so of all pleasures (ananda) the uniting-point is the generative organ, so of all evacuations the uniting-point Is the anus, so of all journeys the uniting-point is the feet, so of all the Vedas the uniting-point is speech. 12,. It is — as a lump of salt cast in water would dissolve right- into the water ; there would not be [any] 2 of it to seize forth, as it were (iva), but wherever one may take, it is salty indeed — so, lo, verily, this great Being (bhuta\ infinite, limitless, is just a mass of knowledge (vijnana-ghana). Arising out of these elements (bkuta), into them also one vanishes away. After death there is no consciousness (na pretya samjna *sti). Thus, lo, say I.' Thus spake Yajnavalkya. 13. Then spake Maitrey! : 'Herein, indeed, you have be- wildered me. Sir — in saying (iti) : " After death there is no consciousness " 1 ' Then spake Yajnavalkya : c Lo, verily, I speak not bewilder- ment (moha). Sufficient, lo, verily, is this for understanding. 14. For where there is a duality (dvaita), as it were (iva\ there one sees another ; there one smells another ; there one hears another ; there one speaks to another ; there one thinks of another; there one understands another. Where, verily, everything has become just one's own self, then whereby and whom would one smell? then whereby and whom would one see? then whereby and whom would one hear? then whereby and to whom would one speak? then whereby and on whom would one think? then whereby and 3 This section recurs, with slight variations, at Maitn 6. 32. 2 Or the ellipsis might be construed: 'It would not be [possible] to seize it forth 101 3.4- 14-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD whom would one understand? Whereby would one under- stand him by whom one understands this All ? Lo, whereby would one understand the understander ? ' FIFTH BRAHMANA The co-relativity of all things cosmic and personal, and the absoluteness of the immanent Soul 1. This earth is honey for all creatures, and all creatures are honey for this eaith. This shining, immortal Person who is in this earth, and, with reference to oneself, this shining3 immortal Person who is in the body — he, indeed, is just this Soul (Atman), this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 2. These waters are honey for all things, and all things arc honey for these waters. This shining, immortal Person who is in these waters, and, with reference to oneself, this shining; immortal Person who is made of semen — he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 3. This fire is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this fire. This shining, immortal Person who is in this fire, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, immortal Person who is made of speech — he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 4. This wind is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this wind. This shining, immortal Person who is in this wind, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, immortal Person who is breath — he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 5. This sun is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this sun. This shining, immortal Person who is in this sun, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, immortal Person who is in the eye — he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 6. These quarters of heaven are honey for all things, and all things are honey for these quarters of heaven. This shining, immortal Person who is in these quarters of heaven, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, immortal Person who is in the ear and in the echo — he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 102 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-a 5.14 7. This moon is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this moon. This shining, immortal Person who is in this moon, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, immortal Person consisting of mind— he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 8. This lightning is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this lightning. This shining, immortal Person who is in this lightning, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, immortal Person who exists as heat— he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Biahma, this All. 9. This thunder is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this thunder. This shining, immortal Person who is in thunder, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, immortal Person who is in sound and in tone— he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 10. This space is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this space. This shining, immortal Person who is in this space, and, with refeience to oneself, this shining, immortal Person who is in the space in the heart— he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this AIL 11. This L&w(Marma) is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this Law. This shining, immortal Person who is in this Law, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, immortal Person who exists as virtuousness — he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 13. This Truth is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this Truth. This shining, immortal Person who is in this Truth, and, with reference to oneself, this shining, im- mortal Person who exists as truthfulness—he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 13, This mankind (manusa) is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this mankind. This shining, immortal Person who is in this mankind, and, with reference to one- self, this shining, immortal Person who exists as a human being — he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All 14. This Soul (Atman) is honey for all things, and all things are honey for this Soul This shining, immortal Person who is in this Soul, and, with reference to oneself, this shining. 103 3.5. J4-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD immortal Person who exists as Soul — he is just this Soul, this Immortal, this Brahma, this All. 15. Verily, this Soul is the overlord of all things, the king of all things. As all the spokes are held together in the hub and felly of a wheel, just so in this Soul all things, all gods, all worlds, all bieathing things, all selves are held together. Tlie honey-doctrine taught in the Vedas 16. This, verily, is the honey which Dadhyanc Atharvana declared unto the two Asvins. Seeing this, the seer spake : — ' That mighty deed of yours, 0 ye two heroes, [which ye did] for gain, I make known, as thunder [makes known the corning] rain, Even the honey which Dadhyafic Atharvana to you Did declare by the head of a hoise.' x 17. This, verily, is the honey which Dadhyanc Atharvana declared unto the two Asvins. Seeing this, the seer spake : — f Upon Dadhyanc Atharvana ye Asvins Did substitute a horse's head, He, keeping true, declared to you the honey Of Tvashtri, which is your secret, O ye mighty ones/ 2 1 8. This, verily, is the honey which Dadhyanc Atharvana declared unto the two AsVins. Seeing this, the seer spake : — ' Citadels with two feet he did make. Citadels with four feet he did make. Into the citadels he, having become a bird — Into the citadels {puras) the Person (purusa) entered/ This, verily, is the person (pnrusa) dwelling in all cities (pnri- soya). There is nothing by which he is not covered, nothing by which he is not hid. 19* This, verily, is the honey which Dadhyanc Atharvana declared unto the two AsVins. Seeing this, the seer spake :— 1 RV i. 1 1 6. 12. The two Asvins desired instruction from Dadhyaac. But the latter was loath to impart it, for Indra had threatened Dadhyaiic thai if he ever told this honey-doctrine to any one else, he (India) would cut his head off. To avoid this untoward result, the A&yms took off Dadhyafic's head and substituted a horse's head. Then, after Uadhyafic had declared the honey- doctrine m com- pliance with their request and Indra had carried out his threat, the A&vms restored to Dadhyanc his own head. This episode shows the extreme difficulty with which even gods secured the knowledge originally possessed by Indra. 2 RV. I. 117. 22. 104 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-2.6.3 * He became coi responding in form to every form. This is to be looked upon as a form of him. Indra by his magic powers (may a) goes about in many forms; Yoked are his ten-hundred steeds/ I He [i.e. the Soul, Atmari\, verily, is the steeds. He, verily, is tens and thousands, many and endless. This Brahma is without an earlier and without a later, without an inside and without an outside. This Soul is Brahma, the all-perceiving. — Such is the instruction. SIXTH BRAHMANA The teachers of this doctrine i. Now the Line of Tradition (vamsd). — Pautimashya [leceived this teaching] from Gaupavana, Gaupavana from Pautimashya, Pautimashya from Gaupavana, Gaupavana from Kausika, Kausika from Kaundinya, Kaundinya from Sandilya, Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama, Gautama [3] from Agnivesya, Agnives'ya from Sandilya and Anabhimlata, Anabhimlata fiom Anabhimlata, Anabhimlata from Anabhimlata, Anabhimlata from Gautama, Gautama from Saitava and Pracmayogya, Saitava and Pracmayogya from Parasarya, Para^arya from Bharadvaja, Bharadvaja from Bharadvaja and Gautama, Gautama from Bharadvaja, Bharadvaja from Parasarya, Para^arya from Vaijavapayana, Vaijavapayana from Kau&kayani, Kaus*ikayani [3] from Ghritakaus'ika, Ghritakaus'ika from Para^aryayana, Para^aryayana from Parasarya, Parasarya from Jatukarnya, 1 RV. 6. 47. 18. 105 2.6.3-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Jatukarnya from Asurayana and Yaska, Asurayana from Traivani, Traivani from Aupajandhani, Aupajandhani from Asuri, Asuri from Bharadvaja, Bharadvaja from Atreya, Atreya from Manti, Manti from Gautama Gautama from Gautama, Gautama from Vatsya, Vatsya fiom Sandilya, Sandilya from Kaisorya Kapya, Kaisorya Kapya from Kumaraharita, Kumaraharita from Galava, Galava from Vidarbhikaundinya, Vidarbhikaundinya from Vatsanapad Babhrava, Vatsanapad Babhrava from Panthah Saubhara, Panthah Saubhara from Ayasya Angirasa, Ayasya Angirasa from Abhuti Tvashtra, Abhuti Tvashtra from Visvarupa Tvashtra, Visvarupa Tvashtra from the two Asvins, the two Asvins from Dadhyanc Atharvana, Dadhyanc Atharvana from Atharvan Daiva, Atharvan Daiva from Mrityti Pradhvarhsana, Mrityu Pradhvarhsana from Pradhvarhsana, Pradhvarhsana from Eka Rishi, Eka Rishi from Vipracitti, Vipracitti from Vyashti, Vyashti from Sanaru, Sanaru from Sanatana, Sanatana from Sanaga, Sanaga from Parameshtin, Parameshtin from Brahma. Brahma is the Self-existent (svayatn-bhu). Adoration to Brahma ! 106 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.i.s THIRD ADHYAYA FIRST BRAHMANA Concerning sacrificial worship and its rewards 1. Janaka, [king] of Videha, sacrificed with a sacrifice at which many presents were distributed. Brahmans of the Kurupaiicalas were gathered together there, In this Janaka of Videha there arose a desire to know which of these Brahmans was the most learned in scripture. He enclosed a thousand cows. To the horns of each ten padas [of gold] were bound. 2. He said to them : < Venerable Brahmans, let him of you who is the best Brahman drive away these cows/ Those Brahmans durst not. Then Yajnavalkya said to his pupil : ' Samasravas, my dear, drive them away.' He drove them away. The Brahmans were angry. ' How can he declare himself to be the best Brahman among us? ' Now there was Asvala, the Hotri-priest of Janaka, [king] of Videha. He asked him : < Yajfiavalkya, are you now the best Brahman among us ? * He replied, < We give honor to the best Brahman. But we are really desirous of having those cows/ Thereupon Asvala, the Hotri-priest, began to question him. 3. ' Yajnavalkya/ said he, ' since everything here is overtaken by death, since everything is overcome by death, whereby is - a sacrificer liberated beyond the reach of death ? ' 'By the Hotri-priest, by fire, by speech. Verily, speech is the Hotri of sacrifice. That which is this speech is this fire, is the Hotri. This is release (mukti), this is complete release/ 4- ' Yajnavalkya,3 said he, c since everything here is overtaken by day and night, since everything is overcome by day and night, whereby is a sacrificer liberated beyond day and night? ' By the Adhvaryu-priest, by the eye, by the sun. Verily, the eye is the Adhvaryu of sacrifice. That which is this eye is yonder sun, is the Adhvaryu. This is release, this is complete release/ 5. * Yajnavalkya/ said he, £ since everything here is over- 107 3-i. 5-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD taken by the waxing and waning moon, by what means does a sacrificer obtain release from the waxing and waning moon ? ' ' By the Udgatri-priest, by the wind, by breath. Verily breath is the Udgatri of the sacrifice. That which is this breath is wind, is the Udgatri. This is release, this is com- plete release.5 6. ( Yajfiavalkya,' said he, ' since this atmosphere does not afford a [foot]hold, as it were, by what means of ascent does a sacrificer ascend to the heavenly world ? ' 1 By the Brahman-priest, by the mind, by the moon. Verily, the mind. is the Brahman of the sacrifice. That which is this mind is yonder moon, is the Brahman. This is release, this is complete release,' — Thus [concerning] liberation. Now the acquirements. — 7. * Yajnavalkya/ said he, ' how many Rig verses will the Hotri make use of today in this sacrifice? ' ' Three/ e Which are those three ? ' 'The introductory verse, the accompanying verse, and the benediction as the third.' ' What does one win by these ? ' * Whatever there is here that has breath.' 8. ' Yajfiavalkya, ' said he, 'how many oblations will the Adhvaryu pour out today in this sacrifice ? J ' Three,' £ Which are those three ? ' ' Those which when offered flame up, those which when offered flow over, those which when offered sink down.' ' What does one win by these ? ' ( By those which when offered flame up, one wins the world of the gods, for the world of the gods gleams, as it were. By those which when offered flow over (ati-nedante), one wins the world of the fathers, for the world of the fathers is over (ati), as it were. By those which when offered sink down (adhiserate)^ one wins the world of men, for the world of men is below (adhas)^ as it were,5 9. 'Yajfiavalkya/ said he, 'with how many divinities does the Brahman protect the sacrifice on the right today ? ; ' With one,' 108 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.3.5 ' Which is that one ? ' 'The mind. Verily, endless is the mind. Endless are the All-gods. An endless world he wins thereby.' 10. 'Yajnavalkya/ said he, c how many hymns of praise will the Udgatri chant today in this sacrifice ? ' 'Three.' * Which are those three ? ' ' The introductory hymn, the accompanying hymn, and the benediction hymn as the third.' < Which are those three with reference to the self? ' 'The introductory hymn is the in-breath (prana). The accompanying hymn is the out-breath (apand). The bene- diction hymn is the diffused breath (yyana).' ' What does one win by these ? ' ' One wins the earth-world by the introductory hymn, the atmosphere-world by the accompanying hymn, the sky-world by the benediction hymn.' Thereupon the Hotri-priest Asvala held his peace, SECOND BRAHMANA The fettered soul, and its fate at death 1, Then Jaratkarava Artabhaga questioned him. c Yajfia- valkya/ said he, ' how many apprehenders aie there? How many over-apprehenders ? ' c Eight apprehenders. Eight over-apprehenders.' * Those eight apprehenders and eight over-apprehenders — which are they ? ' 2. * Breath (prdna), verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by the out-breath (apana) as an over-apprehend er, for by the out-breath one smells an odoi . & Speech, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by name as an ovcr-apprehender, for by speech one speaks names. 4. The tongue, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by taste as an over-apprehender, for by the tongue one knows tastes. 5. The eye, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by appearance as an over-apprehender, for by the eye one sees appearances. 109 3.2.6-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 6. The ear, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by sound as an over-apprehender, for by the ear one hears sounds. 