Chapter on the Bliss of the Lord

First Anuvaka

God, Lord of the world and of the individual; knowledge of Him the supreme success

2.1.1 He who knows God attains the highest!

As to that this verse has been declared:

He who knows God as the Real, as Knowledge, as the Infinite,

Who is near, in the secret place of the heart, and who is above in the highest heaven,

He obtains all desires,

Together with the favor of the All-Wise God.

The creation of the human person

From God, by His command, space arose; from space, wind; from wind, fire; from fire, water; from water, the earth; from the earth, herbs; from herbs, food; from food, the seed of life; from the seed, the human person.

The person in the sphere of food

This, verily, is the person that consists of the essence of food. This, indeed, is his head; this, the right side; this, the left side; this, the body; this, the lower part, the foundation.

As to that there is also this verse:

Second Anuvaka

Food, the supporting, yet consuming, substance of all life; a gift of God

2.2.1 From food, verily, creatures are produced,

Whatsoever creatures dwell on the earth.

Moreover by food, in truth, they live.

Moreover into it also they finally pass.

For truly, food is the chief of beings;

Therefore it is called a panacea.

Verily, they obtain all food

Who give thanks to God for food.

For truly, food is the chief of beings;

Therefore it is called a panacea.

From food created things are born.

By food, when born, do they grow up.

It both is eaten and eats things.

Because of that it is called food.

The person in the sphere of breath

Verily, other than and within that one that consists of the essence of food is the self that consists of breath. By that this is filled. This, verily, has the form of a person. According to that one's personal form is this one with the form of a person. The in-breath is its head; the diffused breath, the right wing; the out-breath, the left wing; space, the body; the earth, the lower part, the foundation.

As to that there is also this verse:

Third Anuvaka

Breath, the life of all living beings; a gift of God

2.3.1 The angels do breathe along with breath,

As also men and beasts.

For truly, breath is the life of beings.

Therefore it is called the Life-of-all.

To a full life go they

Who give thanks to God for breath.

For truly, breath is the life of beings;

Therefore it is called the Life-of-all.

This, indeed, is its bodily self, as of the former.

The person in the sphere of the mind

Verily, other than and within that one that consists of breath is a self that consists of mind. By that this is filled. This, verily, has the form of a person. According to that one's personal form is this one with the form of a person. The Yajur is its head; the Rig, the right side; the Sama, the left side; teaching, the body; the hymns of the Atharvans and Angirases, the lower part, the foundation.

As to that there is also this verse:

Fourth Anuvaka

Beyond the mind, an inexpressible, fearless bliss

2.4.1 Wherefrom words turn back,

Together with the mind, not having attained,

The bliss of God's nearness he who knows

Fears not at any time at all.

This, indeed, is its bodily self, as of the former.

The person in the sphere of understanding

Verily, other than and within that one that consists of mind is a self that consists of understanding. By that this is filled. This, verily, has the form of a person. According to that one's personal form is this one with the form of a person. Faith is its head; the right, the right side; the true, the left side; contemplation, the body; might, the lower part, the foundation.

As to that there is also this verse:

Fifth Anuvaka

Understanding, all-directing; a saving and satisfying gift of God

2.5.1 Understanding directs the worship,

And deeds also it directs.

It is understanding that all the angels

Do honor in God, as chief.

If one knows God through understanding,

And if he is not heedless thereto,

He leaves his sins behind in the body,

And attains all desires.

This, indeed, is its bodily self, as of the former.

The person in the sphere of bliss

Verily, other than and within that one that consists of understanding is a self that consists of bliss. By that this is filled. That one, verily, has the form of a person. According to that one's personal form is this one with the form of a person. Pleasure is its head; delight, the right side; great delight, the left side; bliss, the body; God's mercy, the lower part, the foundation.

As to that there is also this verse:

Sixth Anuvaka

Fate according to what one knows of God

2.6.1 Lost himself does one become,

If he denies that God exists.

If one knows that God exists,

Such a one people thereby know as sound.

This, indeed, is its bodily self, as of the former.

Query: Who reaches the Garden of bliss?

Now next, the appurtenant questions:

Does any one who knows not,

On deceasing, go to yonder world?

Or is it that any one who knows,

On deceasing, attains yonder world?

God willed to create. He created this whole world, whatever there is here. He, the Truth, is distinct from what He created, though He encompasses it by His knowledge and power. All that is real here is real by His command. That is what they call the real.

As to that there is also this verse:

Seventh Anuvaka

The Creator, the source of existence and the sole basis of fearless bliss

2.7.1 In the beginning, verily, there was nothing but God.

He brought all things into being by His will.

All that He made He made well.

Therefore it is called the well-done.

Verily, what that perfection is, that, verily, is the essence of existence. For truly, on getting the essence, one becomes blissful. For who indeed would breathe, who would live, if there were not this bliss in space! For truly, this essence causes bliss. For truly, when one finds fearlessness as a foundation in Him who is invisible, bodiless, beyond definition, needing no support, then he has reached fearlessness. When, however, one makes a gap between himself and his Lord, then he comes to have fear. But that indeed is the fear of one who thinks of himself as a knower.

As to that there is also this verse:

Eighth Anuvaka

All cosmic activity through fear of God

2.8.1 Through fear of Him the wind doth blow,

Through fear of Him the sun doth rise,

Through fear of Him both fire and the mighty ones

And death as fifth do speed along.

The gradation of blisses up to the bliss of God's good pleasure

This is a consideration of bliss.

Let there be a youth, a good youth, well read, very quick, very firm, very strong. Let this whole earth be full of wealth for him. That is one human bliss.

A hundred human blisses are one bliss of the righteous in the first ranks of the Garden, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the righteous in the first ranks of the Garden are one bliss of the righteous in its higher ranks, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the righteous in the higher ranks of the Garden are one bliss of the righteous fathers in their long-enduring abode, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the righteous fathers in their long-enduring abode are one bliss of the angels, created so from the beginning, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the angels created so are one bliss of the righteous who have been raised to the angels' company by their works, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the righteous raised by their works are one bliss of the angels, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the angels are one bliss of the foremost of the angels, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the foremost of the angels are one bliss of the angels who are nearest, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the nearest angels are one bliss of the highest rank of the Garden, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

A hundred blisses of the highest rank of the Garden are as one bliss of God's good pleasure, also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire.

The knower reaches the blissful sphere

Both the man who is here and the sun that is yonder are God's creation; the one Lord is over both.

He who knows this, on departing from this world, proceeds on to the stage that consists of food, proceeds on to the stage that consists of breath, proceeds on to the stage that consists of mind, proceeds on to the stage that consists of understanding, proceeds on to the stage that consists of bliss, and arrives at the mercy of his Lord.

As to that there is also this verse:

Ninth Anuvaka

The knower of the bliss of God is saved from all fear and from all self-reproach

2.9.1 Wherefrom words turn back,

Together with the mind, not having attained,

The bliss of God's nearness he who knows

Fears not from anything at all.

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 these thoughts. For truly, from both of these he saves himself, he who knows this!

Such is the teaching!