Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

अहर्वाअश्वं पुरस्तान्महिमान्वजायत, तस्य पूर्वे समुद्रेयोनी; रात्रिरेनं पश्चान्महिमान्वजायत, तस्यापरे समुद्रेयोनिः एतौवाअश्वं महिमानावभितः सम्बभूवतुः॥ हयो भूत्वादेवानवहद् वाजीगन्धर्वान् अर्वासुरान् अश्वो मनुष्यान्त्॥ समुद्रएवास्य बन्धुः, समुद्रोयोनिः॥ 2 = 10.6.5.1-3 =

In the morning, from the front, the glorious horse was born; its origin is in the eastern ocean. At night, from behind, the glorious horse was born; its origin is in the western ocean. Thus, the horse was surrounded on all sides by glory. Becoming a horse, it carried the gods, Gandharvas, Asuras, and humans. The ocean is its kinsman; the ocean is its birthplace.

नैवेहकिं चनाग्र आसीन्॥ मृत्युनैवेदमावृतमासीदशनाययाशनायाहिमृत्युः॥ तन्मनोऽकुरुतात्मन्वीस्यामिति॥ सोऽर्चन्नचरत्॥ तस्यार्चत आपोऽजायन्तार्चते वैमे कमभूदिति॥ तदेवार्क्यस्यार्कत्वं॥ कँ ह वाअस्मै भवति, यएवमेतदर्क्यस्यार्कत्वं वेद

In the beginning, there was nothing here. All this was covered by death, by hunger, for hunger is death. He formed in his mind the desire: 'Let me have a self.' He worshipped and moved. From his worship, water was born. He thought, 'Indeed, this is delight.' That is the nature of worship. Whoever knows this nature of worship becomes delightful.

आपो वाअर्कः॥ तद्यदपाँ शर आसीत् तत्समहन्यत, सापृथिव्यभवत्॥ तस्यामश्राम्यत्॥ तस्य श्रान्तस्य तप्तस्य तेजो रसो निरवर्तताग्निः

Water indeed is worship. That which was the foam on the water, it solidified; it became the earth. Upon it he grew weary. From his weariness and heat, radiance and essence arose—fire.

सत्रेधात्मानं व्यकुरुतादित्यं तृतीयं, वायुं तृतीयँ॥ सएषप्राणस् त्रेधाविहितः॥ तस्य प्राची दिक्षिरोऽसौचासौचेर्माउ अथास्य प्रतीची दिक्पुच्छम् असौचासौच सक्थ्यौ; दक्षिणा चोदीची च पार्श्वे, द्यौष् पृष्ठम् अन्तरिक्षमुदरम् इयमुरः, सएषोऽप्सुप्रतिष्ठितो॥ यत्र क्वचैति, तदेवप्रतितिष्ठत्य् एवं विद्वान्

He divided himself threefold: the sun as the third, the wind as the third. Thus, this breath is established in threefold form. Of it, the eastern direction is the head, pure and impure are the jaws; the western direction is the tail, pure and impure are the thighs; the southern and northern are the sides; heaven is the back, the mid-region the belly, this earth the chest. Thus, he is established in the waters. Wherever he goes, there he stands firm—so knows the knower.

सोऽकामयतः द्वितीयो म आत्माजायेतेति॥ समनसा वाचं मिथुनँ समभवदशनायां मृत्युः॥ तद्यद्रेत आसीत् ससंवत्सरोऽभवन्॥ नह पुराततः संवत्सरआस॥ तमेतावन्तं कालमबिभर्यावान्त्संवत्सरः॥ तमेतावतः कालस्य परस्तादसृजत॥ तं जातमभिव्याददात्; सभाणकरोत् सैववागभवत्

He desired: 'May a second self be born from me.' With mind and speech, he became a pair; in hunger, death. That which was semen became the year. Before that, there was no year. He bore it for as long as a year. After that time, he gave birth. As soon as it was born, he embraced it; it spoke, and that became speech.

सऐक्षतः यदि वाइममभिमँस्ये, कनीयोऽन्नं करिष्य इति॥ सतया वाचातेनात्मनेदँ सर्वमसृजत, यदिदं किङ्चर्चो यजूँषि सामानि छन्दाँसि यज्ञान्प्रजां पशून्त्॥ सयद्-यदेवासृजत, तत्-तदत्तुमध्रियत॥ सर्वं वाअत्तीति, तददितेरदितित्वँ॥ सर्वस्यात्ताभवति, सर्वमस्यान्नं भवति, यएवमेतददितेरदितित्वं वेद

She considered: 'If I unite with him, I will become less; let me make myself food.' With that speech, he created everything, whatever is here: the Rig, Yajur, and Sāma hymns, the meters, the sacrifices, creatures, and animals. Whatever he created, that he entered as food. Indeed, all is food; this is the nature of Aditi. Whoever knows this nature of Aditi becomes the eater of all; all becomes his food.

सोऽकामयतः भूयसा यज्ञेन भूयो यजेयेति॥ सोऽश्राम्यत् सतपोऽतप्यत॥ तस्य श्रान्तस्य तप्तस्य यशो वीर्यमुदक्रामत्॥ प्राणावैयशो वीर्यं॥ तत्प्राणेषूत्क्रान्तेषु शरीरँ श्वयितुमध्रियत; तस्य शरीर एवमन आसीत्

He desired: 'By a greater sacrifice, let me become greater.' He grew weary and performed austerity. From his weariness and heat, glory and vigor arose. Breath is indeed glory and vigor. When breath departed, the body swelled; in the body alone was the mind.

सोऽकामयतः मेध्यं म इदँ स्याद् आत्मन्व्यनेन स्यामिति॥ ततोऽश्वः समभवद्॥ यदश्वत् तन्मेध्यमभूदिति॥ तदेवाश्वमेधस्याश्वमेधत्वम्॥ एषह वाअश्वमेधं वेद, यएनमेवं वेद

He desired: 'May the sacrificial horse be mine; may I be established in myself through it.' Then the horse was born. Because it was a horse, it became the sacrificial horse. This is the true nature of the horse sacrifice. Whoever knows it thus knows the horse sacrifice.

तमनवरुध्येवामन्यत॥ तँ संवत्सरस्य परस्तादात्मन आलभत, पशून्देवताभ्यः प्रत्यौहत्॥ तस्मात्सर्वदेवत्यं प्रोक्षितं प्राजापत्यमालभन्त॥ एषवाअश्वमेधोयएषतपति; तस्य संवत्सरआत्मायमग्निरर्कः तस्येमेलोकाआत्मानः॥ तावेतावर्काश्वमेधौ, सोपुनरेकैवदेवता भवति, मृत्युरेवाप पुनर्मृत्युं जयति, नैनं मृत्युराप्नोति, मृत्युरस्यात्माभवति सर्वमायुरेति एतासां देवतानामेको भवति, यएवं वेद॥ 3 = 14.4.1.1-33 =

He did not restrain it but considered it. Beyond the year, he took it from himself and offered the animals to the deities. Therefore, the consecrated offering is considered to belong to all the deities and to Prajāpati. This is the horse sacrifice, this is the lord of sacrifices; its self is the year, its fire is the sun. Its self is these worlds. Thus, the horse and the sun sacrifice are the same; ultimately, there is only one deity. Death indeed is water; conquering death again, death does not reach him. Death becomes his self; he attains all life. Among these deities, he becomes one who knows thus.

द्वयाह प्राजापत्या, देवाश्चासुराश्च॥ ततः कानीयसाएवदेवा, ज्यायसाअसुराः॥ तएषुलोकेष्वस्पर्धन्त

There were two kinds of offspring of Prajāpati: the gods and the demons. Among them, the gods were the lesser, the demons the greater. They competed in these worlds.

तेह देवाऊचुः हन्तासुरान्यज्ञउद्गीथेनात्ययामेति

Then the gods said: 'Let us surpass the demons through the chanting of the sacrificial hymn.'

तेह वाचमूचुः त्वं न उद्गायेति॥ तथेति॥ तेभ्यो वागुदगायद्॥ योवाचिभोगस् तं देवेभ्य आगायद् यत्कल्याणं वदति तदात्मने॥ तेऽविदुः अनेन वैन उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति॥ तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन्त्॥ सयः सपाप्मायदेवेदमप्रतिरूपं वदति, सएवसपाप्मा

They said to speech: 'You chant.' She agreed. Speech chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment is in speech, she chanted for the gods; whatever is auspicious she speaks, that is for herself. The demons knew: 'Through this chanter, they will surpass us.' They attacked her with evil. Whoever speaks what is improper, he is afflicted by evil.

