First Prapathaka

Remembrance of God, the essence and the true completion of devotion

1 That which for the ancients was a building up of rites was, verily, a devotion to God. Therefore, in his devotions the worshipper should remember God. So, verily, indeed, does his devotion become really complete and sound.

Who is he that is to be remembered?

He who gives life!

A tale thereof:

The ascetic king Brihadratha, being offered a boon, chooses knowledge of the soul

2 Verily, a king, Brihadratha by name, after having established his son in the kingdom, reflecting that this body is not eternal, reached the state of indifference towards the world, and went forth into the forest. There he stood, performing extreme devotion, keeping his arms raised in prayer.

At the end of a thousand days there came into the presence of the ascetic the honorable knower, Sakayanya, like a smokeless fire, burning as it were with glow. "Arise! Arise! Choose a boon!" said he to the king.

He did obeisance to him and said: "Sir, I am no knower of the truth about the soul. You are one who knows its true nature, we have heard. So, do you tell us."

"Such things used to occur! Very difficult to answer is this question! Aikshvaka, choose other desires!" said Sakayanya.

With his head touching that one's feet, the king uttered this speech:

He rejects evanescent earthly desires, and craves only salvation

3 "Sir, in this ill-smelling, unsubstantial body, which is a conglomerate of bone, skin, muscle, marrow, flesh, blood, mucus, tears, rheum, feces, urine, wind, bile, and phlegm, what is the good of enjoyment of desires? In this body, which is afflicted with desire, anger, covetousness, delusion, fear, despondency, envy, separation from the desirable, union with the undesirable, hunger, thirst, senility, death, disease, sorrow, and the like, what is the good of enjoyment of desires?

4 And we see that this whole world is decaying, as these gnats, mosquitoes, and the like, the grass, and the trees arise and perish.

But, indeed, what of these? There are others superior, great warriors, some world-rulers, Sudyumna, Bhuridyumna, Indradyumna, Kuvalayasva, Yauvanasva, Vadhryasva, Asvapati, Sasabindu, Hariscandra, Ambarisha, Nahusha, Saryati, Yayati, Anaranya, Ukshasena, and the rest; kings, too, such as Marutta, Bharata, and others. With a crowd of relatives looking on, they left great wealth and went forth from this world into the next.

But, indeed, what of these? There are others superior. We see the destruction of the jinn, the rebellious ones, and the like.

But, indeed, what of these? Among other things, there is the drying up of great oceans, the falling away of mountain peaks, the deviation of the fixed pole-star, the submergence of the earth.

In this sort of passing world what is the good of enjoyment of desires, when after a man has fed on them there is seen his return to the dust?

Be pleased to deliver me. In this world I am like a frog in a waterless well. Sir, you are our way of escape; yea, you are our way of escape!"

Second Prapathaka

Sakayanya's instruction concerning the soul

1 Then the honorable Sakayanya, well pleased, said to the king: "Great king Brihadratha, banner of the family of Ikshvaku, speedily will you who are renowned as 'Swift Wind' attain your purpose and become a knower of the truth about the soul!

This soul, assuredly, indeed, is yours, a trust from God."

"Which one is it, Sir?"

Then he said to him:

The soul, created by God and separable from the body

2 "Now, he who, without stopping the respiration, goes aloft and who, moving about, yet unmoving, dispels darkness, he is the soul. Thus said the honorable Maitri. For thus has it been said: 'Now, that serene one who, rising up out of this body, reaches the highest light, is the soul,' said he. 'That is of God's creation, immortal by His will, and fearless in His mercy.'

The body without intelligence, and its Driver

3 Now, indeed, O king, this is the knowledge contained in all the scriptures, as declared to us by the honorable Maitri. I will narrate it to you.

Now, the Valakhilyas are reputed as free from evil, of resplendent glory, living in chastity. Now, they said to Kratu, the Creator's servant: 'Sir, this body is like a cart without intelligence. To what unseen Power, forsooth, belongs such power whereby this sort of thing is set up in possession of this sort of intelligence? Or, in other words, who is its Driver? Sir, tell us what you know!'

Then he said to them:

4 'He, assuredly, indeed, who is reputed as standing aloof, He, verily, is pure, clean, tranquil, without need, endless, undecaying, steadfast, eternal, unborn, independent. He abides in His own greatness. By Him this body is set up in possession of intelligence; or, in other words, He, verily, is its Driver.'

Then they said: 'Sir, how by this kind of indifferent Being is this sort of thing set up in possession of intelligence? Or, in other words, how is He its Driver?'

Then he said to them:

God sets the body in motion by His command

5 'Verily, that subtle, ungraspable, invisible Lord turns it here by His command, without there being any previous awareness in the sleeper, even as the awakening of a sleeper takes place by His command.

