First Brahmana

Gargya and Ajatasatru's progressive definition of the Supreme as the world-source, entered in sleep

1 Driptabalaki was a learned Gargya. He said to Ajatasatru, king of Benares: "I will tell you about Brahma." Ajatasatru said: "We will give a thousand cows for such a speech. Verily, people will run hither, crying, 'A Janaka! a Janaka!'"

2 Gargya said: "The glorious light which is yonder in the sun, of him, indeed, I speak as Brahma!"

Ajatasatru said: "Talk not to me about him! I know him only as a sign of God, the pre-eminent, the head and king of all created beings. He who knows him as such becomes pre-eminent, the head and king of all beings."

3 Gargya said: 'The one who is yonder in the moon — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! The moon is a sign of God, the Giver of provision (Soma), clothed in white light. He who knows his Lord as such, for him provision is poured out continually day by day. His food does not fail.'

4 Gargya said: 'The one who is yonder in lightning — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! Lightning is a sign of God, the Brilliant. He who knows his Lord as such becomes brilliant indeed. His offspring becomes brilliant.'

5 Gargya said: 'The one who is here in space — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! God is the Full, the Self-sufficient, who needs nothing. He who knows his Lord as such is filled with offspring and cattle. His offspring goes not forth from this earth.'

6 Gargya said: 'The one who is here in wind — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! God is the Mighty, the Terrible in punishment, whose hosts are never defeated. He who knows his Lord as such becomes indeed triumphant, unconquerable, and a conqueror of adversaries.'

7 Gargya said: 'The one who is here in fire — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! God is the Vanquisher. He who knows his Lord as such becomes a vanquisher indeed. His offspring become vanquishers.'

8 Gargya said: 'The one who is here in water — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! Nothing is like unto God. He who knows his Lord as such, his likeness comes to him in his children, not that which is not his likeness. His likeness is born from him.'

9 Gargya said: 'The one who is here in a mirror — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! God is the Shining One, the Light of the heavens and the earth. He who knows his Lord as such becomes shining indeed. His offspring shine. He outshines all those with whom he goes.'

10 Gargya said: 'The sound here which follows after one as he goes — that, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! God is the Giver of life. To him who knows his Lord as such there comes a full length of life in this world. Breath leaves him not before the time.'

11 Gargya said: 'The one who is here in the quarters of heaven — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! God is the Companion who never leaves. He who knows his Lord as such has a companion. His company is not separated from him.'

12 Gargya said: 'The one here who consists of shadow — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! Death is in God's hand. To him who knows his Lord as such there comes a full length of life in this world. Death does not come to him before the time.'

13 Gargya said: 'The one here who is in the body — him, indeed, I take to be God!'

Ajatasatru said: 'Talk not to me about him! God is the Giver of the soul. He who knows his Lord as such becomes sound in soul indeed. His offspring becomes sound in soul.'

Gargya became silent.

14 Ajatasatru said: 'Is that all?'

Gargya said: 'That is all.'

Ajatasatru 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 scholar should come to a ruler, thinking, "He will tell me about God." However, I shall cause you to know it 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: 'Thou great, white-robed one!' He did not rise. 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 soul that perceives? 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 soul, by God's decree, withdraws the faculties of these senses into itself and rests in that place which is within the heart. When the soul withholds the senses, the person is said to be asleep. Then the breath is held back. The voice is held back. The eye is held back. The ear is held back. The mind is held back.

18 When he goes to sleep, these worlds are his, as it were. Then he becomes a great king, as it were. Then he becomes a great scholar, 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 as he pleases.

19 Now when one falls sound asleep, when one knows nothing whatsoever, having crept out through the seventy-two thousand veins which lead from the heart to the pericardium, one rests in the pericardium. Verily, as a youth or a great king or a great scholar 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 God's command come forth all vital energies, all worlds, all angels, all beings. The inner meaning thereof is: God is 'the Truth of the true.' Breathing creatures, verily, are true by Him. He is the Truth behind them.'

Second Brahmana

The wonder of Breath in a person

1 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 has breath in the middle. Its housing is this body. Its covering is this head. Its post is breath. Its rope is food.

2 Seven imperishable servants stand near to serve him. Thus there are these red streaks in the eye. There is the water in the eye. There is the pupil of the eye, by which one sees the light of the sun. There is the black of the eye and the white of the eye; the lower eyelash is by the earth, and the upper eyelash by the sky. 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 form of glory.

On its rim sit seven seers.

Voice as an eighth is united with prayer.

'There is a cup having its mouth below and its bottom up' — 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 'every form of glory' placed in it; thus he says breaths. 'On its rim sit seven seers' — verily, the breaths are the seers. Thus he says breaths. 'Voice as an eighth is united with prayer' — for voice as an eighth is united with prayer.

4 These two here [the ears], these two here [the eyes], these two here [the nostrils], and the voice — through these seven the person receives the gifts of God. By the voice food is eaten. He who knows this becomes the eater of everything; everything becomes his food.

Third Brahmana

The two forms of creation

1 There are, assuredly, two kinds of created things: the formed and the formless, the mortal and the immortal, the stationary and the moving, the actual and the yonder.

2 This is the formed — whatever is different from the wind and the atmosphere. This is mortal; this is stationary; this is actual. The essence of this formed, mortal, stationary, actual is yonder sun which gives forth heat, a sign of God, for that is the essence of the actual.

3 Now the formless are the wind and the atmosphere. This is immortal, this is moving, this is the yonder. — Thus with reference to the world of creation.

4 Now, with reference to the self. —

Just that is the formed which is different from breath and from the space which is within the self. This is mortal, this is stationary, this is actual. The essence of this formed, mortal, stationary, actual is the eye, for it is the essence of the actual.

