Third Adhyaya

First Brahmana

Concerning worship and its rewards

1 Janaka, [king] of Videha, held a great gathering at which many gifts were distributed. Scholars of the Kurupancalas were gathered together there. In this Janaka of Videha there arose a desire to know which of these scholars was the most learned in scripture. He enclosed a thousand cows. To the horns of each ten padas [of gold] were bound.

2 He said to them: 'Venerable scholars, let him of you who is the best scholar drive away these cows.'

Those scholars durst not.

Then Yajnavalkya said to his pupil: 'Samasravas, my dear, drive them away.'

He drove them away.

The scholars were angry. 'How can he declare himself to be the best scholar among us?'

Now there was Asvala, the reciter of Janaka, [king] of Videha. He asked him: 'Yajnavalkya, are you now the best scholar among us?'

He replied, 'We give honor to the best scholar. But we are really desirous of having those cows.'

Thereupon Asvala, the reciter, began to question him.

3 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'since everything here is overtaken by death, since everything is overcome by death, whereby is a worshipper liberated beyond the reach of death?'

'By the reciter, by speech. Verily, speech is the reciter of worship. With speech one praises God. This is release, this is complete release.'

4 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'since everything here is overtaken by day and night, since everything is overcome by day and night, whereby is a worshipper liberated beyond day and night?'

'By the officiant, by the eye that beholds the signs of God, the sun being one of them. Verily, the eye is the officiant of worship. This is release, this is complete release.'

5 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'since everything here is overtaken by the waxing and waning moon, by what means does a worshipper obtain release from the waxing and waning moon?'

'By the chanter, by breath. Verily, breath is the chanter of worship. This is release, this is complete release.'

6 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'since this atmosphere does not afford a foothold, as it were, by what means of ascent does a worshipper ascend to the heavenly world?'

'By the one who oversees the worship, by the mind. Verily, the mind is the overseer of worship. This is release, this is complete release.' — Thus [concerning] liberation.

Now the acquirements. —

7 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'how many verses will the reciter make use of today in this worship?'

'Three.'

'Which are those three?'

'The introductory verse, the accompanying verse, and the benediction as the third.'

'What does one win by these?'

'Whatever there is here that has breath.'

8 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'how many offerings will the officiant make today in this worship?'

'Three.'

'Which are those three?'

'Those which when offered flame up, those which when offered flow over, those which when offered sink down.'

'What does one win by these?'

'By those which when offered flame up, one wins the realm of the angels, for the realm of the angels gleams, as it were. By those which when offered flow over, one wins the realm of those who have gone before, for that realm is over, as it were. By those which when offered sink down, one wins the world of men, for the world of men is below, as it were.'

9 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'with how many does the overseer guard the worship on the right today?'

'With one.'

'Which is that one?'

'The mind. Verily, endless is the mind. Endless are the angels. An endless world he wins thereby.'

10 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'how many hymns of praise will the chanter chant today in this worship?'

'Three.'

'Which are those three?'

'The introductory hymn, the accompanying hymn, and the benediction hymn as the third.'

'Which are those three with reference to the self?'

'The introductory hymn is the in-breath. The accompanying hymn is the out-breath. The benediction hymn is the diffused breath.'

'What does one win by these?'

'One wins the earth-world by the introductory hymn, the atmosphere-world by the accompanying hymn, the sky-world by the benediction hymn.'

Thereupon the reciter Asvala held his peace.

Second Brahmana

The fettered soul, and its fate at death

1 Then Jaratkarava Artabhaga questioned him. 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'how many apprehenders are there? How many over-apprehenders?'

'Eight apprehenders. Eight over-apprehenders.'

'Those eight apprehenders and eight over-apprehenders — which are they?'

2 'Breath, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by the out-breath as an over-apprehender, for by the out-breath one smells an odor.

3 Speech, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by name as an over-apprehender, for by speech one speaks names.

4 The tongue, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by taste as an over-apprehender, for by the tongue one knows tastes.

5 The eye, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by appearance as an over-apprehender, for by the eye one sees appearances.

6 The ear, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by sound as an over-apprehender, for by the ear one hears sounds.

7 The mind, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by desire as an over-apprehender, for by the mind one desires desires.

8 The hands, verily, are an apprehender. It is seized by action as an over-apprehender, for by the hands one performs action.

9 The skin, verily, is an apprehender. It is seized by touch as an over-apprehender, for by the skin one is made to know touches.'

10 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'since everything here is food for death, who, pray, is that power for whom death is food?'

'Death, verily, is a fire. It is the food of water. He overcomes a second death who knows this.'

11 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'when a man dies, do the breaths go out of him, or no?'

'No,' said Yajnavalkya. 'They are gathered together right there. He swells up. He is inflated. The dead man lies inflated.'

12 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'when a man dies, what does not leave him?'

'The name. Endless, verily, is the name. Endless are the angels. An endless world he wins thereby.'

13 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'when the voice of a dead man goes into fire, his breath into wind, his eye into the sun, his mind into the moon, his hearing into the quarters of heaven, his body into the earth, his soul into space, the hairs of his head into plants, the hairs of his body into trees, and his blood and semen are placed in water, what then becomes of this person?'

'Artabhaga, my dear, take my hand. We two only will know of this. This is not for us two to speak of in public.'

The two went away and deliberated. What they said was deeds. What they praised was deeds. Verily, deeds are recorded, and one becomes good by good action, bad by bad action.

Thereupon Jaratkarava Artabhaga held his peace.