By Him, as the Giver of intelligence, this body is set up in possession of intelligence; or, in other words, He is its Driver.'

Then they said: 'Sir, if by this kind of indifferent Being this kind of body is set up in possession of intelligence, still how, in other words, is He its Driver?'

Then he said to them:

6 'Verily, in the beginning the Creator stood alone, needing nothing. By His command He created numerous creatures.

He saw them inanimate and lifeless, like a stone, standing like a post. He then gave them life by His command.

He gave them breath in five functions, called the breath that passes up, the breath that passes down, the diffused breath, the equalizing breath, and the up-breath. Now, that breath which passes up is the first. Now, that which passes down is the second. Now, that by which these two are supported is the diffused breath. Now, that which conducts into the lower breath the coarsest element of food and distributes in each limb the most subtle, that, assuredly, is named the equalizing breath. Now, that which belches forth and swallows down what has been drunk and eaten, that is the up-breath.

The heat which cooks the food within a person is by His decree. It is the noise thereof that one hears on covering the ears. When a person is about to depart, one hears not this sound.

By Him forsooth driven, this body goes around and around, like the wheel driven by the potter. The reins are the organs of perception. The steeds are the organs of action. The body is the chariot. The charioteer is the mind. The whip is made of one's character. So, this body is set up in possession of consciousness by the command of God, who is its Driver.'"

Third Prapathaka

The soul in distress

1 Then they said: "Sir, if thus you describe the greatness of God's command over the soul, there is still another matter. Who is he, called soul, who, being overcome by the bright or the dark fruits of action, wanders around, overcome by the pairs of opposites?"

The soul that is subject to desires, confused and self-conceited, suffers

2 Then he said: "There is indeed the soul that is subject to the elements of its body. Being overcome by the fruits of its actions, it is confused and wanders around, overcome by the pairs of opposites.

The further explanation of this is:

The body is composed of the elements of the earth and the water. The soul within it is like the drop of water on the lotus leaf, unaffected.

This soul, verily, is overcome by the qualities of its nature. Because of being overcome, it goes on to confusedness; because of confusedness, it sees not the blessed Lord, who is near and who causes it to act. Borne along and defiled by the stream of qualities, unsteady, wavering, bewildered, full of desire, distracted, this one goes on to a state of self-conceit. In thinking 'This is I' and 'That is mine,' he binds himself with his self, as does a bird with a snare.

4 Now, it has elsewhere been said: 'This body arises from a drop. It develops in the dark of the womb. Then it comes forth. It is built up with bones smeared over with flesh; covered with skin; filled full with feces, urine, bile, phlegm, marrow, fat, grease, and also with many diseases, like a treasure-house with wealth.'

5 Now, it has elsewhere been said: 'The characteristics of the dark quality are delusion, fear, despondency, sleepiness, weariness, heedlessness, old age, sorrow, hunger, thirst, wretchedness, anger, atheism, ignorance, jealousy, cruelty, stupidity, shamelessness, religious neglect, pride, unequableness.

The characteristics of the passionate quality, on the other hand, are inner thirst, affection, emotion, covetousness, maliciousness, lust, hatred, secretiveness, envy, insatiability, unsteadfastness, fickleness, distractedness, ambitiousness, acquisitiveness, favoritism towards friends, dependence upon surroundings, hatred in regard to unpleasant objects of sense, overfondness in regard to pleasant objects, sourness of utterance, gluttonousness. With these the soul is filled full; with these it is overcome.'"

Fourth Prapathaka

The way of the soul's return to God

1 Then, indeed, assuredly, those chaste Valakhilyas, exceedingly amazed, said: "Sir, adoration be to God! Instruct us further. You are our way of escape. There is no other.

What is the rule for this soul, whereby, on quitting this body, it may come to the nearness of its Lord?"

Then he said to them:

The miserable condition of the soul

2 "Now, it has elsewhere been said: 'Like the waves in great rivers, there is no turning back of that which has previously been done. Like the ocean tide, hard to keep back is the approach of one's death. Like a lame man, bound with the fetters made of the fruit of good and evil; like the condition of one in prison, lacking independence; like the condition of one in the realm of death, in a condition of great fear; like one intoxicated with liquor, intoxicated with delusion; like one seized by an evil being, rushing hither and thither; like one bitten by a great snake, bitten by objects of sense; like gross darkness, the darkness of passion; like jugglery, consisting of illusion; like a dream, falsely apparent; like the pith of a banana-tree, unsubstantial; like an actor, in temporary dress; like a painted scene, falsely delighting the mind.'

Moreover it has been said:

Objects of sound and touch and sense

are worthless objects in a man.

Yet the soul through attachment to them

remembers not its highest station.