अथ ह प्राणमूचुः त्वं न उद्गायेति॥ तथेति॥ तेभ्यः प्राणउदगायद्॥ यः प्राणेभोगस् तं देवेभ्य आगायद् यत्कल्याणं जिघ्रति तदात्मने॥ तेऽविदुः अनेन वैन उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति॥ तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन्त्॥ सयः सपाप्मायदेवेदमप्रतिरूपं जिघ्रति, सएवसपाप्मा

Then they said to breath: 'You chant.' He agreed. Breath chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment is in breath, he chanted for the gods; whatever is auspicious he smells, that is for himself. The demons knew: 'Through this chanter, they will surpass us.' They attacked him with evil. Whoever smells what is improper, he is afflicted by evil.

अथ ह चक्षुरूचुः त्वं न उद्गायेति॥ तथेति॥ तेभ्यश्चक्षुरुदगायद्॥ यश्चक्षुषि भोगस् तं देवेभ्य आगायद् यत्कल्याणं पश्यति तदात्मने॥ तेऽविदुः अनेन वैन उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति॥ तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन्त्॥ सयः सपाप्मायदेवेदमप्रतिरूपं पश्यति, सएवसपाप्मा

Then they said to the eye: 'You chant.' He agreed. The eye chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment is in the eye, he chanted for the gods; whatever is auspicious he sees, that is for himself. The demons knew: 'Through this chanter, they will surpass us.' They attacked him with evil. Whoever sees what is improper, he is afflicted by evil.

अथ ह श्रोत्रमूचुः त्वं न उद्गायेति॥ तथेति॥ तेभ्यः श्रोत्रमुदगायद्॥ यः श्रोत्रे भोगस् तं देवेभ्य आगायद् यत्कल्याणँ शृणोति तदात्मने॥ तेऽविदुः अनेन वैन उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति॥ तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन्त्॥ सयः सपाप्मायदेवेदमप्रतिरूपँ शृणोति, सएवसपाप्मा

Then they said to the ear: 'You chant.' He agreed. The ear chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment is in the ear, he chanted for the gods; whatever is auspicious he hears, that is for himself. The demons knew: 'Through this chanter, they will surpass us.' They attacked him with evil. Whoever hears what is improper, he is afflicted by evil.

अथ ह मन ऊचुः त्वं न उद्गायेति॥ तथेति॥ तेभ्यो मन उदगायद्॥ योमनसि भोगस् तं देवेभ्य आगायद् यत्कल्याणँ सङ्कल्पयति तदात्मने॥ तेऽविदुः अनेन वैन उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति॥ तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन्त्॥ सयः सपाप्मायदेवेदमप्रतिरूपँ सङ्कल्पयति, सएवसपाप्मैवमु खल्वेतादेवताः पाप्मभिरुपासृजन्न् एवमेनाः पाप्मनाविध्यन्

Then they said to the mind: 'You chant.' He agreed. The mind chanted for them. Whatever enjoyment is in the mind, he chanted for the gods; whatever is auspicious he thinks, that is for himself. The demons knew: 'Through this chanter, they will surpass us.' They attacked him with evil. Whoever thinks what is improper, he is afflicted by evil. Thus, these deities were beset by evils; thus, the demons attacked them with evil.

अथ हेममासन्यं प्राणमूचुः त्वं न उद्गायेति॥ तथेति॥ तेभ्य एषप्राणउदगायत्॥ तेऽविदुः अनेन वैन उद्गात्रात्येष्यन्तीति॥ तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविव्यत्सन्त्॥ सयथाश्मानमृत्वालोष्टोविध्वँसेतैवँ हैवविध्वँसमाना विष्वङ्चो विनेशुः॥ ततो देवाअभवन् परासुरा॥ भवत्य् आत्मना, परास्य द्विषन्भ्रातृव्यो भवति, यएवं वेद

Then, at the seat of the sacrifice, they said to breath: 'You chant.' He agreed. This breath chanted for them. The demons knew: 'Through this chanter, they will surpass us.' They attacked him with evil, but as one would strike a rock or a lump of clay and it shatters in all directions, so their evil was destroyed. Then the gods became victorious, the demons were defeated. One becomes victorious by his own self; his enemy, his rival, is defeated—whoever knows this.

तेहोचुः क्वनु सोऽभूद् योन इत्थमसक्तेति॥ अयमास्येऽन्तरिति, सोऽयास्य; आङ्गिरसो, अङ्गानाँ हिरसः

They said: Where then did he go, who was thus bound? He is within the mouth, they said; he is the essence of the limbs, the sap of the limbs.