7. The mind, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by desire as an over-apprehender, for by the mind one desires desires. 8. The hands, verily, are an apprehender. It is seized by action as an over-apprehender, for by the hands one performs action. 9. The skin, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by touch as an over-apprehender, for by the skin one is made to know touches.' 10. ' Yajnavalkya/ said he, * since everything here is food for death, who, pray, is that divinity for whom death is food ? ' £ Death, verily, is a fire. It is the food of water (apas}. He overcomes (apa-jayati) a second death [who knows this].' 3 11. 'Yajnavalkya/ said he, 'when a man dies, do the breaths go out of him, or no ? J * No/ said Yajnavalkya. ' They are gathered together right there. He swells up. He is inflated. The dead man lies inflated.' 12. * Yajnavalkya/ said he, * when a man dies, what does not leave him ? ' * The name. Endless, verily, is the name. Endless are the All-gods. An endless world he wins thereby.' 13. £ Yajnavalkya/ said he, 'when the voice of a dead man goes into fire, his breath into wind, his eye into the sun, his mind into the moon, his hearing into the quarters of heaven, his body into the earth, his soul (atman) into space, the hairs of his head into plants, the hairs of his body into trees, and his blood and semen are placed in water, what then becomes of this person (purusa) ? ' 'Artabhaga, my dear, take my hand. We two only will know of this. This is not for us two [to speak of] in public/ The two went away and deliberated. What they said was karma (action). What they praised was karma. Verily, one becomes good by good action, bad by bad action. Thereupon Jaratkarava Artabhaga held his peace. 1 Supplying ya evam veda, as in 3. 3. 2 and 1.2. 7. 110 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.4.1 THIRD BRAHMANA "Where the offerers of the horse-sacrifice go i. Then Bhujyu Lahyayani questioned him. £ Yajfiavalkya/ said he, ( we were traveling around as wanderers among the Madras. As such we came to the house of Pataficala Kapya. He had a daughter who was possessed by a Gandharva. We asked him : " Who are you ? " He said : " I am Sudhanvan, a descendant of Angiras." When we were asking him about the ends of the earth, we said to him : " What has become of the Parikshitas ? What has become of the Parikshitas ? "— I now ask you, Yajnavalkya. What has become of the Pari- kshitas ? ' a. He said : ' That one doubtless said, c{ They have, in truth, gone whither the offerers of the horse-sacrifice go." ' ' Where, pray, do the offerers of the horse-sacrifice go? ' c This inhabited world, of a truth, is as broad as thirty-two days [i.e. days' journeys] of the sun-god's chariot. The earth, which is twice as wide, surrounds it on all sides. The ocean, which is twice as wide, surrounds the earth on all sides. Then there is an interspace as broad as the edge of a razor or the wing of a mosquito. Indra, taking the form of a bird, delivered them [i.e. the Parikshitas] to Wind. Wind, placing them in himself, led them where the offerers of the horse-sacrifice were. Somewhat thus he [i.e. Sudhanvan] praised Wind. Therefore Wind alone is individuality (vyasti). Wind is totality (samastf). He who knows this overcomes a second death.' Thereupon Bhujyu Lahyayani held his peace. FOURTH BRAHMANA The theoretical unknowability of the immanent Brahma i. Then Ushasta Cakrayana questioned him. ' Yajnavalkya/ said he, ' explain to me him who is the Brahma present and not beyond our ken, him who is the Soul in all things.' ' He is your soul (dtman), which is in all things.' c Which one, O Yajnavalkya, is in all things ? ' * He who breathes in with your breathing in (frana) is the in 3-4- i-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Soul of yours, which is in all things. He who breathes out with your breathing out (apand] is the Soul of yours, which is in all things. He who breathes about with your breathing about (vyana] is the Soul of yours, which is in all things. He who breathes up with your breathing up (uddna) is the Soul of yours, which is in all things. He is your soul, which is in all things.' a. Ushasta Cakrayana said : ' This has been explained to me just as one might say, <cThis is a cow. This is a horse." Explain to me him who is just the Brahma present and not beyond our ken, him who is the Soul in all things.1 c He is your soul, which is in all things/ £ Which one, O Yajnavalkya, is in all things ? ' c You could not see the seer of seeing. You could not hear the hearer of hearing. You could not think the thinker of thinking. You could not understand the undcrstander of understanding. He is your soul, which is in all things. Aught else than Him [or, than this] is wretched.' Thereupon Ushasta Cakrayana held his peace. FIFTH BRAHMANA The practical way of Imowing Brahma — by asceticism i. Now Kahola Kaushltakeya questioned him. * Yajna- valkya/ said he, ' explain to me him who is just the Brahma present and not beyond our ken, him who is the Soul in all things.1 ' He is your soul, which is in all things/ 1 Which one, O Yajnavalkya, is in all things ? ' ' He who passes beyond hunger and thirst, beyond sorrow and delusion, beyond old age and death — Brahmans who know such a Soul overcome desire for sons, desire for wealth, desire for worlds, and live the life of mendicants. For desire for sons is desire for wealth, and desire for wealth is desire for worlds, for both these are merely desires. Therefore let a Brahman become disgusted with learning and desire to live as a child. When he has become disgusted both with the state of childhood and with learning, then he becomes an ascetic (muni). When he has become disgusted both with the non-ascetic state and with the ascetic state, then he becomes a Brahman/ us BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.6 ' By what means would he become a Brahman ? ' 1 By that means by which he does become such a one. Aught else than this Soul (Atman) is wretched/ Thereupon Kahola Kaushitakeya held his peace. SIXTH BRAHMANA The regressus to Brahma, the ultimate world-ground Then GargI Vacaknavi questioned him. ' Yajnavalkya,' said she, c since all this world is woven, warp and woof, on water, on what, pray, is the water woven, warp and woof? ' ' On wind, O GargI/ c On what then, pray, is the wind woven, warp and woof? ' c On the atmosphere-worlds, O GargI/ 'On what then, pray, are the atmospheie- worlds woven, warp and woof? ' 1 On the worlds of the Gandharvas, O GargI/ ' On what then, pray, are the worlds of the Gandhaivas woven, warp and woof? ' : On the worlds of the sun, O GargI ' * On what then, pray, are the worlds of the sun woven, warp and woof ? ' * On the worlds of the moon, O GargI/ e On what then; pray, are the worlds of the moon woven, warp and woof? * 6 On the worlds of the stars, O GargI/ 1 On what then, pray, are the worlds of the stars woven, warp and woof? ' ' On the worlds of the gods, O GargI.' 1 On what then, pray, are the worlds of the gods woven, warp and woof?' ' On the worlds of Indra, O GargI/ ' On what then, pray, are the worlds of Indra woven, warp and woof?' f On the worlds of Prajapati, O GargI/ ( On what then, pray, are the worlds of Prajapati woven, warp and woof?' ' On the worlds of Brahma, O GargI/ 113 I 3.6-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 1 On what then, pray, are the worlds of Brahma woven, warp and woof?' Yajfiavalkya said : c Gargl, do not question too much, lest your head fall off. In truth you are questioning too much about a divinity about which further questions cannot be asked. Gaigl, do not over-question.5 Thereupon Gargl Vacaknavi held her peace. SEVENTH ERAHMANA Wind, the string holding tk© world together ; the immortal pantheistic Soul, the Inner Controller 1. Then Uddalaka Arum questioned him. 'Yajfiavalkya,' said he, ' we were dwelling among the Madras in the house of Patancala Kapya, studying the sacrifice. He had a wife possessed by a spirit (gandharvd). We asked him : " Who arc you ? " He said : " I am Kabandha Atharvana." He said to Patancala Kapya and to us students of the sacrifice : fCDo you know, O Kapya, that thread by which this world and the other world and all things are tied together ? " Patancala Kapya said: "I do not know it, Sir/5 He said to Patancala Kapya and to us students of the sacrifice : * Pray do you know, O Kapya, that Inner Controller who from within controls this world and the other world and all things ? " Patancala Kapya said : " I do not know him, Sir." He said to Patancala Kapya and to us students of the sacrifice : a Verily, Kapya, he who knows that thread and the so-called Inner Controller knows Brahma, he knows the worlds, he knows the gods, he knows the Vedas, he knows created things, he knows the Soul, he knows everything/' Thus he [i.e. the spirit] explained it to them. And I know it. If you, O Yajfiavalkya, drive away the Brahma-cows without knowing that thread and the Inner Controller, your head will fall off/ ' Verily, I know that thread and the Inner Controller, 0 Gautama.' ; Any one might say "I know, I know." Do you tell what you know/ 2. He [i. e. Yajnavalkya] said : * Wind, verily, O Gautama, 114 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.7.10 5s that thread. By wind, verily, O Gautama, as by a thread, this world and the other world and all things are tied together. Therefore, verily, O Gautama, they say of a deceased person, " His limbs become unstrung," foi by wind, O Gautama, as by a thread, they are strung together/ ' Quite so, O Yajnavalkya. Declare the Inner Controller/ 3. l He who, dwelling in the earth, yet is other than the earth, whom the earth does not know, whose body the earth is, who controls the earth from within—He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 4- He who, dwelling in the waters, yet is other than the waters, whom the waters do not know, whose body the waters are, who controls the waters from within— He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 5- He who, dwelling in the fire, yet is other than the fire, whom the fire does not know, whose body the fire is, who controls the fire from within— He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 6. He who, dwelling in the atmosphere, yet is other than the atmosphere, whom the atmosphere does not know, whose body the atmosphere is, who controls the atmosphere from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 7. He who, dwelling in the wind, yet is other than the wind, whom the wind does not know, whose body the wind is, who controls the wind from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 8. He who, dwelling in the sky, yet is other than the sky, whom the sky does not know, whose body the sky is, who controls the sky from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 9. He who, dwelling in the sun, yet is other than the sun, whom the sun does not know, whose body the sun is, who controls the sun from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 10. He who, dwelling in the quarters of heaven, yet is other than the quarters of heaven, whom the quarters of heaven do not know, whose body the quarters of heaven are, who controls the quarters of heaven from within — He is your Soul the Inner Controller, the Immortal, 115 I i 37.H-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 11. He who, dwelling in the moon and stars, yet is other than the moon and stars, whom the moon and stars do not know, whose body the moon and stars are, who controls the moon and stars from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Con- troller, the Immoital. 12. He who, dwelling in space, yet is other than space, whom space does not know, whose body space is, who controls space from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 13. He who, dwelling in the darkness, yet is other than the darkness, whom the darkness does not know, whose body the darkness is, who controls the darkness from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 14 He who, dwelling in the light, yet is other than the light, whom the light does not know, whose body the light is, who controls the light from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. — Thus far with reference to the divinities. Now with refer- ence to material existence (adhi-bhuta). — 15. He who, dwelling in all things, yet is other than all things, whom all things do not know, whose body all things are, who controls all things from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. — Thus far with reference to material existence. Now with reference to the self. — 16. He who, dwelling in breath, yet is other than breath, whom the breath does not know, whose body the breath is, who controls the breath from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. ^ 17. He who, dwelling in speech, yet is other than speech, whom the speech does not know, whose body the speech is, who controls the speech from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 1 8. He who, dwelling in the eye, yet is other than the eye, whom the eye does not know, whose body the eye is, who controls the eye from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Con- troller, the Immortal. 19. He who, dwelling in the ear, yet is other than the ear, whom the ear does not know, whose body the ear is, who BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.8.3 controls the ear from within— He is your Soul, the Inner Con- troller, the Immortal. 30. He who, dwelling in the mind, yet is other than the mind, whom the mind does not know, whose body the mind is, who controls the mind from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 3 1. He who, dwelling in the skin, yet is other than the skin, whom the skin does not know, whose body the skin is, who controls the skin from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 22. He who, dwelling in the understanding, yet is other than the understanding, whom the understanding does not know, whose body the understanding is, who controls the under- standing from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. 23. He who, dwelling in the semen, yet is other than the semen, whom the semen does not know, whose body the semen is, who controls the semen from within — He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. He is the unseen Seer, the unheard Hearer, the unthought Thinker, the ununderstood Understander. Other than He there is no seer. Other than He there is no hearer. Other than He there is no thinker. Other than He there is no understander. He is your Soul, the Inner Controller, the Immortal.3 Thereupon Uddalaka Aruni held his peace, EIGHTH BRAHMANA The ultimate warp of the world — tlie unqualified Imperishable w i. Then [Gargl] Vacaknavl said : 'Venerable Brahmans, lo, I will ask him [i.e. Yajnavalkya] two questions. If he will answer me these, not one of you will surpass him in discussions about Brahma.3 ' Ask, Gargl/ a. She said : ' As a noble youth of the Kasls or of the Videhas might rise up against you, having strung his unstrung bow and taken two foe-piercing anows in his hand, even so, O Yajnavalkya, have I risen up against you with two questions. Answer me these/ 117 3.8,2-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Yajnavalkya said : 6 Ask, Gargi.' 3. She said : ' That, O Yajnavalkya, which is above the sky, that which is beneath the eaith, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which people call the past and the present and the future — across what is that woven, warp and woof ? ' 4. He said : ( That, O Gargi, which is above the sky, that which is beneath the earth, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which people call the past and the present and the future — across space is that woven, warp and woof/ 5. She said : * Adoration to you, Yajnavalkya, in that you have solved this question for me. Prepare yourself for the other,' 6 Ask, Gargi.' 6. She said : ' That, O Yajnavalkya, which is above the sky, that which is beneath the earth, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which people call the past and the present and the future — across what is that woven, warp and woof?3 7. He said : ' That, 0 Gargi, which is above the sky, that which is beneath the earth, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which people call the past and the present and the future — across space alone is that woven, warp and woof.' 4 Across what then, pray, is space woven, warp and woof? ' 8. He said : * That, O Gargi, Brahmans call the Imperish- able (aksard). It is not coarse, not fine, not short, not long, not glowing [like fire], not adhesive [like water], without shadow and without darkness, without air and without space, without stickiness, (intangible),1 odorless, tasteless, without eye, without ear, without voice, without wind, without energy,, without breath, without mouth, (without personal or family name, unaging, undying, without fear, immortal, stainless, not uncovered, not covered),1 without measure, without inside and without outside It consumes nothing soever. No one soever consumes it. 9. Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that Imperishable the sun and the moon stand apart. Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that Imperishable the earth and the sky stand 1 A Madhyamdma addition. 118 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.9.1 apart. Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that Imperishable the moments, the hours, the days, the nights, the fortnights, the months, the seasons, and the years stand apart. Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that Imperishable some livers flow from the snowy mountains to the east, others to the west, in whatever diiection each flows, Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that Imperishable men praise those who give, the gods are desirous of a sacrificer, and the fathers [are desirous] of the Manes-sacrifice. 10. Verily, O Gargi, if one pei forms sacrifices and worship and undergoes austerity in this world for many thousands of years, but without knowing that Imperishable, limited indeed is that [work] of his. Verily, 0 Gargi, he who departs from this world without knowing that Imperishable is pitiable But, O Gargi, he who departs from this world knowing that Imperishable is a Brahman. 11. Verily, O Gargi, that Imperishable is the unseen Seer, the unheard Hearer, the unthought Thinker, the ununderstood Understander. Other than It there is naught that sees. Other than It there is naught that hears. Other than It there is naught that thinks. Other than It there is naught that understands. Across this Imperishable, O Gargi, is space woven, warp and woof.' 13. She said: 'Venerable Brahmans, you may think it a great thing if you escape from this man with [merely] making a bow. Not one of you will surpass him in discussions about Brahma/ Thereupon [Gargi] Vacaknavl held her peace. NINTH BRAHMANA Regressus of the numerous gods to the unitary Brahma I. Then Vidagdha Sakalya questioned him. ' How many gods are there, Yajfiavalkya ? ' He answered in accord with the following Nivid (invoca- tionary formula) : ' As many as are mentioned in the Nimd of the Hymn to All the Gods, namely, three hundred and three, and three thousand and three [=3,306].' 119 3-9-H BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD ( Yes/ said he, ' but just how many gods are there, Yajna- valkya ? ' 'Thuty-three/ 4 Yes/ said he, ' but just how many gods are there, Yajna- valkya ? ' 4 Six.5 1 Yes,' said he, 'but just how many gods are theie, Yajna- valkya ? ' 4 Three/ ' Yes,' said he, ' but just how many gods are there, Yajna- valkya ? ' 4 Two.' * Yes,' said he, 'but just how many gods are there, Yajna- valkya ? ' 4 One and a half.' * Yes/ said he, ' but just how many gods are there, Yajna- valkya ? 3 4 One/ * Yes/ said he, * which are those three hundred and three, and those three thousand and three? ' a. He [i.e. Yajnavalkya] said : ' Those are only their powers (ma/nman). There are just thirty- three gods/ ' Which are those thirty-three ? ' ' Eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas. Those are thirty-one. Indra and Prajapati make thirty-three/ 3. * Which are the Vasus ? ' 1 Fire, earth, wind, atmosphere, sun, sky, moon, and stars. These are Vasus, for upon them this excellent (vasu) world is set, (for they give a dwelling (vasayante) to the world),1 There- fore they are called Vasus/ 4. ' Which are the Rudras ? ' ' These ten breaths in a person, and the self as the eleventh. When they go out from this mortal body, they make us lament. So, because they make us lament (Vrztd), therefore they are Rudras/ 5- ' Which are the Adityas ? ' ' Verily, the twelve months of the year. These are Adityas, for they go carrying along this whole world. Since they go 1 A Madhyamdma addition. Cf. Chand. 3. 16. I. 120 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.9.11 (yanti) carrying along (d-da) this whole world, therefore they are called Adityas/ 6. 4 Which is Indra? Which is Prajapati? ' 1 The thunder, verily, is Indra. The sacrifice is Prajapati/ f Which is the thunder ? ' ' The thunderbolt/ 4 Which is the sacrifice ? ' ' The sacrificial animals.' 7. * Which are the six [gods] ? ' ' Fire, earth, wind, atmosphere, sun, and sky. These are the six, for the whole world is these six.' 8. ' Which are the three gods ? ' 'They, verily, are the three worlds, for in them all these gods exist.' s Which are the two gods ? J 4 Food and breath/ 4 Which is the one and a half ? ' 4 This one here who purifies [i. e. the wind]/ 9. Then they say : ' Since he who purifies is just like one,, how then is he one and a half? ' ' Because in him this whole world did prosper (adhyardhnoi)* Therefore he is one and a half (adhyardhd)? ' Which is the one god ? ' 4 Breath,' said he. 4 They call him Brahma, the Yon (tyd)? Eight different Persons and their corresponding divinities 10. [Sakalya said :] 4 Verily, he who knows that Person whose abode is the earth, whose world is fire, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya/ [Yajnavalkya said :] 4 Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is in the body is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god?1 ' The Immortal/ said he. IT. [Sakalya said :] 4 Verily, he who knows that Person whose abode is desire, whose world is the heart, whose light ismind, who is the last source of every soul— he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya/ [Yajnavalkya said :] < Verily, I know that Person, the last 3.9. ii-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is made of desire is He Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god ? ' 4 Women,' said he. 12. [Sakalya said :] * Verily, he who knows that Person whose abode is forms (rupd), whose world is the eye, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya.' 4 Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. That very person who is in the sun is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god ? ' 'Truth/ said he. 13. [Sakalya said :] 'Verily, he who knows that Person whose abode is space (akasa), whose world is the ear, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajfiavalkya.' 1 Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is in hearing and who is in echo is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god ? ' 4 The quarters of heaven/ said he. 14. [Sakalya said :] 'Verily, he who knows that Personwhose abode is darkness (tamas\ whose world is the heart, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajfiavalkya.' ' Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is made of shadow is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god ? ; 'Death,3 said he. 15. [Sakalya said :] 'Verily, he who knows that Personwhose abode is forms (rilpa), whose world is the eye, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, 0 Yajfiavalkya/ * Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is in the mirror is He, Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god ? ' 'Life (*WH)/ said he. 1 6. [Sakalya said :] 'Verily, he who knows that Personwhose abode is water, whose world is the heart, whose light is -mind, who is the last source of every soul — he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya.' BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.9.21 * Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is in the waters is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god ? 3 * Varuna/ said he. 1 7. [Sakalya said :] f Verily,he who knows that Person whose abode is semen, whose world is the heart, whose light is mind, who is the last source of every soul— he, verily, would be a knower, O Yajnavalkya/ ' Verily, I know that Person, the last source of every soul, of whom you speak. This very person who is made of a son is He. Tell me, Sakalya, who is his god ? J 'Prajapati/ said he. 1 8. 'Sakalya/ said Yajnavalkya, 'have those Brahmans made you their coal-destroyer ? ' l Mve directions in space, their regent gods, and their bases 19. ' Yajnavalkya/. said Sakalya, t by knowing what Brahma is it that you have talked down the Brahmans of the Kurupafi- calas ? ' ' I know the quarters of heaven together with their gods and their bases.' 4 Since you know the quarters of heaven together with their gods and their bases, [20] what divinity have you in this eastern quarter ? ' < The sun/ * That sun — on what is it based ? ' ' On the eye/ c And on what is the eye based ? ' 1 On appearance, for with the eye one sees appearances/ * And on what are appearances based ? ' { On the heart/ he said, ' for with the heart one knows appear- ances, for on the heart alone appearances are based/ ' Quite so, Yajnavalkya/ 21. [Sakalya said :] * What divinity have you in this southern (daksina) quarter ? ' 1 Yama/ ' That Yama — on what is he based ? ' ' On sacrifice.' 1 Literally, ' remover of burning coals' ; 'a cat's-paw/ as Muller suggests. 133 3-9- **-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD t And on what is sacrifice based ? ' f On gifts to the priests (daksind}' 6 And on \vhat are the gifts to the priests based ? ' * On faith, for when one has faith, then one gives gifts to the priests. Verily, on faith the gifts to the priests are based/ * On what is faith based ? ' ' On the heart,' he said, ' for with the heart one knows faith. Verily, on the heart alone faith is based/ * Quite so, Yajnavalkya.' 11. [Sakalya said :] ' What divinity have you in this western quarter ? ' ' Varuna/ * That Varuna — on what is he based ? ' * On water/ * And on what is water based ? J ' On semen.* 6 And on what is semen based ? ' 5 On the heart Therefore they say of a son who is just like his father, " He has slipped out from his heart, as it were. He is built out of his heart." For on the heart alone semen is based/ 'Quite so, Yajnavalkya/ 33. [Sakalya said :] c What divinity have you in this northern quarter ? ' 'Sorna/ 6 That Soma— on what is he based? ? 6 On the Diksha [initiatory] rite/ ' And on what is the Diksha rite based ? ' ' On truth. Therefore they say to one who is initiated, c< Speak the truth ! " For on truth alone the Diksha rite is based/ f And on what is truth based ? ' f On the heart/ he said, ' for with the heart one knows truth. Verily, on the heart alone truth is based/ 4 Quite so, Yajnavalkya/ 24. [Sakalya said :] f What divinity have you in this fixed quarter [L e. the zenith] ? ' ' The god Agni/ ' That Agni — on what is he based ? ' ' On speech/ BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-3.9.27 ' And on what is speech based ? ' * On the heart.' 6 And on what is the heart based ? ' 25. < You idiot,' said Yajfiavalkya, * that you will think that it could be anywhere else than in ourselves ! for if it were any- where else than in ourselves, the dogs might eat it or the birds might tear it to pieces.' The Soul, the Person taught in the Upanishads 26, ' On what are you and your soul (dtman) based ? ' e On the in-breath (fraud)? 6 And on what is the in-bieath based ? ' 4 On the out-breath (apana)' ' And on what is the out-breath based ? ' ' On the diffused breath (vyana)! 4 And on what is the diffused breath based?' ? ' On the up-breath (ndana)? f And on what is the up-breath based * ' c On the middle [or equalizing] breath (samana)? ( That Soul (Atman) is not this, it is not that (neti, neti). It is unseizable, for it is not seized. It is indestructible, for it is not destroyed. It is unattached, for it does not attach itself. It is unbound. It does not tremble. It is not injured. These * are the eight abodes, the eight worlds, the eight gods, the eight persons. He who plucks apait and puts together these persons and passes beyond them — that is the Person taught in the Upanishads about whom I ask you. If him to me ye \\ill not tell, Your head indeed will then fall off.' But him £akalya did not know, And so indeed his head fell off. Indeed, robbers carried off his bones, thinking they were some- thing else. Man, a tree growing from Brahma 37. Then he [i.e. Yajfiavalkya] said: 'Venerable Brahmans, let him of you that desires question me. Or do ye all question 1 That is, those mentioned in sections 10-17. 120 3.9.27-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD me. Or I will question him of you that desires [to be questioned] ; or I will question all of you/ Those Brahmans, however, durst not. 28. Then he [i.e. Yajnavalkya] questioned them with these verses : — As a tree of the forest, Just so, surely, is man. His hairs are leaves. His skin the outer bark. From his skin blood, Sap from the bark flows forth. From him when pierced there comes forth A stream, as from the tree when struck. His pieces of flesh are under-layers of wood. The fibre is muscle-like, strong. The bones are the wood within. The marrow is made resembling pith. A tree, when it is felled, grows up From the root, more new again; A mortal, when cut down by death — From what root does he grow up?1 Say not 'from semen/ For that is produced from the living, As the tree, forsooth, springing from seed, Clearly arises without having died. If with its roots they should pull up The tree, it would not come into being again. A mortal, when cut down by death — From what root does he grow up? When born, indeed, he is not born [again]. Who would again beget him? Brahma is knowledge, is bliss, The final goal of the giver of offerings, Of him, too, who stands still and knows It. J For a similar comparison in Hebrew literature see Job 14, 7-10. 125 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.i.a FOURTH ADHYAYA FIRST BRAHMANA King Janaka instructed by Yajnavalkya : six partial definitions of Brahma 1. Janaka, [king] of Videha, was seated. Yajnavalkya came up. To him he said: 'Yajnavalkya, for what purpose have you come ? Because you desire cattle or subtle disputations ?' ' Indeed, for both, your Majesty/ he said. 2. ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you,' [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. 'Jitvan Sailini told me: " Brahma, verily, is speech (vac)"' [said Janaka]. 'As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher,1 so did that Sailina say, " Brahma, verily, is speech." For he might have thought (iti), '* What can one have who can not speak? " But did he tell you Its seat and support?' ' He did not tell me.' ' Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' 1 Verily, Yajnavalkya, do you here tell us.' ' Its seat is just speech ; Its support, space (akasa). One should worship It as intelligence (prajna)' ' What is Its quality of intelligence, Yajnavalkya? ' 'Just speech, your Majesty,' said he. c Verily, by speech, your Majesty, a friend is recognized. By speech alone, your Majesty, the Rig- Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Angirases,2 Legends (itika$a\ Ancient Lore (pur and], Sciences (vidya), Mystic Doctrines (upanisad)) Verses (sloka), Aphorisms (sutra\ Explanations (anuvyakhyand)) Commentaries (uyakkyana), what is offered in sacrifice and as oblation, food and drink, this world and the other, and all beings are known. The highest Brahma, your Majesty, is in truth speech. Speech does not desert him 1 That is, what is self-evident, what any one might know. This rendering, it should be noted, takes the active bruyat as if it were middle voice — a late epic usage. 2 A designation of the Atharva-Veda. 4.1. H BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, having become a god, goes even to the gods/ { I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant/ said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajfiavalkya replied: 'My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept' 3. f Let us hear what anybody may have told you/ [con- tinued Yajfiavalkya]. ' Udanka Saulbayana told me: "Brahma, verily, is the breath of life (prana)"3 ' As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Saulbayana say, f< Brahma is the breath of life." For he might have thought, " What can one have who is without the breath of life ? " But did he tell you Its seat and support ? ' I He did not tell me.5 c Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' c Verily, Yajfiavalkya, do you here tell us.3 4 Its seat is just the breath of life ; Its support, space. One should worship It as the dear (przya).' 