The antidote: study of the scripture, performance of one's duty, and devotion

3 The antidote, assuredly, indeed, for this soul is this: study of the knowledge of the scripture, and pursuit of one's regular duty. Pursuit of one's regular duty in one's own station of life, that, verily, is the rule! Other rules are like a bunch of grass. With this, one tends upwards; otherwise, downwards. Not by transgressing one's duty does one come to a righteous station. Some one says: 'He is not in any of the stations of life! Verily, he is one who practises devotion!' That is not proper. However, if one does not practise devotion, there is no success in the knowledge of the soul, nor perfection of works. For thus has it been said:

'Tis goodness from devotion,

and mind from goodness, that is won;

and from the mind the soul is won;

on winning which, one turns to his Lord.

Knowledge of God, devotion, and remembrance: the means of nearness to God

4 'God is!' says he who knows the knowledge of God.

'This is the door to God!' says he who becomes free of evil by devotion.

'Great is God!' says he who, completely absorbed, remembers continually.

Therefore, by knowledge, by devotion, and by remembrance God is apprehended.

He obtains a happiness undecaying, unmeasured, free from sickness, he who, knowing this, reveres God with this triad: knowledge, devotion, and remembrance.

So when this chariot-rider is released from those things wherewith he was filled full and overcome, then he attains the mercy of his Lord."

The various created powers are signs, not objects of worship

5 Then they said: "Sir, you are the explainer! You are the explainer! What has been said has been duly fixed in mind by us. Now answer a further question.

Fire, Wind, and Sun; time, whatever it is, breath, and food; the creator, the avenger, and the pervader: some meditate upon one, some upon another. Tell us which one is the best?"

Then he said to them:

6 "These are, assuredly, signs and creations of the supreme, the immortal, the bodiless God. To whichever one each man is attached here, in its world he rejoices only for a time. For thus has it been said: 'Verily, this whole world is the creation of God.'

Verily, these one should consider as His signs and reflect upon, but then deny them any share in divinity. For to worship them is a loss, while the reflection upon them as signs raises a man higher and higher. But on the Day of Judgement he stands before the One God, the Lord of all!"

Fifth Prapathaka

Hymn of praise to God

1 Now, then, this is Kutsayana's Hymn of Praise.

Thou art the Creator, and verily Thou art the All-pervading in knowledge.

Thou art the Avenger. Thou art the Lord of creation.

Thou art the Light. Thou art the All-seeing. Thou art the Lord of the winds.

Thou art the Mighty. Thou art the Giver of light by night.

Thou art the Provider. Thou art the Ender of life. Thou art the Maker of the earth.

Thou art the Whole. Yea, Thou art the Unshaken One!

For the sake of Thy creation and for its own,

existence is manifold by Thy command.

O Lord of all, hail unto Thee!

Thou art the Lord of all acts,

the Knower of all, the Giver of all life!

Lord of all pleasure and delight!

Hail unto Thee, O Tranquil One!

Yea, hail to Thee, most hidden One,

unthinkable, unlimited,

beginningless and endless, too!

Sixth Prapathaka

Prayer to God for inspiration

7 The splendor of the sun, which is a sign of God, is to be sought thus by one desirous of knowing the truth, say those who know God:

May we meditate upon the splendor of our Lord!

Say those who know God: Upon that which is the splendor of God do I meditate.

And may He inspire our thoughts!

Thoughts, verily, are meditations. And may He inspire these for us, say those who know God.

The soul in a person's functions

By God's leave the soul is the perceiver, thinker, goer, evacuator, begetter, doer, speaker, taster, smeller, seer, hearer; and it touches. God, the Lord of the soul, has given all these to the body.

God's knowledge is not as ours

Where knowledge is of a dual nature, there, indeed, one hears, sees, smells, tastes, and also touches; the soul knows by what is given to it. But the knowledge of God is not of that nature, being devoid of need, unspeakable, incomparable, indescribable. What is that? It is impossible to say!

The names of God

8 To God belong the most beautiful names. He is the Lord, the Beneficent, the Existent, the Avenger, the Creator of all, the Truth, the Giver of life, the Commander, the Teacher, the All-pervading in knowledge, the Light, the Creator, the Ordainer, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Praised. Him, assuredly, one should desire to know. He should be searched for.

To be remembered by the devout

Having bidden peace to all creatures, and having gone to the forest, then having put aside objects of sense, one should remember Him,

who is all-knowing, the final goal, the only Light, the giver of warmth.

He has made yon sun, thousand-rayed, rolling on its hundredfold course, to arise as a provision for creatures.

Eating with thanksgiving

9 Therefore, verily, he who knows this meditates only upon his Lord. Such meditation and a mind devoted to such practice is a thing praised by the wise.

One should purify the impurity of his mind, and eat what is good and lawful, with the name of God upon it, thankfully, and with voice restrained. Then, afterwards, he should rinse his mouth and remember his Lord, saying: