even to [nearness to GOD], above the gods [angels]; he obtains

a happiness undecaying, unmeasured, free from sickness —

he who, knowing this, reverences Brahma with this triad

[i. e. knowledge, austerity, and meditation].

So when this chariot-rider is liberated from those things

wherewith he was filled full and overcome, then he attains

complete union (sayujya) with the Atman (Soul) [nearness to GOD].”

[Reflection on GOD’s signs] is permissible and rewarding, but temporary and inferior

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.

Agni (Fire), Vayu (Wind), and Aditya (Sun) [signs of GOD]; time — whatever it is —, breath, and food; Brahma, Rudra, and Vishnu [attributes of GOD] —

some meditate upon one, some upon another. Tell us which

one is the best?”

Then he said to them: —

6 “These are, assuredly, the foremost [signs] of the supreme, the immortal, the bodiless Brahma [GOD]. To whichever one each man is attached here, in its world he rejoices indeed. For thus has it been said: ‘Verily, this whole world is [from] Brahma.’

Verily, these, which are its foremost [signs], one should [reflect] upon, and [praise GOD for], but then [pass beyond]. For with these one

moves higher and higher in the worlds. But in the universal

dissolution [the Day of Resurrection] he attains [nearness to] the Person — yea, [to] the

Person!’”

Fifth Prapathaka

Hymn to the Soul’s [Creator]

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

Thou art Brahma [GOD the Creator], and verily Thou art Vishnu [the All-Pervading].

Thou art Rudra [the Avenger]. Thou art Prajapati.

Thou art Agni [the Radiant], Varuna [the All-Seeing], and Vayu.

Thou art Indra [the Mighty]. Thou art [Lord of] the Moon.

Thou art [the Giver of] food. Thou art Yama [the Judge]. Thou art [Lord of] the Earth,

Thou art [Lord of] All. Yea, Thou art the unshaken One!

For Nature’s sake and for its own

Is existence manifold in Thee [by Thy command].

O Lord of all, hail unto Thee!

The Soul of all [its Creator], causing all acts [by Thy leave],

[Knowing] all, all life [is Thine]!

Lord (prabhu) of all pleasure and delight!

Hail unto Thee, O Tranquil One (santatman)!

Yea, hail to Thee, most hidden One,

Unthinkable, unlimited,

Beginningless and endless, too!

The progressive [creation by the Supreme]

2 Verily, in the beginning this world was Darkness (tamas) alone. That, of course, would be in the Supreme [GOD]. When impelled by the Supreme [by His command], that goes on to differentiation. That form, verily, is Passion (rajas). That Passion, in turn, when impelled, goes on to differentiation. That, verily, is the form of Purity (sattva).

That Purity, when impelled, flowed forth as Essence (rasa).

That part is what the intelligence-mass here in every person is

— the spirit which has the marks of conception, determination,

and self-conceit, [made by] Prajapati (Lord of Creation) [GOD] under the name

individuality. These forms of Him have previously been

mentioned.

Now then, assuredly, indeed, the [work] of Him which is

characterized by Darkness (tamas) — that, O ye students of

sacred knowledge, is this Rudra [GOD the Avenger]. Now then, assuredly, indeed,

the [work] of Him which is characterized by Passion (rajas) —

that, O ye students of sacred knowledge, is this Brahma [GOD the Creator].

Now then, assuredly, indeed, the [work] of Him which is

characterized by Purity (sattva) — that, O ye students of

sacred knowledge, is this Vishnu [GOD the All-Pervading].

Verily, that One [made it] threefold. [It] developed forth

eightfold, elevenfold, twelvefold, into an infinite number of

parts. Because of having developed forth, [it] is a created

being (bhuta); [it] moves among created

beings; He [is] the overlord of created beings. That

[He] is the [Knower] within and without — yea, within and

without!

Sixth Prapathaka

Two correlated manifestations of the Soul:

inwardly the breathing spirit, and outwardly the sun

1 He [GOD] [shows His signs] twofold: as the breathing spirit (prana) here, and as yon sun (aditya).

Likewise, two in number, verily, are these paths: an

inner and an outer. Both these return upon themselves with

a day and a night.

Yon sun, verily, is the outer [sign]. The inner [sign]

is the breathing spirit.

Hence the course of the inner [sign] is measured by

the course of the outer [sign]. For thus has it been

said: ‘Now, whoever is a knower, freed from evil, an overseer

of his senses, pure-minded, established on That, introspective,

is [near to] Him.’

And the course of the outer [sign] is measured

by the course of the inner [sign].

The inner [sign] and the sun [as signs of GOD]

2 What is the lotus, and of what does it consist?

This lotus, assuredly, is the same as space. These four

quarters of heaven and the four intermediate quarters are the

form of its leaves.

These two, the breathing spirit and the sun, go forth toward

each other.

One should [praise GOD for] them with the syllable Om [§ 3-5],

with the Mystic Utterances (vyahrti) [§ 6], and with the

Savitri Prayer [§ 7].

The light of the sun, as a [sign] of Brahma [GOD],

represented by the mystic syllable ‘Om’

3 There are, assuredly, two [aspects] of Brahma [GOD]: the formed [creation] and the formless [His reality]. Now, that which is the formed is [perishable]; that which is the formless is real, [belongs to] Brahma, is light. That light [is signified by] the sun.

Verily, that came to have Om as its [name]. [It is made] threefold. Om is three prosodial

units (a + u + m). By means of these ‘the whole world is

woven, warp and woof, across Him [by His command].’

For thus has it been said: ‘One should absorb himself,

meditating that the sun is [His sign, and] Om [His name].’

4 Now it has elsewhere been said: ‘Now, then, the Udgitha is Om; Om is the Udgitha. And so, verily, the Udgitha is yonder sun [GOD’s sign], and it is Om.’

For thus has it been said: ‘. . . the Udgitha, which is called

Om, a leader, brilliant, sleepless, ageless, deathless, three-footed,

three-syllabled, also to be known as fivefold, hidden in the

secret place [of the heart].’

For thus has it been said: ‘The three-quartered Brahma [GOD’s tree of creation]

has its root above. Its branches are space, wind, fire, water,

earth, and the like. This [tree of creation] has the name of ‘the Lone

Fig-tree.’ Belonging to Him is the splendor [shown by] yon sun, and the splendor too of the syllable Om. Therefore one should

worship [Him] with Om continually. He is the only enlightener

of a man.’

For thus has it been said: —

That syllable, indeed, is holy (punya).

That syllable indeed is supreme.

By knowing that syllable, indeed,

Whatever one desires, is his!

Various triads of the forms of the Soul, worshiped

by the use of the threefold ‘Om’

5 Now, it has elsewhere been said: ‘This, namely a, u, and m — Om, is the sound-form of this [Atman, Soul].’ Feminine, masculine, and neuter: this is the sex-form.

Fire, wind, and sun [signs of GOD]: this is the light-form.

Brahma, Rudra, and Vishnu [GOD the Creator, the Avenger, the All-Pervading]: this is the lordship-form.

The Garhapatya sacrificial fire, the Dakshinagni sacrificial

fire, and the Ahavaniya sacrificial fire: this is the mouth-form.

The Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, and the Sama-Veda: this is

the understanding-form.

Earth (bhur), atmosphere (bhuvas), and sky (svar): this is

the world-form.

Past, present, and future: this is the time-form.