4 What is Its dearness, Yajnavalkya ? ' £The breath of life itself, your Majesty/ said he. c Verily, out of love for the breath of life, your Majesty, one has sacrifice offered for him for whom one should not offer sacrifice, one accepts from him from whom one should not accept. Out of love of just the breath of life, your Majesty, there arises fear of being killed wherever one goes. The highest Brahma, your Majesty, is in truth the breath of life. The breath of life leaves not him who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, having become a god, goes even to the gods/ I 1 will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant/ said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajnavalkya replied : c My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept/ 4. ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you/ [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. ' Barku Varshna told me: " Brahma, verily, is sight."' 'As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had 138 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.1.5 a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Varshna say, « Brahma is sight (caksti)" For he might have thought, " What can one have who can not see ? " But did he tell you Its seat and support ? ' < He did not tell me.' ' Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' ' Verily, Yajnavalkya, do you here tell us/ £Its seat is just sight; Its support, space. One should worship It as the true (satya)' ' What is Its truthfulness, Yajnavalkya?' 1 Sight alone, your Majesty/ said he. ' Verily, your Majesty, when they say to a man who sees with his eyes, " Have you seen ? " and he says, " I have seen," that is the truth. Verily, your Majesty, the highest Brahma is sight. Sight leaves not him who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, becoming a god, goes to the gods.3 * I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant,3 said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajnavalkya replied: ' My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept.' 5. ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you,' [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. c Gardabhivipita Bharadvaja told me: "Brahma, verily, is hearing.'" c As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Bharadvaja say, " Brahma is hearing." For he might have thought, " What can one have who can not hear?" But did he tell you Its seat and support ? J < He did not tell me.' £ Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' e Verily, Yajnavalkya, do you here tell us.' c Its seat is just hearing ; Its support, space. One should worship It as the endless (ananta).' 4 What is Its endlessness, Yajnavalkya?' * Just the quarters of heaven, your Majesty/ said he. ' There- fore, verily, your Majesty, to whatever quarter one goes, he does not come to the end of it, for the quarters of heaven are endless. Verily, your Majesty, the quarteis of heaven are 129 K 4.J-5-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD hearing. Verily, your Majesty, the highest Brahma is hearing. Hearing does not desert him who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, becoming a god, goes to the gods.3 c I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant,5 said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajnavalkya replied : ' My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept.' 6. ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you/ [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. * Satyakama Jabala told me : "Brahma, verily, is mind." ' £ As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Jabala say, "Brahma is mind." For he might have thought, "What can one have who is without a mind ? " But did he tell you Its^seat and support?' ' He did not tell me.7 1 Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma].' ' Verily, Yajnavalkya, do you here tell us.' £ Its seat is just the mind ; Its support, space. One should worship It as the blissful (ananda).' c What is Its blissfulness, Yajnavalkya ? ' 'Just the mind, your Majesty/ said he. c Verily, your Majesty, by the mind one betakes himself to a woman. A son like himself is born of her. He is bliss. Verily, your Majesty, the highest Brahma is mind. Mind does not desert him who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, becoming a god, goes to the gods/ ' I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant/ said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajnavalkya replied: 'My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept.' 7. ' Let us hear what anybody may have told you/ [con- tinued Yajnavalkya]. 'Vidagdha Sakalya told me: "Brahma, verily, is the heart.'" ' As a man might say that he had a mother, that he had a father, that he had a teacher, so did that Sakalya say, " Brahma is the heart." For he might have thought, " What 130 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.3.2 can one have who is without a heart?" But did he not tell you Its seat and support ? ' 4 He did not tell me/ * Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged [Brahma]/ ' Verily, Yajnavalkya, do you here tell us/ ' Its seat is just the heart ; Its support, space. One should worship It as the steadfast (stkiti).' 'What is Its steadfastness, Yajnavalkya?7 'Just the heart, your Majesty/ said he. < Verily, your Majesty, the heart is the seat of all things. Verily, your Majesty, the heart is the support (pratistka) of all things, for on the heart alone, your Majesty, all things are established (prattsthitd). Veiily, your Majesty, the highest Brahma is the heart The heart does not leave him, who, knowing this, worships it as such. All things run unto him. He, becoming a god, goes to the gods/ ' I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant/ said Janaka, [king] of Videha. Yajnavalkya replied: 'My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept/ SECOND BRAHMANA Concerning the soul, its bodily and uniTersal relations 1. Janaka, [king] of Videha, descending from his cushion and approaching, said : c Adoration to you, Yajnavalkya. Do you instruct me.' He [i.e. Yajnavalkya] said: 'Verily, as a king about to go on a great journey would prepare a chariot or a ship, even so you have a soul (atman) prepared with these mystic doctrines (tipanisad}. So, being at the head of a troop, and wealthy, learned in the Vedas, and instructed in mystic doctrines, whither, when released hence, will you go ? ' ' That I know not, noble Sir — whither I shall go/ * Then truly I will tell you that— whither you will go/ * Tell me, noble Sir/ 2, £ Indha (i. e. the Kindler) by name is this person here in the right eye. Him, verily, who is that Indha people call " Indra" 131 K % 4.S.3-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD cryptically, for the gods are fond of the cryptic, as it were, and dislike the evident.1 3. Now that which has the form of a person in the left eye Is his wife, Viraj. Their meeting-place [literally, their common praise, or concord] is the space in the heart. Their food is the red lump in the heart. Their covering is the net-like work In the heart. The path that they go is that vein which goes upward from the heart. Like a hair divided a thousandfold, so are the veins called kita, which are established within the heart. Through these flows that which flows on [i. e. the food]. Therefore that [soul which is composed of Indha and Viraj] is, as it were, an eater of finer food than is this bodily self.2 4. The eastern breaths are his eastern quarter. The southern breaths are his southern quarter. The western breaths are his western quarter. The northern breaths are his northern quarter. The upper breaths are his upper quarter [i.e. the zenith]. The lower breaths are his lower quarter [i.e. the nadir]. All the breaths are all his quarters. But the Soul (Atman) is not this, it is not that (neti, neti). It is unseizable, for it cannot be seized. It is indestructible, for it cannot be destroyed. It is unattached, for it does not attach itself. It is unbound. It does not tremble. It is not injured. Verily, Janaka, you have reached fearlessness/ — Thus spake Yajnavalkya. Janaka, [king] of Videha, said : ' May fearlessness come unto you, noble Sir, you who make us to know fearlessness. Adora- tion to you! Here are the Videhas, here am I [as your servants].' THIRD BRAHMANA The light of man is the soul I. Yajnavalkya came to Janaka, [king] of Videha. He thought to himself: ' I will not talk/ 3 1 This same etymological explanation occurs at ^at. Br. 6. r. I. 2. 2 The connection seems to be broken here and the following paragraph appears to refer to the supreme Soul. 3 Dvivedaganga and Bohthngk adopt the ingenious reading sam enena, ' I will talk with him * (instead of the text as translated, sa mem net). But the historical 132 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.3.6 But [once] l when Janaka, [king] of Videha, and Yajnavalkya were discussing together at an Agnihotra, Yajnavalkya granted the former a boon. He chose asking whatever question he wished. He granted it to him. So [now] the king, [speaking] first, asked him : 2. ' Yajnavalkya, what light does a person here have ? ' ' He has the light of the sun, O king/ he said, c for with the sun, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns.1 ( Quite so, Yajnavalkya. 3. But when the sun has set, Yajnavalkya, what light does a person here have ? ' 'The moon, indeed, is his light/ said he, c for with the moon, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns/ ' Quite so, Yajnavalkya. 4. But when the sun has set, and the moon has set, what light does a person here have ? ' ' Fire, indeed, is his light/ said he, c for with fire, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns/ ' Quite so, Yajnavalkya. 5. But when the sun has set, Yajnavalkya, and the moon has set, and the fire has gone out, what light does a person here have ? ' £ Speech, indeed, is his light/ said he, f for with speech, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns. Therefore, verily, O king, where one does not discern even his own hands, when a voice is raised, then one goes straight towards it.' ' Quite so, Yajnavalkya. 6. But when the sun has set, Yajnavalkya, and the moon has set, and the fire has gone out, and speech is hushed, what light does a person here have ? ' ( The soul (atman), indeed, is his light/ said he, £ for with the soul, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns/ situation referred to in $at. Br. (see the following foot-note) explains Janaka's forwardness in asking questions. 1 In the episode culminating at Sat. Br. n. 6. 2. TO. 4.3.7-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD The various conditions of the soul 7. * Which (katama) is the soul ? ' 6 The person here who among the senses is made of know- ledge, who is the light in the heart. He, remaining the same, goes along both worlds, appearing to think, appearing to move about, for upon becoming asleep he tianscends this world and the forms of death. 8. Verily, this person, by being born and obtaining a body, is joined with evils. When he departs, on dying, he leaves evils behind. 9. Verily, there are just two conditions of this person : the condition of being in this world and the condition of being in the other world. There is an intermediate third condition, namely, that of being in sleep. By standing in this inter- mediate condition one sees both those conditions, namely being in this world and being in the other world. Now whatever the approach is to the condition of being in the other world, by making that approach one sees the evils [of this world] and the joys [of yonder world]. The state of dreaming When one goes to sleep, he takes along the material (matra) of this all-containing world, himself tears it apart, himself builds it up, and dreams by his own brightness, by his own light. Then this person becomes self-illuminated. 10. There are no chariots there, no spans, no roads. But he projects from himself chariots, spans, roads. There are no blisses there, no pleasures, no delights. But he projects from himself blisses, pleasures, delights. There are no tanks there, no lotus-pools, no streams. But he projects from himself tanks, lotus-pools, streams. For he is a creator. 11. On this point there are the following verses : — Striking down in sleep what is bodily, Sleepless he looks down upon the sleeping [senses]. Having taken to himself light, there returns to his place The golden person, the one spirit (hamsd). BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.3.17 12. Guarding his low nest with the breath, The Immortal goes forth out of the nest He goes where'er he pleases— the immortal, The golden person, the one spiiit (hamsa). 13. In the state of sleep going aloft and alow, A god, he makes many forms for himself— Now, as it were, enjoying pleasure with women, Now, as it were, laughing, and even beholding fearful sights. 14. People see his pleasure-ground; Him no one sees at all. " Therefore one should not wake him suddenly," they say. Hard is the curing for a man to whom He does not return. Now some people say : " That is just his waking state, for whatever things he sees when awake, those too he sees when asleep." [This is not so, for] there [i.e. in sleep] the person Is self-illuminated/ [Janaka said :] < I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows]. Declare what is higher than this, for my release [from trans- migration].' 15. £ Having had enjoyment in this state of deep sleep, having traveled around and seen good and bad, he hastens again, according to the entrance and place of origin, back to sleep. Whatever he sees there [i. e. in the state of deep sleep], he is not followed by it, for this person is without attachments.3 [Janaka said .] ' Quite so, Yajnavalkya. I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows]. Declare what is higher than this, for my release.3 16. e Having had enjoyment in this state of sleep, having traveled around and seen good and bad, he hastens again 9 according to the entrance and place of origin, back to the state of waking. Whatever he sees there [i. e. in dreaming sleep], he is not followed by it, for this person is without attach- ments/ [Janaka said :] ' Quite so, Yajnavalkya. I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows]. Declare what is higher than this, for my release/ 17. 'Having had enjoyment in this state of waking, having traveled around and seen good and evil, he hastens again. 4.3.17-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD according to the entrance and place of origin, back to dreaming sleep.1 1 8. As a great fish goes along both banks of a river, both the hither and the further, just so this person goes along both these conditions, the condition of sleeping and the condition of waking. The soul in deep, dreamless sleep 19. As a falcon, or an eagle, having flown around here in space, becomes weary, folds its wings, and is borne down to its nest, just so this person hastens to that state where, asleep, he desires no desires and sees no dream. 20. Verily, a person has those arteries called hita ; as a hair subdivided a thousandfold, so minute are they, full of white, blue, yellow, green, and red. Now when people seem to be killing him, when they seem to be overpowering him, when an elephant seems to be tearing him to pieces,2 when he seems to be falling into a hole — in these circumstances he is imagining through ignorance the very fear which he sees when awake. When he imagines that he is a god, as it were, that he is a king, as it were, or " I am this world-all," that is his highest world. 21. This, verily, is that form of his which is beyond desires, free from evil, without fear. As a man, when in the embrace of a beloved wife, knows nothing within or without, so this person, when in the embrace of the intelligent Soul, knows nothing within or without. Verily, that is his [true] form in which his desire is satisfied, in which the Soul is his desire, in which he is without desire and without sorrow. 