5 Now the formless is the breath and the space which is within the self. This is immortal, this is moving, this is the yonder.

6 Hence, now, there is the teaching 'Not thus! not so!' — for there is nothing higher than God, and no description can contain Him. Now the designation for Him is 'the Truth of the true.' Verily, breathing creatures are true by Him. He is the Truth behind them.

Fourth Brahmana

The conversation of Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi

1 'Maitreyi!' said Yajnavalkya, 'lo, verily, I am about to go forth from this state. Behold! let me make a final settlement for you and that Katyayani.'

2 Then said Maitreyi: 'If now, Sir, this whole earth filled with wealth were mine, would I be immortal thereby?'

'No,' said Yajnavalkya. '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! Lo, dear 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.'

5 Then said he: 'Lo, verily, not for the husband's own sake is a husband dear, but for God's sake a husband is dear.

Lo, verily, not for the wife's own sake is a wife dear, but for God's sake a wife is dear.

Lo, verily, not for the sons' own sake are sons dear, but for God's sake sons are dear.

Lo, verily, not for wealth's own sake is wealth dear, but for God's sake wealth is dear.

Lo, verily, not for the sake of scholarship is scholarship dear, but for God's sake scholarship is dear.

Lo, verily, not for the sake of rulership is rulership dear, but for God's sake rulership is dear.

Lo, verily, not for the worlds' own sake are the worlds dear, but for God's sake the worlds are dear.

Lo, verily, not for the angels' own sake are the angels dear, but for God's sake the angels are dear.

Lo, verily, not for the beings' own sake are beings dear, but for God's sake beings are dear.

Lo, verily, not for the sake of all is all dear, but for God's sake all is dear.

Lo, verily, it is God that should be known, that should be hearkened to, that should be thought on, that should be pondered on, O Maitreyi. Lo, verily, with the hearkening to, with the thinking of, and with the understanding of God, this whole world is understood as His sign.

6 Scholarship has deserted him who seeks scholarship in aught else than God.

Rulership has deserted him who seeks rulership in aught else than God.

The worlds have deserted him who seeks the worlds in aught else than God.

The angels have deserted him who seeks the angels in aught else than God.

Beings have deserted him who seeks beings in aught else than God.

Everything has deserted him who seeks everything in aught else than God.

This scholarship, this rulership, these worlds, these angels, these beings, everything here exists by God's command and is His sign.

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 the Great God has been sent forth revelation: the scriptures, the hymns, the legends, the ancient lore, the sciences, the sacred teachings, the verses, the aphorisms, the explanations, and the commentaries. From Him, indeed, are all these sent forth.

11 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 the uniting-point is the mind, so of all knowledges the uniting-point is the heart, so of all acts the uniting-point is the hands, so of all pleasures the uniting-point is the generative organ, so of all journeys the uniting-point is the feet, so of all scriptures 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 of it to seize forth, as it were, but wherever one may take, it is salty indeed — so the knowledge and power of God, infinite and limitless, encompass all things, though no eye perceives Him.

The body arises out of these elements, and into them also it vanishes away. After death the body has no consciousness; the soul is in God's keeping until the Day of Resurrection. Thus, lo, say I.' Thus spake Yajnavalkya.

13 Then spake Maitreyi: 'Herein, indeed, you have bewildered me, Sir — in saying: "After death the body has no consciousness!"'

Then spake Yajnavalkya: 'Lo, verily, I speak not bewilderment. Sufficient, lo, verily, is this for understanding.

14 For where there is a duality, as it were, 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. But God is the One, whom no eye perceives. Whereby and whom would one smell? whereby and whom would one see? whereby and whom would one hear? whereby and to whom would one speak? whereby and on whom would one think? whereby and whom would one understand? Whereby would one understand Him by whom one understands this All? Lo, whereby would one understand the Understander?'

Fifth Brahmana

The signs of God in all things

1 This earth is sweet provision for all creatures, and all creatures are sweet provision for this earth. The earth is a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body the life He has given is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

2 These waters are sweet provision for all things, and all things are provision for these waters. The waters are a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body the life-giving fluid is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

3 This fire is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this fire. The fire is a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body speech is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

4 This wind is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this wind. The wind is a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body breath is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

5 This sun is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this sun. The sun is a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body the eye is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

6 These quarters of heaven are a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for these quarters of heaven. The quarters of heaven are a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body the ear and the echo are His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

7 This moon is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this moon. The moon is a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body the mind is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

8 This lightning is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this lightning. Lightning is a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body warmth is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

9 This thunder is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this thunder. Thunder is a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body sound and tone are His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

10 This space is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this space. Space is a sign of God, the Immortal, and in the body the hollow of the heart is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

11 This Law is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this Law. The Law is decreed by God, the Immortal, and in the body virtuousness is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

12 This Truth is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for this Truth. Truth is from God, the Immortal, and in the body truthfulness is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

13 This mankind is a benefit for all things, and all things are a benefit for mankind. Mankind is created by God, the Immortal, and in each human being the soul is His gift. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

14 This soul is a trust for all things, and all things are a trust for the soul. The soul is created by God, the Immortal, and to Him it returns. He alone is the Immortal, the Lord of all.

15 Verily, God 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 by Him all things, all angels, all worlds, all breathing things, all selves are held together.

16 This, verily, is the wisdom which the seer declared. Seeing this, the seer spake: —

'Citadels with two feet He did make.

Citadels with four feet He did make.

Into the citadels He placed the soul.'

This, verily, is God's creation of bodies and souls. There is nothing by which He is not encompassed in knowledge, nothing that is hid from Him. — Such is the instruction.

Sixth Brahmana

The transmission of this teaching

1 This teaching was handed down from teacher to teacher through the ages, and its source is God, the Self-subsisting. Adoration belongs to God!