'Forsooth, your Majesty, that is a one-legged teaching.'

'Verily, Yajnavalkya, do you here tell us.'

'Its seat is just the heart; its support, space. One should be thankful for it as the steadfast.'

'What is its steadfastness, Yajnavalkya?'

'Just the heart, your Majesty,' said he. 'Verily, your Majesty, the heart is the seat of all things. Verily, your Majesty, the heart is the support of all things, for on the heart alone, your Majesty, all things are established. Verily, your Majesty, the heart is a great gift of God. The heart does not leave him who, knowing this, is thankful for it as such. All things run unto him. God raises him to honor among the righteous.'

'I will give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant,' said Janaka, [king] of Videha.

Yajnavalkya replied: 'My father thought that without having instructed one should not accept.'

Second Brahmana

Concerning the soul and fearlessness

1 Janaka, [king] of Videha, descending from his cushion and approaching, said: 'Honor to you, Yajnavalkya. Do you instruct me.'

He [Yajnavalkya] said: 'Verily, as a king about to go on a great journey would prepare a chariot or a ship, even so you have a soul prepared with these sacred teachings. So, being at the head of a troop, and wealthy, learned in the scriptures, and instructed in sacred teachings, whither, when released hence, will you go?'

'That I know not, noble Sir — whither I shall go.'

'Then truly I will tell you that — whither you will go.'

'Tell me, noble Sir.'

4 'The eastern breaths are his eastern quarter. The southern breaths are his southern quarter. The western breaths are his western quarter. The northern breaths are his northern quarter. The upper breaths are his upper quarter. The lower breaths are his lower quarter. All the breaths are all his quarters.

But God is not this, He is not that. He is unseizable, for He cannot be seized. He is indestructible, for He cannot be destroyed. He is unattached, for He does not attach Himself. He is unbound. He does not tremble. He is not injured.

Verily, Janaka, you have reached fearlessness.' — Thus spake Yajnavalkya.

Janaka, [king] of Videha, said: 'May fearlessness come unto you, noble Sir, you who make us to know fearlessness. Honor to you! Here are the Videhas, here am I, at your service.'

Third Brahmana

The light of man

1 Yajnavalkya came to Janaka, [king] of Videha. He thought to himself: 'I will not talk.'

But once when Janaka, [king] of Videha, and Yajnavalkya were discussing together at a gathering for worship, Yajnavalkya granted the former a boon. He chose asking whatever question he wished. He granted it to him. So now the king, speaking first, asked him:

2 'Yajnavalkya, what light does a person here have?'

'He has the light of the sun, O king,' he said, 'for with the sun, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns.'

'Quite so, Yajnavalkya.

3 But when the sun has set, Yajnavalkya, what light does a person here have?'

'The moon, indeed, is his light,' said he, 'for with the moon, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns.'

'Quite so, Yajnavalkya.

4 But when the sun has set, and the moon has set, what light does a person here have?'

'Fire, indeed, is his light,' said he, 'for with fire, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns.'

'Quite so, Yajnavalkya.

5 But when the sun has set, Yajnavalkya, and the moon has set, and the fire has gone out, what light does a person here have?'

'Speech, indeed, is his light,' said he, 'for with speech, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns. Therefore, verily, O king, where one does not discern even his own hands, when a voice is raised, then one goes straight towards it.'

'Quite so, Yajnavalkya.

6 But when the sun has set, Yajnavalkya, and the moon has set, and the fire has gone out, and speech is hushed, what light does a person here have?'

'The soul, indeed, is his light,' said he, 'for with the soul, indeed, as his light one sits, moves around, does his work, and returns.'

The various conditions of the soul

7 'Which is the soul?'

'The person here who among the senses is made of knowledge, who is the light in the heart. He, remaining the same, goes along both worlds, appearing to think, appearing to move about, for upon becoming asleep he transcends this world and the forms of death.

8 Verily, this person, by being born and obtaining a body, is joined with evils. When he departs, on dying, he leaves evils behind.

9 Verily, there are just two conditions of this person: the condition of being in this world and the condition of being in the other world. There is an intermediate third condition, namely, that of being in sleep. By standing in this intermediate condition one sees both those conditions, namely being in this world and being in the other world. Now whatever the approach is to the condition of being in the other world, by making that approach one sees the evils of this world and the joys of yonder world.

The state of dreaming

When one goes to sleep, he takes along the material of this all-containing world, himself tears it apart, himself builds it up, and dreams by his own brightness, by his own light. Then this person becomes self-illuminated.

10 There are no chariots there, no spans, no roads. But he projects from himself chariots, spans, roads. There are no blisses there, no pleasures, no delights. But he projects from himself blisses, pleasures, delights. There are no tanks there, no lotus-pools, no streams. But he projects from himself tanks, lotus-pools, streams. For he makes them as in a dream.

11 On this point there are the following verses: —

Striking down in sleep what is bodily,

Sleepless he looks down upon the sleeping senses.