22. There a father becomes not a father; a mother, not a mother ; the worlds, not the worlds ; the gods, not the gods ; the Vedas, not the Vedas ; a thief, not a thief. There the destroyer of an embryo becomes not the destroyer of am embryo 3 ; a Candala [the son of a Sudra father and a Brahman mother] is not a Candala ; a Paulkasa [the son of a Sudra father and a Kshatriya mother] is not a Paulkasa ; a mendicant 1 This section is lacking in the Madhyamdina recension. 2 Taking -vicchdyayanti from m + *Jcha. If from Vvub, it means ' pressing him hard.' Com. says * chase.' Cf. Chand. 8. 10. 2 and note. 8 Cf. Kaush. 3 I. 136 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.3.29 is not a mendicant , an ascetic is not an ascetic. He is not followed by good, he is not followed by evil, for then he has passed beyond all sorrows of the heart. 23. Verily, while he does not there see [with the eyes], he is verily seeing, though he does not see (what is [usually] to be seen) l ; for there is no cessation of the seeing of a seer, because of his imperishability [as a seer]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, that he may see. 24. Verily, while he does not there smel!3 he is verily smelling, though he does not smell (what is [usually] to be smelled)1 ; for there is no cessation of the smelling of a smeller, because of his imperishability [as a smeller]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, that he may smell. 25. Verily, while he does not there taste, he is verily tasting, though he does not taste (what is [usually] to be' tasted) x; for there is no cessation of the tasting of a taster, because of his imperishability [as a taster]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, that he may taste. 26. Verily, while he does not there speak, he is verily speak- ing, though he does not speak (what is [usually] to be spoken)1 ; for there is no cessation of the speaking of a speaker, because of his imperishability [as a speaker]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, to uhich he may speak. 27. Verily, while he does not there hear, he is verily hearing, though he does not hear (what is [usually] to be heard) 1 ; for there is no cessation of the hearing of a hearer, because of his imperishability [as a hearer]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, which he may hear. 28. Verily, while he does not there think, he is verily think- ing, though he does not think (what is [usually] to be thought) -1 ; for there is no cessation of the thinking of a thinker, because of his imperishability [as a thinker]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, of which he may think. 29. Verily, while he does not there touch, he is verily touch- ing, though he does not touch (what is [usually] to be touched) T; for there is no cessation of the touching of a toucher, because of his imperishability [as a toucher]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, which he may touch. 1 An addition in the Madhyamdma text. 137 4.3-3°-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 30. Verily, while he does not there know, he is verily know- ing, though he does not know (what is [usually] to be known) 1 ; for there is no cessation of the knowing of a knower, because of his imperishability [as a knower]. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, which he may know. 31: Verily where there seems to be another, there the one might see the other ; the one might smell the other ; the one might taste the other ; the one might speak to the other ; the one might hear the other ; the one might think of the other ; the one might touch the other; the one might know the other.2 32. An ocean, a seer alone without duality, becomes he whose world is Brahma, O King ! ' — thus Yajnavalkya instructed him. £ This is a man's highest path. This is his highest achievement. This is his highest world. This is his highest bliss. On a part of just this bliss other creatures have their living. 33. If one is fortunate among men and wealthy, lord over others, best provided with all human enjoyments — that is the highest bliss of men. Now a hundredfold the bliss of men is one bliss of those who have won the fathers' world. Now a hundredfold the bliss of those who have won the fathers' world is one bliss in the Gandharva- world. A hundredfold the bliss in the Gandharva-world is one bliss of the gods who gain their divinity by meritorious works. A hundredfold the bliss of the gods by works is one bliss of the gods by birth and of him who is learned in the Vedas, who is without crook- edness, and who is free from desire. A hundredfold the bliss of the gods by birth is one bliss in the Prajapati- world and of him who is learned in the Vedas, who is without crookedness, and who is free from desire. A hundredfold the bliss in the Prajapati-world is one bliss in the Brahma-world and of him who is learned in the Vedas, who is without crookedness, and who is free from desire. This truly is the highest world. This is the Brahma-world, O king/ — Thus spake Yajnavalkya, [Janaka said :] c I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows]. Speak further than this, for my release.' 1 An addition in the Madhyamdma text. 2 This section is lacking in the Madhyamdma recension, 138 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.4.* Then Yajnavalkya feared, thinking : ' This intelligent king has driven me out of every corner.' l 34. [He said :] c Having had enjoyment in this state of sleep, having traveled around and seen good and bad, he hastens again, according to the entrance and place of origin, back to the state of waking.2 The soul at death 35. As a heavily loaded cart goes creaking, just so this bodily self, mounted by the intelligent Self, goes groaning when one is breathing one's last. 36. When he comes to weakness— whether he come to weakness through old age or through disease—this person frees himself from these limbs just as a mango, or a fig, or a berry releases itself from its bond ; and he hastens again, according to the entrance and place of origin, back to life. 37. As noblemen, policemen, chariot-drivers, village-heads wait with food, drink, and lodgings for a king who is coming, and cry : <c Here he comes 1 Here he comes ! " so indeed do all things wait for him who has this knowledge and cry : " Here is Brahma coming! Here is Brahma coming!" 38. As noblemen, policemen, chariot-drivers, village-heads gather around a king who is about to depart, just so do all the breaths gather around the soul at the end, when one is breathing one's last. FOURTH BRAHMANA 1. When this self comes to weakness and to confusedness of mind, as it were, then the breaths gather around him. He takes to himself those particles of energy and descends into the heart. When the person in the eye turns away, back [to the sun], then one becomes non-knowing of forms. 2. " He is becoming one," they say ; ce he does not see." " He is becoming one," they say ; " he does not smell." '• He is becoming one," they say ; "he does not taste." "He is becoming one," they say ; "he does not speak." " He is becoming one," 1 Or, ' has driven me to extremities.' 2 This paragraph is probably an intrusion. It is not contained in the Madh- yamdina text and does not fit in well with the context. Cf. 4. 3. 16. 139 4.4- a-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD they say ; "he does not hear." " He is becoming one," they say ; " he does not think.3' " He is becoming one," they say ; " he does not touch." <% He is becoming one/' they say ; u he does not know." The point of his heart becomes lighted up. By that light the self departs, either by the eye, or by the head, or by other bodily parts. After him, as he goes out, the life (prand) goes out. After the life, as it goes out, all the breaths (prdnd) go out. He becomes one with intelligence. What has intelligence departs with him. His knowledge and his woiks and his former intelligence [i.e. instinct] lay hold of him. The soul of the unreleased after death 3. Now as a caterpillar, when it has come to the end of a blade of grass, in taking the next step draws itself together towards it, just so this soul in taking the next step strikes down this body, dispels its ignorance and draws itself together [for making the transition]. 4. As a goldsmith, taking a piece of gold, reduces it to another newer and more beautiful form, just so this soul, striking down this body and dispelling its ignorance, makes for itself another newer and more beautiful form like that either of the fathers, or of the Gandharvas, or of the gods, or of Prajapati, or of Brahma, or of other beings. 5. Verily, this soul is Brahma, made of knowledge, of mind, of breath, of seeing, of hearing, of earth, of water, of wind, of space, of energy and of non- energy, of desire and of non- desire, of anger and of non-anger, of virtuousness and of non- virtuousness. It is made of everything. This is what is meant by the saying " made of this, made of that." According as one acts, according as one conducts himself, so does he become. The doer of good becomes good. The doer of evil becomes evil. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action. But people say : " A person is made [not of acts, but] of desires only." [In reply to this I say :] As is his desire, such is his resolve ; as is his resolve, such the action he performs , what action (karma] he performs, that he procures for himself.1 1 Or, ' into that does lie become changed.' 140 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.4.9 6. On this point there is this verse : Where one's mind is attached — the inner self Goes thereto with action, being attached to it alone. Obtaining the end of his action, Whatever he does in this world, He comes again from that world To this world of action.1 — So the man who desires. The soul of the released Now the man who does not desire. — He who is without desire, who is freed from desire, whose desire is satisfied, whose desire is the Soul — his breaths do not depart. Being very Brahma, he goes to Brahma. 7. On this point there is this verse: — When are liberated all The desires that lodge in one's heart, Then a mortal becomes immortal! Therein he reaches Brahma!2 As the slough of a snake lies on an ant-hill, dead, cast off, even so lies this body. But this incorporeal, immortal Life (prana) is Brahma indeed, is light indeed/ ' I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows],' said Janaka, [king] of Videha. 8. [Yajnavalkya continued :] ' On this point there are these verses : — The ancient narrow path that stretches far away Has been touched by me, has been found by me. By it the wise, the knowers of Brahma, go up Hence to the heavenly woild, released. 9. On it, they say, is white and blue And yellow and green and red. That was the path by Brahma found; By it goes the knower of Brahma, the doer of right (punya-kri), and every shining one. 1 Or 'for action/ or ( because of his action.* 2 This stanza is found also at Katha 6. 14. 141 4-4-IO-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD jo. Into blind darkness enter they That worship ignorance; Into darkness greater than that, as it were, they That delight in knowledge.1 11. Joyless are those worlds called/ Covered with blind darkness. To them after death go those People that have not knowledge, that are not awakened: 12. If a person knew the Soul (Atman), With the thought "I am he!" With what desire, for love of what Would he cling unto the body? 13. He who has found and has awakened to the Soul That has entered this conglomeiate abode — He is the maker of everything, for he is the creator of all, The world is his: indeed, he is the world itself. 14. Verily, while we are here we may know this. If you have known it not, great is the destruction. Those who know this become immortal, But others go only to sorrow. 15. If one perceives Him As the Soul, as God (deva\ clearly, As the Lord of what has been and of what is to be — One does not shrink away from Him.4 1 6 That before which the year Revolves with its days — That the gods revere as the light of lights, As life immortal. 17. On whom the five peoples And space are established — Him alone I, the knowing, I, the immortal, Believe to be the Soul, the immortal Brahma. 1 8. They who know the breathing of the breath, The seeing of the eye, the hearing of the ear, (The food of food),5 the thinking of the mind — They have recognized the ancient, primeval Brahma. 1 This stanza is identical with Isa 9. 2 Compare Katha I. 3 a. 3 A variation of this stanza is found at Isa 3. 4 Compare Katha 4. 5 c, d ; 4. 12 c, d ; Isa 6 d. 5 An addition in the Madhyamdina text. 143 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.4.22 19. By the mind alone is It to be perceived. There is on earth no diversity. He gets death after death, Who peiceives here seeming diversity. 20. As a unity only is It to be looked upon— This indemonstrable, enduring Being, Spotless, beyond space, The unborn Soul, great, enduring. 21. By knowing Him only, a wise Brahman should get for himself intelligence; He should not meditate upon many words, For that is a weariness of speech. 33. Verily, he Is the great, unborn Soul, who is this [person] consisting of knowledge among the senses. In the space within the heart lies the ruler of all, the lord of all, the king of all. He does not become gi eater by good action nor inferior by bad action. He is the lord of all, the overlord of beings, the protector of beings. He is the separating dam for keeping these worlds apart. Such a one the Brahmans desire to know by repetition of the Vedas, by sacrifices, by offerings, by penance, by fasting. On knowing him, in truth, one becomes an ascetic (muni). Desiring him only as their home, mendicants wander forth. Verily, because they know this, the ancients desired not off- spring, saying : <c What shall we do with offspring, we whose is this Soul, this home ? " They, verily, rising above the desire for sons and the desire for wealth and the desire for worlds, lived the life of a mendicant. For the desire for sons is the desire for wealth, and the desire for wealth is the desire for worlds ; for both these are desires. That Soul (Atman) is not this, it is not that (neti, neti}. It is unseizable, for it cannot be seized. It is indestructible, for it cannot be destroyed. It is unattached, for it does not attach Itself. It is unbound. It does not tremble. It is not injured. Him [who knows this] these two do not overcome — neither the thought <c Hence I did wrong," nor the thought " Hence I did right/' Verily, he overcomes them both. What he has done and what he has not done do not affect him. 4-4.33-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 23. This very [doctrine] has been declared in the verse : — This eternal greatness of a Brahman Is not increased by deeds (karma), nor diminished. One should be familiar with it. By knowing it, One is not stained by evil action. Therefore, having this knowledge, having become calm, subdued, quiet, patiently enduring, and collected, one sees the Soul just in the soul. One sees everything as the Soul. Evil does not overcome him ; he overcomes all evil. Evil does not burn him ; he burns all evil. Free from evil, free from impurity, free from doubt, he becomes a Brahman. This is the Brahma-world, O king/ said Yajnavalkya. [Janaka said :] ' I will give you, noble Sir, the Videhas and myself also to be your slave.' 24. [Yajnavalkya continued ] ' This is that great, unborn Soul, who eats the food [which people eat], the giver of good. He finds good who knows this. 35. Verily, that great, unborn Soul, undecaying, undying, immortal, fearless, is Brahma. Verily, Brahma is fearless. He who knows this becomes the fearless Brahma.' FIFTH BRAHMANA1 The conversation of Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi concerning the pantheistic Soul i. Now then, Yajnavalkya had two wives, Maitreyi and Katyayani. Of the two, Maitreyi was a discourser on sacred knowledge2 (brahma-vddinz) \ Katyayani had just (eva) a woman's knowledge in that matter (tarhi\ Now then, Yajnavalkya was about to commence another mode of life.3 3. ' Maitreyi ! ' said Yajnavalkya, ' lo, verily, I am about to wander forth 4 from this state. Behold ! Let me make a final settlement for you and that Katyayani.' 1 Another version, probably a secondary recension, of the same episode at 2. 4. 2 Besides this general meaning, brahma may also contain pregnantly something of the technical philosophical meaning of ' Brahma.' 3 For the exact meaning, consult the foot-note on 2. 