Fourth Brahmana

The nearness of God

1 Then Ushasta Cakrayana questioned him. 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'explain to me Him who is God, present and not beyond our ken, Him who is over all things.'

'He is your Lord, who is over all things.'

'Which one, O Yajnavalkya, is over all things?'

'He who gives breath with your in-breath is your Lord, who encompasses all things. He who gives breath with your out-breath is your Lord, who encompasses all things. He who gives breath with your diffused breath is your Lord, who encompasses all things. He who gives breath with your up-breath is your Lord, who encompasses all things. He is your Lord, who encompasses all things.'

2 Ushasta Cakrayana said: 'This has been explained to me just as one might say, "This is a cow. This is a horse." Explain to me Him who is just God, present and not beyond our ken, Him who is over all things.'

'He is your Lord, who is over all things.'

'Which one, O Yajnavalkya, is over all things?'

'You could not see the Seer of seeing. You could not hear the Hearer of hearing. You could not think the Thinker of thinking. You could not understand the Understander of understanding. Eyes do not perceive Him, but He perceives all eyes. He is your Lord, who is over all things. Aught else than Him is wretched.'

Thereupon Ushasta Cakrayana held his peace.

Fifth Brahmana

The practical way of knowing God — by humility

1 Now Kahola Kaushitakeya questioned him. 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'explain to me Him who is just God, present and not beyond our ken, Him who is over all things.'

'He is your Lord, who is over all things.'

'Which one, O Yajnavalkya, is over all things?'

'He who is beyond hunger and thirst, beyond sorrow and delusion, beyond old age and death — those who know such a God overcome the lust for sons, the lust for wealth, the lust for worlds, and live humbly. For desire for sons is desire for wealth, and desire for wealth is desire for worlds, for both these are merely desires. Therefore let a scholar become humble as a child. When he has become free both of the pride of childishness and of the pride of learning, then he becomes devout. When he has become free both of heedlessness and of self-conceit, then he becomes truly a servant of God.'

'By what means would he become such a one?'

'By that means by which he does become such a one. Aught else than God is wretched.'

Thereupon Kahola Kaushitakeya held his peace.

Sixth Brahmana

The return to God, the ultimate ground of the world

Then Gargi Vacaknavi questioned him. 'Yajnavalkya,' said she, 'since all this world is woven, warp and woof, on water, on what, pray, is the water woven, warp and woof?'

'On wind, O Gargi.'

'On what then, pray, is the wind woven, warp and woof?'

'On the atmosphere-worlds, O Gargi.'

'On what then, pray, are the atmosphere-worlds woven, warp and woof?'

'On the worlds of the angels, O Gargi.'

'On what then, pray, are the worlds of the angels woven, warp and woof?'

'On the worlds of the sun, O Gargi.'

'On what then, pray, are the worlds of the sun woven, warp and woof?'

'On the worlds of the moon, O Gargi.'

'On what then, pray, are the worlds of the moon woven, warp and woof?'

'On the worlds of the stars, O Gargi.'

'On what then, pray, are the worlds of the stars woven, warp and woof?'

'On the highest heavens, O Gargi.'

'On what then, pray, are the highest heavens woven, warp and woof?'

'On the Throne of the Creator, O Gargi.'

'On what then, pray, is the Throne of the Creator woven, warp and woof?'

Yajnavalkya said: 'Gargi, do not question too much, lest your head fall off. In truth you are questioning too much about a Reality about which further questions cannot be asked. Gargi, do not over-question.'

Thereupon Gargi Vacaknavi held her peace.

Seventh Brahmana

The command of God holding the world together; the Immortal Controller

1 Then Uddalaka Aruni questioned him. 'Yajnavalkya,' said he, 'we were dwelling among the Madras in the house of Patancala Kapya, studying the rites of worship. We were asked: "Do you know, O Kapya, that thread by which this world and the other world and all things are tied together?" Patancala Kapya said: "I do not know it, Sir." It was said to Patancala Kapya and to us students of worship: "Pray do you know, O Kapya, that Controller who from within controls this world and the other world and all things?" Patancala Kapya said: "I do not know him, Sir." It was said to Patancala Kapya and to us students: "Verily, Kapya, he who knows that thread and the so-called Controller knows God, he knows the worlds, he knows the angels, he knows the scriptures, he knows created things, he knows the soul, he knows everything." Thus it was explained to them. And I know it. If you, O Yajnavalkya, drive away the cows without knowing that thread and the Controller, your head will fall off.'

'Verily, I know that thread and the Controller, O Gautama.'

'Any one might say "I know, I know." Do you tell what you know.'

2 He said: 'The command of God, verily, O Gautama, is that thread. By His command, verily, O Gautama, as by a thread, this world and the other world and all things are tied together. Therefore, verily, O Gautama, they say of a deceased person, "His limbs become unstrung," for by His command, O Gautama, as by a thread, they are strung together.'

'Quite so, O Yajnavalkya. Declare the Controller.'

3 'He who encompasses the earth in His knowledge and power, yet is other than the earth, whom the earth does not know, who controls the earth from within by His command — He is your Lord, the Controller, the Immortal.

4 He who encompasses the waters, yet is other than the waters, whom the waters do not know, who controls the waters from within by His command — He is your Lord, the Controller, the Immortal.

5 He who encompasses the fire, yet is other than the fire, whom the fire does not know, who controls the fire from within by His command — He is your Lord, the Controller, the Immortal.

6 He who encompasses the atmosphere, yet is other than the atmosphere, whom the atmosphere does not know, who controls the atmosphere from within by His command — He is your Lord, the Controller, the Immortal.