Having taken to himself light, there returns to his place

The shining soul, the one spirit.

12 Guarding his low nest with the breath,

The undying goes forth out of the nest.

He goes where'er he pleases — the undying,

The shining soul, the one spirit.

13 In the state of sleep going aloft and alow,

He makes many forms for himself —

Now, as it were, enjoying pleasure,

Now, as it were, laughing, and even beholding fearful sights.

14 People see his pleasure-ground;

Him no one sees at all.

'Therefore one should not wake him suddenly,' they say. Hard is the curing for a man to whom the soul does not return.

Now some people say: 'That is just his waking state, for whatever things he sees when awake, those too he sees when asleep.' [This is not so, for] there, in sleep, the person is self-illuminated.'

[Janaka said:] 'I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows]. Declare what is higher than this, for my salvation.'

15 'Having had enjoyment in this state of deep sleep, having traveled around and seen good and bad, he hastens again, according to the entrance and place of origin, back to sleep. Whatever he sees there in the state of deep sleep, he is not followed by it, for this person is without attachments.'

[Janaka said:] 'Quite so, Yajnavalkya. I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows]. Declare what is higher than this, for my salvation.'

16 'Having had enjoyment in this state of sleep, having traveled around and seen good and bad, he hastens again, according to the entrance and place of origin, back to the state of waking. Whatever he sees there in dreaming sleep, he is not followed by it, for this person is without attachments.'

[Janaka said:] 'Quite so, Yajnavalkya. I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows]. Declare what is higher than this, for my salvation.'

17 'Having had enjoyment in this state of waking, having traveled around and seen good and evil, he hastens again, according to the entrance and place of origin, back to dreaming sleep.

18 As a great fish goes along both banks of a river, both the hither and the further, just so this person goes along both these conditions, the condition of sleeping and the condition of waking.

The soul in deep, dreamless sleep

19 As a falcon, or an eagle, having flown around here in space, becomes weary, folds its wings, and is borne down to its nest, just so this person hastens to that state where, asleep, he desires no desires and sees no dream.

20 Verily, a person has those arteries; as a hair subdivided a thousandfold, so minute are they, full of white, blue, yellow, green, and red. Now when people seem to be killing him, when they seem to be overpowering him, when an elephant seems to be tearing him to pieces, when he seems to be falling into a hole — in these circumstances he is imagining through ignorance the very fear which he sees when awake. When he imagines that he is a king, as it were, or exalted, that is his highest world.

21 This, verily, is that form of his which is beyond desires, free from evil, without fear. As a man, when in the embrace of a beloved wife, knows nothing within or without, so this person, when in the deep, restful sleep which God gives as a mercy, knows nothing within or without. Verily, that is his true form in which his desire is satisfied, in which he is without desire and without sorrow.

22 There a father becomes not a father; a mother, not a mother; the worlds, not the worlds; the angels, not the angels; the scriptures, not the scriptures; a thief, not a thief. He is not followed by good, he is not followed by evil, for then he has passed beyond all sorrows of the heart.

23 Verily, while he does not there see with the eyes, he is verily seeing, though he does not see what is usually to be seen; for there is no cessation of the seeing of a seer, because of his imperishability as a seer. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, that he may see.

24 Verily, while he does not there smell, he is verily smelling, though he does not smell what is usually to be smelled; for there is no cessation of the smelling of a smeller, because of his imperishability as a smeller. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, that he may smell.

25 Verily, while he does not there taste, he is verily tasting, though he does not taste what is usually to be tasted; for there is no cessation of the tasting of a taster, because of his imperishability as a taster. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, that he may taste.

26 Verily, while he does not there speak, he is verily speaking, though he does not speak what is usually to be spoken; for there is no cessation of the speaking of a speaker, because of his imperishability as a speaker. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, to which he may speak.

27 Verily, while he does not there hear, he is verily hearing, though he does not hear what is usually to be heard; for there is no cessation of the hearing of a hearer, because of his imperishability as a hearer. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, which he may hear.

28 Verily, while he does not there think, he is verily thinking, though he does not think what is usually to be thought; for there is no cessation of the thinking of a thinker, because of his imperishability as a thinker. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, of which he may think.

29 Verily, while he does not there touch, he is verily touching, though he does not touch what is usually to be touched; for there is no cessation of the touching of a toucher, because of his imperishability as a toucher. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, which he may touch.

30 Verily, while he does not there know, he is verily knowing, though he does not know what is usually to be known; for there is no cessation of the knowing of a knower, because of his imperishability as a knower. It is not, however, a second thing, other than himself and separate, which he may know.

31 Verily where there seems to be another, there the one might see the other; the one might smell the other; the one might taste the other; the one might speak to the other; the one might hear the other; the one might think of the other; the one might touch the other; the one might know the other.

32 Like an ocean, a seer alone without another, becomes he whose abode is nearness to God, O King!' — thus Yajnavalkya instructed him.

'This is a man's highest path. This is his highest achievement. This is his highest world. This is his highest bliss. On a part of just this bliss other creatures have their living.