4. I, page 98, note I. 4 pra-vraji the verb from which are formed the technical terms, pravrajin, pravrajaka, pravrajita, for « a religious mendicant/ 144 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.5.6 3. Then spake Maitreyl : < If now, Sir, this whole earth filled with wealth were mine, would I now thereby be immortal ? ' 'No, no I ' said Yajnavalkya. ' As the life of the rich, even so would your life be. Of immortality, however, there is no hope through wealth.1 4. Then spake Maitreyi: 'What should I do with that through which I may not be immortal ? What you know, Sir— that, indeed, explain to me.7 5. Then spake Yajnavalkya : < Though, verily, you, my lady, were dear to us, you have increased your clearness. Behold, then, lady, I will explain it to you. But, while I am expound- ing, do you seek to ponder thereon/ 6. Then spake he : 'Lo, verily, not for love of the husband is a husband dear, but for love of the Soul (Atman) a husband is dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the wife is a wife dear, but for love of the Soul a wife is dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the sons are sons dear, but for love of the Soul sons are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the wealth is wealth dear, but for love of the Soul wealth is dear. Lo3 verily, not for love of the cattle are cattle dear, but for love of the Soul cattle are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of Brahmanhood is Brahmanhood dear, but for love of the Soul Brahmanhood Is dear. Lo, verily, not for love of Kshatrahood is Kshatrahood dear, but for love of the Soul Kshatrahood is dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the worlds are the worlds dear, but for love of the Soul the worlds are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the gods are the gods dear, but for love of the Soul the gods are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the Vedas are the Vedas dear, but for love of the Soul the Vedas are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of the beings (bkuta) are beings dear, but for love of the Soul beings are dear. Lo, verily, not for love of all is all dear, but for love of the Soul all is dear. Lo, verily, it is the Soul (Atman) that should be seen, that should be hearkened to, that should be thought on, that should be pondered on, O Maitreyl. 145 L 4.5.6-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Lo, verily, in the Soul's being seen3 hearkened to, thought on, understood, this world-all is known, 7. Brahmanhood deseits him who knows Brahrnanhood in aught else than the Soul. Kshatrahood deserts him who knows Kshatrahood in aught else than the Soul. The worlds desert him who knows the worlds in aught else than the Soul. The gods desert him who knows the gods in aught else than the Soul. The Vedas desert him who knows the Vedas in aught else than the Soul. Beings desert him who knows beings in aught else than the Soul. Everything deserts him who knows everything in aught else than the Soul. This Brahmanhood, this Kshatrahood, these worlds, these gods, these Vedas, all these beings, everything here is what this Soul is. 8. It is — as, when a drum is being beaten, one would not be able to grasp the external sounds, but by grasping the drum or the beater of the drum the sound is grasped. 9. It is — as, when a conch-shell is being blown, one would not be able to grasp the external sounds, but by grasping the conch-shell or the blower of the conch-shell the sound is grasped. 10. It is — as, when a lute is being played, one would not be able to grasp the externariounds, but by grasping the lute or the player of the lute the sound is grasped. 11. It is — as, from a fire laid with damp fuel, clouds of smoke separately issue forth, so, lo, verily, from this great Being (bkuta) has been breathed forth that which is Rig- Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Angi- rases,1 Legend (itihasa\ Ancient Lore (purana\ Sciences (mdya), Mystic Doctrines (upanisad), Verses (Moka\ Aphorisms (sutra), Explanations (anuuyakhydna), Commentaries (uya- kkyana), sacrifice, oblation, food, drink, this world and the other, and all beings. From it, indeed, have all these been breathed forth. 12. It is — as the uniting-place of all waters is the sea, like- wise the uniting-place of all touches is the skin ; likewise the uniting-place of all tastes is the tongue ; likewise the uniting- place of all odors is the nose ; likewise the uniting-place of all forms is the eye ; likewise the uniting-place of all sounds is the ear ; likewise the uniting-place of all intentions is the mind ; 1 A designation of the Atharva-Veda. 146 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-4.5.15 likewise the uniting-place of all knowledges is the heart ; like- wise the uniting-place of all actions is the hands ; likewise the uniting-place of all pleasures is the generative organ ; likewise the uniting-place of all evacuations is the anus ; likewise the uniting-place of all journeys is the feet ; likewise the uniting- place of all Vedas is speech. 13. It is—as is a mass of salt, without inside, without outside, entirely a mass of taste, even so, verily, is this Soul, without inside, without outside, entirely a mass of knowledge. Arising out of these elements, into them also one vanishes away. After death there is no consciousness (samjTia). Thus, lo, say I.' Thus spake Yajnavalkya. 14. Then said Maitreyl: 'Herein, indeed, you have caused me, Sir, to arrive at the extreme of bewilderment. Verily, I understand It [i. e. this Atmaii\ not/ Then said he: 'Lo, verily, I speak not bewilderment. Imperishable, lo, verily, is this Soul, and of indestructible quality. 15. For where there is a duality, as it were, there one sees another ; there one smells another ; there one tastes another ; there one speaks to another ; there one hears another ; theie one thinks of another ; there one touches another ; there one understands another. But where everything has become just one's own self, then whereby and whom would one see ? then whereby and whom would one smell ? then whereby and whom would one taste ? then whereby and to whom would one speak ? then whereby and whom would one hear ? then whereby and of whom would one think ? then whereby and whom would one touch ? then whereby and whom would one understand ? whereby would one understand him by means of whom one understands this All ? That Soul (Atman) is not this, it is not that (neti, neti). It is unseizable, for it can not be seized ; indestructible, for it can not be destroyed ; unattached, for it does not attach itself ; is unbound, does not tremble, is not injured. Lo, whereby would one understand the understander ? Thus you have the instruction told to you, Maitreyl. Such, lo, indeed, is immortality.' After speaking thus, Yajnavalkya departed, 147 La 4.6.I-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD SIXTH BRAHMANA The teachers of this doctrine, i. Now the Line of Tradition (vainsa). — (We [received this teaching] from Pautimashya),1 Pautimashya from Gaupavana, Gaupavana from Pautimashya, Pautimashya from Gaupavana, Gaupavana from Kausika, Kausika from Kaundinya, Kaundinya from Sandilya, Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama, Gautama [2] from Agnive^ya, Agnivesya from Gargya, Gargya from Gargya, G§rgya from Gautama, Gautama from Saitava, Saitava from Parasaryayana, Parasaryayana from Gargyayana, Gargyayana from Uddalakayana, Uddalakayana from Jabalayana, Jabalayana from Madhyamdinayana, Madhyamdinayana from Saukarayana, Saukarayana from Kashayana, Kashayana from Sayakayana, Sayakayana from Kausikayani, Kau^ikayani [3] 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, 1 So the Madhyamdina text begins the list, 148 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-5.1 Manti from Gautama, Gautama from Gautama, Gautama from Vatsya, Vatsya from Sandilya, Sandilya from Kaisorya Kapya, Kai^orya Kapya from Kumaraharita, Kumaraharita from Galava, Galava from Vidarbhikaundinya, Vidarbhlkaundinya from Vatsanapat Babhrava, Vatsanapat Babhrava from Pathin Saubhara, Pathin Saubhara from Ayasya Angirasa, Ayasya Angirasa from Abhuti Tvashtra, Abhuti Tvashtra from Vi^varupa Tvashtra, Vi^varupa Tvashtra from the two A^vlns, the two A^vins from Dadhyanc Atharvana, Dadhyanc Atharvana from Atharvan Daiva, Atharvan Daiva from Mrityu Pradhvarhsana, Mrityu Pradhvarhsana from Pradhvarhsana, Pradhvarhsana from Eka Rishi, Eka Rishi from Vipracitti, Vipracitti from Vyashti, Vyashti from Sanaru, Sanaru from Sanatana, Sanatana from Sanaga, Sanaga from Parameshthin, Parameshthin from Brahma. Brahma is the Self-existent (svayam-bhu). Adoration to Brahma ! FIFTH ADHYAYA FIRST BRAHMANA The inexhaustible Brahma Oml The yon is fulness; fulness, this, From fulness, fulness doth proceed. Withdrawing fulness's fulness off, E'en fulness then itself remains.1 1 This stanza occurs with variations in AV. 10. 8. 29. 149 5.i-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Oml 'Brahma is the ether (kha) — the ether primeval, the ether that blows/ Thus, verily, was the son of Kauravyayani wont to say. This is the knowledge (veda) the Brahmans know. Thereby I know (veda) what is to be known. SECOND BRAHMANA The three cardinal virtues 1. The threefold offspring- of Prajapati — gods, men, and devils (asura)— dwelt with their father Prajapati as students of sacred knowledge (brahviacarya). Having lived the life of a student of sacred knowledge, the gods said : ' Speak to us, Sir/ To them then he spoke this syllable, 'Da.' £ Did you understand ? ' ' We did understand/ said they. ' You said to us? ct Restrain yourselves (damyata)? ' ' Yes (Om) ! ' said he. « You did understand/ 2. So then the men said to him: 'Speak to us, Sir/ To them then he spoke this syllable, c Da! ' Did you understand ?' 6 We did understand,' said they. 'You said to us, "Give (dattay ' < Yes (Om) \ ' said he. ' You did understand/ 3. So then the devils said to him : 6 Speak to us, Sir/ To them then he spoke this syllable, ' Da! ' Did you understand ? ' ' We did understand/ said they. { You said to us, " Be compassionate (dayadlwanfy" ' ' Yes (Om) ! } said he. ' You did understand/ This same thing does the divine voice here, thunder, repeat : Da! Da! Da! that is, restrain yourselves, give, be compas- sionate. One should practise this same triad : self-restraint, giving, compassion. THIRD BRAHMANA Braluna as the heart The heait (hrdayam) is the same as Prajapati (Lord of Creation). It is Brahma. It is all. It is trisyllabic — hr-da-yam. hr is one syllable. Both his own people and others bring ( V&r) offerings unto him who knows this. 150 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-5.5.3 da is one syllable. Both his own people and others give ( V da) unto him who knows this. yam is one syllable. To the heavenly world goes (eti [pi yanti§ he who knows this. FOURTH BRAHMANA Brahma as the Heal This, verily, is That. This, indeed, was That, even the Real He who knows that wonderful being (yaksa] as the first-born— namely, that Brahma is the Real—conquers these worlds. Would he be conquered who knows thus that great spirit as the first-born— namely, that Brahma is the Real ? [No !] for indeed, Brahma is the Real. FIFTH BRAHMANA The Heal, etymologically and cosmologically explained 1. In the beginning this world was just Water. That Water emitted the Real—Brahma [being] the Real—; Brahma, Prajapati; Prajapati, the gods. Those gods reverenced the Real (satyam). That is trisyllabic: sa-ti-yam — sa is one syllable, ti is one syllable, yam is one syllable. The first and last syllables are truth (satyam^ In the middle is falsehood (anrtam}* This falsehood is embraced on both sides by truth ; it partakes of the nature of truth itself. Falsehood does not injure him who knows this. 2. Yonder sun is the same as that Real. The Person who is there in that orb and the Person who is here in the right eye — these two depend the one upon the other. Through his rays that one depends upon this one ; through his vital breaths this one upon that. When one is about to decease, he sees that, orb quite clear [i. e. free from rays] ; those rays come to him no more. 3. The head of the person who is there in that orb is Bhur — there is one head, this is one syllable. Bkuvar is the arms — there are two arms, these are two syllables. Svar is the feet 1 ' Truth* is another meaning (beside ' the Real') of the word satyam. 2 Because, as the Commentator explains, the sound ti is contained in the word anrtam* 5.5.3-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD — there are two feet, these are two syllables (su-ar). The mystic name (upanisad) thereof is * Day ' (ahan). He slays ( */kan) evil, he leaves it behind ( «/ha) who knows this. 4. The head of the person who is here in the right eye is Bhur— there is one head, this is one syllable. BJmvar is the arms — there are two arms, these are two syllables. Svar is the feet — there are two feet, these are two syllables (su-ar). The mystic name (upanisad) thereof is * I ' (akam). He slays evil, he leaves it behind ( */ka) who knows this. SIXTH BRAHMANA The Individual person, pantkeistically explained This person (purusd) here in the heart is made of mind, is of the nature of light, is like a little grain of rice, is a grain of barley. This very one is ruler of everything, is lord of every- thing, governs this whole universe, whatsoever there is. SEVENTH BRAHMANA Brahma as lightning, etymologically explained Brahma is lightning (vidyut\ they say, because of unloosing (mdana). Lightning unlooses (vidyati) him from evil who knows this, that Brahma is lightning— for Brahma is indeed lightning. EIGHTH BRAHMANA The symbolism of speech as a cow One should reverence Speech as a milch-cow. She has four udders: the Svaha (Invocation), the VasJtat (Presentation), the Hanta (Salutation), the Svadha (Benediction).1 The gods subsist upon her two udders, the S-vaha and the Vashat ; men, upon the Hanta ; the fathers upon the Svadka. The breath is her bull ; the mind, her calf. NINTH BRAHMANA2 The universal fire and the digestive fire This is the universal fire which is here within a person, by means of which the food that is eaten is cooked. It is the 1 Four exclamations in the sacrificial ritual. 2 Recurs entire in Maitri 2. 6, BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-5.12 noise thereof that one hears on covering the ears thus.1 When one is about to depart, one hears not this sound. TENTH BRAHMAN A The course to Brahma after death Verily, when a person (puntsa) departs from this world he goes to the wind. It opens out there for him like the hole of a chariot-wheel. Through it he mounts higher. He goes to the sun. It opens out there for him like the hole of a drum. Through it he mounts higher. He goes to the moon. It opens out for him there like the hole of a kettle-drum. Through it he mounts higher. He goes to the world that is without heat, without cold.2 Therein he dwells eternal years. ELEVENTH BRAHMANA The supreme austerities Verily, that is the supreme austerity which a sick man suffers. The supreme world, assuredly, he wins who knows this. Verily, that is the supreme austerity when they carry a dead man into the wilderness. The supreme world, assuredly, he wins who knows this. Verily, that is the supreme austerity when they lay a dead man on the fire. The supreme world, assuredly, he wins who knows this. TWELFTH BRAHMANA Brahma as food, life, and renunciation ' Brahma is food ' — thus some say. This is not so. Verily, food becomes putrid without life (prana). * Brahma is life ' — thus some say. This is not so. Verily, life dries up without food. Rather, only by entering into a unity do these deities reach the highest state. ^ Now it was in this connection that Pratrida said to his father : 1 The word is here used deictically. 