In the ancient days, in the assembly of learned Brahmanas, the wise Yājñavalkya and the renowned Gārgī engaged in profound dialogue about the nature of reality. Yājñavalkya addressed Gārgī, saying, “Gārgī, whoever in this world offers sacrifices, gives gifts, or performs austerities without knowing the Imperishable—no matter if he does so for thousands of years—his reward, his world, is limited. Whoever leaves this world without knowing the Imperishable is truly pitiable. But the one who departs this world knowing the Imperishable, that person is a knower of Brahman.” He continued, “That, Gārgī, is the Imperishable: it is unseen, yet it is the seer; unheard, yet the hearer; unthought, yet the thinker; unknown, yet the knower. There is no other seer, no other hearer, no other thinker, no other knower but this. In this Imperishable, Gārgī, all space is woven and interwoven.” Moved by his words, Gārgī turned to the assembled Brahmanas and declared, “Honored sages, you should respect him, for his answers have released you from further questioning. None among you will defeat him in debate about Brahman.” With that, the wise Vacaknavī ceased her questioning. Then Vidagdha Śākalya stepped forward and asked Yājñavalkya, “How many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?” Yājñavalkya replied with the traditional enumeration from the Vaiśvadeva hymn: “Three and three hundred, three and three thousand.” Śākalya pressed further, “How many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?” “Thirty-three,” replied Yājñavalkya. “And how many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?” Śākalya persisted. “Six.” “And how many?” “Three.” “And how many?” “Two.” “And how many?” “One and a half.” “And how many?” “One.” “Yes,” said Śākalya, “but who are these three and three hundred, three and three thousand?” Yājñavalkya explained, “These are but manifestations of the divine greatness; in truth, there are only thirty-three gods: the eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, and twelve Ādityas—these make thirty-one—Indra and Prajāpati make thirty-three.” Śākalya inquired further, “Who are the Vasus?” Yājñavalkya answered, “Fire, Earth, Wind, Atmosphere, Sun, Heaven, Moon, and Stars—these are the Vasus, for all things reside in them.” “And the Rudras?” asked Śākalya. “The ten vital breaths in a person, and the self as the eleventh. When these depart from the body, they cause weeping; hence, they are called Rudras.” “And the Ādityas?” “The twelve months of the year—these are the Ādityas, for they take away everything.” “Who is Indra, and who is Prajāpati?” “Thunder is Indra, sacrifice is Prajāpati. Lightning is thunder, and the animals are the sacrifice.” “Who are the six gods?” “Fire and earth, air and the intermediate space, the sun and the sky—these are the six, and by these alone, all here is sixfold.” “Who are the three gods?” “They are the three worlds, for in these all the gods reside.” “Who are the two gods?” “Food and breath.” “And the one and a half?” “That is the wind.” They asked, “If the wind is one, why is it called one and a half?” Yājñavalkya replied, “Because in it, all this attains fullness, it is called one and a half.” “And the one god?” “It is Brahman.” Then Śākalya asked about the nature of this person whose ultimate refuge is the self of all. “The earth is its support, the eye its world, the mind its light. Whoever knows this person becomes the knower of all, O Yājñavalkya. I know that person you speak of; the very self within the body is this one. What is his deity?” “Woman,” replied Śākalya. Again, “Desire is its support, the eye its world, the mind its light. Whoever knows this person becomes the knower of all. The very person who is in the moon, he is this one. What is his deity?” “The mind,” replied Śākalya. “In the sun?” “Forms are its support, the eye its world, the mind its light. The person in the sun, he is this one. His deity?” “The eye.” “In the wind?” “Space is its support, the eye its world, the mind its light. The person in the wind, he is this one. His deity?” “Breath.” “In fire?” “Light is its support, the eye its world, the mind its light. The person in fire, he is this one. His deity?” “Speech.” “In shadow?” “Darkness is its support, the eye its world, the mind its light. The person in shadow, he is this one. His deity?” “Death.” “In the waters?” “Water is its support, the eye its world, the mind its light. The person in the waters, he is this one. His deity?” “Varuṇa.” “In offspring?” “Seed is its support, the eye its world, the mind its light. The person in offspring, he is this one. His deity?” “Prajāpati.” Then Yājñavalkya said to