In the great assembly of learned Brāhmaṇas, Yājñavalkya found himself challenged by Hākalya, who remarked, “Yājñavalkya, the Brāhmaṇas here have become a heap of embers for you.” Hākalya, recognizing Yājñavalkya’s triumph over the scholars of the Kurus and Pañcālas, posed a profound question: “What is Brahman, knowing which a person understands the quarters, their deities, and their supports? If you know the quarters and their supports, tell me.” Yājñavalkya began with the eastern quarter. “The deity of the east is the sun. The sun is established in the eye, for it is through the eye that we see the sun. The eye itself is established in forms, as it perceives forms. Forms are established in the heart, for with the heart one knows forms; thus, all forms ultimately reside in the heart.” Hākalya agreed, “So it is, Yājñavalkya.” He continued, “The southern quarter’s deity is Yama. Yama is established in giving, for giving is an offering to Yama. Giving is established in faith, for only with faith does one give. Faith itself is established in the heart, for faith arises from the heart.” Again, Hākalya acknowledged the truth. For the western quarter, Yājñavalkya said, “Varuṇa is the deity. Varuṇa is established in the waters, the waters in seed, and seed is established in the heart. Indeed, people say of a child, ‘fashioned from the heart, created from the heart,’ for seed is rooted in the heart.” Hākalya agreed. Turning to the north, Yājñavalkya declared, “Soma is the deity of the northern quarter. Soma is established in consecration, consecration in truth, and truth is established in the heart. With the heart, one knows truth, and in the heart truth resides.” Hākalya again affirmed. For the fixed, upper quarter, Yājñavalkya said, “Agni is the deity. Agni is established in speech, speech in the mind.” When asked what the mind is established in, Yājñavalkya replied, “If this were found elsewhere than in us, then dogs and birds would have attained heaven. But it is not so.” Ahallika then asked, “On what are you and the self established?” Yājñavalkya answered, “On the breath.” He explained the sequence: the breath is established on the downward breath, which is established on the diffused breath, which in turn is established on the upward breath, and that on the equalizing breath. Then Yājñavalkya proclaimed the nature of the self: “This self is not this, not that—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, one transcends. I ask you about that person taught in the Upaniṣad. If you do not explain him to me, your head will fall off.” Hākalya was silent, and his head fell off. The others, fearing the same fate, departed. Yājñavalkya then addressed the remaining Brāhmaṇas: “If any of you wish, ask; or I will question you. But none dared to speak.” Yājñavalkya then questioned them in parables: “As a tree is a forest tree, so too is a person not false; his hairs are its leaves, and the outer skin is the bark. His blood flows as sap from the skin; when it is cut, it flows out, just as sap flows from a tree when wounded. His flesh is like the pulp, his sinews are the fibers, firm in him; his bones are like the wood within, and his marrow is shaped like the pith. 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 living, offspring are born from that, but once dead, who could beget him again? Like a tree that springs 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.” At this, King Janaka of Videha arranged the assembly. Yājñavalkya approached, and Janaka asked, “Yājñavalkya, have you come seeking cattle or seeking knowledge?” Yājñavalkya replied, “Both, O King.” Yājñavalkya recounted: “Udaṅka Houlvāyana told me: ‘Breath indeed is Brahman. Without breath, nothing would exist.’ But he did not explain its abode and support.” Janaka asked, “Tell me, Yājñavalkya.” Yājñavalkya replied, “Its abode is space, its support is love; meditate on it as love.” When Janaka asked, “What is love?” Yājñavalkya answered, “Breath itself, O King. For the sake of breath, one offers sacrifices, receives gifts, and acts even in the face of death. Breath is the supreme Brahman; breath does not abandon him, and all beings approach him. Whoever knows and meditates thus, becoming a god, attains the gods.” Janaka, pleased, offered a thousand cows, but Yājñavalkya replied, “My father taught me never to take without instructing.” Janaka pressed further, and Yājñavalkya related: “Jitvā Hailina told me: ‘Speech indeed is Brahman; without speech, nothing would exist.’ But he did not explain its abode and support.” Janaka asked, “Tell me, Yājñavalkya.” Yājñavalkya said, “Its abode is speech, its support is space; meditate on it as knowledge.” When Janaka asked, “What is knowledge?” Yājñavalkya answered, “Speech itself, O King. Through speech, one recognizes relatives and knows all the Vedas and wisdom. Speech is the supreme Brahman; speech does not abandon him, and all beings approach him. Whoever knows and meditates thus, becoming a god, attains the gods.” Again, Janaka offered a thousand cows, and again Yājñavalkya declined without instructing. Yājñavalkya continued: “Barku Vārṣṇa told me: ‘The eye indeed is Brahman; without seeing, nothing would exist.’ But he did not explain its abode and support.” When Janaka asked, Yājñavalkya replied, “Its abode is the eye, its support is space; meditate on it as truth.” When asked, “What is truth?” he answered, “The eye itself, O King. By the eye, one sees and knows truth. The eye is the supreme Brahman; the eye does not abandon him, and all beings approach him. Whoever knows and meditates thus, becoming a god, attains the gods.” Next, Yājñavalkya recounted: “Bharadvāja, who had drunk donkey’s milk, told me: ‘The ear is indeed Brahman.’ But when asked about its abode and support, he did not answer.” Yājñavalkya explained, “The ear is the abode; space is its support—meditate on it as infinite.” Janaka asked, “What is this infinitude?” Yājñavalkya replied, “The directions themselves, O King. Whichever direction one goes, one never reaches its end; so too, the ear is infinite. The ear is the supreme Brahman; it never abandons him, and all beings approach him. Whoever knows and meditates thus, becoming a god, attains the gods.” He then spoke of Śatyakāma Jābāla, who said: “The mind is indeed Brahman.” Yājñavalkya clarified, “The mind is the abode; space is its support—meditate on it as bliss.” When Janaka asked, “What is this bliss?” Yājñavalkya replied, “The mind itself, O King. With the mind, one approaches a woman, and a son resembling him is born; that is bliss. The mind is the supreme Brahman; it never abandons him, and all beings approach him. Whoever knows and meditates thus, becoming a god, attains the gods.” Finally, Yājñavalkya spoke of Vidagdha Śākalya, who declared: “The heart is indeed Brahman.” Yājñavalkya explained, “The heart is the abode; space is its support—meditate on it as stability.” When Janaka asked, “What is this stability?” Yājñavalkya replied, “The heart itself, O King. The heart is the abode and support of all beings; indeed, all beings are established in the heart. The heart is the supreme Brahman; it never abandons him, and all beings approach him. Whoever knows and meditates thus, becoming a god, attains the gods.” At this, Janaka, filled with reverence, rose from his seat and said, “Salutations to you! Yājñavalkya, do not defeat me.” Yājñavalkya replied, “Just as one who prepares for a great journey readies a chariot or boat, so, with these Upaniṣads, you have prepared yourself. Having studied the Veda and spoken the Upaniṣad, when you are released from here, where will you go?” Janaka admitted, “I do not know, revered one.” Yājñavalkya offered to explain. He said, “In the right eye dwells a person called Indha, whom people call Indra, but only indirectly, for the gods love what is indirect and dislike directness. In the left eye is the form of a person—she is his wife, Virāj. The space within the heart is their meeting place, the lump of blood within the heart is their food, the network within the heart is their covering, and the artery that rises from the heart is their path of movement.” He described, “There are a thousand arteries of the heart, as fine as split hairs. Through these, the self moves and departs; thus, when the self leaves the body, a person becomes thin, as if deprived of nourishment. For that person, the vital breaths correspond to the directions: the east to the eastern breaths, the south to the southern breaths, the west to the western breaths, the north to the northern breaths, the upward to the upward breaths, the downward to the downward breaths; all directions are all the breaths.” Thus, through profound dialogue and subtle teaching, Yājñavalkya revealed the mysteries of Brahman, the quarters, the senses, the heart, and the ultimate journey of the self, leaving the assembly in awe and reverence for the wisdom of the Upaniṣad.