Taittiriya Upanishad · First Valli · The Principal Upanishads

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Plain text of Taittiriya Upanishad · First Valli

Chapter concerning Instruction

First Anuvaka

Invocation, adoration, and supplication

Be gracious to us, O God, our Friend and Guardian!

Be gracious to us, O God, All-Seeing, Upholder of the Law!

Be gracious to us, O God, Keeper of the Covenant!

Be gracious to us, O God, the Mighty, Lord of Knowledge!

Be gracious to us, O God, whose knowledge pervades all!

Praise be to God! The wind is His sign; it is He who sends it, and He alone do I worship. I will speak of the right. I will speak of the true. Let that favor me! Let that favor the speaker! Let it favor me! Let it favor the speaker!

Peace! Peace! Peace!

Second Anuvaka

Lesson on Pronunciation

We will expound pronunciation:

the sound;

the accent;

the quantity;

the force;

the articulation;

the combination.

Thus has been declared the lesson on pronunciation.

Third Anuvaka

The significance of combinations

1.3.1 Glory be with us two! Pre-eminence in sacred knowledge be with us two!

Now next, we will expound the meaning of combination in five heads:

with regard to the world;

with regard to the luminaries;

with regard to knowledge;

with regard to progeny;

with regard to oneself.

Now, with regard to the world.

The earth is the prior form; the heaven, the latter form. Space is their conjunction; [2] wind, the connection. Thus with regard to the world.

Now, with regard to the luminaries.

Fire is the prior form; the sun, the latter form. Water is their conjunction; lightning, the connection. Thus with regard to the luminaries.

Now, with regard to knowledge.

The teacher is the prior form; [3] the pupil, the latter form. Knowledge is their conjunction; instruction, the connection. Thus with regard to knowledge.

Now, with regard to progeny.

The mother is the prior form; the father, the latter form. Progeny is their conjunction; procreation, the connection. Thus with regard to progeny.

1.3.4 Now, with regard to oneself.

The lower jaw is the prior form; the upper jaw, the latter form. Speech is their conjunction; the tongue, the connection. Thus with regard to oneself.

These are the great combinations. He who knows these combinations thus expounded becomes conjoined with offspring, with cattle, with pre-eminence in sacred knowledge, with food, with the heavenly world.

Fourth Anuvaka

A teacher's prayer

1.4.1 O God, You who are exalted above all words, whose forms of creation are many, who are the source of life itself:

Let the Mighty One save me with intelligence!

O my Lord, I seek immortality in Your mercy!

May my body be very vigorous!

May my tongue be exceeding sweet!

May I hear abundantly with my ears!

My mind is the vessel of Your knowledge,

Covered over with intelligence.

Guard for me what I have heard!

May prosperity come to me,

Bringing and extending

Garments and cows,

And food and drink always.

Therefore bring me prosperity,

In wool, along with cattle!

May students of sacred knowledge come unto me!

May students of sacred knowledge come apart unto me!

May students of sacred knowledge come forth unto me!

May students of sacred knowledge subdue themselves!

May students of sacred knowledge tranquillize themselves!

1.4.3 May I become honored among men!

May I be better than the very rich!

Into Your mercy, O Gracious Lord, may I enter!

Let Your mercy, O Gracious Lord, enter me!

In this a thousandfold branching of Your gifts, O Gracious Lord, in You I am cleansed!

As waters run downward, as months into the year, so, O Establisher, may students of sacred knowledge run unto me from all sides!

You are a refuge! Shine upon me! Come unto me!

Fifth Anuvaka

The four utterances

1.5.1 Bhur! Bhuvas! Suvar! Verily, these are the three utterances. And beside these, too, Mahacamasya made known a fourth, namely Mahas, Greatness! All these are signs of God's creation and His greatness.

Bhur, verily, is this world; Bhuvas, the atmosphere; Suvar, yonder world; [2] Mahas, the sun. Verily, all worlds are made greater by the sun, a sign of God.

Bhur, verily, is fire; Bhuvas, wind; Suvar, the sun; Mahas, the moon. Verily, all lights are made greater by the moon.