सावाएषादेवता दूर्नाम, दूरँ ह्यस्या मृत्युः॥ दूरँ ह वाअस्मान्मृत्युर्भवति, यएवं वेद

This very deity is called 'Dūr', for death is far from her. Indeed, death is far from him who knows thus.

सावाएषादेवतैतासां देवतानां पाप्मानं मृत्युमपहत्य, यत्रासां दिशामन्तः तद्गमयां चकार, तदासां पाप्मनो विन्यदधात्॥ तस्मान्नजनमियान् नान्तमियान् नेत्पाप्मानं मृत्युमन्ववायानीति

This very deity, having cast off the evil and death of these deities, led them to where the ends of these directions are; there she deposited their evil. Therefore, one should not go to a place lower than human, nor to the end, nor should one follow evil and death.

सावाएषादेवतैतासां देवतानां पाप्मानं मृत्युमपहत्याथैना मृत्युमत्यवहत्

This very deity, having cast off the evil and death of these deities, then carried them beyond death.

सावैवाचमेवप्रथमामत्यवहत्॥ सायदामृत्युमत्यमुच्यत, सोऽग्निरभवत्; सोऽयमग्निः परेण मृत्युमतिक्रान्तो दीप्यते

She first carried speech beyond death. When she released speech from death, it became fire; this very fire, having crossed beyond death, now shines.

अथ प्राणमत्यवहत्॥ सयदामृत्युमत्यमुच्यत, सवायुरभवत्; सोऽयं वायुः परेण मृत्युमतिक्रान्तः पवते

Then she carried breath beyond death. When she released breath from death, it became wind; this very wind, having crossed beyond death, now blows.

अथ चक्षुरत्यवहत्॥ तद्यदामृत्युमत्यमुच्यत, सआदित्योऽभवत्; सोऽसावादित्यः परेण मृत्युमतिक्रान्तस् तपति

Then she carried the eye beyond death. When she released the eye from death, it became the sun; this very sun, having crossed beyond death, now shines.

अथ श्रोत्रमत्यवहत्॥ तद्यदामृत्युमत्यमुच्यत, तादिशोऽभवन्; ताइमादिशः परेण मृत्युमतिक्रान्ताः

Then she carried the ear beyond death. When she released the ear from death, it became the directions; these very directions, having crossed beyond death, now exist.

अथ मनोऽत्यवहत्॥ तद्यदामृत्युमत्यमुच्यत, सचन्द्रमा अभवत्; सोऽसौचन्द्रः परेण मृत्युमतिक्रान्तो भाति॥ एवँ ह वाएनमेषादेवता मृत्युमतिवहति, यएवं वेद

Then she carried the mind beyond death. When she released the mind from death, it became the moon; this very moon, having crossed beyond death, now shines. Thus, indeed, this deity carries one beyond death, for whoever knows thus.

अथात्मनेऽन्नाद्यमागायद्॥ यद्धिकिङ्चान्नमद्यते, अनेनैवतदद्यत; इहप्रतितिष्ठति

Then for the self, food was brought. Whatever food is eaten, it is eaten by this alone; here it is established.

तेदेवाअब्रुवन्न् एतावद्वाइदँ सर्वं यदन्नं, तदात्मन आगासीः अनु नोऽस्मिन्नन्न आभजस्वेति॥ तेवैमाभिसंविशतेति॥ तथेति॥ तँ समन्तं परिण्यविशन्त॥ तस्माद्यदनेनान्नमत्ति, तेनैतास् तृप्यन्ति॥ एवँ ह वाएनँ स्वाअभिसंविशन्ति, भर्ता स्वानाँ श्रेष्ठः पुरएताभवत्यन्नादोऽधिपतिः यएवं वेद

They said: All this, indeed, is only as much as food; you have reached the self. Now distribute food among us. They entered into him. So be it, he said. They entered him completely. Therefore, by what he eats food, by that they are satisfied. Thus, indeed, they enter their own; the master of his own is the best and foremost, the eater of food, the lord, for whoever knows thus.

यउ हैवंविदँ स्वेषु प्रतिप्रतिर्बुभूषति, नहैवालं भार्येभ्यो भवति अथ यएवैतमनुभवति, योवैतमनु भार्यान्बुभूर्षति, सहैवालं भार्येभ्यो भवति

Whoever, knowing thus, desires offspring among his own, is not insufficient for his wives. But whoever does not know thus, and desires offspring among his wives, is indeed insufficient for his wives.