33 If one is fortunate among men and wealthy, lord over others, best provided with all human enjoyments — that is the highest bliss of men. Now a hundredfold the bliss of men is one bliss of the righteous who have gone before. A hundredfold the bliss of the righteous who have gone before is one bliss in the lower gardens of the Garden. A hundredfold the bliss in the lower gardens is one bliss of the angels who attain high station by service. A hundredfold the bliss of the angels by service is one bliss of the angels by creation and of him who is learned in the scriptures, who is without crookedness, and who is free from greed. A hundredfold the bliss of the angels by creation is one bliss in the higher gardens and of him who is learned in the scriptures, who is without crookedness, and who is free from greed. A hundredfold the bliss in the higher gardens is one bliss in the presence of God and of him who is learned in the scriptures, who is without crookedness, and who is free from greed. This truly is the highest world. This is nearness to God, O king.' — Thus spake Yajnavalkya.

[Janaka said:] 'I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows]. Speak further than this, for my salvation.'

Then Yajnavalkya feared, thinking: 'This intelligent king has driven me out of every corner.'

34 [He said:] 'Having had enjoyment in this state of sleep, having traveled around and seen good and bad, he hastens again, according to the entrance and place of origin, back to the state of waking.

The soul at death

35 As a heavily loaded cart goes creaking, just so this bodily self, mounted by the intelligent soul, goes groaning when one is breathing one's last.

36 When he comes to weakness — whether he come to weakness through old age or through disease — this person frees himself from these limbs just as a mango, or a fig, or a berry releases itself from its bond; and he passes on, according to his deeds, to the life that follows.

37 As noblemen, policemen, chariot-drivers, village-heads wait with food, drink, and lodgings for a king who is coming, and cry: "Here he comes! Here he comes!" so indeed do all things wait for him who has this knowledge and cry: "Here comes a servant of God! Here comes a servant of God!"

38 As noblemen, policemen, chariot-drivers, village-heads gather around a king who is about to depart, just so do all the breaths gather around the soul at the end, when one is breathing one's last.

Fourth Brahmana

1 When this self comes to weakness and to confusedness of mind, as it were, then the breaths gather around him. He takes to himself those particles of energy and descends into the heart. When the person in the eye turns away, back to the sun, then one becomes non-knowing of forms.

2 "He is becoming one," they say; "he does not see." "He is becoming one," they say; "he does not smell." "He is becoming one," they say; "he does not taste." "He is becoming one," they say; "he does not speak." "He is becoming one," they say; "he does not hear." "He is becoming one," they say; "he does not think." "He is becoming one," they say; "he does not touch." "He is becoming one," they say; "he does not know." The point of his heart becomes lighted up. By that light the self departs, either by the eye, or by the head, or by other bodily parts. After him, as he goes out, the life goes out. After the life, as it goes out, all the breaths go out. He becomes one with intelligence. What has intelligence departs with him. His knowledge and his works and his former intelligence lay hold of him.

The soul after death

3 Now as a caterpillar, when it has come to the end of a blade of grass, in taking the next step draws itself together towards it, just so this soul in taking the next step leaves this body, dispels its ignorance and draws itself together for making the transition.

4 As a goldsmith, taking a piece of gold, reduces it to another newer and more beautiful form, just so this soul, leaving this body and dispelling its ignorance, receives another, newer form, according to its deeds, like that of the righteous who have gone before, or of the angels in honor, or of other beings.

5 Verily, this soul is made of knowledge, of mind, of breath, of seeing, of hearing, of earth, of water, of wind, of space, of energy and of non-energy, of desire and of non-desire, of anger and of non-anger, of virtuousness and of non-virtuousness. It is made of many things. This is what is meant by the saying "made of this, made of that."

According as one acts, according as one conducts himself, so does he become. The doer of good becomes good. The doer of evil becomes evil. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action.

But people say: "A person is made, not of acts, but of desires only." In reply to this I say: As is his desire, such is his resolve; as is his resolve, such the action he performs; what action he performs, that he procures for himself.

6 On this point there is this verse: —

Where one's mind is attached — the inner self

Goes thereto with action, being attached to it alone.

Obtaining the end of his action,

Whatever he does in this world,

He is repaid in the other world

For his deeds in this world of action.

— So the man who desires.

The soul of the saved

Now the man who does not desire. — He who is without desire, who is freed from desire, whose desire is satisfied, whose desire is for God — his breaths do not depart. Being at peace with God, he goes to God.

7 On this point there is this verse: —

When are liberated all

The desires that lodge in one's heart,

Then a mortal attains lasting life!

Therein he reaches God's presence!

As the slough of a snake lies on an ant-hill, dead, cast off, even so lies this body. But this incorporeal, undying life is a gift of God, a light from Him.'

'I will give you, noble Sir, a thousand [cows],' said Janaka, [king] of Videha.

8 [Yajnavalkya continued:] 'On this point there are these verses: —