Śākalya, “The Brahmanas here have made you a heap of embers for me.” Śākalya, undeterred, questioned again, “Yājñavalkya, since you have out-argued the Brahmanas of the Kurus and Pañcālas, tell me: What is Brahman, knowing which one knows the quarters, their deities and supports?” Yājñavalkya replied, “Ask your questions.” Śākalya asked, “What is the deity of the eastern quarter?” “The sun,” replied Yājñavalkya. “And where is the sun established?” “In the eye.” “Where is the eye established?” “In forms, for with the eye one sees forms.” “Where are forms established?” “In the heart, for with the heart one knows forms, and in the heart indeed forms are established.” “And the southern quarter?” “The deity is Yama, established in giving, which is established in faith, which is established in the heart.” “And the western quarter?” “The deity is Varuṇa, established in the waters, which are established in seed, which is established in the heart.” “And the northern quarter?” “The deity is Soma, established in consecration, which is established in truth, which is established in the heart.” “And the fixed, upper quarter?” “The deity is Agni, established in speech, which is established in the mind.” Śākalya pressed, “In what is the mind established?” Yājñavalkya replied, “If this were found elsewhere than in us, then dogs and birds too would attain heaven.” “On what then are you and the self established?” asked Śākalya. “On the breath,” replied Yājñavalkya. “On what is the breath established?” “On the downward breath, which is established on the diffused breath, which is established on the upward breath, which is established on the equalizing breath.” Yājñavalkya then revealed, “This self is not this, not this; it cannot be grasped, for it is not grasped; it does not decay, for it does not decay; it is unattached, for it does not attach; it is not afflicted, for it does not suffer. These are the eight abodes, the eight worlds, the eight persons. Having set aside those persons, he transcended. I ask you about that person taught in the Upaniṣad. If you do not explain him to me, your head will fall off.” Śākalya fell silent, and his head fell off. The others, fearing the same fate, rose and departed. Yājñavalkya then addressed the remaining Brahmanas, “Venerable ones, let whoever among you desires, ask; or let all of you ask; or if you wish, I will question you.” But none dared to question him. He then spoke in parables: “As a tree is a forest tree, so too is a person not false; his hairs are its leaves, the outer skin its bark. His blood flows as sap from the skin; when cut, it flows out, just as sap from a wounded tree. His flesh is the pulp, his sinews the fibers, his bones the wood within, his marrow the pith.” He continued, “As a tree, when cut, grows again from its root, so too, when a mortal is cut down by death, from what root does he spring forth again? Do not say it is from seed; while alive, offspring are born from that, but once dead, who could beget him again? Like a tree springing from another root, so is rebirth after death. If a tree is uprooted, it does not grow again; so, when a mortal is cut down by death, from what root does he spring forth? Consciousness, bliss, Brahman—the support of the giver of seed, the final resort of the one who stands firm—such is known by those who know.” Then Janaka, the king of Videha, arranged these proceedings. Yājñavalkya approached, and Janaka asked, “Yājñavalkya, for what purpose have you come—seeking cattle or seeking knowledge?” “Both, O king,” replied Yājñavalkya. Yājñavalkya then said, “Udaṅka Houlvāyana told me: ‘Breath indeed is Brahman. As one who has a mother, a father, and a teacher would say, so did Houlvāyana say: Breath indeed is Brahman; without breath, nothing would exist.’ But he did not tell me its abode and support. He said, ‘I do not know.’ This, O king, is only one part.” Janaka asked, “Tell me, Yājñavalkya.” Yājñavalkya replied, “Its abode is space, its support is love; meditate on it as love.” “What is love, Yājñavalkya?” asked Janaka. “Breath itself, O king. For the sake of breath, one offers sacrifices and receives gifts; even in the face of death, it is for breath that one acts. Breath, O king, is the supreme Brahman; breath does not abandon him, all beings approach him.” “Whoever knows and meditates thus, having become a god, attains the gods,” said Janaka, and he offered Yājñavalkya a thousand cows. Yājñavalkya replied, “My father thought, ‘He should not take without instructing.’ What did he say to you?” And thus, the dialogue of wisdom continued, deepening the understanding of the Imperishable, the self, and Brahman among those assembled.