3 The words atokam akimam may also be translated t without sorrow, without snow.' 153 5-I3-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 'What good, pray, could I do to one who knows this? What evil could I do to him ? ' l He then said, with [a wave of] his hand: ' No, Pratrida. Who reaches the highest state [merely] by entering into a unity with these two ? ' And he also spoke to him thus : ' vi' — verily, vi is food, for all beings here enter ( Vvis) into food ; and : ram 5 — verily, ram is life, for all beings here delight (Vram) in life. Verily, indeed, all beings enter into him, all beings delight in him who knows this.2 THIRTEENTH BRAHMANA Life represented in trie officiating priest and in the ruler 1. The Uktha*\ Verily, the Uktha is life (prana), for it is life that causes everything here to rise up (ut-tha). From him there rises up an Uktha-knowing son, he wins co-union and co-status with the Uktha, who knows this. 2. The Yajus 4 : Verily, the Yajus is life (prdna], for in life are all beings here united (Vynj). United, indeed, are all beings for his supremacy, he wins co-union and co-status with the Yajus, who knows this. 3. The Saman5 . Verily, the Saman is life (prana), for in life are all beings here combined (samyand). Combined, indeed, are all beings here serving him for his supremacy, he wins co-union and co-status with the Saman, who knows this. 4. The Kskatra . Verily, rule is life (frana), for verily, rule - is life. Life protects (Vtrd) one from hurting (ksanitos). He attains a rule that needs no protection (a-tra), he wins co-union and co-status with the Kshatra,6 who knows this. 1 That is : — Is not he who has this knowledge of the nature of Brahma and food and life quite superior to benefit or injury from any other individual * 2 Namely, that the ultimate unity in which food and life are involved is re- nunciation, since the meaning of the compound verb m-ram is *to renounce.' 3 The Recitation portion of the sacrificial ritual. 4 The prose portion of the sacrificial ritual. 5 The Chant G The word ksatra, seems to be used in this paragraph in two meanings- abstractly, as 'rule/ and, specifically, as the ' ruler,' referring to the second or ruling class. In connection therewith, the first three items treated in this section may refer to the priestly class of Brahmans, who alone performed the ritual. 154 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-5.14.4 FOURTEENTH BRAHMANA The mystical significance of the sacred Gayatrl prayer 1. bhu-mir (earth), an-ta-ri-ksa (interspace), dy-aur (sky)-— eight syllables. Of eight syllables, verily, is one line of the Gayatrl. And that [series], indeed, is that" [line] of it. As much as there is in the three worlds, so much indeed does he win who knows thus that line of it 2. r-cas (verses),1 ya-jwh-si (sacrificial formulas),2 sa-ma-ni (chants) 3 — eight syllables. Of eight syllables, verily, is one line of the Gayatrl. And that [series], indeed, is that [line] of it. As much as is this threefold knowledge, so much indeed does he win who knows thus that line of it. 3. fra-na (in-breath), ap-d-na (out-breath), vy-a-na (diffused breath) — eight syllables. Of eight syllables, verily, is one line of the GayatrT. And that [series], indeed, is that [line] of it. As much breathing as there is here, so much indeed does he win who knows thus that line of it. That is its fourth, the sightly, foot, namely the one above- the-darksome who glows yonder.4 This fourth is the same as the Turlya. It is called the ' sightly (darsatam) foot,' because it has come into sight (dadrse), as it were. And he is called * above-the-darksome ' (paro-rajas), because he glows yonder far above everything darksome. Thus he glows with luster and glory who knows thus that foot of it 4. This Gayatrl is based upon that fourth, sightly foot, the one above-the-darksome. That is based upon truth (satya). Verily, truth is sight, for verily, truth is sight. Therefore if now two should come disputing, saying ' I have seen ! ' c I have heard ! ' we should trust the one who would say c I have seen/ Verily, that truth is based on strength (bald). Verily, strength is life (prand). It is based on life. Therefore they say, s Strength is more powerful than truth.1 1 Referring to the Rig- Veda by designating the principal character of its contents. 2 Similarly referring to the Yajur-Veda. s Similarly referring to the Sama-Veda. * That is, the Sun. 155 5.I4-4-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Thus is that Gayatii based with regard to the Self (adky- atmam). It protects the house-servants. Verily, the house- servants are the vital breaths (prand). So it protects the vital breaths. Because it protects (V ' tra) the house-servants (gaya\ therefore it is called Gayatri. That Savitrl stanza1 which one repeats is just this. For whomever one repeats it, it protects his vital breaths. 5. Some recite this Savitrl stanza as Anushtubh meter,2 saying: 'The speech is Anushtubh meter. We recite the speech accordingly/ One should not so do. One should recite the Savitrl stanza as Gayatri meter.3 Verily, even if one who knows thus receives very much, that is not at all in comparison with one single line of the Gayatri. 6. If one should receive these three worlds full, he would receive that first line of it [i.e. the Gayatri]. If one should receive as much as is this threefold knowledge, he would receive that second line of it. If one should receive as much as there is breathing here, he would receive that third line of it. But that fourth (turlyd), sightly foot, the one above-the-darksome, who glows yonder, is not obtainable by any one whatsoever. Whence, pray, would one receive so much ' 7. The veneration of it : ' O Gayatri, you are one-footed, two-footed, three-footed, four-footed. You are without a foot, because you do not go afoot Adoration to your fourth, sightly foot, the one above-the-darksome ! — Let not so-and-so obtain such-and-such ! ' — namely, the one whom one hates. Or, * So-and-so — let not his wish prosper ! ' — Indeed, that wish is not prospered for him in regard to whom one venerates thus. Or, ' Let me obtain such-and-such ! ' 8. On this point, verily, Janaka, [king] of Videha, spoke as follows to Budila Asvatarasvi: f^io! Now if you spoke of yourself thus as a knower of the Gayatri, how then have you come to be an elephant and are carrying ? ' ' Because, great king, I did not know its mouth/ said he. Its mouth is fire. Verily, indeed, even if they lay very much 1 RV. 3. 62. 10 : On this, of Savitri the god, The choicest glory let us think. Our thoughts may he himself inspire ! 2 Consisting of four eight-syllable lines. 3 Consisting of three eight-syllable lines. 156 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-6.1.1 on a fire, it burns it all. Even so one who knows this, al- though he commits very much evil, consumes it all and becomes clean and puie, ageless and immortal FIFTEENTH BRAHMANA * A dying person's prayer With a golden vessel The Real's face is covered o'er. That do thou, 0 Pushan, uncover For one whose law is the Real (satya-dharma) to see. O Nourisher (Pusan\ the sole Seer, 0 Controller ( Yamd), O Sun, offspring of Prajapati, spread forth thy rays ! Gather thy brilliance ! What is thy fairest form— that of thee I see. He who is yonder, yonder Person (purttsa) — I myself am he ! [My] breath (vayit) to the immortal wind (anilam amrtam) ! This body then ends in ashes ! Om \ O Purpose (krafu], remember! The deed (krtd) remember! O Purpose, remember! The deed remember! General prayer of petition and adoration O Agni7 by a goodly path to prosperity (rai) lead us, Thou god who knowest all the ways ! Keep far from us crooked-going sin (enas) ! Most ample expiession of adoration to thee would we render.2 SIXTH ADHYAYA FIRST BRAHMANA The characteristic excellence of six bodily functions, and the value of the knowledge thereof3 I. Om \ Verily, he who knows the chiefest and best, becomes the chiefest and best of his own [people]. Breath (prdna\ verily, is chiefest and best. He who knows this becomes the chiefest and best of his own [people] and even of those of whom he wishes so to become. 1 This section recurs again as Isa 15-18. See further foot-notes there. 3 This stanza = RV. r. 189. i (the famous Cremation Hymn). 5 A parallel passage in simpler form is Chand. 5.1. 1-5, 157 6. i. a-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 3. Verily, he who knows the most excellent becomes the most excellent of his own [people]. Speech, verily, is the most excellent. He who knows this becomes the most excellent of his own [people] and even of those of whom he wishes so to become. 3. Verily, he who knows the firm basis (prati-stha) has a firm basis (verb prati-stkd) on even ground, has a firm basis on rough ground. The Eye, verily, is a firm basis, for with the eye both on even ground and on rough ground one has a firm basis. He has a firm basis on even ground, he has a firm basis on rough ground, who knows this. 4. Verily, he who knows attainment — for him, indeed, is attained what wish he wishes. The Ear, verily, is attainment, for in the ear all these Vedas are attained. The wish that he wishes is attained for him who knows this. 5. Verily, he who knows the abode becomes the abode of his own [people], an abode of folk. The Mind, verily, is an abode. He becomes an abode of his own [people], an abode of folk, who knows this. 6. Verily, he who knows procreation (prajatf) procreates himself with progeny and cattle. Semen, verily, is procreation. He procreates himself with progeny and cattle, who knows this. The contest of the bodily functions for superiority, and the supremacy of breath l 7. These vital Breaths (prand), disputing among themselves on self-superiority, went to Brahma. Then they said : ' Which of us is the most excellent ? ' Then he said : ' The one of you after whose going off this body is thought to be worse off, he is the most excellent of you.5 8. Speech went off. Having remained away a year, it came back and said : c How have you been able to live without me?' 1 Compare the other accounts of this episode at Chaud. 5.1.6-5.3.2; Kaush. 3 3 158 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-6.1.13 They said: 'As the dumb, not speaking with speech, but breathing with breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, knowing with the mind, procreating with semen. Thus have we lived.' Speech entered in. 9. The Eye went off. Having remained away a year, it came back and said : ' How have you been able to live without me?' They said : ' As the blind, not seeing with the eye, but breathing with breath, speaking with speech, hearing with the ear, knowing with the mind, procreating with semen. Thus have we lived.' The eye entered in. 10. The Ear went off. Having remained away a year, it came back and said : l How have you been able to live without me?J They said: 'As the deaf, not hearing with the ear, but breathing with breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, knowing with the mind, procreating with semen. Thus have we lived.' The ear entered in. 11. The Mind went off. Having remained away a year, it came back and said : ' How have you been able to live without me?' They said : ' As the stupid, not knowing with the mind, but breathing with breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, procreating with semen. Thus have we lived.' The mind entered in. 12,. The Semen went off. Having remained away a year, it came back and said : ' How have you been able to live without me ? ' They said : ' As the emasculated, not procreating with semen, but breathing with breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, knowing with the mind. Thus have we lived.' The semen entered in. 13. Then Breath was about to go off. As a large fine horse of the Indus-land might pull up the pegs of his foot- tethers together, thus indeed did it pull up those vital breaths together. They said : ' Sir, go not off ! Verily, we shall not be able to live without you ! ' ' If such I am, make me an offering/ < So be it.' 159 6.I.I4-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD 14. Speech said : ' Verily, wherein I am the most excellent, therein are you the most excellent/ ' Verily, wherein I am a firm basis3 therein are you a firm basis/ said the eye. c Verily, wherein I am attainment, therein are you attain- ment,' said the ear. * Verily, wherein I am an abode, therein are you an abode/ said the mind. ( Verily, wherein I am procreation, therein are you procrea- tion/ said the semen. f If such I anij what is my food ? what is my dwelling ? ' 1 Whatever there is here, even to dogs, worms, crawling and flying insects — that is your food. Water is your dwelling/ Verily, what is not food is not eaten ; what is not food is not taken by him who thus knows that [i.e. water] as the food (anna) of breath (ana). Those who know this, who are versed in sacred learning (srotriya), when they are about to eat, take a sip ; after they have eaten, they take a sip. So, indeed, they think they make that breath (ana) not naked (anagna). SECOND BRAHMANA The course of the sotil in its incarnations l i. Verily, Svetaketu Aruneya went up to an assembly of Pancalas. He went up to Pravahana Jaibali while the latter was having himself waited upon. He, looking up, said unto him, f Young man ! ' ' Sir !' he replied. * Have you been instructed by your father ? ' f Yes/ said he. a. ' Know you how people here, on deceasing, separate in different directions ? ** ' No/ said he. ' Know you how they come back again to this world ? ' c No/ said he. 'Know you why yonder world is not filled up with the many who continually thus go hence ? ' ' No/ said he. 1 A parallel account is found in Chand. 5. 3-10. 1 60 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-6.2.7 < Know you in which oblation that is offered the water be- comes the voice of a person, rises up, and speaks ? ' ' No,' said he. ' Know you the access of the path leading to the gods, or of the one leading to the fathers? by doing what, people go to the path of the gods or of the fathers ? for we have heard the word of the seer : — Two paths, I've heard — the one that leads to fathers, And one that leads to gods — belong to moitals. By these two, every moving thing here travels, That is between the Father and the Mother.'1 1 Not a single one of them do I know/ said he. 3. Then he addressed him with an invitation to remain. Not respecting the invitation to remain, the boy ran off. He went to his father. He said to him: 'Verily, aforetime you have spoken of me, Sir, as having been instructed ! J * How now, wise one ? ' 'Five questions a fellow of the princely class (rajanya- bandhu} has asked me. Not a single one of them do I know.' 'What are they?' 4 These ' — and he repeated the topics 4. He said : * You should know me, my dear, as such, that whatsoever I myself know, I have told all to you. But, come ! Let us go there and take up studentship.' e Go yourself, Sir.' So Gautama2 went forth to where [the place] of Pravahana Jaibali was. He brought him a seat, and had water brought ; so he made him a respectful welcome. Then he said to him: £A boon we offer to the honorable Gautama ! ' 5. Then he said : ' The boon acceptable to me is this : — Pray tell me the word which you spoke in the presence of the young man.' 6. Then he said : * Verily, Gautama, that is among divine boons. Mention [one] of human boons/ 7. Then he said : ' It is well known that I have a full share of gold, of cows and horses, of female slaves, of rugs, of apparel. 1 That is, between Father Heaven and Mother Earth. 2 That is, Gautama Arum, the father. l6l M 6.3.7-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD Be not ungenerous toward me, Sir, In regard to that which is the abundant, the infinite, the unlimited/ 'Then, verily, 0 Gautama, you should seek in the usual manner.' 6 1 come to you, Sir, as a pupil ! ' — with [this] word, verily, indeed, men aforetime came as pupils. — So with the acknow- ledgment of coming as a pupil he remained. 8. Then he said: 'As truly as this knowledge has never heretofore dwelt with any Brahman (brd/imana) whatsoever, so truly may not you and your grandfathers injure us. But I will tell it to you, for who is able to refuse you when you speak thus ! ' He continued (iti) : 9. c Yonder world, verily, is a sacrificial fire, O Gautama. The sun, in truth, is its fuel ; the light-rays, the smoke ; the day, the flame; the quarters of heaven, the coals; the inter- mediate quarters, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer faith (smddha). From this oblation King Soma arises. 10. A rain-cloud, verily, is a sacrificial fire, O Gautama. The year, in truth, is its fuel ; the thunder-clouds, the smoke ; the lightning, the flame , the thunder-bolts, the coals ; the hail-stones, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer King Soma. From this oblation rain arises. 11. This world, verily, is a sacrificial fire, 0 Gautama. The earth, in truth, is its fuel ; fire, the smoke ; night, the flame ; the moon, the coals ; the stars, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer rain. From this oblation food arises. 