Bhur, verily, is the verses; Bhuvas, the chants; Suvar, the formulas; [3] Mahas, sacred knowledge. Verily, all the sacred books are made greater by sacred knowledge.

Bhur, verily, is the in-breath; Bhuvas, the out-breath; Suvar, the diffused breath; Mahas, food. Verily, all the vital breaths are made greater by food.

Verily, these four are fourfold. The utterances are four and four. He who knows these knows the signs of God; to him the angels bring strength.

Sixth Anuvaka

A departing person's attainment

1.6.1 This space that is within the heart, therein is the soul, formed of knowledge, created by God to be immortal in His mercy. That which hangs down between the palates like a nipple is the soul's place of exit.

1.6.2 At death, by God's command, the soul is taken out where the edge of the hair is, and is carried beyond the fire, beyond the wind, beyond the sun, to the nearness of God. He obtains freedom. God is Lord of the mind, Lord of the voice, Lord of the eye, Lord of the ear, Lord of the understanding. He is the Truth, whose power encompasses space, who gives delight to the mind, abounding in tranquillity, the Immortal. Thus, O Pracinayogya, worship Him.

Seventh Anuvaka

The fivefoldness of the world and of the individual

1.7.1 Earth, atmosphere, heaven, the quarters, and the intermediate quarters;

fire, wind, sun, moon, stars;

water, plants, trees, space, and one's body.

Thus with regard to material existence.

Now with regard to oneself.

The in-breath, the diffused breath, the out-breath, the up-breath, the equalising breath;

sight, hearing, mind, speech, touch;

skin, flesh, muscle, bone, marrow.

Having analyzed in this manner, a seer has said: "Fivefold, verily, is this whole world. With the fivefold, indeed, one wins the fivefold."

Ninth Anuvaka

Study of the sacred word the most important of all duties

1.9.1 The right, and also study and teaching.

The true, and also study and teaching.

Austerity, and also study and teaching.

Self-control, and also study and teaching.

Tranquillity, and also study and teaching.

Worship, and also study and teaching.

Guests, and also study and teaching.

Humanity, and also study and teaching.

Offspring, and also study and teaching.

Marriage, and also study and teaching.

Procreation, and also study and teaching.

"The true!" says Satyavacas Rathitara.

"Austerity!" says Taponitya Paurusishti.

"Just study and teaching!" says Naka Maudgalya, "for that is austerity, for that is austerity."

Tenth Anuvaka

The excellence of knowledge

1.10.1 I shake the tree of worldly delusion!

My fame is like a mountain's peak!

By God's grace, exaltedly pure, like the best of nectar,

I am a shining treasure of knowledge.

This is Trisanku's recitation on knowledge.

Eleventh Anuvaka

Practical precepts to a student

1.11.1 Having taught the sacred knowledge, a teacher further instructs a pupil:

Speak the truth.

Practise virtue.

Neglect not study.

Having brought an acceptable gift to the teacher, cut not off the line of progeny.

One should not be negligent of truth.

One should not be negligent of virtue.

One should not be negligent of welfare.

One should not be negligent of prosperity.

One should not be negligent of study and teaching.

1.11.2 One should not be negligent of duties to God and to parents.

Honor your mother.

Honor your father.

Honor your teacher.

Honor your guest.

Those acts which are irreproachable should be practised, and no others.

Those things which among us are good deeds should be followed by you, [3] and no others.

Whatever learned men are superior to us, for them refreshment should be procured by you with a seat.

One should give with faith.

One should not give without faith.

One should give with plenty.

One should give with modesty.

One should give with fear of God.

One should give with sympathy.

Now, if you should have doubt concerning an act, or doubt concerning conduct, [4] if there should be there learned men competent to judge, apt, devoted, not harsh, lovers of virtue, as they may behave themselves in such a case, so should you behave yourself in such a case.

Now, with regard to people spoken against, if there should be there learned men competent to judge, apt, devoted, not harsh, lovers of virtue, as they may behave themselves with regard to such, so should you behave yourself with regard to such.

This is the teaching. This is the admonition. This is the secret of the sacred knowledge. This is the instruction. Thus should one worship God. Thus, indeed, should one worship God.

Twelfth Anuvaka

Invocation, adoration, and acknowledgment