12. Man (purusd), verily, is a sacrificial fire, O Gautama. The open mouth, verily, is its fuel ; breath (prdnd), the smoke , speech, the flame ; the eye, the coals ; the ear, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer food. From this oblation semen arises. 13. Woman, verily, is a sacrificial fire, O Gautama. The sexual organ, in truth, is its fuel ; the hairs, the smoke ; the vulva, the flame ; when one inserts, the coals ; the feelings of pleasure, the sparks. In this oblation the gods offer semen. From this oblation a person (puni$a) arises. He lives as long as he lives. Then when he dies, [14] then they carry him to the fire.1 His fire, in truth, becomes the fire ; fuel, the fuel ; smoke, the smoke ; ffame, the flame ; 1 That is, the funeral pyre. BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-5.3.1 coals, the coals ; sparks, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer a person (purusa). From this oblation the man arises having the color of light. ' 15. Those who know this, and those too who in the forest truly worship (ujasate) faith (traddka), pass into the flame [of the cremation-fire] ; from the flame, into the day ; from the day, into the half month of the waxing moon ; from the half month of the waxing moon, into the six months during which the sun moves northward ; from these months, into the world of the gods (deva-loka) ; from the world of the gods, into the sun -^ from the sun, into the lightning-fire. A Peison (puntsd) consisting of mind (manasa) goes to those regions of lightning and conducts them to the Brahma-worlds. In those Brahma- worlds they dwell for long extents. Of these there is no return. 1 6. But they who by sacrificial offering, charity, and austerity conquer the worlds, pass into the smoke [of the cremation-fire] ; from the smoke, into the night ; from the night, into the half month of the waning moon; from the half month of the waning moon, into the six months during which the sun moves southward ; from those months, into the world of the fathers ; from the world of the fathers, into the moon. Reaching the moon, they become food. There the gods—as they say to King Sotna, " Increase ! Decrease !"_even so feed upon them there. When that passes away for them, then they pass forth into this space ; from space, into air ; from air, into rain ; from rain, into the earth. On reaching the earth they become food. Again they are offered in the fire of man. Thence they are born in the fire of woman. Rising up into the world, they cycle round again thus. But those who know not these two ways, become crawling and flying insects and whatever there is here that bites/ THIRD BRAHMANA Incantation and ceremony for tlie attainment of a great wish1 I. Whoever may wish, ( I would attain something great ! — in the northern course of the sun, on an auspicious day of the 1 Compare the ceremony for the ' procuring of a special prize ' at Kaush, 2 3 (2), 163 M % 5.3-I-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD half month of the waxing moon, having performed the Upasad ceremony for twelve days, having collected in a dish of the wood of the sacied fig-tree (udambara\ or in a cup, all sorts of herbs including fruits, having swept around,1 having smeared around, having built up a fire, having strewn it around,2 having prepared the melted butter according to rule, having com- pounded the mixed potion under a male star, he makes an oblation, saying : — ' However many gods in thee, All-knower,3 Adversely slay desires of a person, To them participation I here offer! Let them, pleased, please me with all desires ! Hail! Whoever lays herself adverse, And says, "I the deposer am!" To thee, O such appeasing one, With stream of ghee I sacrifice. Hail ! ' a. ( To the chiefest, hail ! To the best, hail ! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to breath (prana) \ ' To the most excellent, hail ! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to speech ! £ To the firm basis, hail !' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to the eye ! 'To attainment, hail!'— he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to the ear ! ' To the abode, hail ! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to the mind! -where some of the same directions occur. Another parallel passage is Chand. 5.2.4-5.9.2. 1 A part of the elaborate ceremonies which occur also at Asvalayana Gnhya Sutras i. 3. T and at Paraskara Gnhya Sutras I. I. 2. 2 With sacrificial giass — a part of the usual procedure in the sacrificial ceremony. So AV. 7. 99. i ; gat. Br. 1.1.1.22; r. 7. 3. 28 ; Asvalayana Grihya Sutras 2. 5. 2 ; Gobhila Gnhya Sutras i. 7. 9 ; Katyayana 3rauta Sutras 2. 3. 6. 3 This word, jdtavedas, is a name for fire. 164 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-6.3.4 6 To procreation, hail ! '—he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. A Hail to the semen ! Thus he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. 3. 'To Agni (fire), hail ! '—he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. ' To Soma, hail ! '— he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. c O Earth (bhur\ hail ! '—he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. c O Atmosphere (bkuvas\ hail ! '— he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. ' O Sky (svar), hail ! '— he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. fO Earth, Atmosphere and Sky, hail ! '—he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. 4 To the Brahmanhood, hail ! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. ' To the Kshatrahood, hail ! '— he makes an oblatioa in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. 4 To the past, hail ! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. 4 To the future, hail i ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. ' To everything, hail ! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. c To the All, hail ! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. * To Prajapati, hail ! ' — he makes an oblation in the fire and pours off the remainder in the mixed potion. 4. Then he touches it, saying : c Thou art the moving. Thou art the glowing. Thou art the full. Thou art the steadfast. Thou art the sole resort. Thou art the sound hin that is made. Thou art the making of the sound hin} Thou ait the Loud Chant (udglthd). Thou art the chanting. Thou art that which is proclaimed. Thou art that which is proclaimed 1 That is, in the preliminary vocalizing of the ritual. 165 6,3.4-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD in the antiphone. Thou art the flaming in the moist. Thou art the pervading. Thou art surpassing. Thou art food. Thou art light. Thou art destruction. Thou art the despoiler.' 5. Then he raises it, saying : ( Thou thinkest. Think of thy greatness ! l He is, indeed, king and ruler and overlord. Let the king and ruler make me overlord/ 6. Then he takes a sip, saying : — 'On this desired [glory] of Savitri2 — 'Tis sweetness, winds for pious man — "Tis sweetness, too, the streams pour forth. Sweet-filled for us let be the herbs'3 To Earth (b/iur), hail ! [On this desired] glory of the god let us meditate.4 Sweet be the night and morning glows ! Sweet be the atmosphere of earth ' And sweet th' Heaven-father (dyaus pita) be to us!5 To Atmosphere (bhuvas), hail ! And may he himself inspire our thoughts' 6 The tree be full of sweet for us ! And let the sun be full of sweet ! Sweet-filled the cows become for us 1 7 To the Sky (svar\ hail ! ' He repeats all the Savitri Hymn and all the « Sweet-verses/ and says: 'May I indeed become this world -all ! O Earth (bhnr) and Atmosphere (bhuvas) and Sky (svar) \ Hail !' Finally, having taken a sip, having washed his hands, he lies down behind the fire, head eastward. In the morning he worships the sun, and says : c Of the quarters of heaven thou art the one lotus-flower ! s May I of men become the one lotus-flower ! ' s 1 This may be rue meaning of Smajhsi dmamhi te mahi. The words seem to bear some lesemblance to the phrase which involves a play on words m the corresponding passage in Chand. 5. 2. 6, amo ndmd 'si ama hi te sarvam zdam, c Thou art He (ama) by name, for this whole world is at home (ama) m thee.' 2 The first line of the famous Savitri Hymn, RV. 3. 62. loa. 3 These three lines are found at RV. i. 90, 6 and VS, 13. 27. * The second line of the Savitri Hymn, RV. 3. 62. lob. 5 These three lines are found at RV. i, 90 7 and VS. 13. 28. 6 The third line of the Savitri Hymn, RV. 3. 62. loc. 7 These last three lines are found at RV i, 90. 8 and VS. 13. 29. 8 A symbolic expression for ' pre-eminent.' 166 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-63.13 Then he goes back the same way that he came, and, seated behind the fire, mutters the Line of Tradition (vamsa)* 7- This, indeed, did Uddalaka Arurn tell to his pupil Vaja- saneya Yajnavalkya, and say: « Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring forth.3 8. This, indeed, did Vajasaneya Yajnavalkya tell to his pupil Madhuka Paingya, and say: 'Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring forth.3 9- This, indeed, did Madhuka Paingya tell to his pupil Cula Bhagavitti, and say : < Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring- forth/ ^ * _ 10. This, indeed, did Cula Bhagavitti tell to his pupil Janaki Ayasthuna, and say: 'Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring- forth.3 * 5 ii. This, indeed, did Janaki Ayasthuna tell to his pupil Satyakama Jabala, and say : < Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring forth.' 13. This, indeed, did Satyakama Jabala tell to his pupils, and say : ' Even if one should pour this on a dry stump, branches would be produced and leaves would spring forth/ One should not tell this to one who is not a son or to one who is not a pupil.2 13. Fourfold is the wood of the sacred fig-tree [in the cere- mony] : the spoon (sruva) is of the wood of the sacred fig-tree ; the cup is of the wood of the sacred fig-tree; the fuel is of the wood of the sacred fig-tree ; the two mixing-sticks are of the wood of the sacred fig-tree. There are ten cultivated grains [used] . rice and barley, sesamum and beans, millet and panic, and wheat, and lentils, and pulse, and vetches. These, when they have been ground, one sprinkles with curdled milk, honey, and ghee ; and one makes an oblation of melted butter. 1 That is, the tradition through the successive teachers. 2 A similar prohibition, against promulgating esoteric knowledge occurs at £vet. 6. 22 and Maitri 6. 29. 167 6.4,1-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD FOURTH BRAHMANA Incantations and ceremonies for procreation i. Verily, of created things here earth is the essence; of earth, water ; of water, plants ; of plants, flowers ; of flowers, fruits ; of fruits, man (purusa) ; of man, semen. 3. Prajapati(c Lord of creatures') bethought himself: 'Come, let me provide him a firm basis ! J So he created woman. When he had created her, he revered her below. — Therefore one should revere woman below. — He stretched out for him- self that stone which projects. With that he impregnated her. 3. Her lap is a sacrificial altar ; her hairs, the sacrificial grass ; her skin, the soma-press. The two lips of the vulva are the fire in the middle. Verily, indeed, as great as is the world of him who sacrifices with the Vajapeya ('Strength- libation ') sacrifice,, so great is the world of him who practises sexual intercourse, knowing this ; he turns the good deeds of \\ omen to himself. But he who practises sexual intercourse with- out knowing this — women turn his good deeds unto themselves. 4. This, verily, indeed, it was that Uddalaka Aruni knew \vhen he said : — This, verily, indeed, it was that Naka Maudgalya knew when he said : — This, verily, indeed, it was that Kumaraharita knew when he said ; * Many mortal men, Brahmans by descent, go forth from this world, impotent and devoid of merit, namely those who practise sexual intercourse without knowing this.' [If] even this much1 semen is spilled, whether of one asleep or of one awake, [5] then he should touch it, or [without touching] repeat : — f What semen has of mine to earth been spilt now, Whate'er to herb has flowed, whatever to water ' This very semen I reclaim! Again to me let vigor come! Again, my strength; again, my glow! Again the altars and the fire Be found in their accustomed place I9 1 Deictically used, 168 BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD [-6.4.12 Having spoken thus, he should take it with ring-finger and thumb, and rub it on between his breasts or his eye-brows. 6. Now, if one should see himself in water, he should recite over it the formula : ' In me be vigor, power, beauty, wealth, merit ! ' This, verily, indeed, is loveliness among women : when [a woman] has removed the [soiled] clothes of her impurity. Therefore when she has removed the [soiled] clothes of her impurity and is beautiful, one should approach and invite her. 7. If she should not grant him his desire, he should bribe her. If she still does not grant him his desire, he should hit her with a stick or with his hand., and overcome her, saying : 1 With power, with glory I take away your glory ! ' Thus she becomes inglorious. 8. If she should yield to him, he says : ' With power, with glory I give you glory ! ' Thus they two become glorious. 9. The woman whom one may desire with the thought, ' May she enjoy love with me ! ' — after coming together with her, joining mouth with mouth, and stroking her lap, he should mutter : — 'Thou that from every limb art come, That from the heart art generate, Thou art the essence of the limbs ! Distract this woman here in me, As if by poisoned arrow pierced!' 10. Now, the woman whom one may desire with the thought, * May she not conceive offspring ! ' — after coming together with her and joining mouth with mouth, he should first inhale, then exhale, and say : c With power, with semen, I reclaim the semen from you ! ' Thus she comes to be without seed. 11. Now, the woman whom one may desire with the thought, 'May she conceive !'— after coming together with her and joining mouth with mouth, he should first exhale, then inhale, and say : * With power, with semen, I deposit semen in you ! ' Thus she becomes pregnant. 12. Now, if one's wife have a paramour, and he hate him, let him put fire in an unannealed vessel, spread out a row of reed arrows in inverse order, and therein sacrifice in inverse 169 64-I3-] BRIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHAD order those reed arrows, their heads smeared with ghee, saying : — 4 You have made a lib' at ion in my fire ! I take away your in-breath and out-breath (prdndpanaii) — you, so-and-so ' You have made a libation in my fire ! I take away your sons and cattle1 — you, so-and-so! You have made a libation in my fire ! I take away your sacrifices and meritorious deeds x— you, so-and-so ' You have made a libation in my fire ! I take away your hope and expectation 1 — you, so-and-so ! } Verily, he whom a Brahman who knows this curses — he departs from this world impotent and devoid of merit. There- fore one should not desire sport with the spouse of a person learned in sacred lore (srotriyd] who knows this, for indeed he who knows this becomes superior.2 13. Now, when the monthly sickness comes upon any one's wife, for three days she should not drink from a metal cup, nor put on fresh clothes. Neither a low-caste man nor a low-caste woman should touch her. At the end of the three nights she should bathe and should have rice threshed, 14. In case one wishes, 'That a white son be born to me! that he may be able to repeat a Veda ! that he may attain the full length of life ! ' — they two should have rice cooked with milk and should eat it prepared with ghee. They two are likely to beget [him], 15. Now, in case one wishes, 'That a tawny son with reddish-brown eyes be born to me ! that he may be able to recite two Vedas f that he may attain the full length of life ! ' — they two should have rice cooked with sour milk and should eat it prepared with ghee. They two are likely to beget [him], 1 6. Now, in case one wishes, ' That a swarthy son with red eyes be born to me ! that he may be able to repeat three Vedas ! that he may attain the full length of life ! ' — they two should have rice boiled with water and should eat it prepared with ghee. They two are likely to beget [him]. 1 These same items recur (though not altogether verbatim) in Katha I. 8 as possessions of which an offender is to be deprived by an offended Brahman, 2 This prohibition recurs verbatim in Paraskara Grihya Sulras I. n.